Low Carb Tips

Welcome to LowCarbTips.org, the site created to help you learn more about low-carbohydrates diets. As with all major lifestyle changes, please consult your medical practitioner before starting…

Low-carbohydrate diets or low carb diets, are food diet programs for dietary health as well as weight loss that advocate restricted carbohydrate consumption, based on research that ties carbohydrate consumption with increased blood insulin levels, and increased insulin with obesity.

Under these various dietary programs, foods containing carbohydrates (like sugar, grains, and starches) are limited or replaced in favor of foods containing more protein and fat. Vegetables, though classified as carbohydrates, are thought to be far healthier than grain-based carbohydrates.

Weight loss
Programs such as the South Beach, Atkins and Zone diets, are claimed to work because they reduce insulin levels, which in turn causes the body to burn its fat for energy.

As a process, these kinds of diets have been in and out of fashion since the Banting diet appeared in the 19th century. But long before modern scientific invention, anecdotal and holistic prescriptions, containing passages about limiting certain foods, including foods of mostly carbohydrates, have appeared throughout history. Although strong evidence suggests, and general agreement claims, that low carb diets can help achieve weight loss, some have been controversial among nutritionists, and their relative safety has been challenged.

Differences between low-carbohydrate diets
Low-carb diets are largely distinguished by the proportions of carb intake they recommend, and the method or methods used to determinine which source or sources of carbohydrates should be consumed and which should be avoided. While all agree that processed sugar should be eliminated, or at the very least greatly reduced, they often differ on the recommended levels of grains, fruits and vegetables, though there is broad agreement that, in general, vegetables are better than fruits, and fruits are better than grains.

Food producers have ascribed a commercial impact to the growing popularity of low-carbohydrate diets in recent years. For example, in May 2004, New World Pasta filed for bankruptcy protection, claiming that low-carbohydrate diets were reducing demand for pasta. In the same month, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts warned investors that its earnings would be below projections, and blamed low-carbohydrate diets on reduced demand for its products.

Other producers have taken advantage of the trend. In response to consumer demand for low-carb foods, the food industry has been marketing low-carb products in recent years and restaurants are increasingly offering low carb menus. These items typically replace carbohydrate-laden wheat flour with high-protein soy flour and replace sugar with artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and sugar alcohols.

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The Low Carb Craze and Other Dieting Mistakes

By: Bill Belfert

Dear BMTers,
Low carb this and low carb thatthats all you hear nowadays. Kinda reminds me of something that was the craze a few years agoThe Low or No Fat CrazeCan you remember where that got us? Still Fat!!!

Well my friends this Low Carb Craze is going to bring us to the same exact placeYepStill Fat!

Listen, anyone who tries Low carb dieting will experience some Short Term successbut its only short term.
I know some of you are tired of hearing me repeat myself but any diet or exercise machine in and of itself will not work!

A successful Fitness Program must incorporate 5 Strategies:
1. A Compelling Reason to Change

2. Proper Nutrition

3. Progressive Resistance Training

4. Moderate Aerobic Exercise

5. Consistency

If youre missing any one of these strategies you will not experience the success that you crave.

Why the Low Carb diets without Progressive Resistance Training will not work in the long run.

We need to build lean muscle on our bodies.

Why do we need to build lean muscle on our bodies? Building lean muscle will boost metabolism and that is what we want to achieve.

Youll even start burning more calories even while you rest.

Right now Im going to let you in on one of the biggest secrets on burning fat ever revealed:

Lean Muscle Burns Fat!

And, the more lean muscle you have, the more fat you will burn. That is a statement that you can take to the bank!

I guarantee it!

Listen, all these people that go on these Fad diets are really losing water and lean muscle weight.
They Are Not Losing Any Fat Whatsoever!

How can they be if I just got finished telling you that in order for us to lose any fat,(and I did mean any fat!) you must have lean muscle tissue for the fat to go be burned up in?

Our bodies are smart; our fat just cant go away it must be burned up in a muscle cell.

And if youre not doing any Progressive Weight Resistance Training, well then, youre not building any new lean muscle tissue.
Which means, you guessed ityou wont be burning fat any time soon!!!

Dont you see? The people that go on these Fad (starvation) diets turn into skinny fat people. Sure they lose weight, but they lose the wrong kind of weight.

Since these people usually dont perform any weight resistance training and are only probably taking diet pills, and doing hours of aerobic exercise,

they are losing water (from the low calorie, low carb diet) and lean muscle (from doing to much aerobic exercise and not having the right amount and the proper ratios of food in their bodies).

So what is left?

FAT!!!

They have no muscle tone whatsoever!
What these people should be doing is learning how to lift weights and get stronger progressively!

The only way to do that is

Get A Little Stronger Each And Every Workout

If youre not getting stronger each and every workout than you are doing something wrong!

Then all you have to do is add:

A Compelling Reason to Change, Proper Nutrition, Moderate Aerobic Exercise, and Consistency to be Successful

A great example of dieting the wrong way in my opinion is Anna Nicole Smiths recent weight loss.

From a distance she looks great! But get closer and clear the smoke and you will find that she transformed herself into what I explained before a skinny fat person.

Did you hear her interviewed lately on shows like Larry King Live and Regis and Kelly?

She says she takes Trim Spas Ephedra Free Diet Pills. And she eats like only once per day if shes lucky. And I would bet my life, kids, wife, and the house that she never ever does a workout with weights on a consistent basis!!!

So lets see what happened
Most people think that to lose excess body fat, they must stop eating altogether. This is where they are totally wrong.

Starvation(what else would you call not eating?) triggers a metabolic response where, your metabolism will actually slow down and become more efficient in order to preserve body tissue in the case of a shortage of future nutrition.

This is precisely what we dont want. Another way people think theyre eating right is having fruit & coffee for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and a bowl of pasta for dinner.

Nope, thats not the answer either. Some people dont eat anything the whole day and save themselves for a big huge dinner! Thats not the answer either.

To find the answer, you have to think back to caveman days. Back then, there were no supermarkets or convenience stores to easily get whatever you want and whenever you want it.

The caveman didnt know when his next meal was coming. He only ate when he made the big kill and would literally gorge and overstuff himself until he couldnt move! Why? Because he knew that he might not eat again for days or even worseweeks.

What this did was make our bodies very bad at processing our food. Since our bodies didnt know when we were going to eat next, they were forced to revert into something known as

Survival Mode

Whenever you eat, your digestive system converts most of your food(especially large amounts of carbohydrates) to glucose (blood sugar). Its a very complicated process but Ill do my best to sum it up in a nutshell

Anytime we eat while were in survival mode, because of the molasses-pace the metabolism is at, the body converts most of the glucosein conjunction with the hormone insulinto fat.

This is why people who constantly starve themselves can gain weight while eating only once a day!

Wed like to speed up our metabolism, but unfortunately over thousands and thousands of years our bodies havent changed much from the days of the cave man.

Every time we eat, our bodies are already automatically going to convert it to fateven if its fat free! Wheres the justice???

So how do we change our body from fat storer to fat burner? We have to learn to use proper nutrition.

So the question iswhat is proper nutrition? OK in a nutshell, my idea of proper nutrition is 4 to 5 portion-controlled, balanced meals about every 3 hours throughout the day.

By eating this way throughout the day, youll effortlessly speed up your metabolism.

Think of it this way. If you have a campfire burning and you dont add wood to the fire, eventually the campfire will burn out.

But if you add a little wood every few hours, the campfire will continue to burn, and burn nice and hot! So you see, the human metabolism is like the firenever or rarely feed it, and it will slow down.

