On Thu, 27 Jul 2000, Dori Zook wrote:

> But I've been in this range for the better part of two weeks now and I feel
> just fine.  No major hunger pangs.  My energy level's just fine.  In fact, I
> feel great, better than ever!

Well, go for it then.

> 5 oz catfish, baked, with one pat of butter
> 3/4 lb chicken wings, which should come to 6 oz of meat and skin
> 1 banana and 8 oz ground beefalo

> As you can see, I planned to go three days on meat only, but I heard a
> banana calling my name when I got home.  The above fits into my 12-1400
> calorie range.  I ate the banana and red meat more than two hours ago, and I
> feel stuffed!  Not overstuffed, but a good inch beyond satisfied.  2400
> calories a day?  That sounds HUGE!

I guess the point is not to be hungry.  I couldn't eat as much as
Philip Thrift does (without forcing myself), on my current diet,
even though I am larger than him and have a comparable workout
schedule.

>   I wouldn't be surprised at all if he or she tells me to cut my fat intake
> and refuses my request to see a specialist.  At the very least, he'll
> probably put me through a check-up before sending me on my way, something
> completely uneccesary and probably performed while I'm in my underwear.
> Great.

There's a new low-carb book out, called _Life Without Bread_, by
Christian Allan, PhD, and Wolfgang Lutz, MD.  It is based on Dr.
Lutz's work with thousands of patients in Austria.  It's not a
weight-loss book primarily (there's just one short chapter on
weight), but deals with the health issues connected to high carb
consumption.  It is basically an English version and update of
Dr. Lutz's 1967 book with the same title: Leben ohne Brot.  The
reason why I mention it is that it is packed with *medical*
information and arguments, some of which might be persuasive to
your physician.  Physicians are (justifiably) suspicious of what
the perceive as "fad diet" books; this is not one of those.

I get a similar response from the doctor, who invariably wants me
to be on cholesterol-lowering medication (my total cholesterol
still fluctuates between 250 and 300).  We have discussed why I
am no longer willing to regard this as a health risk, and he
basically doesn't disagree with me.  But he still feels an
obligation to urge me to take these meds, due to (a) the
bandwagon effect, and (b) the defensive medicine posture required
of him by the insurance companies.  If I were to have a heart
attack, and my record showed that he *didn't* try to control my
cholesterol, in the current medical climate that would be
malpractice.  This way, my record shows that he has advised me
and I have refused.

Todd Moody
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