Wow it's been awhile since I've been here, glad to be back and see all the energy. One of the things I've been up to is getting certified as a weight loss coach. It's one of the things I've been coaching on anyway I just needed some more information and science.
As all of your posts make clear, there is no one way to lose weight regardless of age. And what's also clear from the science that does apply to everyone, foods that turn into sugar get stored as fat and it's not all calories in and calories out. If you eat a carbohydrate, healthy or otherwise, on it's own with no protein or fat in tow, it will cause a sugar spike, insulin will go crazy trying to manage the extra sugar and what you are left with is sugar stored as fat because the cells can't use any more.
And contrary to conventional wisdom, if you don't eat fat you are setting yourself up for weight gain. Fat fires up the metabolism, is critical to bone health, mental health, and it helps you feel full.
Did you know the you can link the increase in diabetes and obesity--and depression in women--directly to the rise of non-fat and low-fat foods and diets that started in the '70s?
I've been working with a 50-something woman who was diagnosed with diabetes. In 5 weeks she lost 23 pounds and her sugar is completely normal. Yes she's motivated to eat differently and change her exercise but the point is she is not in deprivation mode, she's enjoying a full range of foods.
Blood sugar problems--caused by eating foods which cause spikes--lead to inflammation which leads to all the diseases of aging--such as diabetes and heart disease--full stop as they say in the UK.
I applaud all of the work everyone here is doing I would just love to see more women enjoy their lives and lose the weight rather than doing it the old science way and feeling frustration and deprivation is their lot.(Georgia seems have figured out what works for her for weight loss. You go jawjaw but don't fear the fat.)
This is not about Atkins type diets, it's not about one diet at all, it is like Georgia said about lifestyle change. It's about eating foods that provide the nutrients our bodies need genetically. Rice cakes, baked corn chips,not so much.
There are lots of books out there talking about this, anything by Dr. Perricone, Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Dr. Mary Enig,The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain, Living the Low Carb Lifestyle by Dr. Jonny Bowden to name a few.
Sorry for what might be seen as a rant, I don't mean to rant I only want to offer a point of view that has merit and that might help.
I look forward to your comments.