Low-carb beats low-fat in diet duel

I just read another article that said a calorie is a calorie, except for trans-fat. I'm sure it was somewhere around MSNBC too... So weird!

Take it from someone who lost 90 lbs and has kept the weight off for 7 years (went from 215lbs to 125 lbs) never once going on a 'diet'. Just figure out how many calories you should be eating a day. Most of us actually need fewer calories than the FDA's recommended 2000. Personally, with my age, weight, and level of activity, I need about 1500 calories a day. So I just keep a rough estimate in my head of how many calories I've had every day. Some days I eat a lot more (i.e. when I eat out) but then the next day I'll eat less - maybe skip lunch or something. And I generally try to eat good things - not too processed, not too fatty, not too many chemicals, lots of veggies. I do stuff that I like to do but never 'work out'. I play soccer, go on walks, play volleyball, ski, ride bikes, etc. Fun stuff. And I never have a problem - the weight just came off and now it stays off.

Everything in moderation. All diets are ridiculous.

Lost 38 lbs on Atkins in 1973 so I could quit smoking in Jan of 1974. Gained it back, (quitting smoking, 3 packs/day was qood excuse for ice cream and brownies), back on Atkins in 1975 lost 54 lbs. Always had low cholestrol. Have read numerous articles over the years by "nutritional experts" who obviously do not know how the diet works and obviously are totally ignorant of the metabolic disorder that Atkins helps so much. When I see any one beat the drum for a food regimen that is "good for everyone" I mark that person down as a nutrional nut.

Well now days food is to fill ur tummy and nutrition and the whole carb/calorie debate is piontless because Americans cant afford to go to the doctors lille own gas and food. So show us how to eat healthy on very little money. Only the rich and the poor get to eat healthy or go to the doctors.

Seems to me that every day there is contradictory evidence about what is the best diet. I am dubious of the results as they are funded by the Atkins foundation, no matter how much "assurance" is provided by the good doctor from Harvard.

We are constantly in search for extreme solutions and don't know anything about moderation anymore! How about eating a healthy balanced diet with a minimum of refined foods?
How about trying not to over eat and getting a moderate amount of exercise?

After all the bad publicity that has surrounded the Atkins diet in recent years, it is no wonder that it's proponents are out to getting some positive pr out there to revive interest in the diet, the books, and associated products. Follow the money!

Everyone including myself at one point has asked the question "What is the right diet"? When it was staring them in the face the whole time. In the last six months I have lost 65 pounds. How did I do it? I eat HEALTHY! Fast food was once a daily thing for me. I cant remember the last time I had a fast food burger. Also, I work out in some way 5 days a week for at least a half hour. When I go to the store I stay to the veggie isle and meat isle. Their is nothing in the other isles healthy enough to put in your body. In the morning Have a glass of water instead of your 86 oz s-bucks crapachino. Instead have a glass of water and eat some fuit or veggies. If you cut the garbage out of your diet you WILL get healthier. Just eat healthy! Don't worry about what the new study says! They always come back a year later with a study that contradicts the last. My formula for loosing weight is eat less than your body will burn in a day and then work out on top of that. Then have a big healthy dinner. BBQed chicken or steak and steamed veggies. My 2 cents...

I would still say that the Atkins does not beat a low fat diet. This experiment says that Atkins made people lose more weight, but what was the weight? Was it muscle mass? Was it just fat loss? Or was it just water loss? The biggest misconception in the entire world is probably the statement that Carbs make people fat, i.e. - when somebody says "My body is carb sensitive". What they really mean to say is that their body is sensitive to "Modified Carbs, or Altered Carbs". Whole Grain Oatmeal, a raw or baked potato, brown rice, yams, etc., are the best fat burners in the world when combined with a whole protein like chicken, egg whites, black eyes peas, beans, etc. Every person that I have met on the Atkins diet hates their life because they have no energy (hince the lack of carbs) and always gained the weight back. People should cut back on the critically acclaimed three meals days, and should also start eating 4-5 and possibly up to six times a day in smaller amounts. Different combinations of exercise and dieting work different for every individual but I do not think that the classic Low Fat Diet can be beaten. Our body needs carbs and when used correctly, they can give you more energy than most thermogenic supplements can. The best literature that I have read in my time and that is true to the origins of real natural Dieting is from the author Tom Venuto's - Feed the Muscle, Burn the fat. He is a life long NATURAL body builder who burnt fat all by eating naturally, and did it with nothing but carbs and protein. He normally sits at 4-5% body fat. Not saying in comparison that every one should be a bodybuilder, but they truly are the epitome of masters in burning fat and shedding weight, and have the best advice ever.

