Low-Carb Diet Craze: Is this hype?

[REG]

If you ever turn your TV on (in America, that is) you'll notice a lot of food commercials showing the same trend: Low Carb. Subway, for instance, dropped Jared for the Atkins Friendly Wrap, clocking it in 11 net carb. Now in the supermarket, almost every food (old and new) are labeled with amount of low carb.

From 2003's low-gram to 2004 low-carb.

But is this really hype, or are we finally getting what we want from the US food manufacturers as a way to crack the obesity curse?

[Cybrludite]

Like most other fad diets, Atkins gets results at first by forcing you to follow a pattern to what you eat and excludes a lot of "convinience" foods like chips. However, Atkins is famous for yo-yoing your weight if you fall "off the wagon", so to speak. The olny way to drop weight & keep it off is to eat less & do more. Subway & the others are just cashing in on the fad while it lasts.

[Publius]

I have been on and off the low carb wagon. I am presently off, but I lost several pants sizes when I did it and only gained one back despite the fact that I have fallen into my old habits. I did not do Atkins per se but simply lowered my intake of Carbs to a minimum (30 per day for about 2 weeks, followed by 30-60 per day for two months). Others doing Atkins at the same time as I (who fell off at the same time as I) did gain more weight back than I did. Just stay away from carbs, do (as I failed to) exercise and (as I did not) moderate intake; calories are calories, carb-based or not.

The interesting thing I noticed was how much better I felt generally (mood, physical etc.) when I was on the low carb diet. You can really feel the difference when you first fall off the wagon. The holidays did me in, I have a weakness for stuffing and sweet stuff; then came a lot of travel which further distanced me from the diet, but I am trying to steel myself to get back on. The thing about this diet is that it takes some preparation, no fast food really and few restaurant choices whatever they tell you. But it can be done.

Had I cut down on the fatty foods (whipped cream is low carb -- yeah baby!) I would have lost a lot more than I did. Had I been excerizing regularly, I would have lost a lot more than I did. I ate a lot of nuts, and a lot of meat, both of which can be high in fat and calories. Intake as always is the key, but as a guy with a big appetite, I found that this was something that I could do.

[RaconteurX]

The key is not lowering your intake of carbohydrates, but rather lowering your intake of complex carbohydrates such as processed sugars, which convert to glucose quickly and therefore lead to fat development if overindulged in, in favor of simple ones such as potatoes or yams or jicama, which convert to glucose slowly and provide energy over the long term.

Balance this with lean protein from fish and chicken, plenty of vitamin- and fibre-filled vegetables, fruits which are low in sugar such as graperfruit or most berries, and eat small portions more often to keep your metabolism burning efficiently and constantly. You will actually eat more in the long haul, just less at any given sitting.

Eliminate saturated fats (especially hydrogenated vegetable oils of any type!) as much as possible as well as salt, reduce excess consumption of fats in general (omega-3 fatty acids are great for reducing triglycerides and cholesterol, though), and drink 100 ounces (3 liters) of water per day.

Do both cardiovascular and muscle-building exercise. Walking at a brisk rate (maintain your heart rate at 50-60% of your maximum; maximum heart rate being 220 minus age in beats per minute) for 45 to 60 minutes every day or two provides enough of an aerobic workout to burn excess fat. Lean muscle uses more energy, thus simple toning and strength training will increase your metabolic rate.

I lost 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) in eight weeks just adjusting my diet, and I probably would have dropped 30 had I time to devote to exercising more. I have since lapsed in my eating habits due to the holidays and illness, yet have regained none of the weight.


EDIT: I saw my doctor the other day and have lost another five pounds, for a total of 20 since the summer. Once you ramp up your metabolism, the effects stay with you!

[Grimbeorn]

I watched a program in the Uk (Horizion) which was investagation the Atkin's Diet as well as a number of others. And why it worked. What they discovered was that Protein made you feel fully for longer so you didn't eat as much, and in actual fact you ate less calories due to this. Which means in actual fact you don't have to cut out carbohydrates or anything else. Just eat more protein and you get the same affect.

[Sea Tyger]

I've been on a diet since August, and have so far lost 25 lbs. (from 260 to 235).

1. Work out more often...I was effectively not doing any form of exercise (and hadn't been for over a year), so even once a week was a major improvement for me. I shoot for one hour twice a week, as my work schedule allows. Currently, my workout of choice is the Lateral Thigh Trainer in the living room, while I play PS2.

2. Change one meal. I used to eat a very heavy lunch (large fast-food double cheeseburgers, specficially), but I've changed over to salads on most days. I still occasionally indulge in the former, but avoiding it on most days has helped me a lot.

[Ezri's Toy]

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