Carbohydrate Blockers

[neuronaut]

I have been on a low-carb, high protein diet for about 5 months and have lost 60 pounds. I have 40 to go before I reach my ideal weight. My wife has been on the diet for 4 months and has lost about 40 pounds. So far, we have not used any kind of diet pill. We both take 2 days off of the diet each month to eat the foods we miss. I think that this has made it much easier for us to stick with the diet.

I have been seeing numorous advertisements online for "carbohydrate blockers". I'm wondering if this wouldn't be a good supplment to take on our days off the diet (mini diet vacations). There are tons of sites selling these pills, but I've not found any sites that explain how they work and what risks are associated with them. I don't like to take any pills until I understand what they are and how they work. Can anyone share any information or links to information?

Thanks.

[Belfrybat]

I don't have any links for you, but from what I've read, they might help a bit in insulin control, but not enough to make much difference. You might want to PM Randy (Ottawa) as he used them several times last year when on trips and such and could share his experience with you. I don't find they make any difference when I use them or not. But everyone is different.

[Ottawa]

BC, I was hoping that everyone forgot.

I used them twice (two different kinds on two different trips).

Have you ever eaten 2 Malitol chocolate bars close together? The same effect minus the runs, with more of a barnyard odor. Definitely puts a damper on the romance.

Now when on a special vacation or holiday if we've decided to have a dessert or treat with a meal I make an informed choice and plan on working/eating it off within a week of returning.

I found it just too easy to slip into old habits with a magic pill and it doesn't measure up to the hype. As well you have to prep your body prior to and after the meal and if you have made a big carb choice you get bloating as well. My wife made many of the same choices without the pills, we both went up 4-5 pounds and both were back to normal within 10 days of being home.

[cmcole]

Perhaps eventually you'll not be missing those particular items so much, and it won't be an issue.

I just haven't heard anyone report that those particular items are of much value, other than draining your wallet of it's contents.

[Gaelen]

The bottom line? There IS no 'magic pill.'

Instead of trying to figure out a way to have your cake and have no consequences from eating it, why not try another approach?

This is not a temporary 'diet.' This is a way of eating which, if you stick to it, will give you lasting health benefits. You probably will not always need to restrict your carb intake to the plan's Phase I levels--but if you do have to do that, and are healthier because of that choice, will that be the end of the world?

You have chosen to restrict the amount of carbs you eat. Once in awhile you can loosen that restriction, by choice. Note...I said "loosen," not "completely disregard." That's not 'cheating' or taking a 'mini-vacation'--that's choosing to loosen your carb restrictions once in awhile. You can't cheat on yourself, so banish that word from your vocabulary. You are making a choice to eat, whatever you choose.

Some of the choices you make about the foods you eat are healthier than others. And with or without magic pills, every choice always has a consequence, whether you can see/feel that consequence immediately or not. Choosing to loosen your carb restrictions has consequences. Choosing to try to get around that with a 'magic pill' also has consequences...financial, gastrointestinal, and psychological. Some of those consequences are more serious than others. But in any case, you control them by controlling your choices.

Choosing to restrict carbs is all about you. No one is forcing unhealthy choices down your throat. So if you choose to make a less-than-healthy food choice, accept the choice and the consequences and move on. But don't try to 'erase' it with a magic pill, which is going to have its own less-than-desirable consequences. Just accept the responsibility for the choices you make.

That kind of attitude can make the idea of a 'magic pill' or a 'cheat day' into a non-issue.

Now, which choices are smarter for you?

[Billie]

Well first of all you have and your wife have done extremely well on the weight loss, congrats! What else are you doing to get healthy is my question I guess?

You are losing over 10lbs a month which is huge, and are you adjusting how much protein you are eating and what about exercise?

For many of us just losing the weight is not really what it is all about, tell us about other things you are doing to get healthy! I am not taking anything away here from your fabulous loss but just hoping thinking about exercise, BP, blood sugars, cholesterol etc...you know that "stuff" that are pretty good indicators of good health.

And I certainly agree with the NO MAGIC PILL talk, it is just plain hard work!