Feed it every few hours and it has no choice but to speed up.

What Is A Portion-Controlled Meal You Ask?

A portion-controlled meal is sensible portion of a lean protein, a sensible portion of a starchy carbohydrate, and a sensible portion of a fibrous carbohydrate.

Lean protein foods:
- Skinless chicken breast
- Skinless turkey breast
- Tuna fish
- Most fish in general
- Egg whites
- Protein powder

Starchy carbohydrates:
- Sweet potato
- Potato
- Rice
- Pasta
- Oatmeal
- Whole grain wheat bread

Fibrous Carbohydrates:
- Corn
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Asparagus
- Peppers

Here are a few examples of a portion-controlled meal:

Chicken breast with corn & rice
Lean steak with potato & broccoli
Fish with rice & salad
Chicken pita sandwich
Egg white omelet with mushrooms & oatmeal or farina

A “typical” day of eating on Bare Minimum Training might be :

7:00am: egg white omelet and oatmeal
10:00am: yogurt with cottage cheese
1:00 pm: tuna pita sandwich
4:00 pm: mushroom turkey burger on a whole grain bun
7:00 pm: Salmon with rice
8 8-ounce glasses of spring water (throughout entire day)

So you see if Anna Nicole Smith does not start to implement Proper Nutrition and a sound fitness program like Bare Minimum Training

Shes setting yourself up for Failuresure she has short term success but eventually shell gain all the weight back!!!

I hope she doesnt gain the weight backbut she must change her ways if theres any hope for long term success.

Take care,
Bill Belfert

About the Author:

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To learn more about the complete Bare Minimum Training system and find out what the exercise infomercials DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW about losing weight, staying fit, and trimming down PERMANENTLY. Go to: www.Bare-Minimum-Training.com to see the stunning pictures and learn more. FREE AUDIO CD for a limited time. HURRY!
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Take Care, and Remember…Finally Get Your Life Back…
And Train Bare Minimally,

Bill Belfert
Body Transformation Specialist
Bare Minimum Training, LLC.
201-960-3824

http://www.Bare-Minimum-Training.com

Bill@Bare-Minimum-Training.com

Copyright 2004 – 2005. Bill Belfert, Managing Member Bare Minimum Training LLC. All rights reserved. No liability is assumed by Bare Minimum Training LLC., Nor the author for any information contained herein. This text does not provide medical advice. Specific medical advice should be obtained from a doctor. Bare Minimum Training LLC. advises all to consult a physician and gain medical clearance before you begin any new nutrition, exercise, or dietary supplement program.

About the Author

Bill Belfert, THE Worlds #1 No-B.S. Body Transformation Specialist, Shows Busy People How To Get EXTRAORDINARY Results FAST With His Breakthrough Weight Training Program & Total Fitness System By Only Going To The Gym Twice Per Week For 20 Minutes Or Less! AND, Whats More, You Only Need Moderate Cardio 3 Times Per Week For Only 18 Minutes!

http://www.Bare-Minimum-Training.com

Written By: Bill Belfert

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In recent years, carbohydrates have been labeled as the nutrition bad guy because of the increases in insulin that occurs during metabolic processes. The secretion of insulin is dependent primarily upon the concentration of blood glucose an increase of blood sugar brings about an increase in the secretion of insulin. Therefore, one function of insulin is to lower glucose.

Conversely, the body increases blood glucose levels by secreting another hormone called glucagon.
If blood glucose levels remain high, and that energy source is not burned shortly after it is consumed, the excess glucose is shuttled off to the muscles for storage. If the muscles have reached their limit in storage capacity, and the body does not require extra glucose to sustain body activities, the excess converts to fat.

Also, as insulin efficiently clears the blood of excess sugar, blood sugar levels oftentimes dip below normal and will produce the infamous sugar blues or a ‘downer’, followed by a possible craving for more sugar consumption. Lastly, while insulin levels are high or active, the body will not burn fat as energy since the body is attempting to utilize as much blood sugar as possible. (Note that fat is not used as a primary energy source while eating an energy-sufficient, healthy diet and fat is used more heavily only during periods of fasting and extensive aerobic-type exercise.) Hence, high-fat-low-carb advocates claim that we should not want:

1) Excess carbs to turn into fat (what do they think happens to excess fat and protein kcal?);

2) To feel groggy with low energy from the insulin ups and downs associated with high carbohydrate (sugar) consumption; and

3) High carbs in the diet since they prevent us from burning body fat.
Although these factors are true, the extent or magnitude of their validity varies in accordance to a number of conditions, such as:

i) How active is the individual?

ii) How many kcal is the individual ingesting (including carbs) per meal?

iii) What comprises an individual’s food and carbohydrate intake?

HOW ACTIVE ARE YOU?

The more active a person, the more carbohydrate he or she should consume. Also, the greater the physical activity, the less insulin the body produces since muscles become insulin sensitive after exercise and glucose tolerance improves as a result. The Food Guide/Pyramid recommends about 50% of kcal in the average individuals diet to be in the form of carbohydrate. Therefore, if a person is very active, the amount should be increased to about 60% since nearly every activity uses a great deal of blood glucose and muscle glycogen for energy, but only a smaller percentage of fat. In fact, athletes who consume a high-carb diet (60%) can maintain higher-intensity exercise longer than those following a low-carb diet (<40%). If a person is relatively sedentary, then much less energy is required, and 30-40% will suffice.

The bloodstream holds about only a one-hour supply of glucose and muscles store about only a half-days energy needs. The sugar requirements of the nervous system (including the brain, an organ that survives on nothing but sugar) for the average adult is approximately 100-150 g per day (and 100 g minimum to prevent ketosis, or 600 kcal). If a 90 kg/200 pound, moderately active man consumes 3,500 kcalories per day, this is equal to 17% of his total caloric intake... just for his nervous system. This does not take into account the remainder of his requirements, the energy required for metabolism of food, or his general activity levels such as work, sports, weight training, reading, housework, walking, etc.

Since this man is moderately active, about 55% of his kcal should be in the form of carbohydrate, or 1,925 kcal, or 481 grams. If he were very active, the percent should probably be closer to 60%. That leaves 20% for fat intake, and 25% for protein intake.

HOW MANY KCAL ARE YOU CONSUMING?

Although national surveys indicate that we are eating less fat now than 20 years ago, we are also eating more kcal. Consequently, a reduction in fat and an increase in carbohydrates are hardly the problem. Rather, it is the total number of kcal consumed that is of vital importance in fat gain. If total caloric intake is below maintenance levels, a person will reduce fat, even if 80% are in the form of carbohydrates. (In fact, Southeast Asian diets are 80-90% carbohydrate, yet these individuals, on average, are not considered overweight but underweight. Conversely, an Inuit [Eskimo] diet is only about 15% carbohydrate intake and most are overweight because of the high fat/calorie intake.)

In regard to energy levels, one pro-fat advocate recollected the days when he trained for 2+ hours per day, while he consumed about 6000 kcal per day, and yet felt tired all the time. At under 200 lbs bodyweight, this person never considered in general how such a large quantity of food caused his insulin levels to go awry. He further attributed his depression and chronic fatigue to his state of hypoglycemia, but the American Diabetic Association has repeatedly stated that there is no evidence in connection to these symptoms, including nervous breakdowns, juvenile delinquency, and childhood behavior problems. Moreover, what most people experience after a meal is a change in blood plasma glucose concentrations and not actual hypoglycemia, which is a serious medical condition that requires medical treatment.

