<p>Sabaray–my remark wasn’t directed at you–it was directed at the NYT. I was going to post the article too–you just beat me to it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the link, Sabaray. I can’t wait to read more about the study. I did find this bottom line from the abstract (with all the scientific/statistical stuff removed for readability):</p>
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<p><a href=“http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1900694”>http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1900694</a></p>
<p>More weight loss. more fat loss (i.e. more weight loss with less loss of muscle!). Higher good cholesterol. Lower triglycerides. Pretty much what every study that has ever looked at this stuff has found.</p>
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<p>And I nominate a quote from the NPR story for UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>“It’s not the general perception.” Indeed. 
Hmmmm… I wonder how that perception was shaped? Somebody could probably write a good book or two on that one!</p>
<p>The take-home quote for me in terms of diet advice is this one from the NYT:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/health/low-carb-vs-low-fat-diet.html”>http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/health/low-carb-vs-low-fat-diet.html</a></p>
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<p>At least for me, personally, that has been the key. I don’t do well trying to eat less or cut my portion sizes or stop eating really, really good meals. I have found it more sustainable to simply identify some things that I’m just not going to eat. The beauty of deciding not to eat a lot of carbs is that it just happens to take all the junk food aisles in the grocery store out of play, which is an obviously effective strategy for fat loss!</p>
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<p>I do think the cumulative effect of these studies (and stories in NYT and NPR) are having an impact. Heck, just the fact that these studies are even getting funded is a MAJOR, MAJOR change. It’s been a career-killer to even propose studies of low carb/high fat diets for much of the last 30 years.</p>
<p>Of course, in the face of this change, the American Heart Association has lowered their saturated fat limits to 6% of total calories…</p>
<p>Hah. I guess this means NPR would approve of my healthy cooking yesterday:</p>
<p>[BBQ</a> video (not for vegan eyes!)](<a href=“BBQ - YouTube”>BBQ - YouTube)</p>
<p>3 1/4 miles running on the treadmill; and upper body weight machines today. 2 miles walking tonight when it was “only” 88 degrees. Whew.</p>
<p>We harvested a couple of pineapples from the garden. They’re incredibly sweet and certainly loaded with carbs, but since the pineapple plants (started from grocery store fruit tops) have taken years and years to produce something edible, I wouldn’t trade eating them for a crate of prime steaks! </p>
<p>Your dinners sound amazing, as usual, idad!</p>
<p>Omg, fresh pineapple!! Sounds delicious!</p>
<p>Had run yesterday and found my lower back a little sore last night and this morning - may have actually been sore from getting on the floor in odd positions with my vacuum attachment yesterday. I have a 5k Sunday so I want to not aggravate anything but enjoyed a 1.5 mile fast walk at during my lunch break and a 4 mile bike ride tonight. Felt good!</p>
<p>21/2 miles this morning. Slow. Low HR. </p>
<p>Eating pineapple from a tree you planted. Wow. That would be good tasting pineapple.</p>
<p>MOWC, I don’t know how you do it in the heat/humidity. We had 90 degrees and humid here today and I was dying. Can’t imagine running (or doing much of any exercise in this weather.</p>
<p>We get used to it somewhat. It’s still awful, but we adjust. The last few weeks have been unusually bad, though.
We have the jungle Gym up, but need some padded flooring tiles or something. Then I need to figure out the exercises.</p>
<p>I just put my exercise mat/yoga mat underneath the Jungle Gym when I’m using it.</p>
<p>Here are some ideas:</p>
<p><a href=“LifelineUSA Jungle Gym XT: Beginner Workout - YouTube”>LifelineUSA Jungle Gym XT: Beginner Workout - YouTube;
<p>Thanks! Perfect. </p>
<p>Those two handed pull-ups and push ups would be the first two I would work on. The great thing is that you can make them as easy or as hard as you need. The more vertical you stand, the easier. The more horizontal you go (just by walking your feet, the harder. To me that’s the beauty of the TRX/Jungle Gym – you can take exercises that are very difficult starting out and make them infinitely variable. Make it as easy as you need to do ten reps. When, ten are easy, walk your feet a few inches and make them harder.</p>
<p>It’s brilliant because anyone can start doing “push ups” and “pull ups”, two of the best exercises in the book that are normally so difficult because there aren’t easy progressions. NOrmally, it’s like having to start out doing bench presses with 100 pounds, instead of being able to start light and work up as you naturally progress.</p>
<p>Best headline from today’s diet study news:</p>
<p>[New</a> York Magazine – Terrible News: Low-Carb Diets Are Very Effective](<a href=“http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/09/terrible-news-low-carb-diets-are-very-effective.html]New”>Study Reveals Terrible News: Low-Carb Diets Are Pretty Effective)</p>
