Walking and Walking - vibraton exercise machine at the home and garden show

I went to the Home and Garden show this evening at the convention center and it was great fun.  We walked and we walked and we walked some more.   I guess that is one of the best things about it.  After 2 hours, when I was dead tired, I had to keep walking because I had to get through the rest of the displays and then walk the 4 blocks to the car.

One thing I saw, besides all the lovely plants and fancy patio setups, was an exercise machine that I had never heard of.  These machines use vibrations to tone muscle and claim to do it faster. Aggressive promoters also say the equipment improves flexibility and strength, reduces pain and stress, builds muscle and reverses osteoporosis. The type of exercise was actually generated for the Russian space program.

The person using the equipment merely gets onto a platform. They can stand, sit, lay down, or even focus the platform on certain body parts. This platform creates a vibration, which is sent through the body. In reflex the muscles contract. This causes tendons to stretch, and increases blood flow and improving blood oxygenation. This strengthens and tones them without effort on the person’s part. Since the vibrations get sent through the entire body, all the muscle groups are affected. Ultimately, the makers of the equipment claim that it will help increase range of motion, coordination, posture, bone density, and even decreases cortisol, the stress hormone. It is said to be relaxing, which lowers stress and can even eliminate tension related pain.

It reminds me of those old machines with the belts that giggled you all over.  I did not get on the machine at the home and garden show - but now I wish I had. One lady said that if felt like she was still moving after she got off.  And that it felt weird but good at the same time.

I just watched a few videos on you tube and saw people jiggling.  Interesting concept - wonder if it works.

My first day at Curves

Well today was my first introduction to Curves.  I bought the Deal of the Day with Groupon which gave me 2 months for $25.

On my first visit today they asked all the informational and medical questions.  It was optional if I wanted to weight in or be measured. I chose to weigh in to compare it to my scale and home and I was pleasantly surprised to see that my scale is quite accurate (although, only if you stand on the scale backwards).  I did not chose to get measured, since I was recently measured.

The manager then showed me around and had me try out each machine.  There are ten of them set up in the circle with the steady pad in between each machine.  There is catchy music playing and every 30 seconds the voice comes on and says something like - it is time to switch machines.

So you do the strength training machines for 30 seconds and then you stand on the pad between the machines and walk in place or jog or any exercise you wish.  Going around one time on the 20 stations took 10 minutes, so I did 3 rotations for a total of 30 minutes.

You are allowed to go as many times a week as you would like, but they recommend 3 - 30 minute sessions a week.

All of the women, approximately 4, who were there at the time I was were slim.  You could look at this two ways, I guess. 1- curves is successful and people get in shape or 2 - only slim people workout there.  I will keep you posted on the different sizes and shapes as I continue with my two months.

Overall it was a good workout for me.  Even though I have been working out with a trainer for the last couple of months twice a week, I have sore muscles tonight.

There is a blog for everyone

As I spend more and more time blog surfing, I have decided that I will try to review several blogs a week - if you would like your blog reveiwed, follow my blog and send me a message with your blog info.

Today I have picked http://baterya.com/. It is:
"nonsense of a sad mind - Basically mix rants, ramblings, emotion on any person or thing. This will not be an everyday account of life but silly but deep interpretation of events and places. A life on journey with nothing to do - boredom and sadness but with a bittersweet smile that would be near to insanity"

Even though the author's description might be a little off putting,  I found the content to be very diverse.  The first page talked about heroes and angels both.  There are quite a few different categories as well, everything ranging from art and fashion to sports and technology.  There are also other blog reviews as well as free stuff, fun stuff and creepy stuff.  Most blogs do not offer the diversity this one does.  Be sure to check out http://baterya.com/

And remember, unless you are reading a food blog, with tons of appetizing food photos, it is hard to eat and blog at the same time.

Weightloss and Blogging and everything else

I started this blog to help me lose weight - thinking that writing about my issues with food would help me figure out some of the answer to permanent weight loss.  Well, it has surely done that.

What surprises me is all the other things I am learning and all the interesting blogs and bloggers I meet along the way.  This week I have been heavy into researching blogs, getting traffic to blogs, etc.  I am really surprised how interesting I find all these "boring" details.

