Great Article

Submitted by Dana on Fri, 2010-06-11 11:02

Laura Dolson, who writes the low carb blog for About.com, has a great article today about Geneen Roth's book Women, Food, and God. She makes a point I absolutely agree with: That much of what has been labeled "compulsive eating" and assumed to be emotionally-based is actually the result of a physical addiction to carbohydrate. I know my constant hunger and food cravings vanished virtually overnight with low carb, and email from my readers tells me that this is a common experience.

And, as I pointed out in How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and Lost 40 Pounds, all the binge foods are carbs. Cookies? Crackers? Bread? Chips? Ice cream? Candy? All carbs. No one eats hard-boiled eggs compulsively, no matter how much they like 'em.

Share this
»

nonegiven

Submitted by nonegiven on Fri, 2010-06-18 12:06.

I've seen a couple of columns by Geneen Roth in Good Housekeeping magazine, if anyone cares.

Great idea but not for everyone (nothing is afterall)

Submitted by speds on Sun, 2010-06-13 10:56.

Good article...I couldn't agree more - I admit I caved to the "Oprah Effect" and bought this book. Not so much because Oprah liked it but because when I watched the show Oprah didn't let her speak long enough or substantively enough (she kept interrupting her, etc.) that I couldn't really "get" what it was she was talking about so I decided to buy the book.

Well, I haven't had any "aha moments" so far in my reading. I don't think I am a "compulsive overeater" and I can't pinpoint any issues I'm trying to "jam down with food" in my life. I actually wish that were the case sometimes. I truly think that it's physiology for me - pure and simple. And carbs are my downfall..I do great when I limit them significantly - I lose control when I don't - but not emotionally, it's truly a physiological response. I don't think it's emotional at all. I don't binge (never have) but when I eat too many of the wrong kinds of carbs my body reacts immediately by putting weight back on.

I'm not done with the book (I know it's easy reading but it's not "great reading" for me) so I can't make a definitive judgement on her premises but I kind of think she is doing a certain population a disservice implying that being overweight is primarily an emotional issue - because that's not the case with me. I kind of feel like she's giving people a "get out of jail free card" by saying that it's not about the food. In my case, it IS about the food.

Woohoo TNBYM has gotten me

Submitted by gracie on Sat, 2010-06-12 20:27.

Woohoo TNBYM has gotten me back online!
I totally agree. It was far to easy for the docs to say it was either hormonal or all in our heads. I'm so thankfl there is finally some research to back me up !
HUgs,
G