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Originally Posted by rightnow
Is it sheer laziness?
Is it just an excuse?
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Valid questions....and as another poster said "it's both" that I tend to agree with. Now that I have almost six years under my belt of following controlled-carb, it's second nature - little "planning" time is required now (if any), shopping is simple since we order much in bulk (meats, local organic produce with a CSA) so my needs in the grocery store are pretty limited now, and we all eat a similar diet in our home, so there isn't a need to prepare different food for each family member....it also helps, I'm sure, that I love to cook and experiment with putting together new dishes with different ingredients and spices just to see how it goes? In some ways I think part of our "success" at maintaining a carbohydrate restricted lifestyle is our commitment, but I also think part of it is due to our strong involvement within the community of researchers and professionals - the social aspects of maintaining the dietary approach.
There is a strong social aspect that many attempting a low-carb/controlled-carb diet fail to appreciate when they're starting or well into their plan....with an estimated <10% of the population actively reducing carbohydrate by varying levels (low-carb, low GI/GL, paleo, etc.), you're hard pressed to find others eating as you do, and in social situations it can be awkward if you're not prepared to just ignore the pressure to have a bit of this or that and actively commit that it's OK to be doing something different than your social network.
Few people want to be viewed as "outside" their social group with anything - including how they eat - and while the initial novelty of dieting - any diet to lose weight - works because weight loss is happening, over time it wanes because carbohydrate restriction is vastly different than how most Americans eat IMO. I think without the dual "commitment" and "social support" many do find it difficult to maintain a carb-restricted lifestyle in our society....
Add to that the abundance of food that we simply do not include in our daily diet is "in your face" day in day out in commercials, menus, drive thrus, grocery stores, billboards - everywhere you turn you're innundated.....
Then there is the nagging suspicion, because the "experts" condemn carbohydrate restriction to nothing more than "fad" that is "unhealthy" that you're doing something that in the long-term is bad for you and the vast majority of people do not want to willingly do something that may harm their health.
So, I think there is a lot of subtle undertones as to what derails people in the long-term.
But excuses? Yes......they do exist.....as this one highlights:
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That does not work for the working person who gets up at 6:00 AM, goes to work until 3:00PM (no lunch break, but can eat at the desk) so she can go pick up her kids from school at 3:30, take them to soccer or whatever, get them home to do their homework, feed them a non-low carb meal (but well balanced), make sure they are bathed and put to bed, do laundry, clean the kitchen and clean one room of the house before falling into bed at midnight and starting all over again.
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Tell that to my husband, who wakes each morning between 5:00-5:30AM - makes his own breakfast (usually eggs of some sort or leftovers re-heated)....is into his office by 6:15AM with patient appointments or surgery beginning at 6:30AM (and sometimes surgery starts as early as 5:00AM, on those days he's up at 4:00AM) with last appointment for the day at 6:00PM...often with no time even available for lunch (although most days he does get lunch and has it over at the hospital).....followed by dictations, getting caught up with referrals, mail and such, visiting with admitted patients at the hospital and then being able to head home - rolling into our driveway most evenings between 7:00-8:00PM
Has his schedule caused him to abandon carbohydrate restriction?
Hell no.....in his desk are:
A) a variety of jerky (turkey, bison, beef, elk, venison) with no nitrites/chemicals;
B) at least ten different varieties of nuts/seeds to choose from (pecans, mixed with no peanuts, cashews, almonds, mixed with peanuts, macadamia, pistachios, sunflower, sesame, pine nuts);
C) canned tuna in olive oil, packets of real mayo
In the refrigerator in the break room:
A) an assortment of cheese
B) plain whole-milk goat yogurt & an assortment of berries
C) RTD protein shakes
D) olives (black and green)
Yeah, he eats hospital food for lunch....the doctor's lunch that's provided each day is actually pretty decent (he says).....and he chooses the salad, whatever the protein is for the day, along with the steamed veggie of the day....no brainer, he skips the starches (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) and no one bats an eye. Then again, many of his colleagues "get" carbohydrate restriction, so they don't view it as dangerous or faddish, and they also eat in a similar way. [people might be shocked to learn just how many doctors actually practice carbohydrate restriction, all the while recommending the AHA or ADA diet to patients - it's INSANE!!!!]
I make dinner each night....so no-brainer, it's a good carb-controlled meal at home.
My viewing the above as an excuse extends to my habits too.....all it takes is a small cooler and you can take ANYTHING you want in a car or to work at your desk - small cooler, some ice and you're set with anything perishable for the day. My little cooler is soft-sided with a hard inside, strap for over my shoulder and it is always going with us when we're out and about - especially this time of the year when the car sitting in the sun is going to get too hot quickly....I've yet to have anything spoil and it makes keeping things like cheese or yogurt handy and allows me to make sure the milk my son gets is the kind we provide at home and not conventional "low-fat" milk that is everywhere we might stop!
So, in some ways I do see the "time" thing as an excuse because if it's something you want, you make the time.