WHAT TYPES OF CARBS DO YOU CONSUME?
The next factor to consider is the composition of meals and dietary carbohydrate consumption. Obviously simple sugars/empty kcal that consist of concentrated sweets and that come from low nutrient (junk) foods should be limited or eaten infrequently. By reducing the concentrated and simple sugars in the diet, this change could contribute to a reduction in the risk of obesity, Type II diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and tooth decay. But it is not so simple as to suggest that simple sugars create the greatest insulin spike since the effect of food on blood glucose depends on several factors that constitute a meals total glycemic index.

First, the ratio and types of foods must be considered. Fat helps to slow digestion and absorption processes, thereby resulting in a lower and a less steep insulin spike. Hence, a food with a high glycemic index (e.g., potato) can have little effect on rising blood sugar levels if it is eaten with a high fat food (e.g., steak). Fiber tends to have an effect in keeping blood glucose levels down, and eating sucrose with whole wheat bread will not cause problems even for a diabetic. In fact, diabetics can consume up to 50% carb intake, so long as most are low on the glycemic index to keep blood glucose response to a minimum.

Refined starches (white flour and rice, cornstarch, pasta, enriched breads, and breakfast cereals) digest and absorb a little slower than simple sugars, but these foods still should be limited within the diet. Complex starchy carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, winter squash, yams, unrefined grains and grain products (e.g., barley, brown rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, and whole wheat products) are the preferred source of energy since they are high in fiber and digest the slowest. Slow digestion means slow glucose conversion, energy which burns/oxidizes during body functions at about the same rate at which it is produced.

Further, the process of digesting carbohydrates as a whole burns more kcal than the digestion of an equivalent amount of fat. However, even refined and whole grain starches break down to produce glucose, with the excess storing as fat tissue. Nonetheless, it is over-consumption of whole grains that results in added fat, a situation which is no different than over-consumption of healthy essential fatty acids or proteins. Hence, it is not carbohydrates that cause problems of excess fat gain, but the choice and amount of carbohydrate.

The form of the food also alters the glycemic response because of the time it takes for the food to be digested and absorbed:

Liquid quickly digested and absorbed.

Dry opposite to the liquid state, resulting in a slower rate of digestion and absorption.

Finely Ground digests and absorbs better than dry because of a larger surface area, and this causes food to break down better and faster.

Raw more difficult to digest than cooked foods; usually harder and tougher and requires more time to be broken down, digested, and absorbed.

Cooked breaks down, digests, and absorbs faster than its raw counterpart.

OTHER REASONS FOR HIGH (SUFFICIENT) CARB INTAKE

A most important complimentary aspect of carbohydrate is its protein-sparing effect. When the body is low in energy or when it is deprived of sufficient kcal, it will use its glucose stores. Once depleted, the body uses protein to manufacture glucose. Consuming sufficient carbohydrates guarantees that minimal protein in the muscles will be catabolized for energy requirements. Conversely, low carb diets accelerate protein catabolism to produce energy by more than 100% than with a moderate to high carbohydrate diet (50-60%).

High-fat advocates further suggest that if carbohydrates in the diet are limited, the body will use fat for energy. Although fat can supply most of the bodys tissues with energy, if need be, it cannot supply energy for the brain, which requires glucose. Even during fasting, fat is used last as an energy source. Neither can fat optimally supply the body with energy required for intense weight training, the main fuel source required from carbohydrates. Even with aerobic exercise, muscles cannot function effectively on fat alone, but will utilize glucose simultaneously. Moreover, as the body hurriedly breaks down fat for energy on a low carb diet, the process is often incomplete and produces by-products that the body must eliminate.

About the Author

(May be reprinted freely if linked to www.ExerciseCertification.com)

Brian D. Johnston is the Director of Education and President of the I.A.R.T. fitness certification and education institute. He has written over 12 books and is a contributor author to the Merck Medical Manual. An international lecturer, Mr. Johnston wears many hats in the fitness and health industries, and can be reached at info@ExerciseCertification.com. Visit his site at www.ExerciseCertification.com for more free articles and offers.

Written By: Brian D. Johnston

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Over the last twenty five years the most common questioned asked me by frustrated exercisers, has been what exercise routine will get me the body I desire? My answer is always the same. They need to start exercising better judgement and learn that exercise alone will not solve their body composition problem. I believe the number one reason for starting an exercise program is weight reduction, even before fitness and health concerns. Exercise by itself is a poor weight manager and it increases the need for better nutritional requirements. I believe I would receive very little disagreement that a combination of nutrition and exercise is the answer to improvement in weight loss ( fat loss ), fitness and health risk concerns. With obesity reaching epidemic rates and the drop out rate of most health clubs remaining high this article intent is to lay the foundation why exercise and low carbohydrate diets are poor partners.

Over the last three decades I have seen extreme changes in the macro nutrients ( proteins, carbohydrates and fats ) combinations in our quests for the ideal body. Everything from high carbohydrate, low fat, high protein, to the current low carbohydrate craze has bombarded us, though the failure rates in managing our weight continue to rise. The problem lies in our bodies ability to adapt to change, especially extreme change. If your goal is to lose fat you must provide your muscle enough quality fuel without being over fueled. This is especially true if your goal to lose fat includes exercise. The secret is not found in elimination of macro nutrients, but in management of them. Understanding how to fuel your muscles prior to exercise sessions and replacing fuel after workouts is critical or your body will break down muscle for fuel.

Understanding how our muscles use the calories we eat as fuel for muscle contraction is the first step in knowing what to do and not to do. A basic nutritional knowledge tells us that proteins repair and rebuild cells, carbohydrates energize cells and fats provide hormonal foundation for cells. When we lack balance in protein, carbohydrates and fats are bodies adjust and can use all three as a source of fuel for muscle contraction and cellular energy. Though energy is needed for all cellular function, the focus of this article is muscle contraction and body composition. All muscle contraction derives energy from adenosine triphosphate or ATP. The primary source of ATP comes from glucose, which is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen ( glucose and water ). Muscle contraction during anaerobic activity ( resistance training ) can use glycogen directly to form ATP. The process is anaerobic glycolysis, meaning it can use the glucose as energy with very little oxygen ( 90% glucose, 5% oxygen and 5% fatty acid ). Our muscles only store enough ATP for short periods of muscle contraction, when depleted leads to muscle failure. The rest period between weight training sets allows additional ATP to be produced. During early stages of aerobic exercise, ATP is again created primarily from glucose until the heart and lungs provide enough oxygen to the muscles to allow fatty acids to be used to create ATP. So there you have it during resistance training and the beginning stages aerobic training the primary source of fuel is glucose.

This supports my claim that low carb diets and exercise make poor partners. To uncover why, we need to quickly look at the concept behind low carb diets and how they work. Any diet that provides 100 grams or less of carbohydrate daily. This article classifies as low carb diets. This will quickly deplete the glycogen stores in the muscle and liver. This by itself is testimony that our muscles primary source of fuel is glucose. Fatty acids stored in the adipose tissue ( fat cells ) are now released into the blood and processed by the liver and some are turned into glucose ( gluconegenesis ) and some remain fatty acids and both provide ATP for muscle contraction. One of the by products of this process is ketone bodies which can provide energy to brain and nervous system. The problem gluconegenesis ( non glucose turned into glucose ) provides fuel to the muscle less efficiently than glycogenesis ( glucose ). The end result is increased muscle fatigue, decreased muscle power, which leads to poor athletic performance.

