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Weight Loss Forum / Low Carb / February 2004Low carb intelligence vs. low carb stupidity! (something to chew on)
Apparently from http://www.fatlosstips.com/burnfat ======================== Low carb intelligence vs. low carb stupidity! ======================== Remember that movie with Jim Carey, "Dumb and Dumber?" And remember the sequel to that movie, "Dumb and Dumberer?" Well, the low carb mania that is sweeping the globe today has reached a level beyond dumberer. It's more like dumberererer (try to say that five times real fast) There is an epidemic of "low carb stupidity" running rampant among millions of people throughout the world today - and fast food restaurants, food product manufacturers, supplement companies, and weight loss programs are capitalizing on it in a big way in 2004! The low carb diet is not inherently stupid, however. It can be quite beneficial within certain parameters and under the right circumstances. The problem is that many practitioners are uniformed, misinformed, or simply lack the common sense and intuitive bodily wisdom to utilize the low carb approach intelligently. Many low-carbers don't even know why they are on a low carb diet, they're just following the followers. Not intelligent. Doing what everyone else is doing is always one of the surest, straightest routes to arrive at mediocrity! If you want to be a success, your chances are far greater if you look at what the masses are doing and do the exact opposite! Fortunately, there is such a thing as "low carb intelligence." Hopefully, by reading my brief rant this month, you will increase your carb IQ, and soon join the ranks of the extraordinarily fit, lean and healthy "carbo geniuses!" Low carb stupidity #1 ---------------------- Selecting your beer or liquor carefully to make sure you have the brand with the fewest grams of carbs. Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Avoiding alcohol if you're trying to lose body fat. Drinking only in moderation if you're trying to maintain your weight and be healthy. Low carb stupidity #2 ---------------------- Believing any of the following: Low carbs diets are the only way to lose fat, low carb diets are the best way to lose fat, no one should ever eat a high carb diet, high carbs always make you fat, starches and grains make everyone sick and unhealthy. Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Adjusting your approach according to your health status, your goals and your body type, not according to generalizations preached by dogmatic low carb "gurus." Low carb stupidity #3 ---------------------- Going on the Atkins diet (or any other very low carb/ketogenic diet) with absolutely no idea why you're doing it or how the diet works (going on it because "everybody" is doing it and because you see it advertised everywhere.) Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Studying the physiology and biochemistry of the low carb diet and completely understanding all the pros and cons. Then making an informed decision whether to restrict carbs based on your own personal goals, needs and heath status. Low carb stupidity #4 ---------------------- Thinking that very low carb (ketogenic) dieting is a maintainable "lifestyle." Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Understanding that reasonable (moderate) restriction of carbs can be a helpful short term strategy for fat loss, a good way to reach a peak, and an effective way for some people to control insulin. But also understanding that a balanced diet of natural foods is probably the most suitable of all the diets for health, lifelong maintenance and weight control. Low carb stupidity #5 ---------------------- Believing calories don't count if you just cut out your carbs (or not counting calories because it's "too much work.") Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Knowing that fat loss always did and always will boil down to calories in vs. calories out. Taking the time and effort to crunch your numbers (at least once), typing up your menu on a spreadsheet, keeping a diary, and/or using nutrition tracking software. Low carb stupidity #6 ---------------------- Staying on a low carb diet that has stopped working (or never worked in the first place). Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Adjusting your diet according to your results; understanding that a common definition of insanity (and/or stupidity) is to continue to do the same things over and over again, while expecting a different result. Low carb stupidity #7 ---------------------- Believing that you don't need exercise because all you need to do is cut carbs. Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Knowing that dieting is the worst way to lose fat and that exercise is the best way to lose fat (Burn The Fat, don't starve the fat). Low carb stupidity #8 ---------------------- Using the argument; "There's no such thing as an essential carbohydrate" as justification for low carb dieting. Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Realizing that textbook definitions of "essential" can be taken out of context to promote a fad diet and that just because there's technically no "essential" carbohydrates (as there are essential amino acids and fatty acids) doesn't mean carbohydrates aren't "essential" in other respects. Low carb stupidity #9 ---------------------- Using the argument, "You have to eat fat to lose fat" as justification for a high fat, low carb diet, without explaining it or putting it in context (exactly how much fat and what kind of fat?) Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Understanding the importance of essential and omega three fats (the good fats), but not taking any single nutritional principle to an extreme (such as, "If a little fat is good for you then a lot is even better.") Low carb stupidity #10 ---------------------- Saying, "All carbs are bad" or "All carbs are fattening." Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Avoiding generalizations, and instead, having multiple distinctions about carbohydrates (and other foods) so you can make better choices. For example: Low GI vs. high GI carbs Simple vs. complex carbs Starchy vs. fibrous carbs Natural vs. refined carbs High calorie density vs. low calorie density carbs Low carb stupidity #11 ---------------------- Not clarifying your definition of low carbs. Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Realizing that there are "very low" carb diets, "low" carb diets, and "moderate" carb diets and that you cant lump them all together. (Some people consider The Zone Diet, at 40% of calories from carbs, a low carb diet, others consider 40% carbs quite high). Low carb stupidity #12 ---------------------- Believing that carrots are fattening because they're high on the glycemic index and because a popular fad diet book says so. Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Have we lost all vestiges of common sense? With an average carrot clocking in at 31 calories and 7.3 grams of carbs, do you really think that this orange-colored, nutrient-dense, low-calorie, all-natural, straight-out-of-the-ground root vegetable is going to make you fat? (if so, you are in "carbohydrate kindergarten.") Low carb stupidity. Lucky #13 ---------------------- Eating lots of processed and packaged low carb foods (including those protein "candy bars"). and thinking you're "being good" and "following your diet." Low carb intelligence ---------------------- Realizing that natural, unrefined foods are one of the keys to lifelong weight control and that anything man made and refined is NOT an ideal "diet" food - including the highly processed low carb foods that are all the rage this year. (Doesn't this bandwagon reek of the late 80's and early 90's "no fat" craze, when all those "fat free" foods were being passed off as healthy diet food, but were really highly processed and full of pure sugar?) --End of Stupidities-- Roger, thanks for posting this. Some good food for thought. I'd comment on a couple things in the article. > Low carb intelligence > ---------------------- [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > that a balanced diet of natural foods is probably the most suitable of all > the diets for health, lifelong maintenance and weight control. I think this kind of overlooks the fact that for people with messed up insulin/BG issues, some restriction of amounts/kinds of carbohydrates is probably going to be necessary as part of a lifelong healthful maintenance program. In other words, if you go back to the "balanced diet" that made you fat and unhealthy in the first place, you'll likely go back to being fat and unhealthy. This may be less so for younger people who haven't developed much insulin resistance and therefore benefit from the caloric reduction inherent in lc diets. Us older folks know what happens when we go back to "balanced diets". > Low carb stupidity #12 > ---------------------- > Believing that carrots are fattening because they're high on the glycemic > index and because a popular fad diet book says so. Yes, this irritates me no end! I know Suzanne Sommers included carrots in her list of "evil vegetables". I haven't read South Beach yet, but from reviews it seems like carrots are again inappropriately banned. (If this is not true (and I hope it is not) please correct me.) Obviously eating bags full of baby carrots for snacks isn't appropriate. But a carrot along with your turnips and pot roast, or a tablespoon or two of grated carrot over your mixed salad are great, nutritive, colorful additions to a moderate restricted carb WOE. IMO. These authors don't understand the concept of glycemic load? HG :: Roger Zoul wrote: :: [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] :: inherent in lc diets. Us older folks know what happens when we go :: back to "balanced diets". I agree with you. I think the writer doesn't realize that there are other reasons to LC beside weight loss. ::: Low carb stupidity #12 ::: ---------------------- [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] :: WOE. IMO. These authors don't understand the concept of glycemic :: load? funny....even Dr. Bernstein in