Then I did Atkins, and I actually kept track of my calories on SparkPeople for a while. Would you believe I was getting anywhere between 2000 and 2900 calories a day? And still losing weight? I weigh about 230 right now, not much different than back then since I fell off the low-carb wagon (OK, more like jumped), but at the time I was steadily losing.

The simple fact is that carbohydrates are the only macronutrient that you only use for fuel. They have no other purpose. If you are going to eat for weight loss, the last thing in the world you want to do is cut out the macronutrients which perform other functions. You need protein to sustain muscle mass, for instance, as well as the integrity of your internal organs. You also need fat for things like hormone synthesis and nervous system maintenance. If you cut those back on account of they have “calories,” you’re in for malnutrition in the long run, which is why your average chronic dieter looks so unhealthy.

And then you have to consider that if a calorie of fat or a calorie of protein is being used for some other purpose besides fuel, that’s it–your body’s not going to burn it, ever. How much of our dietary fat goes to those hormones? How much of our protein goes to our muscles? Doesn’t that differ from person to person? We don’t eat our hormones OR our muscles, assuming we are healthy and have adequate food intake.

But hey, I know calories are a huge blind spot for most nutrition writers. I just wish some of ‘em would get their eyes checked.

I am 36 years old with 2 toddlers. My youngest just started day care last week- which still feels a little strange. I haven’t had this much time to myself in years. First thing I want to do is lose the extra pounds I put on during the last pregnancy. One of the girls next door has suggested I join her walking group two days a week. After my first pregnancy I lost around 35 pounds using the Herbalife products, but when I called the man that sold them to me three years ago he told me this week he doesn’t sell them anymore. He told me to look on the internet. It’s disappointing because he was really nice and he called me regularly to make sure I was using their products correctly. It was nice to have someone checking in with me every week to see how I was and it kept me motivated.

I searched on the internet for someone that sells Herbalife in New Jersey. I found many websites but I don’t want
just to buy the products, I want to find someone trustworthy that sells the products so I can also meet them and get started again.

Could anybody here recommend someone in New Brunswick?
.

Thanks, Mary

I lived in Korea and China for more than a decade, and Koreans and Chinese, like Thais, consume white rice at nearly every meal and stay thin. In fact, Koreans and Japanese have the lowest obesity rates among OECD countries - a mere 3% compared to 31% for the US. My point is not that eating white rice makes you fat but that white rice has literally had most of the nutrition stripped from it, and from my viewpoint, it is virtually flavorless although Asians disagree vigorously and each nationality asserts their rice is the best. One can buy enriched white rice, but added nutrients aren’t as readily absorbed as intact ones. I eat Lund’s brand organic brown rice, which comes in four varieties: short-grain, long-grain, jasmine, and basmati. I also buy aromatic brown rice, which fills the kitchen with a warm aroma as it cooks.