Bob in CT wrote:
:: On Thu, 03 Jun 2004 13:43:35 -0400, Steve
:: wrote:
::
::: Any opinions about whether or not what this guy has to say as being
::: true as well as the whole story?
:::
:: [cut]
:::
::: 2) A lot of the weight you drop while on a
::: low-carbohydrate diet is water weight. For every gram of
::: carbohydrate you ingest, about three to five grams of
::: water usually accompany it. By decreasing your
::: carbohydrate intake you naturally drop body water.
::: Although this may sound like a good idea, when you
::: resume eating carbohydrates you may find that your body
::: rebounds and retains excess water. The water retention
::: will dissipate after several days, but it wreaks havoc
::: on the dieter's mental state.
::
::
:: It's never wreaked havoc on mine.
::
::: 3) During the 70s, clinicians began noticing that people
::: that followed the Atkins' diet regained their weight
::: very rapidly once they ceased the diet. In fact, they
::: found the longer a person had been on the
::: low-carbohydrate diet, the more carbohydrate sensitive
::: they became.
::: Further, when this diet was combined with exercise it
::: caused people to become even more carbohydrate
::: sensitive. This could be the devastating pitfall,
::: because once the low-carbohydrate diet has ended, and
::: the person tries to resume eating carbohydrates, his
::: body tends to horde and store the carbohydrates as
::: opposed to using them for energy.
::: The person notices a fast accumulation of body water
::: that's followed by an abnormally fast body fat gain.
::: Although the water weight will eventually drop off, the
::: person notices that he gains body fat very easily, but
::: loses it more slowly in the future.
::
:: Can't say this is or isn't true.

That's bull****.

::
:::
::: 4) Carbohydrates provide a "protein sparing" effect.
::: Under normal circumstances protein serves a vital role
::: in the maintenance, repair, and growth of body tissues.
::: When carbohydrate reserves are reduced the body will
::: convert protein into glucose for energy.
::: This process is called gluconeogenesis. The price that's
::: paid is a reduction in the body's protein stores. In
::: other words muscle! All, in turn, causes the metabolic
::: rate to slow down as well.
::
:: This assumes you don't eat enough protein. If you eat enough
:: protein gor gluconeogenesis AND for the body, then you shouldn't
:: have muscle loss.
::
:::
::: 5) There's another problem that eating too little
::: carbohydrate creates. Your muscle fullness depends to a
::: large extent on your carbohydrate intake. Low
::: carbohydrate levels tend to make muscles lose their
::: density and flatten out.
::: Carbohydrates are a great source of fuel, so not eating
::: enough can lower your energy level and make your muscles
::: feel softer.
::
:: My muscles don't "feel softer".

The only thing I could possibly think he's getting at is at not being able
to get a pump in the gym, that that getting a pump means much.

::
:::
::: 6) These diets focus on the relationship between
::: carbohydrates and insulin (a hormone that shuttles fuel
::: into fat). However, their suggestion that insulin exerts
::: negative effects is not only misleading, it's downright
::: flawed.
::: Insulin does play a role in fat storage, but it also
::: causes glucose to be shuttled into muscle cells as well.
::: Our diets should keep blood levels of insulin as stable
::: as possible, not try to suppress its release.
::
:: Isn't keeping blood levels of insulin as stable as possible what a
:: low carb diet does?

Yes, but this fool doesn't understand why trying to avoid excessive insulin
production is important.

He is a moron.

Also, I think that after exercise, it's
:: beneficial to increase insulin in order to replenish carb stores.
::
:::
::: 7) On the flip side, you'd have to be totally
::: out-of-the-loop if you haven't heard that more fat
::: increases your risk of heart disease, cancer, and
::: obesity. Naturally, everyone wants to hear that they can
::: eat fats and lose weight. I guess if you want to look
::: good in your coffin, then it's okay with me.
::: I've always disagreed with the American Dietetic
::: Association and the idea that 30 percent fat is healthy.
::: I believe that a diet of 20 percent or less fat poses a
::: substantial health benefit as well as a reduced risk of
::: obesity.
::
:: I've seen a lot of data saying you're wrong -- high fat intake is
:: good. Moreover, I ate very low fat for a long time and developed
:: insulin resistance because of it. Additionally, eating my high fat
:: diet has raised my HDL, lowered my triglycerides, and improved my
:: Total Cholesterol/HDL ratio. I've also lost about 50 pounds.
::
:::
::: It amazes me that this diet is back. Are people's
::: memories really that short that they can't remember the
::: reason that the Atkins' diet vanished the first time?
::: Consider what bodybuilders learned years ago. During the
::: 70s and early 80s, every major bodybuilding competitor
::: dieted on a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, yet most of
::: them ended up very smooth and not very well defined.
::: The bodybuilders of the late 80s and 90s have improved
::: dramatically. By having a diet high in protein, low fat,
::: and moderate in carbohydrates, some of the best
::: physiques ever have been produced.
::
:: Isn't a low carb diet "moderate" in carbohydrates once maintenance is
:: reached? I've certainly increased my carb consumption over time.
::
::
::
:: --
:: Bob in CT
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