High Carb Low Carb, Who's Right?
Are you frustrated and confused about your diet? Have you tried the low-carb diets and the high-carb diets yet only experienced good results at first and then the weight loss stopped? Do you crave sweets, lack energy at times and often feel moody or even depressed? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then this article is for YOU...
In 1978 I physically collapsed. I was training at my local fitness club one afternoon when suddenly, in the middle of an exercise I ran out of gas. And when I say I ran out of gas I mean my energy level took an instant vacation that suddenly left me feeling totally exhausted. Later I was to discover that I was suffering from a prediabetic condition medically termed as "reactive hypoglycemia". This condition left me feeling exhausted, mentally confused, moody, tired and an emotional wreck! This affliction was so devastating to me that I had to find a way to reverse this blood sugar disorder and regain my good health. So I dropped my ego, put my hands together and asked for help...
I Discovered a Miracle...
I prayed and I prayed hard, to be shown the truth about diet and health so I could end my "blood sugar disorder". And my bargain was that if I was shown the truth, I would spend my life sharing that truth with the world. And my prayers were answered and more! In fact, you might call what I discovered a "miracle"...
Fat Burning Secret Discovered...
Through constant research, and using my body as a human laboratory, I discovered the secret to ending my bout with hypoglycemia was to lower my intake of carbohydrates and allow my body to burn fat as it's primary fuel source. Yes, my friends, I discovered the "real" secret to burning fat! But my discovery was not politically correct with what was being nutritionally taught in America; in fact, I was completely going against the grain altogether...
Americans Became Fatter Than Ever...
From the late 1970s until around the mid 1990s, America was predominantly following a high-carbohydrate, low fat diet that was supposed to make fat melt away like magic. Unfortunately, during that time-period, Americans became fatter than ever! Why? Because excessive consumption of carbohydrate foods stimulate the release of a hormone called insulin which has four primary jobs: 1) to stop you from burning fat; 2) to allow you to burn glucose as energy; 3) to help you store excess glucose as glycogen (muscle starch for later use); and 4) to convert excess blood sugar into
fat...BODY FAT! So when America cut calories on a low fat, high carbohydrate diet it was a disaster that ended-up making Americans fatter than ever! And basically America's "weight problem" was primarily caused by the
over consumption of carbohydrates.
America Started Losing Weight Rapidly...
By the mid 1990s Americans realized that carbohydrates were addictive and fattening so a switch was made back to the extremely popular low-carb, high-fat diets that were originally introduced by an American doctor in 1972. And lo-and-behold, America started losing weight rapidly, but then the trouble began...
Weight Loss Slowed to a Grinding Halt...
At first the low-carb diet worked like magic, but then suddenly, for many individuals, the weight loss slowed to a grinding and frustrating halt. And the same pattern was noticed in the 1980s when so many people jumped on the bandwagon with the low-fat dieting which gave quick but temporary results. What is the problem? Why did each of these diets work at first and then failed in the long-run? Who is right; low-carb or high-carb? In reality, BOTH are right yet both are dead wrong! Let me explain...
The Body's Fuel of Choice is FAT...
Your brain loves to burn glucose (blood sugar) and your muscles love fat, especially your heart muscle. In fact, fat is the only fuel used by your heart. Your muscles also love blood sugar as fuel when it makes quick moves and explosive motions (like heavy weight training) where the conversion of fat to ATP (adenosine triphosphate) takes too long. So in reality, your body actually prefers to have glucose AND fat at its fingertips for energy. And here lies the answer to our diet question, "Which diet is best; high-carb or low-carb?" And the answer is; "A UNIQUE combination of the two!" Please hear me out...
Fat Falls Off Quickly at First...