A recent study performed at the University of Connecticut showed that exercisers who switched from a balanced diet ( proteins, carbohydrates and fats ) to a low carb diet experience the following drops in athletic performance. There was a 7 – 9 percent drop in muscle power and 6 percent drop in VO2 max of cardiovascular performance. Another factor to consider is the recuperation of muscle between workouts is decreased on low carb diets. So why would someone go on a low carb diet, especially when exercising? Because the initial weight loss that comes from the glycogen depletion is believed to be fat loss. We have become so focused on weight loss, that any weight loss is seen as good. As identified earlier in this article glycogen is a mixture of glucose and water and the majority are stored where? You guessed it, the muscle. A large percentage of the initial weight loss is coming from muscle loss. I dont think any exercisers desire is to have smaller muscles as a result of their exercising. The goal of exercise should be to improve body composition, the percentage or ratio of muscle to body fat. This can only be accomplished by losing fat without the loss of muscle tissue. Maintaining muscle mass is vital to sustainable weight control. The following steps will protect your muscles as your losing fat, while reaching your ideal weight and ideal body composition.

FAT LOSS COACH Keys to losing FAT without losing MUSCLE

1. Cycle fat burning days with recovery days.

The secret to losing fat without losing muscle starts with not being too aggressive or extreme with your reduction of carbohydrates. You need carbohydrate management, not carbohydrate elimination. Over the last 12 years, with more than 10,000 clients Ive found by reducing carbohydrates by 20% of daily needs and within 48 hours replenishing the glycogen in the muscle by eating 100% of daily carbohydrate requirements, allows for fat loss, without muscle loss. In essence you have two fat burning days, then a recovery day. By doing this youll have the best of both worlds. You will experience fat loss that averages between 1-2 pounds weekly, while muscles are being well fed. You never drastically deplete the glycogen stores in the muscle so athletic performance is not affected like on a low carb diet.

2. Exercise on days where you are receiving more carbohydrates.

Exercising on days where muscle are getting more carbohydrates for fuel and taking days off from exercise when you are being aggressive about fat loss. One of the most difficult thoughts for exercisers to accept is that most of the results from exercise come when we are not exercising. They come after we exercise and in direct response to how the muscles receive nutrition after exercise.

3. Exercise 1.5 – 2 hours after eating when blood sugar levels and insulin levels are slowly declining.

As insulin levels increase in response to a rise in blood sugar after a meal, the cells are in an anabolic state ( receiving nutrients ). Insulin is the hormone that feeds are cells. As blood sugar levels drop, insulin levels drop and the pancreas produces the hormone glucagon and nutrients stored in the fat cells are released to the blood and used for energy. The management of this blood sugar rise and drop is important. If blood sugar levels go to high insulin feeds the muscle cells and deposits excess into fat cells. If insulin levels go too low, the muscle cells are being under fed. A slow rise in blood sugar provides good nutrition to the muscles and a slow drop allows glucagon to take from the fat cells. Timing your exercise to this blood sugar decline allows the muscles to receive from the fat cells more effectively. It is important to never exercise without having at least one meal left in your day so that muscles can recuperate from exercise.

Final Thoughts

Long term success managing weight starts with the right approach. If you are overweight, the real problem is that you have too much body fat for how much muscle you possess. A body composition solution is needed, not just a weight loss diet. Your goal should be to lose fat without losing muscle or sacrificing your health in the process. To maintain your results your eating habits must develop life long character. Low carbohydrate diets provide initial weight loss, but at the high cost of losingmuscle and reducing metabolism. They are inadequate sources of fuel to support exercise activity, which is vital in maintaining good health. The risks to your health long term makes low carbohydrate diet’s poor solutions for life long weight management.

By Charles Remington

Nutritionist – Founder of THE FAT LOSS COACH – Customized Fat Loss System – 1303 Highland Ave Cheshire, Ct. 06410 – 203-272-0014 – charlie@thefatlosscoach.com

www.thefatlosscoach

Written By: Charles Remington

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Low carb stupidity Believing that carrots, bananas or tomatoes are fattening because they’re high on the glycemic index and because a popular fad diet book says so.

Low carb intelligence Have Americans lost any remaining grip with common sense? With an average banana coming in at 120 calories do you really think that this yellow, nutrient-dense, low-calorie, all-natural, straight-out-of-the-ground fruit is going to make you fat? Compare that to the average serving of salad dressing which clocks in at over 160 calories with absolutely no redeeming nutritional value. Perhaps carrots, bananas and tomatoes have 5-10 more calories per serving than broccoli or cucumbers but try them against a low carb bar which clock in at typically over 200

Low Carb Stupidity Believing calories don’t count if you just count carb grams. Didn’t we go through this years ago when we were a nation of fat gram counters ??

Low carb Intelligence

1. Knowing that fat loss or gain always did and always will boil down to the fact that if you eat more than you burn you will gain weight. If you eat fewer calories than you burn you will lose weight .

2. Taking the time to understand the caloric value of the foods that you are eating

3. Learning to eat appropriate SINGLE servings instead of supersizing everything.

4. Keeping a food journal and taking some time to preplan and avoiding mindless boredom or stress eating

5. Knowing that the June issue of consumer reports shows that Low-carb versions of comfort foods — bread, pasta, and ice cream — often contain more fat and calories than regular versions

Low carb Stupidity Carbohydrates Make you fat, Protein makes you lose weight – We all know who started this one! People have somehow gotten it into their heads that weight gain is all about the carb grams, not the calories. People who quote this myth won’t touch a potato (100 calories, 0g fat), but then proceed to eat a 16oz steak for dinner (915 calories, 57g fat). They’ll refuse the hamburger bun (120 calories, 2g fat) but take an extra meat patty to make up for it (500 calories, 32g fat)

Low Carb Intelligence –

1. Realizing that If you eat more than you burn you will get fat, regardless of the source

2. Realizing that if you eat less and you will lose weight –

3. Knowing that Some people on low-carb diets do lose weight initially, but this is due to primarily to the fact that they have cut overall calories or have lost an abundance of water and lean muscle.

4. Understanding that overdosing on protein and cutting out carbohydrates does not equal successful weight loss. It does, however, mean missing out on vital nutrients from healthy carbohydrate foods which should be part of any well-balance diet. If you’re considering a low-carb diet, remember to count your calories and nutrients first. You should also consult your doctor or health professional before making this life-style change.

Low Carb Stupidity Eating lots of manufactured, over processed, chemical laden low carb foods and thinking you’re “being good” and “following your diet.”

Low Carb Intelligence

Realizing that natural, unrefined foods are one of the keys to lifelong weight control and that anything man-made and refined is neither healthy or an ideal “diet” food This bandwagon remind me of the “no fat” craze, when all those “fat free” foods were being passed off as healthy diet food, but were really highly processed and full of pure sugar and sodium –

Low carb stupidity – Selecting your beer or liquor carefully to make sure you have the brand with the fewest grams of carbs.

Low carb intelligence

1. Realizing that a few grams of carbs dont make all that much of a difference and that most lo carb beers have the same caloric content as lite beers Avoiding alcohol if youre trying to lose body fat.

2. Drinking only in moderation if youre trying to lose weight and be healthy

Low carb stupidity Thinking that very low carb (ketogenic) dieting is a maintainable lifestyle.

Low carb intelligence

1. Understanding that reasonable (moderate) restriction of carbs can be a helpful short term strategy for fat loss, a legitimate method to control appetite, and an effective way for some people to control insulin.

2. Understanding that there are no bad foods only inappropriate amounts

3. Understanding that the fact that most Americans eat when they are not hunger and dont stop when they are full NOT carbs are the reason that 66% of Americans are overweight.