<p>I have some specific foods to ask all you expert low-carbers about. It’s so hard to get accurate info these days – I pretty much trust you guys here as much if not more than any other source I could readily access!</p>
<p>Nuts - high calorie but fiber and not too high in carbs. Are any in particular worth the calories (health-wise)?</p>
<p>Sweet potatoes – this is far and away my favorite veggie. I realize it’s fairly high-carb but maybe all the vitamins can justify keeping it on the menu?</p>
<p>Bacon – I realize that all the old-wisdom about cholesterol has been refuted, but what about nitrates? </p>
<p>Thanks for your input – I have gotten rid of most of the obvious high-carb culprits (sugar, flour) but these three foods I am on the fence about.</p>
<p>There’s nothing unhealthy about nuts Great snack food. Unless you are trying to lose weight. They are SO calorie dense that you can pound away 500 calories of nuts in no time at all. Personally, I have to really watch it with nuts. When I have nuts in the house, I gain weight. When I don’t have nuts in the house, I lose weight. Doh!</p>
<p>A side issue is that most of the snack nuts are roasted with really bad industrial fats. If you like the raw versions, they are probably better for you. Alas, I like the roasted cashews and almonds and they are probably the biggest source of bad industrial fats in my diet.</p>
<p>Sweet potatoes are probably the best of a bunch of bad options. I think one strategy is to cut back from a whole sweet potato to a half. </p>
<p>The nitrate scare is way overblown. Fresh veggies, like salad and broccoli have a thousand times more nitrates than bacon. I don’t consider bacon to be much of a health threat. Bacon and eggs is good fat loss breakfast. Fairly low calorie, zero carbs, high protein.</p>
<p>Hi Sabaray - thanks for asking. My travel is mostly over - just 2 domestic trips in Sep. I have a major weakness for Brie cheese so that’s what gets me in Europe! </p>
<p>I’ve been doing the yoga, pilates and strength, but the cardio is what falls by the wayside as it’s my least favorite. I have a 5k at the end of this month and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to go a whole 3 mi without walking. I’m considering just swallowing my pride and doing a 1 min run / 1 min walk thing, like Jeff Galloway. The Orangetheory does have running in it, but it’s only maybe 8-10 min at a time, so not enough to build my endurance. </p>
<p>Mathilda, I agree with what iDad said. Nuts are great, but literally count them out (10 is a good number for me) and look for raw, not “honey roasted” or highly salted. I use Costco raw almonds. Good tip on having just half a sweet potato. Or having the sweet potato for breakfast instead of other breakfast carbs. One of my favorite fall/winter breakfasts is half a sweet potato topped with honey or a little brown sugar and crushed almonds and a little dried fruit. </p>
<p>I eat bacon every weekend. Again, don’t eat 1/2 pound, but enjoy a few slices with other non-carb foods and I think you are doing well and making your palate happy!! 
</p>
<p>PG, nothing wrong with the 1 mile/1 minute method - That’s a better method than what I see lots of people doing at 5k’s - running out hard for the first 1/2 mile, then needing to walk a 1/2 mile to catch up with their breathing. Slow but steady finishes the race. </p>
<p>Take raw nuts, spray them very lightly with a pump olive oil bottle like you see for some salad dressings and toast them lightly in a toaster oven. Great substitute for commercially roasted nuts.</p>
<p>I hardly ever roast nuts, because I usually forget and burn them. Pecans are expensive. Pine nuts are even more expensive. :(</p>
<p>I just throw raw nuts on salads and oatmeal, or eat a few for a snack. I think you can avoid overeating nuts if you avoid the yummy roasted & salted (or otherwise flavored) ones.</p>
<p>Have been biking at the lake this summer. I really like it but am having some difficulty with what I believe is arthritis in my thumbs. Who would have thought thumb stiffness and pain would effect biking!?!? A little ibuprofen really helps and I am looking forward to beautiful rides in the fall.</p>
<p>Also tried paddle boarding for the first time this past week. Epic fail! 
I definitely need some work on my balance. Everyone else just glided away. I fell off and scraped the back of my arm on the dock. I am now sporting a very large bruise that runs from elbow to shoulder. 
I am determined to master this! Wish me luck!</p>
<p>Diet is an area I’m really struggling with right now - I can do the low-carb for only so long and then I’m just overwhelmed with the feeling that “I must eat grains right now”. </p>
<p>I have seen nitrate-free bacon at both the grocery and Costco if that is a concern for you. Target sells jumbo tubs of Archer Farms raw nuts that aren’t bad - once you start eating them regularly you forget what oil and salt tasted like. Another product I’m trying are Nourish snacks - right now they are mail order only, individual packs and each pack is less than 200 calories. I’m sure there’s a catch somewhere. I feel compelled to add that they are not necessarily a low carb option!</p>
<p>PG - no shame whatsoever in planned walking. And I think you’re allowed to eat as much Brie as you want to - don’t see many overweight French people! </p>