Why are low carb diets still popular?

[FakeCanadian]

For a 'snapshot' of only the readily observable results of a low carb diet for at least one strong advocate, check out this recent photo of Jimmy Moore:

http://on.fb.me/1xNopgn

I feel very sorry for this guy, and I worry about him.

[bbq]

They're still popular because the combo was right - Bad Habits. Good News:

[Jeepsterhound]

I participate in a TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) group. I like having the accountability of a weekly weigh-in and most of the participants are friends. Almost everyone else in the group is doing low carb. If we go out to eat afterward I have a baked potato and some veggies or a bean burrito, no cheese and they all have piles of meat and cheese. I am the only one in the group who has lost weight every week since January. They have an idea of what I am doing, but it is dismissed as, well that works for some people. I have quietly offered to share information and resources, but so far no takers.

[dailycarbs]

For a 'snapshot' of only the readily observable results of a low carb diet for at least one strong advocate, check out this recent photo of Jimmy Moore:

http://on.fb.me/1xNopgn

I feel very sorry for this guy, and I worry about him.

Jimmy Moore is a national treasure— of pure clown entertainment. I mean, where else can we get answers to such important questions such as, "Should A Christian Low-Carb Dieter Refuse High-Carb Communion?"
http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/shou ... union/2430

I sporadically follow the guy's ramblings and yo-yo-ing weight "progress" just for fun. I'm not 100% sure that he isn't a WPLF plant to overthrow the low carb movement by finally exposing the utter stupidity of it. But I guess not because that moment has come and gone many times over.

Jimmy Moore + zero carbs + sticks of kerrygold butter = health

Now that's what I call entertainment!

[LowCarbIsDeadly]

You know what was sad was seeing a picture someone posted of Jimmy Moore with a plate of six sunny side up eggs and a stick of butter on the plate for breakfast.

Those of us eating a plant based diet think thats a heart attack waiting to happen. But the low carbers simply do not believe in the danger of saturated fats obviously.

I does seem nuts to me that people think sticks of butter and eggs and bacon and cheeseburgers are the ticket to health as long as you don't eat grains and potatoes…lol

[nayasmom]

Maybe low carb diets are so popular because so many people obsess about them - pro OR con. Maybe stop obsessing over it, stop making comparisons, gain the knowledge and never let it go, and move on. It's like the toddler who learns to use swear words. Once is cute and funny but after that, just ignore it as a nothing and eventually it goes away.
Let people reap the <ahem> benefits of their diets, just like we do, and let them go about their lives, just like we do.
I'm not tempted in the least to give low carb a try. I'm not jealous of those who have. One of our doctors is on a high protein and most likely low carb diet and has lost about 40 lbs, but he looks awful. He looks tired and washed out and not all that happy to be alive, and I shudder to think what his kidneys look like about now... but that's his choices, his life, his future and his health, and I'm fine with what I'm doing and how I'm eating.

Robyn

[dteresa]

http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/i-wi ... nger/24535

And above is what Jimmy Moore says about his weight gain. I cannot believe he has followers and sells books and is invited to speak on cruises and at conferences. If you had an investment councilor who lost so much of his own money that they foreclosed on his house, repossessed his car, and was deeply in debt, being dunned by all and sundry, would you take financial advice from him because you perceived him as being honest?

He is great at making excuses. His first atkins diet failed, according to him, because he ate too much protein and it turned to sugar. It was the sugar that made him fat. Then he added more fat and fasted some days. Failed. He says he gained weight because he is under so much stress. It is the cortisol that is making him fat. Now he insists he is healthy and it doesn't matter if he is fat. Never mind that his income is based on a book telling people how to lose weight and be healthy.

He says his parents told him to keep doing what he is doing so he doesn't end up like his brother. That is scientific evidence enough for me. His fans love him because they think he is honest. Allow me to paraphrase for his followers what everyone's parents must have said to children at one time or another----if your honest friend jumps off a bridge does that mean you have to jump off one too?

didi

[Skip]

In my opinion low carb diets are popular because people do not want to stop eating animals. It's that simple. Low carb diets allow you to eat all the animal products that you want. People love their bacon!

[dynodan62]

In my opinion low carb diets are popular because people do not want to stop eating animals. It's that simple. Low carb diets allow you to eat all the animal products that you want. People love their bacon!

Recent PBS medical documentary showed film of a grossly obese diabetic southern woman & her husband (he had horrendous leg ulcers) having an FP consult: Dr. asked about their evening meal: "Pork chops & tater tots", the woman responded. The Dr. then asked: "No green vegetables?" The woman's reply: "We're not rabbits!"

[Jumpstart]

I think people do very low carb because they are desperate to lose the weight. I truly feel sorry for these folks.

[bbq]

He says his parents told him to keep doing what he is doing so he doesn't end up like his brother. That is scientific evidence enough for me. His fans love him because they think he is honest. Allow me to paraphrase for his followers what everyone's parents must have said to children at one time or another----if your honest friend jumps off a bridge does that mean you have to jump off one too?

didi

That's perfectly OK to jump because he's having another excuse for sure. As a national treasure, it's all about testing how much weight one could put on without flunking the parachute failure test. Supposedly someone could only fail once but obviously his excuse would be having nine lives:

[VegMommy]

Maybe low carb diets are so popular because so many people obsess about them - pro OR con. Maybe stop obsessing over it, stop making comparisons, gain the knowledge and never let it go, and move on.

I couldn't agree more. I don't understand the fascination of some on this forum with low carb in general and Jimmy Moore, in particular. I sometimes wonder if people are just trying to reassure themselves that they're doing the right thing. I'm reminded of a former poster here who used to start a lot of threads bashing low carb, only to end up going on a low carb diet himself.

Jimmy Moore has dug himself into quite a hole and he has my sympathy. But if you want to focus on the appearance of lowcarbers, you're going to have to also consider the fit (at least on the outside) and trim ones, like Drs. Phinney and Volek, who wrote the latest Atkins book.