Sarasota Columnist Jealous Of Atkins Success
This commentary from the Herald-Tribune in Sarasota, FL by an opinion writer named David Grimes is yet another example of the growing public disdain in the media shown for the Atkins lifestyle.
His all-too-obvious smug comment that he is "the only living American who is not currently on the Atkins diet" shows just how jealous so many in the media have become about the incredible success experienced by us low-carbers.
Choosing to eat foods recommended by the so-called new and improved U.S. Food Pyramid, Grimes states: "Unlike the Atkins diet, on which it is perfectly fine to swallow an entire cow but nibbling a Saltine is grounds for deportation, the Pyramid encourages you to eat a variety of foods. The Pyramid also suggests the types of food and number of portions you should eat each day. I'm a pretty big guy, so I decided to base my diet on the maximum number of portions."
Like so many other foolish people who have no idea what they are talking about in regards to the Atkins lifestyle, Grimes unveils his ignorance in such a way that he looks just plain silly. While consuming an entire cow is indeed possible on a low-carb lifestyle (although nobody could or would want do it!), so is the single Saltine cracker which only has about 5 net carbs. While I would not personally waste any of my daily allowable carbs on something like that, it certainly is an option for people livin' la vida low-carb if they so choose.
While you can eat an alleged "variety of foods" using the Pyramid's recommendations, I would argue that you will not be able to sustain that way of eating for a very long period of time without going absolutely out of your mind. This low-fat-only mentality is so prevalent in our society that suggesting any other way leads to ridicule and disdain. We low-carbers know all about this, don't we?!
Feel free to let Grimes know how you feel about his degradation of the Atkins lifestyle by sending him an e-mail. Tell him Jimmy Moore from Livin' La Vida Low-Carb sent you. In fact, I'm sending him this message today.
His all-too-obvious smug comment that he is "the only living American who is not currently on the Atkins diet" shows just how jealous so many in the media have become about the incredible success experienced by us low-carbers.
Choosing to eat foods recommended by the so-called new and improved U.S. Food Pyramid, Grimes states: "Unlike the Atkins diet, on which it is perfectly fine to swallow an entire cow but nibbling a Saltine is grounds for deportation, the Pyramid encourages you to eat a variety of foods. The Pyramid also suggests the types of food and number of portions you should eat each day. I'm a pretty big guy, so I decided to base my diet on the maximum number of portions."
Like so many other foolish people who have no idea what they are talking about in regards to the Atkins lifestyle, Grimes unveils his ignorance in such a way that he looks just plain silly. While consuming an entire cow is indeed possible on a low-carb lifestyle (although nobody could or would want do it!), so is the single Saltine cracker which only has about 5 net carbs. While I would not personally waste any of my daily allowable carbs on something like that, it certainly is an option for people livin' la vida low-carb if they so choose.
While you can eat an alleged "variety of foods" using the Pyramid's recommendations, I would argue that you will not be able to sustain that way of eating for a very long period of time without going absolutely out of your mind. This low-fat-only mentality is so prevalent in our society that suggesting any other way leads to ridicule and disdain. We low-carbers know all about this, don't we?!
Feel free to let Grimes know how you feel about his degradation of the Atkins lifestyle by sending him an e-mail. Tell him Jimmy Moore from Livin' La Vida Low-Carb sent you. In fact, I'm sending him this message today.
Labels: Atkins, criticism, diet, food, Food Pyramid
posted by Jimmy Moore at
4/25/2005 11:56:00 AM
2 Comments:
People are really angry and/or defensive about the success of Atkins. My best guess is that they seem to feel that anyone wanting to lose weight needs to really suffer as some sort of penance for not watching their weight in the past. And you don't have to suffer on Atkins. Also, because people aren't so stressed from starving themselves, they may find it easier to exercise. I think that Atkins may not feel right to some people and they resent those who have success. I also think they may not have the understanding of physiology which would tell them that Dr. Atkins' explanation about fat burning is correct as is his understanding of what carb limiting can do for diabetes. His approach felt right to me because of my family history of diabetes and heart disease. The sad part is that that media people like this reporter may influence people who would otherwise give it a try and do well with it, possibly correcting some health problems in the process.
Your observations are right on the mark as always, Mary. The new "3 Hour Diet" I reviewed today seems to blame low-carb for making people fat when just the opposite is true if people follow it as they should. I've been on low-fat, low-calorie diets for most of my life and they just don't work for me. Maybe they do work for other people, but I choose to enjoy the amazing benefits the Atkins way offers.
I guess we'll have to keep hammering the message that Atkins is a safe and effective means for weight loss and maintenance. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, so you'll keep hearing me voice the truth about this issue loud and clear in this forum.
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