When a person begins to follow a low-fat, high carbohydrate diet, calories are lowered and the fat falls off quickly at first. But because the diet is carbohydrate based, glycogen levels are almost always full, so any excess calories and carbohydrate is routinely converted to triglyceride (which is a fancy name for fat), that will soon be deposited in your fat cells as
BODY FAT! Carbohydrates eaten in excess, as on a high-carb diet, stimulate the consistent production of insulin which TOTALLY blocks your body's ability to burn fat and later will help store the excess carbohydrate as fat. Hence, the person loses weight at first, then may gain weight later as carbohydrate addiction sets in. But the low-carb diet is not any better...
Your Body is Burning Fat Exclusively...
When a person begins to follow a low-carbohydrate diet, the weight can fall off dramatically because insulin is in check and your body is forced to use fat as its primary fuel source. But, because the carbohydrate content is low, eventually your body will run out of glycogen, which is a carbohydrate reserve stored in your muscles. Once glycogen levels are depleted your body makes a radical shift into a state called ketosis, which means your body is burning fat EXCLUSIVELY. But before you jump to the conclusion that ketosis is the ultimate means of burning fat, let me offer you the downside...
Your Metabolism Shuts Down...
Ketosis is a radical fat burning state, but it is not (in my opinion) the best way to burn fat for a lifetime. Having worked with thousands of individuals in my 20+ year career as a fitness professional, consultant, personal trainer, nutritional counselor and gym owner, ketosis is great for burning fat for only very short periods of time. Eventually, if a person stays in ketosis the body can get nervous because it believes you are starving, due to an extremely low carbohydrate intake. And when the body gets nervous about starving, many times its first reaction is to shut down your metabolism. And a lowered metabolism spells disaster...
Your Body Temperature May Plunge as Metabolism Goes Down...
Without glycogen reserves, the body is assuming that food is scarce, so it shuts down to preserve your life in case of famine. This is easily detected by taking your body temperature during the day. Your temperature should be around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit if your metabolism is up to speed. If your body believes you are starving either through low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb , or low-protein intake (or all of the previous), then it shuts down and your body temperature reflects this by dropping. The longer you diet the lower your temperature (metabolism) may plunge. Midday readings of 96 or 97 degrees can often mean your metabolism is in super slow motion and will force your body to hang on to all of its fat reserves. And if your metabolism stays low, you may even start to gain weight on low calorie meals. So now you see the problem unveiled. But what is the solution? That's an easy one...
You Need a Diet that Targets Your Own Bodyfat and Keeps Your Metabolism Stoked...
In 1991 I created my now famous diet program, "The Fat Burning Diet". At first it was laughed at because it radically cut out carbohydrates and emphasized the need for protein. Remember, this was during the zenith of the high-carb, low-fat era, so I got zero support in the beginning. There was also one other facet of my diet that made it unique...
Every few days the dieter was encouraged to utilized a high carbohydrate meal or series of meals to replenish glycogen and stop their metabolism from shutting down. This was a new twist that no other book
ever really addressed. In reality, The Fat Burning Diet is really a low-carb-high-carb diet that gives a person the best of both worlds, thus keeping them burning fat and their metabolism stoked for a lifetime.
If you are tired of failing on your diet and exercise program, then try my high-carb/low-carb Fat Burning Diet. It is easy and fun to follow and will give you results and good health for a lifetime.
References
| 1. |
G.S. Ellis, Ph.D., Control of Food to Make Energy, March, 1991. |
| 2. |
Wurtman,
J.J., Ph.D., Managing Your Mind and Mood Through Food, p.p. 21-23. Rawson Associates, 1986. |
| 3. |
Cahill, G. and Aoki, T.T. Medical Times 98 (1970). |
| 4. |
Dr. C. Igram, Eat Right or Die Young, p.p. 68-69, Literary Visions Inc., 1989. |
| 5. |
B. Sears, Ph.D., The Mythology of High Carbohydrate Diets, p.p. 12-13, Let's
Play Magazine, Oct. 1991. |
| 6. |
Wilson,
E.D., M.D., Wilson's Syndrome, p.p. 119-123, Cornerstone Publishing Company, 1993. |
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