EliteThink:"If Americans would just stop consuming fat with their carbs they would make progress, but carbs are still the challenge. "
Maybe not.
In the ZONE, the doc claimed that eating fats with your
carbs was a good idea, because it slowed the rate
at which you digested the carbs.
This helped prevent insulin spikes during meals.
I can't remember if this claim was backed by research or not.
In any case.... FPC is right in one sense.
Its the CALORIES stupid.
But what I think he is missing, and is the underlying key
to these low carbs diets is this:
1) Low carb diets take much longer to digest, thereby
keeping you feeling "full" longer.
2) Low carb diets tend to keep your insulin levels lower,
and from spiking. Low insulin levels is what triggers
hunger in your brain.
The "effect" of these two points is that you end up
eating less calories, and therefore lose weight, without
constantly feeling like your starving.
This is my hypothesis.
That's why people on the Atkins are told to eat
as much meat, eggs, cheese, etc, as they want,
and they STILL manage to lose weight. Because overall,
they end up eating less calories, and don't even realize it.
My general impression from all this research is, that americans
do in fact eat WAY more carbs than they should be.
I myself cut back on my carbs a bit and got a lot leaner
within a month, and I did NOT do anything extreme like
the atkins diet. I just stopped drinking sodas all the time
and eating tons of candy and pasta based stuff.
I increased my protein some and lowered my carbs quite a bit.
But i'm not eating what any of these diets would consider LOW carbs.
I'm simly no longer on a mega high carb american style diet,
and i'm getting ripped
peace
axeman
Quote from EliteThink:
If Americans would just stop consuming fat with their carbs they would make progress, but carbs are still the challenge.