One website I have spent quite a lot of time reading is Technology Story.  Their motto is:"We will help you build your site for free and will teach you how to build them." Of course this website covers all different kinds of technology, (like the new IPad or IPhone). but I have been focusing on the blog related reading, like SEO (search engine optimization) which helps you get a better ranking in the search engines.  It has tons of tutorials and the best part is that most of them have videos - when your eyes get tired of reading you can watch a video.

One thing I learned from TechnologyStory.net was : "Instead of entering your URL into your browser, search Google for your site. Google is more apt to improve the ranking of a site that users seek and visit than one that gets no traffic from Google."  I am going to try that one.

All this research has sure kept me out of the kitchen!

Joomla, Wordpress, Template, Tutorial & Troubleshooting

The Joys of Ageing

Ahhh, the joys of aging - Life is about change and boy is that true as you age.  There are many things we struggle with as we age.  Losing weight is most definitely harder as you age.  Another issue I have to deal with these days is unwanted hair.  I never imagined when I was younger that I would have to worry about long curly hairs on my chin. 

It has gotten to the point where I have been looking into laser hair removal.  Have you ever considered Laser Hair Removal?  I have started to research the subject.  I have found out about three types of laser hair removal.  The first is the Diode Laser System, which emits a pulsing laser very close to infrared.  The second is Yag laser hair removal which works on dark or suntanned skin and IPL which is for fair-skinned people.  That is the most surprising part - I never knew that skin color played a part in laser hair removal.

My man has also thought about doing something with his hairy back and doesn't like the temporary fixes such as waxing and plucking.  Laser hair removal sounds like a great solution for hair removal for men.  Having such a procedure done would address the main problem he experiences, his itchy back.  I have shaved his back for him a time or two, but it seems to make the itching worse, especially as the hair grows back.

This sounds like a great solution for permanent hair removal - sure beats waxing and plucking and razor burn.



Laser Hair Removal NYC specializes in  IPL Intense Pulsed Light and Laser technologies, is the #1 laser hair removal spa in NYC.

Will drinking milk help with weight loss?

Over the last couple of years we have been hearing about how drinking milk can help with weight loss.  I haven't really paid too much attention to it.  I am not a morning person at all and don't like to eat breakfast.  But I have been trying to make small changes and that is one of them.

This week I have been having a healthy cereal with milk.  I am somewhat lactose intolerant, so I had been using soy milk - that seems to effect me in the same way, so now I am back to good ole skim milk.  I am finding that I am well satisfied and less hungry throughout the day.



Here is what the experts have to say about milk:

Researchers at Purdue University in Indiana found that young, normal weight women who had 1,000mg of calcium every day – the amount of calcium found in about 1½ pints of semi-skimmed milk – lost about 6lb over two years.
 
Similar results have been found in other studies, too. Leading calcium expert, Dr Michael Zemel , analysed the diets of 32 obese adults and discovered that those people eating three servings of low-fat dairy products a day lost more than 10% of their body weight. In contrast, those taking calcium supplements or those who had little calcium or dairy in their diet lost only 8% and 6% of their body weight, respectively.

All the research suggests that calcium alone can help weight loss, but the effects seems to be more dramatic when it’s taken in the form of dairy products.

As for me - I say "drink up"!

Keep busy can help you keep the weight off

Today has been a really busy day and then we headed out to the casino, so I didn't have much time to eat. I have found when I am busy I tend to eat less.

I have to be careful that I am making time for exercise. Strength training is easier to fit into my schedule than cardio because strength training takes less time. I have been walking more when I shop, however, parking farther away and going up and down all the aisles.

Getting up from the computer at least every hour and moving around has really help - I also keep a set of dumbbells and a resistance band near my desk for easy access.

Planning my meals has been important. Reportedly, nearly 40 percent of women admit to bypassing breakfast on a regular basis to save time. One study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women consumed 100 more calories during the day when they didn't eat breakfast than they did when they ate cereal. I make sure I have healthy snacks on hand - I grab an apple, a banana, or protein bar.

I also have been trying to eat small bits throughout the day because going too long without eating causes my body to switch into energy-conservation mode, meaning I burn calories at a slower rate.

The Cookie Diet

Learn more about the Dr. Siegal’s COOKIE DIET® - Click here!



Celebrities such as Denise Richards, Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson also reportedly tried the Cookie Diet.  That said, what else is there to know about the Cookie Diet except Josie Raper made the cover of People Magazine when she lost 120 pounds — half her body weight — in eight months on this diet. Eating cookies.

