Fad Diets (Bashing low Carb diets Alert!)

wbz4 ^ | 4-9-03

[Jimmyclyde]

Fad Diets

Apr 8, 2003 4:58 pm US/Eastern (WBZ) (Boston) The number is staggering. There are 127 Million overweight Americans, and now many are turning to unhealthy fad diets to lose the weight.

As WBZ's Dr. Mallika Marshall tells us, the medical community has come out with a stern warning for those seeking a quick solution to weight loss.

The message is clear, Americans trying to lose weight by eating more protein and fat while reducing carbohydrates could, in fact, be hurting themselves.

While these so-called "fad" diets may be appealing, the American College of Preventive Medicine has come out with a warning. They say, lose the weight in an un-healthy fashion, and you may also lose your health!

In a special obesity issue, this week's Journal of the American Medical Association warns that high protein diets, such as the popular Atkins diet, may not be conducive to long-term health and the dangers of such dieting remain to be seen.

Researchers also say it isn't the restriction of carbohydrates that leads to weight loss, but instead an overall reduction in total calories.

To lose weight and also reap the health benefits, researchers recommend a "balanced" diet rich in fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains. And of course, don't forget regular exercise.

(MMIII, Viacom Internet Services Inc. , All Rights Reserved)

[Jimmyclyde]

The message is clear, Americans trying to lose weight by eating more protein and fat while reducing carbohydrates could, in fact, be hurting themselves.

Prove it!!!

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[AAABEST]

In a special obesity issue, this week's Journal of the American Medical Association warns that high protein diets, such as the popular Atkins diet, may not be conducive to long-term health and the dangers of such dieting remain to be seen.

Translation: We can't for the life of us prove that the Atkins Diet is harmful in any way, so we'll use weasel words because we've been praying at the wrong alter for decades.

Morons.

[Jimmyclyde]

BUMP!!!

[ricpic]

They don't have to prove it. And you don't need so called experts to tell you the obvious. Leave a whole category of foods out of your diet and there'll be consequences. Common sense.

[Salvation]

**Translation: We can't for the life of us prove that the Atkins Diet is harmful in any way, so we'll use weasel words because we've been praying at the wrong alter for decades.**

And the USDA has been putting out the wrong food pyramid for decades also.

Fruits and vegetables should be most plentiful rather than the grains.

[wastoute]

I can prove it. I am a Pyhsician. I have been on 20 grams of carbohydrates a day for about 7 weeks, I have lost 15 lbs. My Cholesterol yesterday was 150, HDL 52 and LDL was 82. Your results may vary...

[OpusatFR]

We have been on Atkins since November have lost a total of 82 pounds and have seen spouse's cholesterol drop 40 points,and is now off Blood Pressure meds and meds for reflux. Mine is way down and even my allergies are improved!

The big kicker is that I have only one kidney and my kidney function is so good that my nephrologist says that from the profile, no one would even guess.

I agree...Prove the diet is bad! The only thing we don't eat is sugar and wheat/corn/starch based carbs. How bad it that? We even eat a whole lot more veggies.

[Jimmyclyde]

I agree with you 100%.

I have been on a low carb diet and have lost almost 20 pounds.

It works.

[Paradox]

They don't have to prove it. And you don't need so called experts to tell you the obvious. Leave a whole category of foods out of your diet and there'll be consequences. Common sense.

A common misconception about the Atkins diet is that the ZERO carb phase only lasts two weeks. AFter that, you increase your carb intake to your liking and purpose. I have been on "low-carb" diets where I eat hundreds of grams of carbs per day, depending on my energy expediture and workouts, for the day.

[Mrs. B.S. Roberts]

"may not be conducive to long-term health and the dangers of such dieting remain to be seen"


Oh, that statement of "maybes and remains to be seen".....
is so conclusive. NOTE: HEAVY SARCASM

You can eat low carbs and lower-fat protein choices and stay thin and healthy! It is all about making good food choices...i.e. more fish & chicken and less bacon. These type of reports that speculate without any scientific data make me nuts.
Let's put this into perspective: The so-called nutritional pyramid that has carbo laden grains on the bottom (largest section) was devised by a commission related to an agriculture board....of course they want you to eat lots of grains etc!

[Salvation]

Oops.

Fixing my tagline.

[Sloth]

Leave a whole category of foods out of your diet and there'll be consequences. Common sense.

I leave fungi out of my diet altogether... so far I've seen no adverse consequences.

[Slyfox]

The message is clear, Americans trying to lose weight by eating more protein and fat while reducing carbohydrates could, in fact, be hurting themselves.

Why would they use the word 'could'? Don't they know fer sure?

[Dead Dog]

So they are saying processed white flour and sugar are necessary for long term health? WTFE! They should check out the diabetes rates on American Indian reservations and Soddy Arabia.

[ko_kyi]

I have been doing Atkins since last July, but I never did induction. I went straight to the 60-90 grams carbs per day stage. I run 20-25 miles a week so I probably have more carbs than most Atkins followers.