4. Understanding that a balanced diet of natural foods is probably the most suitable of all the diets for health, lifelong maintenance and weight control.

Low carb stupidity Believing that if you cut your carbs you do not need to exercise to lose weight and maintain that loss long term

Low carb intelligence Knowing that dieting is the worst way to lose fat and that exercise in combination with a healthy, balanced diet is the best way to lose fat permanently

Low carb stupidity Using the argument; Theres no such thing as an essential carbohydrate as justification for low carb dieting.

Low carb intelligence Realizing that textbook definitions of essential can be taken out of context to promote a fad diet and that just because theres technically no essential carbohydrates (as there are essential amino acids and fatty acids) doesnt mean carbohydrates arent essential in other respects.

Low carb stupidity Using the argument, You have to eat fat to lose fat as justification for a high fat, low carb diet, without explaining it or putting it in context (exactly how much fat and what kind of fat?)

Low carb intelligence Understanding the importance of essential and omega three fats (the good fats), but not taking any single nutritional principle to an extreme (such as, If a little fat is good for you then a lot is even better.)

Low carb stupidity Not clarifying your definition of low carbs.

Low carb intelligence

1. Realizing that there are very low carb diets, low carb diets, and moderate carb diets and that you cannot classify them all together. (Some people consider The Zone Diet, at 40% of calories from carbs, a low carb diet, others consider 40% carbs quite high).

2. Understanding the importance of carbs as a portion of your total caloric intake

Low Carb Stupidity Thinking that all carbs are bad

Low carb intelligence Understanding that there is quite a difference between an over processed, refined donut and a wholesome, nutrient laden potato .

Low carb stupidity Going on the Atkins diet (or any other very low carb/ketogenic diet) with absolutely no idea why youre doing it or how it works (going on it because everybody is doing it and because you see it advertised everywhere.)

Low carb intelligence

Understanding that most of the weight loss is due to fluid loss .

Realizing that Americans eat an average of 200 calories a day more than they did 10 years ago and move far less

Understanding that if you eat 10 calories a day more than your body needs you will gain 10 pounds a year and blaming “Carbs for the weight gain

Understanding that unless you make changes towards an overall healthful lifestyle most people will gain all their weight back the minute they go off the diet

Low Carb Stupidity Believing that if you eat zero net-carbs, you will lose weight won’t gain weight . Buying into the carb-counting craze, food manufacturers have come out with a new term to sell their products. “Net carbs” is a deceptive way to count only the negligible carbohydrates that come from artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, and ignore the others from starch and regular sugars.

Low Carb Intelligence

Realizing that sugar alcohol and fiber are not “nothing”, they still have calories

Understanding that “Low-carb” labels are meaningless. In manufacturing low-carb products, sugars are replaced with “unnaturally high concentrations” of sugar alcohols, refined grains, and starches — all of which are carbohydrates and contribute to caloric intake.

3. Understanding that because these “replacement carbs” move through the small intestine without getting absorbed, manufacturers subtract them from the carb content. That’s the “net carbs” number listed on the product label

4. Realizing that the recent focus on low carbs will continue to draw people away from healthy eating and just provide them with another excuse to live off junk food

5. Remember, any “low net-carb” claim is diverting your attention away from the fat and calorie content of a food.

About The Author

Copyright © Custom Bodies, Inc. 2004

Article written by Dianne Villano, President of Custom Bodies Personal Training and Weight Loss Programs. Dianne is a personal fitness instructor certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine with over 16 years of experience who specializes in weight loss programs and programs for beginners. For more articles or free fitness tools visit www.custombodiestampabay.com.

Written By: Dianne Villano, CPFI

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Copyright 2005 Tom Venuto

Remember that movie with Jim Carey, Dumb and Dumber? And remember the sequel to that movie, Dumb and Dumberer? Well, the low carb mania that is sweeping the globe today has reached a level beyond dumberer Its more like dumberererer (try to say that five times real fast)

There is an epidemic of low carb stupidity running rampant among millions of people throughout the world today and fast food restaurants, food product manufacturers, supplement companies, and weight loss programs are capitalizing on it in a big way!

The low carb diet is not inherently stupid, however. It can be quite beneficial within certain parameters and under the right circumstances. The problem is that many practitioners are uninformed, misinformed, or simply lack the common sense and intuitive bodily wisdom to utilize the low carb approach intelligently.

Many low-carbers dont even know why they are on a low carb diet, theyre just following the followers (Not intelligent!) Doing what everyone else is doing is always one of the surest, straightest routes to arrive at mediocrity! If you want to be a success, your chances are far greater if you look at what the masses are doing and do the exact opposite!

Fortunately, there is such a thing as low carb intelligence. Hopefully, by reading my brief rant, you will increase your carb IQ, and soon join the ranks of the extraordinarily fit, lean and healthy carbo geniuses!

Low carb stupidity 1

Selecting your beer or liquor carefully to make sure you have the brand with the fewest grams of carbs.

Low carb intelligence

Avoiding alcohol if youre trying to lose body fat. Drinking only in moderation if youre trying to maintain your weight and be healthy.

Low carb stupidity 2

Believing any of the following: Low carbs diets are the only way to lose fat, low carb diets are the best way to lose fat, no one should ever eat a high carb diet, high carbs always make you fat, starches and grains make everyone sick and unhealthy.

Low carb intelligence

Adjusting your approach according to your health status, your goals and your body type, not according to generalizations preached by dogmatic diet gurus.

Low carb stupidity 3

Going on the Atkins diet (or any other very low carb/ketogenic diet) with absolutely no idea why youre doing it or how the diet works (going on it because everybody is doing it and because you see it advertised everywhere.)

Low carb intelligence

Studying the physiology and biochemistry of the low carb diet and completely understanding all the pros and cons. Then making an informed decision whether to restrict carbs based on your own personal goals, needs and heath status.

Low carb stupidity 4

Thinking that very low carb (ketogenic) dieting is a maintainable lifestyle.

Low carb intelligence

Understanding that reasonable (moderate) restriction of carbs can be a helpful short term strategy for fat loss, a good way to reach a peak, a legitimate method to control appetite, and an effective way for some people to control insulin. But also understanding that a balanced diet of natural foods is probably the most suitable of all the diets for health, lifelong maintenance and weight control.

Low carb stupidity 5

Believing calories dont count if you just cut out your carbs (or not counting calories because its too much work.)

Low carb intelligence

Knowing that fat loss always did and always will boil down to calories in vs. calories out. Taking the time and effort to crunch your numbers (at least once), typing up your menu on a spreadsheet, keeping a diary, and/or using nutrition tracking software.

Low carb stupidity 6

Staying on a low carb diet that has stopped working (or never worked in the first place).

Low carb intelligence

Adjusting your diet according to your results; understanding that a common definition of insanity (and/or stupidity) is to continue to do the same things over and over again, while expecting a different result.

Low carb stupidity7

Believing that you dont need exercise because all you need to do is cut carbs.

Low carb intelligence

Knowing that dieting is the worst way to lose fat and that exercise is the best way to lose fat (Burn The Fat, dont starve the fat).

Low carb stupidity 8

Using the argument; Theres no such thing as an essential carbohydrate as justification for low carb dieting.

Low carb intelligence

Realizing that textbook definitions of essential can be taken out of context to promote a fad diet and that just because there’s technically no essential carbohydrates (as there are essential amino acids and fatty acids) doesn’t mean carbohydrates aren’t essential in other respects.

Low carb stupidity 9

Using the argument, You have to eat fat to lose fat as justification for a high fat, low carb diet, without explaining it or putting it in context (exactly how much fat and what kind of fat?)

