With all the diet programs that are published and advertised, the one that has received the most negative publicity and given a bad rap is the low carbohydrate diet, all you hear is “low fat is the way to go, stay away from fats, that's the answer”, that's a bunch of bunk.
I feel that low-fat diets are worthless and can cause more harm than good, ever since the low-fat craze started in the late 1960s the obesity rate has grown in each decade since.
That's why I'm writing this, the majority of the so-called experts in the nutrition and diet industry have declared the low-carb high-protein diet dangerous.
I have researched this extensively, have given seminars and talks regarding this, our radio show dedicated a segment on this and most importantly, I have done this successfully and guided others successfully with this style of dieting.
The obesity rates among Hispanics and Blacks had skyrocketed, the incidence of diabetes among these groups has also skyrocketed, the main reason being their diets consist mainly of carbohydrates and fats, the two don't mix well together, protein and fats do mix well together.
Watching your intake of carbohydrates is essential for weight loss. Low-carb diets or diets that teach food combining are very effective loss, OK now for the myths.
Low-Carb diet tip #1
Carbohydrates should only amount to 10% of your daily calorie intake. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables according to what's allowed in your chosen Low-Carb diet. Furthermore, include protein in your diet.
Low-Carb diet tip #2
Every Low-Carb diet has its set of rules. Do not mix Low Carb diet plans. Follow the guidelines as outlined to ensure your success.
Low-Carb diet tip #3
Avoid foods with white flour and sugar. Eat whole grain breads that allow for easier digestion, and give you a full feeling faster. Sweets will only make you crave more sweets.
Low-Carb diet tip #4
Beware of hidden sugars in carbohydrates. Certain carbs convert to sugar faster, like certain fruits and veggies, such as carrots. Try to stick to low sugar carbs.
Low-Carb diet tip #5
Take fiber supplements, as well as vitamin and mineral supplements. The fiber will aid in digestion while making you feel full. The vitamins and minerals will supplement for a balanced, healthy diet.
Low-Carb diet tip #6
Caffeine is a strong stimulant that increases the hunger pangs in some people. Cut down on caffeine, and preferably drink decaffeinated coffee.
Low-Carb diet tip #7
Drink plenty of water. Drinking one full 8oz glass of water before every meal, will make you feel fuller and eat fewer foods. Besides this benefit, drinking at least 8 quarts of water a day will help you overall in keeping a healthy body.
Low-Carb diet tip #8
Keep on learning everything you can about carb content in foods, as well as how to mix and match foods correctly for faster weight loss and tastier meals. There are plenty of books with great low-carb recipes to give you plenty of ideas.
Tips #1) The low-carb diet is dangerous, the truth is that it is not, and has been proven over the years to be safe and extremely effective, Dr. Atkins gets credit for this type of diet, but he was not even close to being the innovator, he just brought it mainstream, this brings us to Tips #2.
Tips #2) The truth is the father of low-carb, high-protein dates back to 1863, William Banting of England who wrote a little booklet titled “Letter on Corpulence Addressed to the Public”, William Banting is considered the father of low carbohydrate dieting. He proved over this over years helping people lose weight without any side effects.
Tips #3) Low carbs, high protein, and high fat raises cholesterol, the truth it is actually lowers cholesterol. For one year, researchers at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia followed 132 obese adults randomized into two groups.
One restricted carbohydrate intake to less than 30 grams per day (low-carbohydrate diet); the other restricted caloric intake by 500 calories, with 30 percent of calories from fat (conventional diet). Eighty-three percent of the study group had diabetes or other risk factors for heart disease.
In the low-carb group, triglyceride levels decreased more and HDL ('good') cholesterol levels decreased less than in the low-fat group. (High levels of triglycerides, a fat in the blood, are associated with heart disease.) People with diabetes on the low-carb diet had better control of blood sugar.
In another research, study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine involved 120 overweight people followed for six months.
Researchers from Duke University found that participants on the low-carb diet lost an average of 26 pounds, compared to an average of 14 pounds lost by those on the low-fat diet.
The low-carbohydrate group had more beneficial changes in blood triglyceride levels and HDL cholesterol levels than the low-fat diet group. In this study, the low-carb diet groups also received vitamins and other nutritional supplements.
Tips #4) The low-carb diet will raise my blood pressure, the truth is with lower LDL levels and VLDL levels, blood pressure levels drop.
Lead author Dr. William S. Nancy Jr, an associate professor of medicine at Duke, said their findings send an important message to people with high blood pressure who are attempting to lose weight:
“If people have high blood pressure and a weight problem, a low-carbohydrate diet might be a better option than a weight loss medication,” said Nancy, who is also a staff physician at the VA center in Durham where the study was conducted.
Tips #5) You need carbohydrates or glucose for brain function, the truth is if you are on a hardcore low-carb high-protein diet, where carbohydrates are non-existent, you are on what is called a Ketogenic Diet.