[neuronaut]

Thanks for the complements on our progress. Dieting with my wife has been interesting. I've started cooking deserts and pastries with protein powder and almond meal. Between this and the meats, it seemed I am consistantly getting enough protein. So, I quit tracking the protein. I am a bit concerned about losing muscle. The reason for the concern is simply that my body was used to lugging around an 60 extra pounds that are now gone. It is quite reasonable to think that without exercise and without this extra weight that the body would adjust by decreasing muscle mass. I have been calculating my percentage body fat. I have noticed a small decrease in lean weight but not a significant muscle loss. And, no calculation for body fat is perfect so I will not be concerned unless I see a larger difference. We are not working on an exercise program right now. We have a 9 month old son. He is in day care all day and we couldn't bare to take another hour each day away from him to work out. And, the weather has been cold and rainy so long walks are out.... but for now we are doing quite well with just the diet ...er, lifestyle ;-).

With regards to criticism on "diet vacations", I truly feel that this is what has made it easier for us to stick with the diet. Planning days off takes away the guilt of "cheating". When doing so, we do not weaken our will power because it is part of our plan and not a "cheat". If it were not planned, I think it'd be much more difficult to not allow one "slip" to lead to another "slip" etc. Bare in mind that each time we take a day off it seems we lose 3 or 4 days of potential weight loss (maybe just water weight?). But, we're in for the long haul so these little delays are not of much concern.

[Belfrybat]

Originally Posted by Ottawa

BC, I was hoping that everyone forgot.

Oops! But Randy, don't you know there's no secrets in cyberspace? Anything said (written) at anytime can be used over and over! That's the fun of it all.

[Ottawa]

Originally Posted by neuronaut

I am a bit concerned about losing muscle. The reason for the concern is simply that my body was used to lugging around an 60 extra pounds that are now gone. It is quite reasonable to think that without exercise and without this extra weight that the body would adjust by decreasing muscle mass. I have been calculating my percentage body fat. I have noticed a small decrease in lean weight but not a significant muscle loss. And, no calculation for body fat is perfect so I will not be concerned unless I see a larger difference.

I noticed the same thing as did Malcolm. With the fat loss there was a few pounds of lean body mass missing after several months of fat loss and not carrying the excess fat. This may only accour with those who developed muscle carrying around a huge excess of body weight, but it wasn't until I began working out that I regained it and then increased it a bit.

Originally Posted by neuronaut

With regards to criticism on "diet vacations", I truly feel that this is what has made it easier for us to stick with the diet. Planning days off takes away the guilt of "cheating". When doing so, we do not weaken our will power because it is part of our plan and not a "cheat". If it were not planned, I think it'd be much more difficult to not allow one "slip" to lead to another "slip" etc. Bare in mind that each time we take a day off it seems we lose 3 or 4 days of potential weight loss (maybe just water weight?). But, we're in for the long haul so these little delays are not of much concern.

Except for very special times I avoid this since I tend to justify it and begin a little slip which will cost me a week catcthing up. ALthough I believe this is mainly water as you surmise, I find is a slope that I still fear over indulgence.
Congrats on your success. It seems to be working well for you. Billies' comment "I am not taking anything away here from your fabulous loss but just hoping thinking about exercise, BP, blood sugars, cholesterol etc...you know that "stuff" that are pretty good indicators of good health." carries a lot of weight as well, since many of us here that get regular blood work done can attest to the fact about the other benefits besides the weight loss.

BC,
There are lots of other things that I have said and done that reflect on choices I have made, but those pills are totally gone and I wouldn't use them again. They seemed to be a special fiber and blocker in a capsul and my wife put them in the compost bin.
The squirrels must have had quite a surprise.

[Bugzita]

Re: "magic" pills.

Don't forget about the fen-phen debacle. That combination was touted as the best diet discovery of the century, but it turned out to be a dangerous combination for some users: some people had heart attacks and died; others developed life-long heart disease.

Boy, I missed that diet pill boat, and am I ever glad I did!

I took Meridia for about three months, but it made me sleepy and lazy. I ended up gaining weight on that one.

I took phentermine (by itself) for 2 separate three-month periods. It worked great for the first half of the day, but evenings were misery. The thing about phentermine: it stops working after about three months, and the rebound effect is astonishingly vicious. For about two months, I was a human vacuum cleaner.

I know nothing about carb blockers, however; my doctor has not said anything about such an option. At this point, I'd be inclined to shy away from pills--they always seem to come with unpleasant consequences. And I usually stay away from "miracle pills" that are touted in late-night infomercials.

I have never done well with diet and anti-depressant pills, but others may have had better results.

Bugzita