Results? LDL still a little high, but HDL and Triglycerides radically improved, 22 lbs lighter, feel like a million bucks, and minimal cravings.

My doctor is fully supportive. He says if improvements continue I won't need cholesterol medication.

[Salvation]

I have lost 60 pounds on a low carb diet, but not Atkins. On this you eat regular food. Balanced diet. Carbs are added back in during a metabolic adjustment period.

Great diet!

[sinkspur]

Leave a whole category of foods out of your diet and there'll be consequences. Common sense.

Nonsense. Human beings DO NOT NEED SUGAR! And that's all that refined carbohydrates are.

Also, human beings do not need bananas or any other high-sugar fruit. Berries, apples and low-glycemic fruits and non-starchy vegetables give the human organism everything it needs.

Humans also don't need dairy, of any kind.

The Atkins diet has been around for nearly 35 years, and there is no medical evidence that it is detrimental.

[Jimmyclyde]

Amen to your tag line!

[ko_kyi]

I sometimes am told "If you go off Atkins you gain the weight right back."

I answer, "Yeah. You know what I hate about my car? If you don't sit in it, it never takes you anywhere."

[Labyrinthos]

To lose weight and also reap the health benefits, researchers recommend a "balanced" diet rich in fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains. And of course, don't forget regular exercise.

I wonder if any of these so-called nutrional experts have even bothered to read the Atkins book. If they had, they would realize that Dr. Atkins also advocates a well balanced diet and regular exercise. Although all kinds of carbs are absent from the initial stages of the diet, over time (as one approaches his or her goal), complex carbs are allowed back into the diet, such as nuts, bread veggies (i.e., corn, beans, zuccunni , and high fiber fruits). I lost 16 lbs. last year on Atkins and since reaching my goal weight, I have included plenty of complex carbs -- let me repeat that -- complex carbs -- in my diet.

[Taffini]

And the USDA has been putting out the wrong food pyramid for decades also.

Fruits and vegetables should be most plentiful rather than the grains.



Yes, the government pyramid made us fat.

Pasta is good for you?
White flour, water, salt and not much of anything else.

It raises your bloodsugar levels and drives you to EAT MORE.

[ricpic]

What about fungu?

[PrincessB]

I found I ate less total after about four weeks on the diet and I ate more vegetables than before I started. I could put away a 12 oz. steak, no problem. Now I generally eat 2-3 oz. of meat at one sitting. I get full after that much and feel full for longer periods of time.

I've become a firm believer that a little bit of fat, when it is not combined with sugar, is an excellent appetite suppresent.

[ko_kyi]

Well said, Labyrinthos. The harshest critics are always building a straw man to knock down.

I have never eaten as much fruit and veggies in my life.

What these critics seem to say is that we need more nutrient-free calories.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

A low carb diet is the way to go. Cut out potatoes, bread, sugar, and the pounds will slide off.

[Hildy]

I agree...where's the meat, so to say...no examples, no proof. I know so many people who have lost weight on Atkins, kept it off and their health is better. My husband and I are on it now. My husband's lost 8 pounds, although he doesn't really need to lose all that much. He's 64, looks great, works out and feels great. I've really cut back on my carbs and I'm feeling better than I've felt in years.

[Jimmyclyde]

A low carb diet is the way to go. Cut out potatoes, bread, sugar, and the pounds will slide off.

Be careful doctor, that's not what the government says.

Now go have yourself a bowl of fruit loops, toast with jelly and a baked potato....

[skeeter]

I can prove it. I am a Pyhsician. I have been on 20 grams of carbohydrates a day for about 7 weeks, I have lost 15 lbs. My Cholesterol yesterday was 150, HDL 52 and LDL was 82. Your results may vary...

Lower carb intake also lowers cholesterol? I have no weight problem & exercise regularly but still have high LDL and HDL levels.

I'm sick of oatmeal & don't want to bother with cholesterol lowering drugs.

C'mon, lay a little free advise on me doc.

[AAABEST]

The wrong alter is this:

To lose weight and also reap the health benefits, researchers recommend a "balanced" diet rich in fruits, vegetables and complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains. And of course, don't forget regular exercise.

This is 1970s garbage, being spouted by no-nothing idiots who put sacred cows before people's health. Flat earth morons.

Researchers also say it isn't the restriction of carbohydrates that leads to weight loss, but instead an overall reduction in total calories.

Absolute nonsense. I can personally attest (as can mulititudes of others) otherwise. Try having 4 egg cheese omelets for breakfast with bacon and ham, string cheese and sugar free jello for lunch and a big juicy steak with a side of iceberg lettuce smothered with blue cheese dressing for dinner, then still lose weight.

These "doctors" have an odd-ball love affair with carbs. Not only are sugars and carbs most easily turned into fat by the body (as opposed to fat or protein), they wreak havoc on your blood sugar and energy levels, especially for those who are sensitive to such.

