Atkins Wept

Found this on a fitness message board. It was from 2006, or I would have pointed out to this poor person that A) this diet wasn't even a teeny bit low carb, B) eating low carb and low fat at the same time is a bad idea, and C) there's no need to restrict sodium on a low carb diet.

My low fat, low carb, low sodium diet

I'm 57 and need a low fat, low carb, low sodium diet. Following is the diet I've been using. Am I missing anything? Does anyone have any suggested changes?

Cheerios (1 cup)
Fat Free Milk
Banana
6 oz can of apple, orange or pineapple juice

LUNCH:

Sandwich
- Wonder whole wheat 100% bread (2 slices)
- Chicken or Tuna spread made from mixture of canned chicken or tuna, fat free mayo, diced celery, onions, bell pepper.
Handful of carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower
One apple, orange or pear
Diet soda (no caffeine)

DINNER:

Beef or Pork (once per week), fish (twice per week), otherwise chicken or ground turkey
No salt added canned corn, green beans or peas
Large salad with salsa (no dressing)
Diet soda (no caffeine)
Fat Free Yogurt

I ran this through my MasterCook, running a possible daily food intake based on his/her listed menu options. I came up with:

1 cup cheeriosĀ®
1/2 cup skim milk
1 banana
6 fluid ounces pineapple juice
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 apple
4 ounces canned tuna in water
1 tablespoon fat-free mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped onion
6 baby carrots
6 ounces ground turkey
1/2 cup peas
2 cups lettuce
1/4 cup salsa
6 ounces fat-free yogurt (I assumed plain; fruit yogurt would add at least another 30 grams of sugar to this person's daily intake.)

1208 Calories; 22g Fat; 90g Protein; 171g Carbohydrate; 22g Dietary Fiber;

That's 56% of calories from carbohydrate. On what planet is that a "low carbohydrate diet?" Except in the sense that it's a very low calorie diet, and therefore probably fewer carbs than this person was formerly eating, and fewer carbs than your average chip eating, Coke-swilling American gets. But low carb? Not hardly.

You just keep explaining it, I tell myself. Some people will get it, some won't. You just reach who you can reach, and try not to worry about the rest. But this sort of thing is discouraging.

Especially since the only comment s/he had gotten from another poster suggested subbing oatmeal for the Cheerios, and pita for the whole wheat Wonderbread. Apparently no one there had a clue.

Maybe they've gotten one over the past five years? I try to live in hope.

Share this