his book on diabetes seems to ban carrots, as i recall. Raw carrots are a treat if you ask me, and something with such wonderful color just as to be good for my body! :) :: HG I am doing the South Beach diet now. It really is not a diet but a way of eating healthy. The only reason he tells you to avoid some of the vegetables early on in the program like carrots and tomatoes is because of the sugar content. The goal at the beginning is to wean your body off of the need for certain carbs and sugars so that you can eat ones that are better for you and your digestive process. You blood sugar levels basically level out. Of course you can add items like carrots back in very quickly, but with anything, you need to eat the correct amount. With most green vegetables, it really doesn't matter how much you eat because the calories are so insignificant and they are absent of carbs. The other thing that is good about SBD unlike the Atkins diet is that you ARE allowed to eat carbs but you should choose the right ones. This also follows with fat. Fat in things like nuts and say Canadian bacon (lean meats) is okay, but with Atkins, you are eating fat galore, it doesn't matter and then you end up with high cholesterol. I've been doing this for 3 weeks now. I have lost 10 pounds and by eating this way I should loose about 1-2 pounds a week which is a health weight loss for the body. I have also learned more about foods, how to shop at the market as well as cooking some really neat stuff with my wife. Hope this info helps. > I am doing the South Beach diet now...but with Atkins, you > are eating fat galore... Fat galore? What version of Dr. Atkin's book are you reading, man! I don't recall him saying eat anything galore!!! As with anything, common sense must rule the day. Congrats on the 10 lb loss... To clearify the fat galore comment, it seems as if people abuse the diet because they assume that if they cut out all their carbs that will alone bring them to their goal. They need to realize that you cannot eat a lot of fat esp bad fat and you should still exercise to have overall health benefits. Also, you need good carbs. This is why I didn't choose Atkins. I would have hated it! > > I am doing the South Beach diet now...but with Atkins, you > > are eating fat galore... > > Fat galore? What version of Dr. Atkin's book are you reading, man! I > don't recall him saying eat anything galore!!! As with anything, > common sense must rule the day. Congrats on the 10 lb loss... >To clearify the fat galore comment, it seems as if people abuse the >diet because they assume that if they cut out all their carbs that >will alone bring them to their goal. They need to realize that you >cannot eat a lot of fat esp bad fat and you should still exercise to >have overall health benefits. Also, you need good carbs. This is why I >didn't choose Atkins. I would have hated it! There is no 'bad fat,' that's just a fallacy. And Atkins has plenty of good carbs. I had broccoli, tomatoes, and salad yesterday. Today, I'm having spinach, left over broccoli, and salad, Doing SB is fine; just don't bash a diet you don't understand. Yvonne > There is no 'bad fat,' that's just a fallacy. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fat is bad fat. >> There is no 'bad fat,' that's just a fallacy. >> > Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fat is bad fat. So is the fat around my waist. ;-)  SignatureBob M in CT remove 'x.' to reply >Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fat is bad fat. True. I forgot those :0) I was thinking saturated fat. Yvonne >They need to realize that you >>cannot eat a lot of fat esp bad fat Why can't I eat fat? My diet is 65% fat, and I've never been healthier! LCing since 12/01/03- Me- 265/226/140 & hubby- 310/248/180 > > > I am doing the South Beach diet now...but with Atkins, you > > > are eating fat galore... > > > Fat galore? What version of Dr. Atkin's book are you reading, man! I > > don't recall him saying eat anything galore!!! As with anything, > > common sense must rule the day. In particular Atkins is indeed a high fat diet but that does NOT mean fat galore. Atkins forbids overeating and mandates minimum carb levels. There just isn't room to abuse fat within those parameters. > To clearify the fat galore comment, it seems as if people abuse the > diet because they assume that if they cut out all their carbs that > will alone bring them to their goal. Which isn't anywhere near what Atkins actually is. > They need to realize that you cannot eat a lot of fat Depending on what you mean by a lot. After all over eating is forbidden while on Atkins. > Also, you need good carbs. This is why I > didn't choose Atkins. I would have hated it! So you have no idea what Atkins is and thus you hate your false view of it. Check. Atkins mandates good carbs. They are not optional. You are correct that I am no expert on the Atkins diet, however, finding websites all over the internet that compares the two all basically say the same things. ========== Here is an example. ========== South Beach vs. Atkins The South Beach diet begins