| Dr Andrew Binns, There seems to be a relentless number of new diets out there in the market place, with each promoter eager to extract dollars out of vulnerable people desperate to lose weight. The latest fashionable diets are a rehash of some past diets - just repackaged. The Atkins Diet is back, as is the Beverley Hills diet. They have been joined by the Zone Diet, Sugar Busters, Protein Power and many others pushing the high protein, low carbohydrate and high fat diets.
Paradoxically one of the main problems with these diets is that they work, but only in the short term. To really evaluate a diet we need to look at what the weight is after one or more years. Dieters, particularly when a diet is hard to sustain, will eventually come off the diet and regain the weight very quickly, often with a bonus. Some people battle with going on and off diets throughout their lives only to find that as time goes by the weight goes up and down with a rising average.
Why do people lose weight initially?
The actual calorie intake of these diets tends to be below the normal calorie intake and weight loss is to be expected. Low carb diets also result in the liver compensating for the low carbohydrate intake by breaking down muscle tissue to produce glucose. Glycogen will be lost from the muscle and water will be depleted in the process causing more weight loss. Side effects apart from dehydration include light headedness, loss of appetite, constipation, fatigue, low blood pressure particulary when standing, taste changes, halitosis and altered blood biochemistry.
The other problem with these diets is the higher fat intake. This is against all recommendations for measures to reduce heart disease and is conducive to obesity, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Measures that can be used to beat the bulge without dieting
The idea is to develop a lifetime eating plan that is low in fat (30-50gm) particularly the saturated fats found in fatty meat, dairy products and pastries. That means eating small amounts of lean meat, using low fat dairy products and generally reducing junk foods including fast foods, biscuits, cakes, pastries, crisps and fatty snack foods. Eat plenty of high carbohydrate foods such as legumes, wholegrain breads, oats and other wholegrain products, pasta, fruits and vegetables.
The other side of the energy equation also needs to be addressed namely, increasing the level of physical activity. Avoid fad diets like the plague and begin to manage your energy balance a bit like your bank balance ie know what goes in and what you are spending (burning up) and keep things in healthy balance.
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