Low carb intelligence

Understanding the importance of essential and omega three fats (the good fats), but not taking any single nutritional principle to an extreme (such as, If a little fat is good for you then a lot is even better.)

Low carb stupidity 10

Saying, All carbs are bad or All carbs are fattening.

Low carb intelligence

Avoiding generalizations, and instead, having multiple distinctions about carbohydrates (and other foods) so you can make better choices. For example:

Low GI vs. high GI carbs
Simple vs. complex carbs
Starchy vs. fibrous carbs
Natural vs. refined carbs
High calorie density vs. low calorie density carbs

Low carb stupidity 11

Not clarifying your definition of low carbs.

Low carb intelligence

Realizing that there are very low carb diets, low carb diets, and moderate carb diets and that you cant lump them all together. (Some people consider The Zone Diet, at 40% of calories from carbs, a low carb diet, others consider 40% carbs quite high).

Low carb stupidity 12

Believing that carrots are fattening because theyre high on the glycemic index and because a popular fad diet book says so.

Low carb intelligence

Have we lost all vestiges of common sense? With an average carrot clocking in at 31 calories and 7.3 grams of carbs, do you really think that this orange-colored, nutrient-dense, low-calorie, all-natural, straight-out-of-the-ground root vegetable is going to make you fat? (if so, you are in “carbohydrate kindergarten.”)

Low carb stupidity Lucky 13

Eating lots of processed and packaged low carb foods (including those protein candy bars) and thinking youre being good and following your diet.

Low carb intelligence

Realizing that natural, unrefined foods are one of the keys to lifelong weight control and that anything man made and refined is NOT an ideal diet food including the highly processed low carb foods that are all the rage this year. (Doesnt this bandwagon reek of the late 80s and early 90s no fat craze, when all those fat free foods were being passed off as healthy diet food, but were really highly processed and full of pure sugar?)

–End of Stupidities–

Forgive me for the obvious dashes of sarcasm, but sometimes I just cant help myself and I end up going into rant mode I think the last time this happened was in my newsletter almost a year ago that was the issue where I wrote about the ad for the candy bar that increases your bench press by 50 pounds? Yeah… I heard those bars are especially effective when you combine them with low carb potato chips (weren’t those low fat potato chips a few years ago??? Oh nevermind… it’s all soooo confusing!)

About the author:
Tom Venuto is a certified personal trainer, natural bodybuilder and author of the ##1 best selling diet e-book, “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle. You can get info on Tom’s e-book at: http://www.burnthefat.comTo get Tom’s free monthly e-zine, visit http://www.fitren.com

Written By: Tom Venuto

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With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of information, it’s no wonder that confusion reigns when it comes to the value and safety of low-carb diets. It seems like heated debates are raging everywhere!

Whether it’s Atkins, the South Beach or some other low-carb plan, as many as 30 million Americans are following a low-carb diet.

Advocates contend that the high amount of carbohydrates in our diet has led to increasing problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. Critics, on the other hand, attribute obesity and related health problems to over-consumption of calories from any source, and lack of physical activity. Critics also express concern that the lack of grains, fruits, and vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may lead to deficiencies of some key nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals.

Any diet, weather low or high in carbohydrate, can produce significant weight loss during the initial stages of the diet. But remember, the key to successful dieting is in being able to lose the weight permanently. Put another way, what does the scale show a year after going off the diet?

Let’s see if we can debunk some of the mystery about low-carb diets. Below, is a listing of some relevant points taken from recent studies and scientific literature. Please note there may be insufficient information available to answer all questions.

- Differences Between Low-Carb Diets

There are many popular diets designed to lower carbohydrate consumption. Reducing total carbohydrate in the diet means that protein and fat will represent a proportionately greater amount of the total caloric intake.

Atkins and Protein Power diets restrict carbohydrate to a point where the body becomes ketogenic. Other low-carb diets like the Zone and Life Without Bread are less restrictive. Some, like Sugar Busters claim to eliminate only sugars and foods that elevate blood sugar levels excessively.

- What We Know about Low-Carb Diets

Almost all of the studies to date have been small with a wide variety of research objectives. Carbohydrate, caloric intake, diet duration and participant characteristics varied greatly. Most of the studies to date have two things in common: None of the studies had participants with a mean age over 53 and none of the controlled studies lasted longer than 90 days.

Information on older adults and long-term results are scarce. Many diet studies fail to monitor the amount of exercise, and therefore caloric expenditure, while participants are dieting. This helps to explain discrepancies between studies.

The weight loss on low-carb diets is a function of caloric restriction and diet duration, and not with reduced carbohydrate intake. This finding suggests that if you want to lose weight, you should eat fewer calories and do so over a long time period.

Little evidence exists on the long-range safety of low-carb diets. Despite the medical community concerns, no short-term adverse effects have been found on cholesterol, glucose, insulin and blood-pressure levels among participants on the diets. But, adverse effects may not show up because of the short period of the studies. Researchers note that losing weight typically leads to an improvement in these levels anyway, and this may offset an increase caused by a high fat diet. The long range weight change for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.

Most low-carb diets cause ketosis. Some of the potential consequences are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and confusion. During the initial phase of low-carb dieting some fatigue and constipation may be encountered. Generally, these symptoms dissipate quickly. Ketosis may also give the breath a fruity odor, somewhat like nail-polish remover (acetone).

Low-carb diets do not enable the consumption of more calories than other kinds of diets, as has been often reported. A calorie is a calorie and it doesn’t matter weather they come from carbohydrates or fat. Study discrepancies are likely the result of uncontrolled circumstances; i.e. diet participants that cheat on calorie consumption, calories burned during exercise, or any number of other factors. The drop-out rate for strict (i.e. less than 40 grams of CHO/day) low-carb diets is relatively high.

What Should You Do? – There are 3 important points I would like to re-emphasize:

- The long-range success rate for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.

- Despite their popularity, little information exists on the long-term efficacy and safety of low-carbohydrate diets.

- Strict low-carb diets are usually not sustainable as a normal way of eating. Boredom usually overcomes willpower.

It is obvious after reviewing the topic, that more, well-designed and controlled studies are needed. There just isn’t a lot of good information available, especially concerning long-range effects. Strict low-carb diets produce ketosis which is an abnormal and potentially stressful metabolic state. Under some circumstances this might cause health related complications.

The diet you choose should be a blueprint for a lifetime of better eating, not just a quick weight loss plan to reach your weight goal. If you can’t see yourself eating the prescribed foods longer than a few days or a week, then chances are it’s not the right diet. To this end, following a moderately low fat diet with a healthy balance of fat, protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients is beneficial.

If you do decide to follow a low-carb plan, remember that certain dietary fats are associated with reduction of disease. Foods high in unsaturated fats that are free of trans-fatty acids such as olive oil, fish, flaxseeds, and nuts are preferred to fats from animal origins.

Even promoters of the Atkins diet now say people on their plan should limit the amount of red meat and saturated fat they eat. Atkins representatives are telling health professionals that only 20 percent of a dieter’s calories should come from saturated fat (i.e. meat, cheese, butter). This change comes as Atkins faces competition from other popular low-carb diets that call for less saturated fat, such as the South Beach diet plan. Low-carb dieting should not be considered as a license to gorge on red meat!

Another alternative to “strict” low-carb dieting would be to give up some of the bad carbohydrate foods but not “throw out the baby with the bath water”. In other words, foods high in processed sugar, snacks, and white bread would be avoided, but foods high in complex carbohydrates such as fruit, potatoes and whole grains, retained.