Here's how it works: You eat six specially developed diet cookies with water throughout the day, not as set meals but whenever you feel hungry. Then you eat an approximately 500-calorie dinner of lean protein and vegetables.


Dr. Sanford Siegal developed the diet after years of treating obesity patients. The No. 1 factor that wrecks diets is hunger, he said, so he wanted to create a product that would control that hunger.

"It started with a formula of amino acids that I put together," he said. "But, then, I needed a vehicle for it and a cookie was an obvious vehicle; something people like. Ladies carry it around in their purse. It doesn't require refrigeration. And Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet was born back there in 1975."

Unlike diet pills designed to suppress your appetite, the cookies do not have drugs in them, Siegal said. Instead, the cookies contain amino-acids in the form of hunger-suppressing proteins: oats, rice, whole wheat flour, bran.

"We've worked with this mixture over the years to the point it works quite well as an appetite suppressant," Siegal said. "And it enables someone to eat an 800-calories-a-day diet and not get hungry."


A lot of people report having lost 15 pounds a month on this plan

To learn more about the Dr. Siegal’s COOKIE DIET® - Click here!

Do skinny girls think about food?

Do really skinny girls spend all their time thinking about food of very little time thinking about food? 

Looking at a pic of Courtney Love, I didn't notice what she was wearing or the bag she was carrying - all I could think about is if she ever thinks about food.

One of my really skinny friends does not like to think about food.  It can even make her nauseous.  And when she is at get togethers she hates hearing about food - she says it drains her.

On the other hand my friend, Susan, is slim and she constantly talks about food, reads recipes, and is basically obsessed with the calories and fats in foods.  She seems to have a fear of food, however.  She is so afraid of gaining weight.




It is also interesting in watching skinny people eat.  Sometimes it seems like they spend most of their time moving the food around the plate.   At a buffet my skinny friends tend to pile the food on the plate, take a bite or two and then push the plate away.

So what do you think?

Wondering if I should join Curves - $25 for 2 months

I am debating about joining Curves - there is a special deal for 2 months for $25 with no contract - see it here - SPECIAL DEAL. (they have the deal of the day - it is only good for today 2/17)  Has anyone gone there?  Did you like it?  Did you lose weight?

My question is - "Will I really use it?"  But I guess for $25 if I only go 5 times that is only $5 a session.  And if I go 10 times..... etc.

No more crazy diets!

That is the plan - feeling so much better today.  Relieved to be off of the Diet Roller Coaster!   My energy is back and I am feeling healthier.

There are so many diets and the major problem I find with them is that the person diets for a period of time and then "goes off" the diet.  When I do this I tend to then crave foods I was avoiding and go on this extended binge.  I usually have the pre-diet binge as well, so that I am ready for the deprivation of the diet.

Eating normally I don't seem to experience these drastic highs and lows.

What I am working on now is taking it one day at a time - if I am really wanting something - I might have a little, or better yet, plan on having a little bit tomorrow.  When tomorrow comes most of the time I am not needing to indulge anymore.




Limiting my intake is another plan of mine - just one plateful and not having seconds.  When I do this I am not full right away, but within about 30 minutes I feel great and am really glad I stopped.


I don't know where I developed the idea that I had to eat the whole bag of candy in one sitting.  I always felt physically and mentally terrible afterward.  Especially the late night binges that keep me up and disrupt my sleep.

I am working on the new "normal" for me. 

Happy Valentines Day - doggie pics in the snow

I have been threatening to take some pics and I have finally done it!

This first one is out the back door - you can't really see by the picture but there is a light snow coming down.  We are suppose to get 2-5 inches.

It is so pretty - our first winter in the new house has been fun - although we have had several burst pipes from the cold.

I put the dogs out specifically to take a picture of them in the snow - and here they are by the back door saying "It's snowing and all you want to do is take pictures" - they don't look too happy.

They are Hannah - my rottweiler who is an absolute sweetie!  and  Jazzy - my standard poodle looking like sasquatch in her winter coat!

 By the way - reading your comments on my earlier posts today really helped - I have eaten a lot less today and made much wiser choices - I even have my dumbbell by the computer and have been do some strength exercises - thanks!

