If I read this article right, this guy went on Atkin's diet because he wanted to lose eight pounds, and for some reason, stayed on it for 2 and a half years and now wants recompense because his cholesterol's out of whack.
Never mind that his cholesterol went up within the first two months on the diet, but he continued the diet for years.
This case combines the worst of the legal world with the worst of the diet world.
"I have an adverse event in my life!!! Who do I sue?"
"I want to lose eight pounds!!! I need to go on the most extreme diet I can!"
No wonder the rest of the world hates us, neh?
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
This guy just needs a swift kick in the butt.
<--- is available to help
Posted by kaioshin00 (Member # 3740) on :
quote: The diet doctor, who died last year at 72 after falling on an icy sidewalk.
Wow...I never knew that.
Posted by beatnix19 (Member # 5836) on :
I like meat as much as the next person but all these carb fanatics are insane. What do you think is going to happen when you guzzle down nothing but beef and pork all day long? It's like the people who complain about Mcdonalds, "you mean it will make me fat if I eat here everyday?" Amazing! Red meat is bad for cholesterol people. If you need to lose weight balance is good. I only wish I could take my own advise. Oh well, at least I'm aware of my awful eating habbits and accept any and all consequenses.
Posted by Mr.Gumby (Member # 6303) on :
Have you noticed that Atkins Diet says you'll lose WEIGHT. They never say that you'll lose FAT.
Posted by beatnix19 (Member # 5836) on :
The problem with all these low carb, high protien diets is that as soon, and I mean AS SOON, as you go off them the weight shoots right back up. It is not a long term solution and as people are finding out, choleserol becomes a big issue.
Posted by Mr.Gumby (Member # 6303) on :
People gain the weight back instantly is because the body is storing the carbs because it need them.
Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :
quote:No wonder the rest of the world hates us, neh?
This kind of thing probably doesn't rate on the "top ten" lists for people who hate us.
OTOH, these kind of things are top contenders on the lists titled "Top 10 Reasons I think Americans are Incredibly Silly".
Posted by saxon75 (Member # 4589) on :
quote:Have you noticed that Atkins Diet says you'll lose WEIGHT. They never say that you'll lose FAT.
Actually, no. Have you read the book? It says that when people enter what it calls benign dietary ketosis, they will lose fat, as opposed to, say, fasting, where you will lose both fat and muscle mass. I actually read several of the studies both supporting and debunking the Atkins diet and there seems to be a fair amount of both good and bad science going on on both sides of the table.
Posted by Space Opera (Member # 6504) on :
Yes, the man is an idiot. On a side note - eat vegetarian! It's great for your health and weight.
space opera
Posted by gwan (Member # 6194) on :
eat vegetarians? Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
Yes, but in this case, how much fat does a 148 pound man need to lose?
Or for that matter, a 148 pound woman?
It kind of reminds me of Regina George, the character in "Mean Girls" - she kept telling people "I want to lose three pounds."
In cases of severe obesity, Atkin's diet may be the way to go. The fact that a supposedly intelligent (the guy owns his own business) adult would be so obsessed with his appearance that he would go on an obviously extreme diet for such a trivial amount of weight that he "needed" to lose and then sue over the outcome is severely depressing to me.
Posted by Space Opera (Member # 6504) on :
Silly Gwan....eating vegetarians might give you digestive problems, you know, due to all that whole grain and whatnot.
space opera *who's currently wearing a t-shirt featuring a cartoon cow saying, "Please don't eat me."
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Hey guys, the Atkins diet actually calls for a LOT of vegetables. And your not supposed to "go off it." When you reach your target weight, you gradually increase your carbs until you reach your tolerance level.
It is not all meat all the time.
Dagonee
Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :
I went on a similar diet after I weaned Robert. I lost 40 lbs in 3 months and it didn't come back.
And you're right-- the diet I was on called for a lot of vegetables and low-fat meat with strict controls on both carbs and fats.
I also did weight training and drank only water or occasionally, lowfat milk.
What's bad is when people eat all the processed 'low carb' foods available instead of going for more veggies and whole foods.
Posted by Damien (Member # 5611) on :
He may be an idiot, but he's no George Dubya...
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
quote:The group, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, promotes a vegan diet banning meat, fish, dairy and egg products.
Yet another attack on Atkins who would prefer you follow their own unhealthy diet plan.
We like meat for a reason, guys. Run your tongue across your teeth. Feel those pointy-pointy ones? They're for ripping meat. Feel the blunty ones in the back? They're make for grinding vegetable matter. We're Omnivores.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
I find it odd that he's only seeking $15,000. I guess the devil got his soul pretty cheap.
