what are the answers?!?

[stuarty]

I'll start with a happier note, i finished my first week of protein power yesterday and am proud to report that i lost 2kg. It was a little less than i had hoped for as i had heard big things about PP, however some loss is better than none, and the main thing was I hardly struggled with staying true to the PP and myself.
However, when i inform people of how i am going about my weight loss (especially my mother and family) they are shocked and worried about my health. "all that fat is NOT good for you" "A woman has died from that diet you know" and then the media has reported in the last few days, even one serve of saturated fat can cause major health problems... with all this going on around me, all i can tell these people is what i've learnt from the book, but mothers will be mothers and she doesnt believe this approach is a healthy one... anyone care to give some insight into anything mentioned above?

[Billie]

Well what has occured to you is not uncommon first of all. Sometimes our very well meaning loved ones can really cause us havoc, nothing new about that!

What if you said this, what if you said, Mom I am reducing all my sugars, you know that isn't good for you. And Mom I am now eating veggies and fruits that are packed with antioxidants, vitamins that can really make a difference in my life. And I am trying to get in more fiber introduced into my diet. And now I understand that I need to reduce or completely eliminate better yet the trans fats in my diet. And what if you said mom, I am not eating too much protein I am eating an adequate amount of protein to fuel my vital organs. And then say take a look around, (Assuming the Aussies walking on the street don't look too much different from the Americans walking on the street), look at the obseity issue, look at what eating all those breads and pastas are doing to people, their BP, their cholestrol, that is what is killing people not eating soundly. Because Stuartly on PP we are eating soundly and that is the bottom line.

Sometimes we get excited about what we do in life, I know I do, and we talk way more than we should, what until your family and friends see all the differences in your life, your health, then talk to them, be their walking advertisement about what is healthy.

I would also direct you to the resources forum, one of the top 4 and read read read, there are many journal articles there on good health.

A

[mcsblues]

Hi Stuart. As I'm sure you already know of you started to believe everything you read in the media or even more so, see on tabloid TV trash like ACA or Today Tonight ... then you would be in a lot of trouble!

As Billie says its a much better idea to read for yourself and make up your own mind, or at least learn from people who have actually read the study which led to those saturated fat headlines recently (because one thing you can be sure of ... the 'journalists' concerned certainly didn't. The paper was discussed here in this thread;

http://www.proteinpower.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1226

- as you can see, apart from posters here there are links to articles written by Mike Eades, Regina Wiltshire and Anthony Colpo - all of whom have a great deal more credibility than any hack who can barely cut and paste the contents of a totally misleading (if not dishonest) media release.

No one 'died of this diet' - ask whoever said so to give you details.

2kg is a great start - I don't know how much you have to lose but even if you lose 1kg a week ask yourself just how great you are going to feel in 6 months ... in a year ... Believe me long before you then you will never consider eating any other way for the health benefits alone ... and your Mum (yes Billie we are Aussies!! ;)) and many others will be asking for your secret.

[Belfrybat]

Great going on your weight loss-- not a shabby start at all.

Dr. Mike blogged on both the instances you mention. His posts on the subject will give you good ammunition to help counteract the naysayers. However, sadly, most folks have their minds made up and no amount of truth will shake them.

Folks who are on low fat diet die every day and we hear nothing about the diet "causing" their death, but let someone who is on low carb have health problems and the media is all over it. Stupidity is the only word that comes to my mind.