Why we struggle so much to lose weight

This is my current dilemma - why am I struggling so much to lose weight?  So this blog post if directed at me - trying to come up with the answers - please chime in and HELP!

Part of the reason could be my age - 51. And yes, I have heard for years how much harder it is to lose as you age.  According to the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center “Your metabolism slows by 5 percent each decade."

So what is a women to do?a

   *Cut down calories slowly - no crash diets (I am aiming the finger directly at me)  crash diets slows your metabolism and you tend to gain back more fat and less muscle
   *Strength training - muscle burns more than fat
   *Switch up the exercise routine to challenge your muscles
   *Get plenty of sleep - Sleep deprivation increases the appetite-stimulating hormone, ghrelin, and decreases the satisfaction hormone, leptin, say researchers from the University of Chicago. In a study they conducted, tired volunteers craved more candy, cookies, chips, and pasta.

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Doing research for this post I just read - "Weight-loss research shows that American women gain an average of 16 pounds of body weight from age 25 to age 54. Only at about age 55 does their weight decline.  Men gain an average of 10 pounds of body weight from age 25 to age 45. They too begin to lose weight at about age 55. "  Hey so I just have 4 years to wait until I start losing :)


I have noticed that the older women in the family can't seem to eat as much food and tend to lose a little weight (and height :).  There is hope yet

Eating Less at the buffet

I did it! I ate less at the buffet.  This is one of the biggest challenges.  And I had only one helping and then a small sugar free dessert.  And I felt great. Did I want more?   You bet!!

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All you can eat buffet tips:

** Hit the salad bar section first and fill up on the bulky low calorie items - watch the salad dressings though - go sparingly.

**Usually soup is high volume food that can fill you up without adding a great deal of calories. Studies have shown that people who eat a bowl of soup before a meal eat less with the main course.

**Pick the smallest plate available, usually the salad plate for all your courses.

**Eat slowly, stopping frequently to to chat with friends and to take a drink of water

**Decide, like I did, before you go to have one helping of the main course and load up on veggies and lean proteins. - watch for extra sauce, butter, etc that can add unwanted calories and fat.

**Indulge in fruit for dessert if possible, sugar free pies and cakes, or jello dishes.  And try to limit yourself to only one.

Enjoy the buffet!
KR337GUAVM86

What do thin people do that I don’t do?

Watching people around me that are thin, I wonder what do they do that I don't do.

One thing I have noticed when going to a buffet style meal is that they only get one plateful and then a small dessert. I tend to get two platefuls because I want my money's worth.

Another thing is they seem to find any excuse to move. They hop up and get this and do that, or plan their weekends to go hiking. I, on the other hand, conserve every step and moving is a chore.

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My slim friends weigh everyday. I try to avoid it like the plague. My friend, Mary, says she can judge how she did that day by what the scale says.

They get uncomfortable with that full feeling and I don't feel satisfied without it. That is why they don't wear their "all you can eat pants" to the buffet - the pants with the elastic waist.

Looking in Mary's pantry there wasn't much "good" stuff and the little she had looked pretty stale. She did however have fresh fruit in a bowl and green bags of veggies in the fridge.

One of my friends eats some of the same foods day after day. She finds it easier so she "doesn't have to think about food". - wow wouldn't that be great?

The biggest thing I discovered - they don't diet - two of my friends, Mary and Sue, both say that when the scale moves up or when they are feeling heavier, they simply cut back on the food for a few days.

So I guess when I think that my thin friends are "effortlessly" thin - it actually is a lot of conscious work.

The No "S" Diet Book

I just read about the No "S" Diet on this blog all natural weight loss blog.

The Amazon review is "Developed by a problem-solving software engineer who was tired of diets that are too hard to stick with, The No-S Diet has attracted a passionate following online thanks to its elegant simplicity-and its results. Unlike fad diets based on gimmicks that lead to short-term weight-loss followed by backsliding and failure, The No-S Diet is a maintainable life plan that reminds us of the commonsense, conscious way we all know we should be eating.

The book offers readers the tips, tricks, techniques and testimonials they'll need to stick with No-S for life"

There are just three rules and one exception:

* No Snacks
* No Sweets
* No Seconds

Except (sometimes) on days that start with "S" -Saturday, Sunday and "Special" days. Special days include (your) national and (your) religious and (your) close family's and friend's birthdays. My apologies to atheists and non-native English speakers. A lean and hungry look becomes you.