When on such a strict diet, your body produces ketones lacking carbohydrates, then converts the ketones into a form of glucose that enables proper brain function. This brings us to the next myth.
Tips #6) You cannot eat any carbs on a high-protein diet. Using the Atkins diet as an example, Atkins himself said on the Larry King show, “You can eat all the carbs your body allows as long as you do not gain weight”.
What he was talking about was when we reach our desired weight you then can add as many carbs to your diet until you start gaining weight, that is your threshold, for some people it is 50 grams a day for others it's 200 grams or more.
Tips #7) I will gain all my weight back if I stop my low-carb diet. That is totally false, it does not matter what diet you choose, if you are successful in your weight loss and then stop your diet, 9 out of 10 times you revert to your old eating habits, and start eating junk and over indulge, then of course you gain weight back.
Tips#8) Eating protein makes you fat, totally false, protein actually raises your calorie burning metabolism by as much as 30% over carbohydrates. When proteins are consumed, your body must digest and break them down into amino acids, this takes energy and plenty of it, this actually helps you lose weight not gain weight.
Tips #9) High-protein diets include fats, and fats are bad for me. Fats lacking carbohydrates burn more efficiently, and do not clog your arteries. As the studies show LDL's (low density lipoproteins) which are the artery bloggers, are lowered.
The HDL's which are the good triglycerides are raised even though your fat intake is increased, that as mentioned above is attributed to low-carb intake. Remember when I mentioned that carbs and fat don't mix, your body cannot efficiently break them down together, your liver is over burdened ends up converting the carbohydrates into fat, unless of course you are exercising like crazy.
Tips#10) I will not have any energy with the low-carb diet, this is totally false, unless you are a marathon runner or bodybuilder. When you consume small amounts of carbohydrates, your body needs another source of energy, when glycogen levels are gone, your body starts using fat for energy and combustion.
If you are extremely active, then it will take about 2-3 weeks, after that, your body is acclimated to your new eating habits and adjusts, energizing you as before. If you are involved in an endurance sport, then of course you require extra carbs to be competitive.
If you are an athlete or workout extensively, then you probably would not be dieting anyway, and a low-carb high carb is a moot point.
Here are the most common myths associated to the low-carb diet plan. They're not in any particular order, so, don't read anything to this:
1. The fact Dr. Atkins died, people also pronounced dead it low-carb diet plan, the famous "Atkins diet"—obviously named after him since he founded the plan, for those of you that didn't know this. Dr. Atkins actually died of brain injuries resulting from a fall, and this has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the diet he famously founded.
2. It has been said that the low-carb diet will reduce the amount of calcium in your body. This couldn't be farther from the truth, as since the low-carb diet is rich in protein, this, in fact, actually prevents calcium from entering your urine.
3. They say the low-carb diet plan will damage one's kidney. Not unless one already has a kidney defect because the low-carb diet, though rich in protein, this is not what the entire meal is made of.
Once on low-carb diet, one still must observe the balancing of the meal consumed. It has been said that some Doctors actually recommend the low-carb diet for some of their patients in other to treat kidney problems.
As I'm not a doctor, I always and shall continue to encourage people wanting to lose weight to seek professional advice before embarking on any form of weight loss or diet programs or plan.
4. Moving from kidney, there's also this myth that whilst on low-carb diet, that you're dicing with heart disease. To the contrary, it's a fact that the low-carb diet plan actually reduces the risk of having a heart disease.
It has also been proven that even food containing lots of animal fat and proteins do not constitute risk for heart disease.
5. There is no fiber present in the low-carb diet. The low-carb diet is, on the contrary, full of fiber, and research also shows that the presence of this fiber actually lessens the effect and the amount of carbohydrate in one's body. Which makes the low-carb diet a very pragmatic diet plan?
6. Whilst on low-carb diet, you're not allowed fruits or vegetables. This one actually gets me mad because it's not a secret that the population for one reason or another do just not like eating fruits and vegetables.
This goes back for years, and the Governments all over the world are now making it a point of duty by recommending the daily intakes. So, just because people have preferences doesn't mean it's down to the low-carb diet plan.
7. Low can diet means total elimination of carbohydrate. Even the most critical doctors, scientists, or nutritionists will dispel this, as in any given meal, one must have at least 45% - 65% carbohydrates in their meals, depending on each individual, of course.
8. Low-carb diet will attract permanent bad breath. This to some extent is true, but not because you're on low-carb diet plan. This is simply because, people, regardless of what weight loss or diet program to embark on, they feel they have to abstain from other meals such as eating fruits and vegetables.
Even if one's not on any form of diet, by not eating fruits and vegetables will certainly attract bad breath. To combat this is simple, just eat more fruits and vegetables daily. This has nothing to do with low-carb diet alone!
I hope with the above explanations, you can now take the plunge we ease and confidence and start embarking on a new and healthy journey and lifestyle using the low-carb diet plan.
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