My wife has Chrohn's Disease. 2 years ago she found the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). It's a not so much a low carb, but a specific carb diet for health (not for weight loss.) She's been on the strict diet for 2 years now and has improved her health very significantly. Our family as a whole has been eating on this diet as a result (though I eat out and cheat frequently.) The interesting thing is that we've all lost weight to what I would call an ideal size. We're not still losing weight, but we are stable at a healthy weight. I was beginning to feel I was getting overweight prior to the diet, but had never considered dieting as a solution. Her family also adopted the diet for health reasons. Looking at pictures from 2 years ago, our whole families have lost a lot of weight without really trying. We don't worry about the fat content of our foods, we just focus on the "legal" foods, which are no carb or special carbs that are easier for your body to digest than the illegal carbs. Almost all fruits and veggies are fine (except those with high starch) as are meats. Basically we're eating closer to nature and avoiding non-traditional processed foods (aged cheeses, certain wines, and non-store bought cultured yogurt are all fine.) This isn't a fad diet for us, it's a lifestyle change for us. She won't have to eat strict on this diet all her life, but we expect that we'll stay true to it for the most part just because we've all been so much healthier since we adopted the diet. I think our experience does give credence to the Adkin's approach to dieting. Fatty foods are not the problem, it's the Standard American Diet (SAD) with all it's hard to digestible carbs that's the problem. Simply avoiding these processed unnatural carbs would probably help a lot of people with weight loss and overall health in general.

I also agree with Anthony-380790. A calorie is a calorie and that works for a lot of people. As long as you burn more than you consume, you will more than likely always lose weight. Another thing is that the best time for burning fat is in the morning. People hate doing it because you have to get up early and all that drama. The answer is simple though. Eating food causes insulin release and the break down of sugar in the blood to glycogen. Those two things have to be burnt off by your body before it starts to burn the fat. So if you do cardio in the morning when those levels are depleted because you have not eaten anything all night, you will start burning fat literally three times faster and harder. Not to mention it jump kicks your day anyways and with a proper breakfast you will be energized for the entire day. An actual workout and just lifting weights on the other hand is better to do in the evening because your metabolic rates are highest between 4-8 p.m. It is the best time to use all of that for weight lifting. So ummm, build muscle and use it to burn the fat? Starting to go in a circle here?

I have been on Atkins for 5 and 1/2 years and I will be doing it for the rest of my life. Thank God, I no longer allow the "experts' to scare me into eating low fat unhealthy food. Thanks to Dr. Atkins and other low carb/ketogenic adherents many of us have been able to reverse insulinema, balance our cholesterol and improve our immune system. I use no diet products, I eat real balalnced food and I have been able to say bye, bye migraines. Good bye achy joints and itchy skin. My kidneys are not falling out and my liver is sqeaky clean. Just had my sigmoidoscopy and my colon is clean. Low carb has been around for thousands of years. It's just in these days of commercialism, technology and media hype, we have to put a name to it . Back in the day it was just called...food. I don't want to risk losing my comment by posting links, so I just want to suggest two movies to add to the knowledge of low carb food 1. My Big Fat Diet and 2. First Do No Harm. Then tell me that low carb, Atkins, Protein Power etc. not healthy. It is not a fad, there are millions of people on this diet as we speak. To clarify any confusion...low carb does not mean no vegetables, no fruit. It means low carb everything. The majority of the planet's vegetables are low carb. Plus there are many fruit choices that are very low in carbs. By reducing, not removing, glucose that is overfilling our cells, we increase the body's ability to absorb nutrients.

This isn't the first longterm study. There have been many long term studies and just like the rest of them, this two will be swept under the carpet.

Thank You

I have been living the atkins life style for 2 1/2 years. In the first 10 months I lost 60lbs. I went from a size 16 to a size 4. Everyone kept telling me that me cholesterol was going to be off the charts. In march I had it checked by a dietitian. It was very low. She actually said it was excellent. I asked her why she thought it was low. She asked about my eating habits and I told her I had been following atkins. She said "well, there you go. That is the reason it is so low". I knew it myself, but to hear it from a dietitian, who's father is a doctor, was quite rewarding. What could be wrong with lean protein and veggies? If you really research it, like I did, and really follow it correctly, like I did, you will be very pleased with the results and the way you feel. Have your blood work done. Start atkins, do it right, and then have your blood work done 6-8 weeks later. Let the results be your decider. You are basically cutting out refined carbs. I think everyone agrees on that. Give it a try, it changed my life. You will gain the weight back if you go back to your old eating habits, but that will happen with any diet. It has to be a life style change.