[ May 27, 2004, 03:52 PM: Message edited by: pooka ]
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
He'll probably be tossed out of court based on science.
quote: Two new studies confirm that a low-carbohydrate diet is more effective at dropping pounds and improving cholesterol and triglyceride levels, a finding that has one prominent nutrition expert calling on his reluctant colleagues to embrace low-carb diets as an acceptable alternative.
Not from what I've read and witnessed. The food pyramid guide is wrong and needs to be changed.
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
I'm with Kayla. the obesity rate in america shot up with the introduction of the food pyramid. We're getting fatter than we ever were under "The Four Food Groups"
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Apparently, on Sunday, ABC is going to be doing something with Time Magazine that looks interesting.
"This kind of thing probably doesn't rate on the "top ten" lists for people who hate us."
Actually, Sndrake, I would agree with this as a big reason for us being hated. The fact that Americans CAN go on a meat-heavy diet says that we can afford lots of meat. Many people in the world eat meat as a small part of a meal. Many people in the world don't get to eat much at all. The fact that we are a country experiencing a major obesity problem, and that we get rid of our our fat by going on expensive diets, might generate a bit of animosity.
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
What was it my marketing proff said?
Never before in history have so many calories been available for so little money.
Posted by BrianM (Member # 5918) on :
Vegetarian diets are probably the worst diets out there due to all the pasta and bread that is included in it, and all the excess sugars from certain fruits and vegetables, it can even cause chronic diarhea very easily.
That guy who gained weight probably read the reader's digest 2 sentence description of the Atkin's diet and went out eating lots of fatty meats thinking that the diet ok.ed that kind of thing.
The Atkins diet is not the elimination of all carbs, that is only the first two weeks. Over time you get to phase in carbs that have low gycemic indexes. The end result of the Atkins diet is the default human diet. We did not evolve to consume mass quantities of baked goods and refined sugars, nor did we evolve to become herbivores that eat too many plant sugars and will develop diabetes because of that.
For the real scoop on the long term atkins diet and not just propaganda that shouts "ketosis!" every 10 seconds, check out Atkins for Life
Most of the opponents of the Atkin's diet are either bread industry lobbysists who want to keep things like glycemic index off of food labels and/or obese people who don't want to stop going to the Olive garden every other night and eat twinkies a few times a week. The government should stop wasting time criminalizing marijuana and outlaw Hostess which is MUCH more harmful.
[ May 27, 2004, 09:26 PM: Message edited by: BrianM ]
Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
What do you mean or? Posted by Space Opera (Member # 6504) on :
Brian M., I have to disagree with you. Vegetarian diets do not consist of merely pasta, breads, and fruits/veggies. They also consist of legumes and tofu, among other things. Most of the time people who have probs. with vegetarian diets have probs. b/c they are not substituting for their proteins properly. Vegetarian diets can be wonderfully low-fat - one just needs to know how to eat a proper vegetarian diet. Even if you only eat a part-time veg. diet, you will most likely increase your intake of vitamins and minerals and lower your intake of fat.
space opera
Posted by BrianM (Member # 5918) on :
You can easily get your maximum allowance of vitamins from a good multivitaimin. Too many vegetarian diets allow too much unsaturated fat to come into the body. The human body can't easily deal with too much of one type of fat so when you cut saturated fat completely out of your diet and only eat unsaturated fats, your putting you liver in a precarious situation. Also, tofu and legumes and nuts are very expensive in many places in north america, they are not practical for most incomes for even 1/3rd of a person's meals. Vegetables like carrots are high on the glycemic index and because of this one can make the case that jelly beans are actually more healthy for you than carrots. These are just some of the problems with a vegetarian diet. Another major problem is the aspect of chronic diarhea which is 4 times more likely in a vegetarian and 8 times more likely in a vegan than in an omnivore.
Posted by Space Opera (Member # 6504) on :
I'm still gonna argue that tofu, nuts, and legumes are no more expensive than meat.
space opera
Posted by BrianM (Member # 5918) on :
you're joking, right??
Posted by Space Opera (Member # 6504) on :
Nope - a bag of lentils is 69 cents.
space opera
Posted by BrianM (Member # 5918) on :
wow, lentils, that makes quite a fine main course.
Seriously, meat is much much much cheaper than tofu, and the exotic types of vegetables you would have to buy to decent variance in your diet.
