Why Low Carb Diets Are Bad For Weight Loss
Copyright 2006 Jonathan Perez
Many people looking to burn / lose a significant amount of fat / weight can become very confused when they read and hear all of the conflicting information that's spread on TV, magazines, the internet, and diet books. ..
One of the most misunderstood techniques is the low carb diets that have been very popular in the last several years.
The popular belief lately is that sugar (carbohydrates) should be kept to moderate to low levels in your eating.
The reason for this is because of the recent popularity of low-carb diets, such as The Atkins diet, The Southbeach diet, The Zone diet, etc.
Even in bodybuilding magazines all of a sudden everyone and their mother is recommending to keep carbs in your diets almost to a minimum.
Well, the misconception that sugar is somehow "evil" and will cause you to get fat, raise your bad cholesterol, and even lose your "insulin sensitivity" is based on several MYTHS that have been passed around by the media and "monkey see, monkey do" nutrition and exercise "gurus".
One of the main misconceptions is that eating carbs will cause a sharp rise of insulin in your blood, which supposedly causes your body to store fat.
A lot of this is based on the incorrect belief that you should avoid eating "high GI (glycemic index)" foods, and to mainly get most of your carbs from "low GI" foods.
Basically, the Glycemic Index is a chart that was developed years ago that measures how much of a rise in insulin a certain food causes in the blood once digested.
To put it simply, the higher the GI number is, the higher and quicker it makes your insulin rise.
(For some odd reason that's NOT based on any real, conclusive evidence.
People seem to think that raising your insulin levels is "bad").
Well, in 1981, researchers at the University of Toronto were the first to accurately notice that "simple" carb foods (having a high GI) actually produced a smaller increase in blood sugar than most "complex" (or low GI) foods (everyone today thinks the opposite is true, of course based on what they read in the "burn fat / lose weight" article)!
In fact, eating table sugar (sucrose) actually causes a smaller increase in blood sugar than eating foods such as baked potatoes and whole wheat bread.
Foods containing added sugars do NOT have a higher GI than foods containing naturally occurring sugars.
In fact, you really can't count on the "GI" much at all!!!
Why?
Because the Glycemic Index does NOT take into account the differences in variety, ripeness, processing, or cooking foods, which have a huge impact on how that particular food affects your insulin levels, even if you are trying to lose weight.
Also, the fat content of food also has an affect on insulin: foods that are high in fat have a lower GI, like peanuts, which only have a GI of 14.
In addition, there some foods that have a high GI number, but don't affect your insulin levels at all........like carrots!
Carrots have a GI of 95 (which is pretty high), but don't try to tell me that you'll get fat, get diabetes, etc., from eating carrots!!!
Bodybuilding magazines, supplement companies, and the internet spread myths to all of us seeking to burn fat / lose weight, only leading us to NO RESULTS!
If you are trying to eat your way to a leaner, more defined, more sculpted you, there is NO NEED TO BREAK DOWN YOUR EATING DOWN TO ALL KINDS OF RATIOS or PERCENTAGES.
Regardless of what type of foods you eat and in what combinations, "IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE CALORIES"
Why Diets Fail And Appetites Rule
To understand why diets fail, and why so many are turning to weight loss surgery, we must take a look at what drives the average person.
In other words we need to better understand appetites.
There is a common thread that every overweight individual that I have ever met shares, including myself.
We all share an overwhelming appetite for food.On the contrary though, if a person is not overweight it does not mean that they do not have a driving appetite for food.
Some individuals that I know have a bigger appetite than me, but couldn't gain any weight if they wanted to.
They have an over active thyroid or metabolism that keeps them from gaining weight.Then there are those that eat to live.
I mean eating is almost a chore to them.
They only eat so their stomach will shut up.
I have a friend that is this way.
It is very hard for me to understand sometimes.
He almost gets frustrated at times because he...
Why Diets Fail And Appetites Rule
Diets > Why Diets Fail And Appetites Rule
Do Low Carbohydrate Diets Lead to Weight Loss Success?
So your neighbor, office mate, best friend, whoever just lost 10 pounds in only two weeks following the latest in high protein low carbohydrate diets. And now you're thinking you should give it a go -- have even started the search for high protein low carbohydrate recipes? True, high protein low carb diets seem to be leading many people to weight loss success. Trouble is, they seemed to do it 30 years ago, too. They were the rage in the early 70s, and look where many of us are today: growing fatter with each decade. The bottom line: Diets -- low carb diets or not -- simply don't work for the vast majority of people.
If that doesn't convince you, look at some of the reasons why high protein low carbohydrate diets seem to create weight loss success stories -- but really don't."I'm not hungry when I eat high protein low carb diets." Many people say they feel more satisfied eating low carbohydrate diets. And indeed, studies show protein is the most satiating nutrient. Proteins and...
Do Low Carbohydrate Diets Lead to Weight Loss Success?
Diets > Do Low Carbohydrate Diets Lead to Weight Loss Success?
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