very similarly to Atkins - with a 2 week initiation phase that radically restricts carbohydrates (and which, Dr. Agatston brashly asserts, should result in a 13-pound weight loss). But after this initiation phase South Beach differs from Atkins (at least the classic Atkins diet) in two significant ways: under South Beach, "good" carbohydrates are not discouraged, and "bad" fats are. (Classic Atkins doesn't like any carbs, and scooping lard from a bucket is a perfectly legitimate snacking strategy.) South Beach relies on the glycemic index to determine good carbs from bad carbs. Essentially, the glycemic index estimates how rapidly blood glucose levels (and hence, insulin levels) rise after eating a carbohydrate. This is important since keeping insulin levels low is the central principle behind all low carbohydrate diets. (To read why, click here.) So under South Beach, bad carbs with a high glycemic index (like refined flour products, potatoes, pasta, and white rice) are forbidden, while good carbs with a low glycemic index (like whole wheat products and wild rice) are OK. South Beach also chooses not to ignore the substantial evidence that saturated fats are bad for you. (Atkins maintains that saturated fats are fine as long as you avoid the carbs.) Thus, South Beach wants you to stay away from butter, fried foods, and sausage and instead pushes unsaturated fats like olive oil and fish. ========== And here is another. ========== The South Beach Diet does not limit carbohydate intake like the Atkins diet does. Instead, it distinguishes between "Good Carbs" and "Bad Carbs", and there's no real limits placed on the good carbs you may eat. Furthermore, whereas the Atkins diet does not limit fat intake (in fact, it encourages a high level of fat intake, including unhealthy saturated fats), the South Beach diet distingushes between "Good Fats" and "Bad Fats" ==================== Reading these types of sites was enough for me to see what was the healthier solution and so far I am doing fine on it. | I am no expert on the Atkins diet, Understatement of the year | South Beach vs. Atkins | But after this initiation phase South Beach differs from Atkins | (at least the classic Atkins diet) in two significant ways: under | South Beach, "good" carbohydrates are not discouraged, and "bad" fats | are. (Classic Atkins doesn't like any carbs, and scooping lard from a | bucket is a perfectly legitimate snacking strategy.) I snipped the rest; no point in reading any more of this post, if this first paragraph, chock full of gross, ignorant misinformation and stupid lies, is an indication of the rest of it. Read the book before you start spreading this stupid crap. Or have you read the book, and your are doing this on purpose? SignaturePeter website: http://users.thelink.net/marengo > You are correct that I am no expert on the Atkins diet And I'm no expert on SBD. I've scanned the book but not read it in detail. But even scanning it the extent to which it's cut from Atkins cloth amazed me. When I read Protein Power by Drs Eades it was clear they'd cribbed most of their process from Atkins. SBD is closer. > however, > finding websites all over the internet that compares the two all > basically say the same things. Okay, but you really ought to try ones that are actually, ya know, true. By folks who have read both books. > ========== Here is an example. ========== > The South Beach diet begins very similarly to Atkins - with a 2 week [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > South Beach relies on the glycemic index to determine good carbs from > bad carbs. What a load of crap. Atkins pushes good carbs starting day one and the farther you are into it the more they are pushed. But Atkins *does* have a counting basis unlike SBD. That makes it more work than SBD. > South Beach also chooses not to ignore the substantial evidence that > saturated fats are bad for you. (Atkins maintains that saturated fats > are fine as long as you avoid the carbs.) Thus, South Beach wants you > to stay away from butter, fried foods, and sausage and instead pushes > unsaturated fats like olive oil and fish. When carb intake is low there isn't any evidence whatsoever that saturated fat is a problem. However, there *is* evidence that eating the same number of calories from better fats results in faster loss. This is why Atkins came up with the concept of bad/good/better/best fats in the first place. Anyways. There's nothing wrong with SBD, or doing SBD. It's great stuff. Tastes great, less filling, just like the comercials ;^) Please do try to use comparisons that are actually true, though. Like Atkins being more work. That ones is definitely true. >South Beach also chooses not to ignore the substantial evidence that >saturated fats are bad for you. What evidence? Where? LCing since 12/01/03- Me- 265/226/140 & hubby- 310/248/180 word brutha! Good post, very, very good and logical post. Obsidian. >Apparently from http://www.fatlosstips.com/burnfat > [quoted text clipped - 191 lines] > >--End of Stupidities-- |
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