About the author:

Jay is the web owner of http://www.weight-loss.biz Weight Loss, a website that provides information and resources on nutrition, weight loss, and fitness. You can also visit his website at: http://www.diet-pill.info for Diet Pill Information

Written By: Jay Bauder

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News flash, “Carbohydrates don’t make you fat! Eating too much makes you fat. Carbohydrates will not make you gain weight any faster than eating the caloric equivalent of either protein or fat. Have you ever heard the expression, “What weighs more a pound of feathers or a pound of bricks?” Obviously they both weigh the same, but its funny how many of us say a pound of bricks. Likewise, which of the following has a higher probability of making a person gain more weight, 3000 calories of chicken or 3000 calories of cupcakes? The answer is that there is no difference. 3000 calories is 3000 calories no matter what constitutes the source. Energy doesn’t just disappear because it came from something other than carbohydrates, our body has to metabolize it one way or another. The law of Thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed only transferred. So either that energy is used to conduct physiologic processes or it is stored.

So why all the hype about low carb diets? Mainly it has to do with the quick fix trend. Everyone wants instant gratification without having to pay the price of dedication and hard work. In general we as a society are lazy and we spend most of our waking hours being sedentary. Who has time to be concerned about exercise and watching what we eat, we have long work days, and have families to care for. This is why low carb diets are so appealing. They are easy to follow and work relatively fast. There is no denying you can lose a large amount of weight quickly on a low carb diet. However, what many people may not know is that water constitutes the majority, roughly 75%, of the weight, leaving only 25% of the weight loss resulting in actual fat reduction.

Besides the illusion that you’re losing fat, there are also many undesirable side effects that these “low carb professionals” fail to mention when suggesting that we eat like carnivores. First, as I mentioned above, most of the weight loss is not fat loss, it’s actually mostly water weight. Second, it is very possible that you can slow down your resting metabolism. Third, when neglecting important foods such as fruits and grains you are putting yourself at risk for becoming deficient in many important vitamins and minerals. Lastly, if you are an athlete you will greatly reduce your ability to perform at your highest potential.

When you take into consideration that our bodies are capable of storing 300 – 600 grams of carbohydrates or even as much as 1000 grams in individuals who are either extremely muscular or obese. Our bodies need three grams of water for every gram of carbohydrates stored. That adds up to anywhere from 900 – 3000 grams (2 – 6.6 pounds) of water weight alone. When you lose 5 – 7 pounds of body weight the first week on a low carb diet, you can expect that only two pounds of that is fat. So when we start a low carb diet and exhaust our carbohydrate stores we also lose water because the water is no longer necessary for storage. It is practically impossible to lose more than three pounds of fat in one week unless you are morbidly obese. There are approximately 3500 calories in one pound of fat. So to lose three pounds of fat in one week you would have to find some way to eliminate 10,500 calories (3500 calories 3 lbs of fat = 10,500 cal). So in order to lose 3 lbs of fat per week we would have to eliminate 1,500 calories from our diet per day (10,500 7days = 1500 cal/day)! See how it is not possible. What happens when we start eating carbs again? Simple, we gain all that water weight back. Our weight fluctuates up and down.

Carbohydrates are very important substrates for many physiologic mechanisms throughout the body. Most importantly, carbohydrates are an energy source for the central nervous system including our brain. When carbohydrates are no longer available our body needs a back up generator. That back-up generator is a process called gluconeogenesis which means the body begins to manufacture carbohydrates from other materials in the body such as muscle proteins, or breaking down lean tissue in order to supply other tissues with energy. Thus we turn our bodies into catabolic factories. Our metabolism may even begin to slow since you are destroying muscle, one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body. This makes us especially vulnerable to future weight gains. In times of carbohydrate deprivation the body will also resort to producing ketone bodies from fatty acids. This is great for losing fat weight, however, this can lead to a dangerous condition known as ketosis which causes disturbances in the body’s normal acid-base balance. There is even research that suggests that ketosis and low carb diets may even lead to osteoporosis, kidney problems, and don’t forget bad breath.

Additionally, Foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates are important sources of vitamins and minerals essential to your well being which you deny your body while on low carb diets. Fruits and grains contain important anti-oxidants which are necessary for disease prevention. There have also been numerous studies that suggest high intakes of fruits and vegetables are associated with decreased risks of some forms cancer and heart disease. There are also high levels of vitamin B found in many grain foods such as bread. B vitamins are important in many metabolic and neurological processes. These are just to a small handful of reasons not to deprive your body of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and the list goes on and on.

Low carb diets can lead to decreased athletic performance. In any athletic event, the majority of energy expended comes from carbohydrates. An athlete is unable to perform at full potential without the immediate availability of carbohydrates. Without adequate carbs the body has to rely on creating the carbs before they can be used for energy. In turn the body has to work at a lower rate as to not exceed the rate of carb manufacturing.

Are there good and bad carbohydrates? The answer to that question is undeniably, yes. Fortunately, you can look forward to my next article which will discuss how to differentiate between “good” and “bad” carbs and when it is ok to have “bad” carbs.

In the mean time, practice keeping your diet well balanced, and eat in moderation. The Food Guide Pyramid is a good source for creating a meal plan. The purpose of the Food Guide Pyramid is to make sure that we are getting all our recommended daily allowances of essential nutrients. Good luck!

About the author:

If you have any questions regarding this article just send me an email. darren@fitnessrxs.com. www.fitnessrxs.com

I have been working in the fitness industry for well over 12 years. I know that this is something that I will continue to pursue for the rest of my life. I believe that fitness and health should be a major component in everyone’s lifestyle and should be a life priority. Good health affects every aspect of our lives including relationships, jobs, and functional capacity. The path of life is a much easier tread with a healthy body.

Written By: Darren Anderson

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With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of information, it’s no wonder that confusion reigns when it comes to the value and safety of low-carb diets. It seems like heated debates are raging everywhere!

Whether it’s Atkins, the South Beach or some other low-carb plan, up to 30 million Americans are following a low-carb diet.

Advocates contend that the high amount of carbohydrates in our diet has led to increasing problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. Critics, on the other hand, attribute obesity and related health problems to over-consumption of calories from any source, and lack of physical activity. Critics also express concern that the lack of grains, fruits, and vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may lead to deficiencies of some key nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals.

Any diet, weather low or high in carbohydrate, can produce significant weight loss during the initial stages of the diet. But remember, the key to successful dieting is in being able to lose the weight permanently. Put another way, what does the scale show a year after going off the diet?

Let’s see if we can debunk some of the mystery about low-carb diets. Below, is a listing of some relevant points taken from recent studies and scientific literature. Please note there may be insufficient information available to answer all questions.

- Differences Between Low-Carb Diets

There are many popular diets designed to lower carbohydrate consumption. Reducing total carbohydrate in the diet means that protein and fat will represent a proportionately greater amount of the total caloric intake.

Atkins and Protein Power diets restrict carbohydrate to a point where the body becomes ketogenic. Other low-carb diets like the Zone and Life Without Bread are less restrictive. Some, like Sugar Busters claim to eliminate only sugars and foods that elevate blood sugar levels excessively.

- What We Know about Low-Carb Diets

Almost all of the studies to date have been small with a wide variety of research objectives. Carbohydrate, caloric intake, diet duration and participant characteristics varied greatly.
Most of the studies to date have two things in common: None of the studies had participants with a mean age over 53 and none of the controlled studies lasted longer than 90 days.

