Have your carbs and lose weight, too?

[Samus]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/diet.fitness/01/26/carb.diet.ap/index.html

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- In the midst of the low-carb craze, a new study suggests that by eating lots of carbohydrates and little fat, it is possible to lose weight without actually cutting calories -- and without exercising, either.

The study was small, consisting of just 34 overweight adults who either ate the recommended diet for three months

...(snip)...

Participants on the recommended diet lost about 7 pounds without cutting calories and without exercise, and almost 11 pounds with 45 minutes of stationary bike-riding four times weekly. Emphasis mine.

Seven pounds in three months by eating a high-carb diet. They count this as evidence that high-carb dieting alone, without exercise, can help you lose weight. In just the two weeks of induction on Atkins, people have been known to lose 15 pounds, after three months even more.

I'm not on a low-carb diet, but I support the philosophy. If I was trying to lose weight, and saw a study like this, I would be more inclined to give Atkins or South Beach a try.

Thoughts?

[Wile E. Coyote]

That's pretty funny.

Although a good half of the weight you lose in the first two weeks on a low-carb diet like Atkins is actually water weight, the other half is all fat.

What this article (and study, perhaps?) failed to mention or investigate was whether the insignificant amount of weight lost on the diet was water, muscle, or fat.

There is a significant difference.

[pattibeans]

The diet industry is worth billions for a good reason. In no other industry do you have so many repeat customers, where your product failed, and your customer base will keep buying into your product anyway. There are thousands of studies on how almost anything will help you lose weight. I had to eat only soup for a week and I lost 8 lbs that week. That doesn't mean though that I found the miracle soup diet that will stop obescity for millions of sufferers. But if I had a phD credential behind me, I could probably have made that claim and would be published or hawking my product on the net by now.

There are a great many organizations that have looked into the diet industry. A couple of good ones are www.crimes_of_pursuation.com/Crimes/Delivered/dieting.htm and another is at www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Icd.htm

You would benefit more by looking at your diet and elimating or at the very least minimizing your intake of fatty foods, high sugar foods, and refined foods. Also, look at the portions you are eating. I lost 75lbs over 12 years ago by doing that, took me over a year to lose it, and haven't gained more than 5 lbs back.

I wouldn't throw good money into the diet industry's already overflowing pockets. Do some good sleuthing first.

Patti
:)

[Eos of the Eons]

Another Albertan!


And hey, whatever happened to exercise? That's the only way I've ever been able to shape up. I care more what my body shape is than my weight. Muscle weighs more than fat. Muscle uses up fat (energy).

Muscles!

[Flame]

When I had gestational diabetes I had to eat a balanced diet.

I had a meal plan which was simply composed of all the recommended daily amounts of each food group, split into reasonable meals throughout the day.
I was thinner & healthier (by a very noticable amount) two days after I delivered my son.

FFS what happened to just drinking hydrating fluids (as opposed to diuretics) and maintaining a balanced healthy diet?
Why go on some boneheaded potentially dangerous eating plan to lose weight quick, when you can just be reasonable and eat properly?

Guaranteed it will work every time, no gimmicks.

Toni

[El Greco]

Originally posted by pattibeans
In no other industry do you have so many repeat customers, where your product failed, and your customer base will keep buying into your product anyway.

No other industry ? What about cosmetics ? :D

[pattibeans]

LOL - TOUCHE'

You are absolutely right, another industry that promises the impossible and makes a fortune off unsuspecting customers.

Maybe going "au natural" will make a comeback someday!

Patti
;)

[tamiO]

Originally posted by pattibeans
LOL - TOUCHE'

You are absolutely right, another industry that promises the impossible and makes a fortune off unsuspecting customers.

Maybe going "au natural" will make a comeback someday!

Patti
;)

This gets me thinking about the value of critical thinking and being a skepchick. It's not all about Sylvia and spaceships.

Critical thinking has helped me save money on the beauty aisle and at home in front of my TV at 3 AM. (infomercials)

[Badger]

To temporarily sideline another thread......

Saw an ad on some satellite channel last night. It was for "Propolene" (sp?). This pill allows you to lose weight without changing anything you eat or do. They warn that it is dangerous to take if you are LESS THAN 20 lbs overweight, as it is designed for obese people. (my this must be powerful snakeoil!) It's GARANTEED that you'll lose UP TO 20 lbs in the first week or two. It then followed up with a bunch of testimonials that were totally laughable. The people in them didn't even look thin. And the statements were to the effect that they still enjoyed their lazy, gluttonish lives without the interference of any change in lifestyle, except for popping these pills.

At then end, they again garanteed losses of up to 20 lbs within the first week or two. I guess if you lose no weight, or in fact gain weight, the garantee is valid! I wonder if you could sue if you lost MORE than 20 lbs, though.

Eos, where abouts are you? I'm in Edmonton.

Thank you for allowing my digression.....back to your regularly scheduled thread.

[Eos of the Eons]

Originally posted by tamiO


This gets me thinking about the value of critical thinking and being a skepchick. It's not all about Sylvia and spaceships.

Critical thinking has helped me save money on the beauty aisle and at home in front of my TV at 3 AM. (infomercials)


Very very true. Why spend money on weight loss gimmicks and products when eating healthy and exercising is not only cheaper, but better for you than all that "weight loss" hoopla.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Originally posted by Badger

At then end, they again garanteed losses of up to 20 lbs within the first week or two. I guess if you lose no weight, or in fact gain weight, the garantee is valid! I wonder if you could sue if you lost MORE than 20 lbs, though.


Probably because the pill makes your skin fall off. Or maybe it causes pieces of your internal organs to dissolve into your bloodstream, only to be excreted hours later.

I would say it was potentially brain mass, but that would imply that consumers of this product had any to begin with.