Sweeny,
From my own personal experience with the low carb lifestyle, an Atkins style diet has helped me bring my triglycerides and my hyperlipidemia (I have a familial inherited hyperlipidemia) under control better than anything else I have ever tried, including medications (Tricor and Lipitor) and exercize.
A lot of people think that Atkins is about meat, eggs, and saturated fats. It's actually about protein, good fats, and high fiber nutrient dense foods. I eat more vegetables on Atkins (a helping with every meal: lots of cruciferous veggies, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, soy beans, green beans, some squashes, leaf vegetables) than most Americans eat on a daily basis. I primarily avoid processed carbohydrates, and foods with empty carbohydrates. To be honest, I don't worry about any fat content except trans-fats. I also eat on average 40 to 60 grams a day of fiber.
I went from triglycerides above 900 to triglycerides within the normal range. I went from a bad cholesterol of over 400 to a bad cholesterol of 113. Moreover, my good cholesterol went from 15 to 45. My average blood glucose level is steady at 100. I am not an anomaly.
I lost seventy pounds, which has enabled me to begin an exercize regime of walking and moderate aerobic exercize.
I did this all without experiencing *any* hunger pangs.
This study is one more study that flies in the face of the high carb low fat diet that has caused every civilization that has adopted it (Japan, China, the Inuit, Native Americans, Carib populations, native South Americans, indigenous Africans) heart disease and diabetes. Before the western style diet of processed wheat flower and sugar became widespread in China, heart disease and diabetes were *unknown*. The same goes for the Inuit, whose sustenance used to come almost entirely from animal products.
Someone (a doctor claiming public interest, but who I discovered was crusading on behalf of PETA) once said my example of the Inuit was flawed, because they suffer from a vitamin D deficiency. Of course they do, they live in an area of the world that receives limited sunlight, and because of temperature they are required to cover most of their skin most of the time (as you know the skin receiving adequate sunlight is responsible for the synthesis of vitamin D.)
As you rightfully point out, the best weight control is sensible portion control coupled with exercize. It is good to know, however, that other options exist to help people back towards that kind of lifestyle.
As for eating on Atkins, cheap meat works as well as expensive meat. Avoid pastas, processed sugars, processed foods in general, pre-made meals, read labels carefully, and you can find affordable food choices that still give your diet variety. I would like to see a modified version of the Atkins diet published somewhere that suggests healthier fats and alternate protein sources (simply because I find I like red meat less and less.) Still, it works just fine as it is.
Exercize and portion control are always preferable, and talk with your doctor before you start any "diet", but be as suspicious of the diet's rabid opponents as those who say it is the "only" solution. Both points of view should be questioned.
-Joe G.

I would not disagree with the fact that low-carbs does not make you lose weight entirely, and nor did I ever. Considering how bodybuilders in their last stages of preparation for competition cut out carbs entirely from their diet and switch to nothing but vegetables (fibrous carbs) and protein foods. So that does indeed show that low-carb helps weight loss. Its just my experience for 18 years in professional training now that the low fat always worked better and it to has been "Swept Under the Carpet". As mentioned though, different diets work for different people and in opinion they will always be neck and neck. The weight loss difference done in this study really, truly, honestly was not that significant. Last mention, I actually have seen both of those movies and many many more. I still stand by statement and in respect to yours also.

The editors made a mistake and misled readers when they accompanied the article with photos of steaks and burgers. The "Atkins" style diet used in the research was specifically described as urging dieters to choose vegetarian sources of fat and protein. That means more vegetables and less saturated fat, not what we think of as an Atkins diet. Be sure to read the Ornish companion to the study article. That article provides a more nuanced explanation of what is going on.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/146641

Now if this article calls the study bogus, which it very obviously is, why would MSN publish it on their front page? MSN needs a new editor or something, as this is makes their organization look less credible. If you have someone bashing the study for legitimate reasons, why print the study as if it is legitimate? Put a link to the story within the criticism, but don't run the actual study as if it is real...it looks terrible, and once you read the article that explains why the study is bogus, one realizes that the Atkins "study" wasn't really an objective test. It was nutritional propaganda. Atkins is bogus, diets are bogus. Get off your asses and work America, stop complaining about gas prices, and bike your fat asses to work. Kill two birds with one stone, gas crisis, and obesity crisis gone, like that...badabing...but NOOO, you all are lazy bastards. STOP COMPLAINING, AS YOU ARE MAKING US ALL LOOK BAD!