Posted by Space Opera (Member # 6504) on :
We have lentil soup all the time; it's quite good and filling. I guess when you eat vegetarian you're used to eating a bit lighter. We spend WAY less on groceries since I stopped serving meat at home. Maybe I'm just lucky and live where all the cheap veggies are. Have you ever eaten/shopped vegetarian for an length of time?
space opera
Posted by BrianM (Member # 5918) on :
Here in Alaska vegie prices only go down in the summer, and even then it's not much. However, there is a wide array of cheap, wonderful meats like Moose, which has virtually no fat (it's so rich and tasty), pink and white king salmon, halibut, caribou, etc.
I do know that in my general experience even down in the states, chicken, beef, etc., is always much cheaper than tofu and legumes. There are a few area which might be near specialty agriculture where this isn't true, but I'd hardly call that the norm.
[ May 28, 2004, 12:04 AM: Message edited by: BrianM ]
Posted by Space Opera (Member # 6504) on :
Ok, well it seems as though we're arguing the difference in grocery prices from Alaska to Kentucky! I think we're both right.
space opera
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Did you capitalize Moose out of habit?
quote: Moose, which has virtually no fat (it's so rich and tasty)
You know Papa Moose might be fearing for Mooselet's and Superstation's life.... AJ
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Lentil soup is really good, but it needs ham in it. Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
Alls I know is my husband was vegetarian for 9 years and he slowly gained 90 pounds and wound up with a hernia. In the end his accupuncturist recommended he re introduce meat for the protein to heal the hernia. He's still kind of icked out by meat on the bone, but his weight has stabilized somewhere above his ideal.
It's possible to do any food plan wrong.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote: It's possible to do any food plan wrong.
That I agree with 100%.
quote: You can easily get your maximum allowance of vitamins from a good multivitamin.
In general, absorption of vitamins and minerals is better from FOOD than a multivitamin. Although taking one as nutritional insurance is probably a good idea for most people.
quote: The human body can't easily deal with too much of one type of fat so when you cut saturated fat completely out of your diet and only eat unsaturated fats, your putting you liver in a precarious situation.
*blink* since when? Someone should tell all the people in Mediterranean areas, who use olive oil and have far better health, on average, than we Americans who consume saturated fat like it's going out of style.
quote: Vegetables like carrots are high on the glycemic index and because of this one can make the case that jelly beans are actually more healthy for you than carrots.
Right, because glycemic index is the ONLY indicator of whether a food is healthy.
The trouble with Atkins -- and with MOST commercial diets -- is that it is a one-trick pony. Time and time again, it comes back to this: moderation is the way to go, balance is the key, and try to eat as much food as possible that remembers what it was.
And when I start practicing what I preach, I'll let you know how it goes.
Although I do like legumes. Lentil soup is yummy. And so is tofu -- which around here costs about $1 for 14 ounces. Beans, peas, lentils, barley all cost a lot less. Meat costs a lot more.
But I'm not living in a frozen tundra. I imagine that vegetable ARE quite expensive up there.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
mmmmm. meat.
mmmmmmmm. cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeseburgers.
Posted by fallow (Member # 6268) on :
*slaps a lean sizzlin' strip 'o' bacon on that cheeseburger*
edit: PS. "Narf!" *rubs buddha*
[ May 28, 2004, 01:47 AM: Message edited by: fallow ]
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Ew. Don't like bacon.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Me either.
Posted by fallow (Member # 6268) on :
"finicky eaters!"
*sighs and shrugs*
*removes bacon from mack's cheeseburgers*
*narf*
Posted by BrianM (Member # 5918) on :
One again there is the propaganda that paints the Atkin's diet as unbalanced. If you knew anything about it you'd realize the main phase of the Atkin's diet is extremely balanced and healthy incroporating even carbs.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
(rivka, get on AIM, I have to go to bed in 10 min)
And you CAN'T have bacon, dear. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Let the record show, that I anticipated the AIM request and was on before I saw your post.
And oh, is THAT the problem? Posted by Nick (Member # 4311) on :
mmmm cheeseburgers......
Posted by fallow (Member # 6268) on :
mmmmm... bacon...
*sizzle-lean*
Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
Mmmm...bacon. I love bacon.
quote: The problem with all these low carb, high protien diets is that as soon, and I mean AS SOON, as you go off them the weight shoots right back up.
I lost 20 lbs on Atkins for 2 months. That was last summer, and I still haven't gained any back. A little bit of the fat goes away at first, and then it's more gradual shrinkage. I've been a size smaller every time I go jeans shopping lately.
quote: And your not supposed to "go off it." When you reach your target weight, you gradually increase your carbs until you reach your tolerance level.
*snort* I couldn't stand the food any longer and just went back to eating normally.
quote: "finicky eaters!"
