On diets

On diets

Further to the article Low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets
are back in fashion (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 9, 2000), I would
like share my experience.

I got hold of both Dr. Atkin's and Michael & Mary Dan Eades'
books in December 1999. Quickly finishing both, I was at first
shocked, as the recommendations were the opposite of what many
otherwise believed. But having tried various methods in the past
and losing the battle of the bulge many times, I decided to try
this new approach for a month. On noticing my new eating pattern,
I faced a heavy barrage of opposition and sneers from my family,
who thought I was on the path to higher cholesterol, and all its
consequences.

Two weeks after starting the diet, I decided to take a blood
test, just to make sure my cholesterol, etc. was OK. Before I
started the diet, I had always been overweight with an
unflattering belly. A 1996 blood test showed my cholesterol at
161 mg/dl, HDL at 41.3 mg/dl, LDL at 88 mg/dl, glucose level at
100 mg/dl and, most alarmingly, my triglycerides stood at 159
mg/dl.

To my surprise, my Jan. 11, 2000, blood test showed that my
cholesterol had dropped to 123 mg/dl, HDL increased to 53.6
mg/dl, LDL decreased to 52 mg/dl, glucose dropped to 88 mg/dl,
LDL decreased to 52 mg/dl, glucose dropped to 88 mg/dl and my
triglycerides plunged to 86 mg/dl. All these improvements were
just what the authors predicted. In addition to the above
improvements and the trimming of my belly, I did not have to
suffer from feelings of hunger.

I believe many people will still dismiss this diet as wrong.
But in the end, I would rather believe my eyes (blood test
results and the mirror) than anything else. I am not buying new
pants until I reach my target of 65 kilograms. But now, only my
belt tightening prevents my old pants from dropping to the floor
when I walk in public.

SURIANTO ROCHILI

Jakarta