I am not a believer on any diet plan all that needs to be done is to eat properly, no fry or fatty foods, do not over eat no matter what type of food u consume and exercise daily for 30 minutes

Set aside from my professional opinion, I too would say to all the people "Blood, Sweat, and Tears". Do an actual work out, and besides, eating healthy is expensive.

In my unprofessional opinion if a person was looking at weight loss only it doesn't matter what they eat as long as they consume less calories than they burn. Calories are calories no matter what type of food a person eats. A person could lose weight eating nothing but candy bars as long as they consumed less calories than they burned.

I can't really see reducing my pasta intake, and increasing my pork chop intake, based on this study. One thing I did find interesting was that the Mediterranean diet emphasized olive oil and nuts. I have longed believed that olive oil is one key to good heart health.

I am very worried when people start talking about low carb diets, especially when they bring diabetics into the scenario. My brother and sister both have type one diabetes, so I know first hand how dangerous this disease is. There diet consists of regulating their carbs through out the day and eating enough so that they don't go into ketoacidosis or diabetic coma. Our bodies need carbs. Our brains main fuel is carbs, and if it doesn't get enough carbs than it will start breaking down protein. The protein that is broken down comes from our organs (heart, kidneys, etc) and will eventually cause ketoacidosis (for everyone not just those with diabetes) or shut our bodies down. If you don't have diabetes, the break down can give you the disease because it can break down your pancreas. The minimum amount anyone should have is 130 grams of carbs a day. PLEASE.. PLEASE.. Before you start any diet that is less than the minimum, consult your doctor or a nutritionist with a RN degree. Also, just so you know anyone can call themselves a nutritionist because the name is not federally regulated. In otherwords, your grocery store clerk or a 10 year old down the street can call themselves a nutritionist despite the fact they have not gone to school. My information comes from RN's, Doctor's, and a college nutrition course. Furthermore, I would look into new findings and see if they have been published in a scientific journal. If so, than the finding is legit because they have been tested by more than one clinical trial and more than one scientist. Also, look into the difference between clinical trials and case studies, you may be surprised at what type of testing is more reliable information.

Thank You very much winterrose for seeing the light. People are blind and so susceptible to modern day medicine and these @!$%#ty diets. It shouldn't even be called a diet, more like "Life Long Healthy Habits". Diets are temporary and people don't stick to them.

I HAVE TYPE I DIABETES AND USE AN INSULIN PUMP. FOR THAT REASON, I HAVE TO COUNT EVERY CARB THAT I EAT, AND MUST HAVE AN ACCURATE COUNT IN ORDER TO ADMINISTER THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF INSULIN.
I HAVE YET TO FIND ANY RESTAURANT WHERE I CAN GET A TRUE MEASURE OF THE CARBS IN ANY DISH. MOST EMPLOYEES DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. AS A RESULT, I VERY SELDOM EAT OUT.
IT IS HARD ENOUGH HAVING TO DEPRIVE MYSELF OF 80% OF THE FOODS THAT OTHERS CAN ENJOY, WITHOUT HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE ADDED FRUSTRATION OF EATING IN A RESTAURANT WHERE NOBODY CAN TELL ME HOW MANY CARBS ARE IN THE SALAD DRESSING OR ANY DISHES THEY SERVE.
I TRULY HOPE THAT RESTAURANT MANAGERS WILL TAKE NOTE OF THIS ARTICLE AND PROVIDE THIS NECESSARY INFORMATION. FOR ME, IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, NOT WEIGHT CONTROL.

I hate the low carb diet phase. What a boring way to live. Personally I want to eat healthy without limiting food groups, enjoy what I eat, and get a variety of foods to benefit my health.

Secondly this research is limited and bias. Plus if you look at cancer and colon cancer risks, kidney stones, and kidney failure, those are much higher in a high protein diet. Review scientific based articles on medline or the cancer society website for studys and research.

Please disregard. My son was just on the computer. Is there any way to delete these conversations?

People! Ride a bike, exercise, and you can eat what you want (for the most part). Life is good. Eat.