Sick days also start with S. Though I don't imagine you'll be too hungry if you're really sick, you officially have license to do whatever it takes to get better.

No snacks is the rule that people seem to have the most trouble accepting. But the author thinks it's also the most important rule.

"People act as if snacking is this natural thing that would be cruel to deprive themselves of. But the truth is, historically speaking, snacking is a very recent eating behavior."

The NON diet plan

The non diet plan is an interesting concept.  In a nutshell:

Eat what you should, avoid what you shouldn't and indulge once in a while. 

Such a simple concept and maybe the key the permanent weight loss.  Here are a few simple guidelines:

• Try to learn from your past mistakes by changing things that obviously didn't work for you
• If you're not hungry, don't eat
• Don't skip meals
• Think in a healthier frame of mind
• Don't just sit around, get in some moderate exercise as often as possible
• Neutralize all foods are allowed - therefore NO guilt

One train of thought states that the body will seek its natural weight as individuals eat in response to physical causes of hunger, fullness, and sense of well-being, as well as taste. The non-diet philosophy continues to gain in popularity.

Here are some diet plans celebrities have followed:

• Oprah Winfrey has used the "Total Body Makeover" from personal trainer Bob Greene. 
• Rachael Ray says she hasn't looked at a scale since she was a child - follows non diet
• Winner of reality series "The Swan" successfully used Nutrisystem to shed 25 pounds.
• Sarah Jessica Parker, Matt LeBlanc, and Renee Zellweger have all been quoted as being clients of Fred Pescatore - author of the Hamptons Diet
• Lauren Conrad from  “The Hills”- She eats about 1,500 calories a day in 6 small meals
• Kim Cattral and Julia Roberts attribute their good skin to the Dr Perricone Diet
• Jennifer Aniston is known to have used the Zone Diet.
• Matthew McConaughey -  eat healthy you will feel good.
• Bill and Hillary Clinton have used the South Beach Diet
• Sarah, the Duchess of York has endorsed both Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers.

 I am on the non diet plan, for now, struggling along to find my way (weigh)...

Change of Diet Plan

I know I said I was sticking to the plan BUT.... I have been feeling so bad on the low carb plan, tired but couldn't sleep, muscle pain, no energy, crabby, etc... after 2 weeks on the plan - the first week I did okay, but the second week I gained a pound!!!  And that was after have a really hard, painful week - I didn't cheat once.

So Monday I went back to the "old stand by" - counting calories, trying to watch portions and exercise.

I was so excited to eat breakfast - whole grain cereal and soy milk - and it was sure good - I didn't gain anything from the switch, which is such a relief - but then again I didn't carb gorge either.

I slept great for the first time in two weeks!

Diets are hard to maintain

Why are diets (new lifestyles) so hard to maintain? It is day 12 on the Atkins low carb, high protein plan and I am feeling tired of it - don't get me wrong, I am sticking with the plan.

I guess it doesn't help much that this week there wasn't much weight loss. Hopefully things will begin to move on the scale.

I also plan on trying a few different recipes - Tomorrow we are having cream cheese chicken - I pan fry chicken breast chunks in butter, onions and garlic and then add in the cream cheese - all legal on the low carb plan (I will try to include a picture for tomorrow - that is my new plan too - I have been visiting numerous blogs that take pics of their food)

Tonight my man grilled pork chops, steamed broccoli and cauliflower. It was good, but the thin boneless pork chops were a little tough - don't worry he doesn't like to read :)

Oprah - what diet is she doing these days

I was excited to see Ruby Gettinger on the Oprah show, but my mother erased the show.  So I went to Oprah's website and watched bits of it online -- isn't technology great?

I was curious to see what Oprah's diet plan was these days.  Apparently she is doing small meals and planning ahead of time.  I wonder if she is still following Bob Greene  and his Best Life Diet like she was in 2005.

I remember in 2008 she was  going  vegan for a 21-day detox plan. In addition to swearing off animal products, Oprah Winfrey and three pals from her production company are also banning caffeine, sugar, gluten and alcohol.



I also remember talks about hoodia and the acai berry - and the ever famous Medifast liquid diet.  Anyone think of any of her other diets?

Eating out while on a diet

For the last couple of days the scales have not moved! I have been feeling a little frustrated, and to make matters worse I knew I had to eat out twice in one day!

