Hi Maggie,
I can't figure out how to put quotes in the little boxes! Anyway, I used to believe in the low fat diet, exercise and healthy food pyramid. I would power walk 8 kms every day, go to the gym and circuit training 3 or 4 days a week. Run for kms on the treadmill. Fat was poison. I maintained my weight and looked pretty good. Then life changed, divorce and having to run a busy business by myself. I started eating more bread etc as a quick filler upper, I hadn't eaten much bread before that. Just vegetarian things. My health hit the deck. I was in pain, I put on weight, felt like death.
I read Carol Sinclairs book and thought she had written it about me. Then I discovered Kick As and NSD. Now I live off probably 3 of the 5 food groups and feel absolutely wonderful. I'm allegic to dairy, have been for years. I've had my bone density measured and it is stable. I don't power walk madly around the block. I barely have time to walk the dogs. I'm not scared of fat anymore. I eat tuna in oil, chicken skin and I eat like a (I was going to say horse, but they eat grain) and don't exercise much but feel 100% better than I did.
I just think we listen too much to the "experts" and not enough to our own bodies.
People in the Western world listen to the "experts" and are becoming the most obese and diabetic ridden society in this world. When I was low fat and following the "experts" I suffered badly from low blood sugar episodes. I would collapse with sweating and shakes. Since following my own "expert" bodily needs I haven't had this.
Weight loss and a healthy body are one of the hardest things to achieve. I would just say listen to yourself and don't take what the "experts" say as gospel. I was once 30kgs heavier than now. So I do know how hard it is. I'm 47 and I just wish that I'd discovered Kick As and the diet forum sooner.
A funny thing happened last night at work with a new young baker. I'm not one to blow my own trumpet being basically a shy person...but he thought I was 10 years younger!! But I do feel so good that I could be 10 years younger.
Listen to your own body and don't be afraid to cut out food groups. It hasn't hurt me, it's made me better.
Anything is worth a try I believe when you are in pain and feel like crap!
Kim