I've been into fitness for years and diet to reduce body fat as opposed to contolling my weight. I've never had so much energy or seen such marked results on any other diet ever. These doctors that keep insisting that Atkins is dangerous without offering PROOF to back up their baseless claims are quacks with an axe to grind.

All that being said, there are things to watch for. One is you must take a good multivitamin with calcium. Another is that too much dairy could cause kidney stones in some.

[aruanan]

(Bashing low Carb diets Alert!) = "I know next to nothing about nutritional physiology."

[ko_kyi]

I have wondered about the cholesterol question since doing Atkins and having improvement in my numbers.

When your body manufactures cholesterol does it mostly make LDL or both? And does your body make more cholesterol when you eat less of it, or does it make pretty much the same amount all of the time?

[AAABEST]

I've really cut back on my carbs and I'm feeling better than I've felt in years.

There's a big factor that doesn't get much mention. Besides wieght control, your blood sugar is balanced and energy levels go way up.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Don't forget your salads, broccoli, asparagus, tangerines, etc.etc.!

[Question_Assumptions]

I can prove it. I am a Pyhsician. I have been on 20 grams of carbohydrates a day for about 7 weeks, I have lost 15 lbs. My Cholesterol yesterday was 150, HDL 52 and LDL was 82. Your results may vary...

I think the bigger problem is the idea that there are "one size fits all" diets out there. For example, a significant number of women have PCOS and a low-fat/high-carbohydrate diet can often make their problems worse. (See this article, which doesn't recommend the more extreme low-carb diets, for a decent summary of the issues involved.)

[AAABEST]

You tell 'em sinky!!!!

[ricpic]

"Nonsense. Human beings DO NOT NEED SUGAR!"

Maybe so. But without it you end up with some pretty droopy people.

[Darnright]

"The message is clear, Americans trying to lose weight by eating more protein and fat while reducing carbohydrates could, in fact, be hurting themselves."

.

[Labyrinthos]

My three favorite food groups used to be beer, bread, and pasta, with veggies on the side. Although I will now occassionally have a beer or piece of bread (whole grain only), I haven't had pasta in months. Now I eat fish, poulty, cheese, eggs, beef, and bacon, with lots of spinich, beans, mushrooms, carrots, asparagus, cuc's, and just about anything green and leafy, When I feel like snacking, I eat peanuts from the shell, which provide lots of highly complex carbs, protein, and good fat.

[RaceBannon]

I lost 60 pounds last year on Atkins. I am proof.

[alarmguy]

According to Michael R. Eades, M. D. and Mary Dan Eades, M. D. in their book, "Protein Power":

"The actual amount of carbohydrate required by humans for health is zero." Chapter 1, p8 in the Bantam paperback.

[trebb]

My ex-wife used the Atkins diet and lost 200 lbs - Me...

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I thought Atkins caused you to get a dangerous ketone buildup.

[AAABEST]

But without it you end up with some pretty droopy people.

Foolish statement totally unsupported by any factual data. Sugar (especially refined) does just the opposite to your energy levels, and screws with your blood-glycerin.

Yeah after drinking a pepsi you might be temporarily perky, but you then crash. Ever wonder why it's so hard to get back to work after a high-carb lunch? You now have your answer.

[chilepepper]

These "doctors" have an odd-ball love affair with carbs

This is a strictly economic issue: George McGovern helped push through the infamous foodgroup triangle in order to help out Archer Daniels Midland and the other wheat/corn/rice super conglomerates.

Nabisco, General Mills, Kellogg etc etc all get their cut too...

the diet food industry is the real scam: people get fat, they buy "low fat" food where the fat has been replaced by...

carbohydrates!!!!

so the fat folk get fatter and buy MORE "low fat" food, and the fat folk get FATTER STILL.

meanwhile, those who are not SHEEP know that this is a scam and follow Atkins...

think of it as Darwinian selection against those who believe everthing that passes as "common knowledge"

[wi jd]

Humans also don't need dairy, of any kind.

I agree that humans do not NEED dairy, but it is hard to enjoy a good cheeseburger without the cheese.

[ChipShot]

"All that being said, there are things to watch for. One is you must take a good multivitamin..."

I will ditto that. Plus, I have found that I need some extra potassium also. I have always been prone to cramps and if I don't take potassium suppliments they come on strong.

But, I am 40 pounds lighter since Thanksgiving, so I think it is a small price to pay.

[ricpic]

"The actual amount of carbohydrate required by humans for health is zero."

Then tell me this. Why did God make bread trees, huh?

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Then class of food to leave out of your diet is sugar.
Pretzels, pasta, crackers, cookies,white bread, white rice, instant potatoes,jams, candies, etc.

Sugar is what causes High cholesterol, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries...

[PaulJ]

A common misconception about the Atkins diet is that the ZERO carb phase only lasts two weeks.

Right you are! Athins even recomends you eat carbs before any strenuous physical activity.

Atkins whole point is not to cut out carbs, just limit them. As a society we gorge ourselves on sugar and flour (carbs), while shying away from protein. The fact is, the high carb/low protein diet is the fad, started in the 80's.