The first meeting was a networking luncheon with the WCR (women's council of realtors) and the HBA (Home builder's association) They have a set meal plan and just come around and set your plate in front of you. The first course was a salad and they had only one dressing choice at the table - ranch - so that was great - following the plan.

The second course - at my table the first person served receive a large plate of pasta - oh great - I couldn't even pretend to eat that being on the low carb plan. I had made the plan ahead of time to just kind of move things around on my plate if I couldn't eat much - fortunately this was a special non-gluten request. The rest of us were searched grilled chicken, potatoes and veggies - I did good with that and just left the potatoes.

The dessert part! They brought out the best looking brownies, with icing! and the biggest, thickest, homemade cookies imaginable. One lady at the table commented on how they were the best cookies and had caramel laced throughout!  Only two people at the table ate them though - willpower?



The next eat out meal was a dinner - going to a buffet and it was great - lots of meat choices, green pepper, broccoli, etc. But I still wondered if I had over done it with the quantity.

Since the scales had not been moving I was scared - I even was thinking that if i gained I would have myself a little treat - yep that is what I was thinking. But today when I woke up I was .........

2 pounds lighter!!

The Induction Flu - Feeling Weak

Here it is Day 9 on the Atkins, low carb high protein way of life and for most of the day I have felt really bad. The call it the "induction flu" because it really feels like you have the sickness.



Most of the time you feel weak and maybe a little nauseous for the first few days and then you feel better, get your energy back and feel better than ever. I felt weak the first few days, but nothing like this.

I have read that induction flu is simply the body burning its last remaining glucose and stored glycogen for energy, and suffering withdrawal effects. It is very similar to what happens when runners “hit the wall”.  Your body is basically detoxing from too many carbs, and glucose stores are depleted.

They say it is a good thing - it shows that the process is working and your body is going through withdrawal from sugar, caffeine and unrefined carbohydrates.

mmmmm.......... I am ready to graduate.

Benefits of Atkins - low carb high protein diet

It is day 8 on the Atkins diet and I am thrilled at some of the benefits to my new lifestyle.

* No hunger - I am not hungry - I have often heard people say "I forgot to eat" and I could never understand how this could happen - now I do, it has happened to me this week

* No cravings - I do not crave the sweets and this is a major benefit for me.  I have the ultimate sweet tooth, especially when on a "diet" - this week has been amazing.

* Unlimited quantity - I have to admit that this is the main reason I chose this lifestyle - I can eat all I want of certain foods.  No counting calories or going to bed hungry.

* Fast Weightloss - of course this is the main reason - and not everyone will lose fast - but it has always worked that way for me.  7 pounds in my first week!

Each day I seem to find out something new about the diet!

Atkins Diet - low carb day 7

So it is day 7 on the low carb lifestyle.  I tend to call it a diet but it has to be a lifestyle.  This is my 4th attempt in the past 20 years - 3 times before I have gone on the Atkins diet religiously for 4 months and didn't cheat at all.  Each time I have lost 45 pounds.  At that point, for some reason, I would go back to eating carbs and slowly gain the weight back. 

This time my goal is to make it a lifestyle and not go off the program.  Of course my mini goal is to break the 45 lb barrier.  If I can do that  When I do that I will feel so much better and mentally feel successful.

I read a lot of blogs and forums on the Atkins, South Beach, Protein Power or other low carb diets and I have seen where some people have a one time shot at losing with the program, and when they go off and  come back at a later date, they do not get the same fast results.  Fortunately this has never happened to me.  I have lost 7 pounds in the first week and am thrilled.  I think the repeat dieters might be a little to liberal in their food choices and learned a little low carb cheats from the first time around.

I have to be careful though.  I know from experience I cannot go by "net carbs" - this is when they take the actually carbohydrate grams and subtract the fiber grams and come up with the net carbs (ex: 10 carb grams - 7 fiber grams = 3 net carbs).  If I count this way I usually don't gain, but I don't lose either.

Other people, however, like my mother, lose good by counting "net carbs".  So if you are doing the low carb lifestyle experiment and see what works for you.

I do as a treat occasionally have an Atkins bar (tastes like a candy).  If net carbs work for you, the prepackaged snacks and baked good are a great help - you feel like you can have a treat.