Information on older adults and long-term results are scarce.
Many diet studies fail to monitor the amount of exercise, and therefore caloric expenditure, while participants are dieting. This helps to explain discrepancies between studies.

The weight loss on low-carb diets seems to be a function of caloric restriction and diet duration, and not with reduced carbohydrate intake. This finding suggests that if you want to lose weight, you should eat fewer calories and do so over a long time period.

Little evidence exists on the long-range safety of low-carb diets. Despite the medical community concerns, no short-term adverse effects have been found on cholesterol, glucose, insulin and blood-pressure levels among participants on the diets. However, it is true that adverse effects may not show up because of the short period of the studies. Researchers note that losing weight typically leads to an improvement in these levels anyway, and this may offset an increase caused by a high fat diet. The long range weight change for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.

Some low-carb diets cause ketosis. Some of the potential consequences are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and confusion. During the initial phase of low-carb dieting some fatigue and constipation may be encountered. Generally, these symptoms dissipate quickly. Ketosis may also give the breath a fruity odor, somewhat like nail-polish remover (acetone).

Low-carb diets do not enable the consumption of more calories than other kinds of diets, as has been often reported. A calorie is a calorie and it doesn’t matter weather they come from carbohydrates or fat. Study discrepancies are likely the result of uncontrolled circumstances; i.e. diet participants that cheat on calorie consumption, calories burned during exercise, or any number of other factors. The drop-out rate for strict (i.e. less than 40 grams of CHO/day) low-carb diets is relatively high.

What Should You Do? – There are 3 important points I would like to re-emphasize:

- The long-range success rate for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.

- Despite their popularity, little information exists on the long-term efficacy and safety of low-carbohydrate diets.

- Strict low-carb diets are usually not sustainable as a normal way of eating. Boredom usually overcomes willpower.

It is obvious after reviewing the topic, that more, well-designed and controlled studies are needed. There just isn’t a lot of good information available, especially concerning long-range effects. Strict low-carb diets produce ketosis which is an abnormal and potentially stressful metabolic state. Under some circumstances this might cause health related complications.

The diet you choose should be a blueprint for a lifetime of better eating, not just a quick weight loss plan to reach your weight goal. If you can’t see yourself eating the prescribed foods longer than a few days or a week, then chances are it’s not the right diet. To this end, following a moderately low fat diet with a healthy balance of fat, protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients is beneficial.

If you do decide to follow a low-carb plan, remember that certain dietary fats are associated with reduction of disease. Foods high in unsaturated fats that are free of trans-fatty acids such as olive oil, fish, flaxseeds, and nuts are preferred to fats from animal origins.

Even promoters of the Atkins diet now say people on their plan should limit the amount of red meat and saturated fat they eat. Atkins representatives are telling health professionals that only 20 percent of a dieter’s calories should come from saturated fat (i.e. meat, cheese, butter). This change comes as Atkins faces competition from other popular low-carb diets that call for less saturated fat, such as the South Beach diet plan. Low-carb dieting should not be considered as a license to gorge on red meat!

Another alternative to “strict” low-carb dieting would be to give up some of the bad carbohydrate foods but not “throw out the baby with the bath water”. In other words, foods high in processed sugar, snacks, and white bread would be avoided, but foods high in complex carbohydrates such as fruit, potatoes, and whole grains retained.

About the Author

Joe Serpico is webmaster at aa-fitness-guide.com. For much more information regarding exercise, health, nutrition, and fitness, visit http://www.aa-fitness-guide.com

Written By: Joe Serpico

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Most diet plans, including low carb diet plans are best taken with a grain of salt, because although one may work for your best friend, it may not work for you. For those with serious weight problems and have co-existing issues such as hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar levels) or like some of us hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) etc., the popular diet plans usually will not be able to cater to individual needs.

We are all individuals and as such we need to feed ourselves as individuals, having said this some diet plans will be more beneficial for the general population that others.
To assess which particular diet plan will be beneficial, you can follow these guidelines. They are very much common sense points, and provide a good framework which many nutrition professionals would broadly follow, and within which you can divide the scammy diet plans from those that can offer you safe and healthy diet ideas.

Diet offers sufficient balance and a variety of carbohydrates, protein and fats.

Diet does not exclude one particular food group, and encourage excessive consumption of another.

Diet encourages exercise to complement sensible eating habits.

Diet encourages awareness of portion sizes.

Diet does not encourage unrealistic quick weight loss.

Diet is backed up with medical research data.

In addition to these points, I’ve broadly outlined the low carb diet plans, which seem to be occupying the minds of dieters and researchers alike, as well as the research for and against pertinent to the low carb diet plans.

Low Carb Diets

A lot of the diet plans these days center around the low carb diet plans. These low carb diet plans are considered by some diet fads, others consider it the new wave in healthy eating. Diets such as The New Atkins Diet Revolution maintain that obese people are insulin sensitive and carbohydrates make them gain weight. Low carb diet plans such as The Zone lay down specific proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fats that should be consumed in order to lose weight and while fats are reduced, the main source of energy comes from the consumption of protein.

Low carb diet plans such as Sugar Busters, believe that sugar is your bodys most heinous weight loss enemy and since carbohydrates are the foods that are processed into sugars carbohydrates should be limited. The Scarsdale Diet also is a low carb, high protein diet and offers a 2 week crash dieting plan.

Popular diets such as the South Beach Diet and the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet are also low carb diet plans that have become popular with dieters who have tried and failed at the Atkins diet. All these diets see themselves as the worlds answer to the obesity problem.

To be fair, there are significant and many research papers that support and argue against the low carb revolution, as yet the wider medical community has not fully made its mind up as to whether the diets are something that is favourable in the long term.

Recent research by Layman et. al., and Saris have found that the low carb and high protein diets provide little benefit to dieters. Researchers found that when protein was moderately increased and carbohydrates proportionately decreased, insulin levels stabilised but no significant weight was lost. Saris in his review concluded that it is probable that a low carb, high fat diet will increase the likelihood of weight gain.

While there is a lot of evidence against the low carb philosophy, there is also a lot of evidence to support it. Research published in May, 2004, found that when patients on a low carb diet were compared with patients on a low fat diet, those patients who had consumed a low carb diet had a greater weight loss, decreased triglyceride levels and increased levels of HDL’s – in other words their cholesterol levels had improved. To put the icing on the cake research has just been published to support the long term efficacy of eating a low carb diet.

Despite the evidence to support low carb diet plans, mainstream medicine still does not recommend them. The main points of contention with the low carb, high protein diets is that they dont offer balance and variety and could prove dangerous for people at risk of heart disease. Particularly with low carb diet plans such as the scarsdale diet, they are not realistic and cannot be maintained in the long term causing yo-yo dieting and no one wants that !

References:

Wim HM Saris Sugars, energy metabolism, and body weight control Am J Clin Nutr 78: 850S-857S

Donald K. Layman, Harn Shiue, Carl Sather, Donna J. Erickson and Jamie Baum Increased Dietary Protein Modifies Glucose and Insulin Homeostasis in Adult Women during Weight Loss Nutrition.org

Yamashita T, Sasahara T, Pomeroy SE, Collier G, Nestel PJ. Arterial compliance, blood pressure, plasma leptin, and plasma lipids in women are improved with weight reduction equally with a meat-based diet and a plant-based diet. Metabolism. 1998 Nov;47(11):1308-14.

Yancy WS Jr, Olsen MK, Guyton JR, Bakst RP, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004 May 18;140(10):769-77.

Copyright 2004 Jenny Mathers. All Rights Reserved.

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Written By: Jenny Mathers

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