When I was little my parents had to tie me to the chair to get me to eat. Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I have read the END of the Atkins diet, the maintenance plan. I could definitely eat that way, with whole grains, no refined sugar, and minimal starch. I could just never get to that point by following the rest, and no one can convince me it is healthy.
I wonder if I followed the maintenance plan if, over a longer period of time, I would lose weight. Hmm. Maybe I will try.
Posted by BrianM (Member # 5918) on :
Elizabeth, are you speaking about the induction phase? If so that period lasts two weeks, and even if recommended behavior during that period was unhealthy--which it's not-- it's 2 weeks so I doubt any serious harm could be done to you. But it sounds like you've already made up your mind that it this is not the case so I doubt any persuasion on my part is worth the effort.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Brian, I know people who went on the diet, and followed it to the letter, and had major digestive problems. Like I said, I could do the end of it, not the beginning, or even the middle. Please don't take offense, it is just my opinion!
Posted by BrianM (Member # 5918) on :
No offense was taken, I was just speaking to your comment
quote:and no one can convince me it is healthy.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Yes, that was very stubborn of me. Perhaps it is the Carbohydrate Demon inside me, saying: "French Fries, give me French Fries."
I am weak.
Posted by BrianM (Member # 5918) on :
I am telling you, McDonald's really *is* the single most destructive force in the universe. Their new ad campaign of "I'm loving it" (which happens to be an anagram for "Ailing Vomit" btw) makes me horrendously sick, especially since so many people seem to keep buying into it. Their attempt to be healthy with their salads and low carb salads and even adult happy meals really make me weak with horror. If McDonald's is where we turn to be healthy then we are a nutritionally-bankrupt culture.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I think we are a nutritionally bankrupt country for many more reasons.
Even the vegetables we buy at the store, so pretty and "fresh," are most often devoid of nutrition. I remember reading a while back that a vegetable starts to lose nutrients the moment it is picked, and that by the time it sits on the shelf, then in your fridge, it is pretty much just a pile of fiber. (read this a long time ago, but I do believe it) It is actually better, especially in the winter, to eat frozen vegetables.
We just keep getting farther and farther away from whole food, and even our whole food is incomplete. So I do agree with much of what Atkins says, in that regard. I am just not so sure about the amount of protein he says we need.
Posted by pwiscombe (Member # 181) on :
A couple of points:
First, Atkins has several phases. The extremely low carb phase is just the induction phase to get you down to a certain weight level. Then you slowly add good carbs back into your system. If you skip the secondary phases and go back to your regular eating habits (with no exercise), the weight will come back. That doesn't mean that Atkins doesn't work. When I was on the diet (two years and 30 pounds ago) people kept coming up to me and asking if I had lost weight. When I replied that I had, they would ask how I did it. When I said "Atkins", the reply was almost always the same: "Oh, that doesn't work" But I had ALREADY lost the 30 lbs and they had ALREADY complemented me on it.
Second, It is amazing to me how many people will assume that the Atkins diet will cause high cholesterol in your blood. "If you eat high cholesterol food, your blood will be high in cholesterol, right?" Since "common sense" would indicate this, no one bothers to actually check the studies that have been done. They all show otherwise. By the same logic, if I eat lots of green foods, my blood will have lots of chlorophyl, and I will be able to gain energy from the sun!
This reminds me of another "common sense" assumption: About 30 years ago a company developed a Heads-Up projection system for cars that would actually project a television image on the windshield. The driver could watch a movie while driving. The image was projected about 10 feet in front of the car. "Common Sense" tells you that that is a stupid thing to do; that this would cause accidents. When the company did feasability studies, they found out that drivers actually did better when watching a show, because they didn't take their eyes off of the road. They were able to respond quicker to oncoming traffic issues and were less likely to be distracted by things in the car (like kids and the radio, etc). When they tried to bring it to market, the corporate lawyers were able to stop it, because they knew that the public would never be able to get past the "common sense" idea that it would be dangerous. The first time that someone using the display got into an accident, even if it wasn't his fault, all the other driver would have to say is "He was watching television!" Case Closed.
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
Of course this guy is an idiot. Anyone who goes on a formal diet program to lose eight pounds is. Then again, we are living in a society where a good portion of the population is terrified - literally - of being even eight pounds overweight.
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
Thanks everybody for reminding me. I ate so much meat yesterday at the picnic that (although I enjoyed every bit of it) I'm kind of meated out. So I put on a pot of split pea soup and served myself a dish of tabouli.
I can't believe for a second that brown rice and dried legumes are more expensive than meat in Alaska.
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and then sue over the outcome is severely depressing to me.
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