Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Living Well with the Carrie Connection

There are recommended weight loss practices that have been endorsed by dietitians, physicians and exercise physiologists for years. None of them are a quick fix. The result of following a regimen of a low-fat, low-calorie diet combined with exercise has been scientifically shown to lead toward sustained weight loss.

Though there are countless numbers of products advertised for weight loss, a high protein, low carbohydrate diet has attracted major publicity recently. The Sugar Busters! diet and Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution are two of the most popular high-protein diets on the market. Both diets tell you to limit carbohydrate foods to a very low amount, while allowing you to eat unlimited amounts of fat and protein. Fruits and vegetables are also limited in both diets, because, according to the authors, these foods have too many carbohydrates.

The body's preferred source of fuel is glucose (made from carbohydrate). Glucose gives us quick energy, especially for our muscles and the brain. When glucose is unavailable, our body resorts to other sources for energy, namely fats. But fats are only used efficiently when some carbohydrate is present.

Harmful side-effects of using fats for energy include fatigue, dizziness, lack of sleep and irritability. In addition, the most common side effect is diminished appetite, which could explain how people on this diet are losing weight.

It may seem that these diets produce a more rapid weight loss than traditional diet recommendations, but it is not known exactly how much of the weight loss is from muscle, fat or water. Experts believe, however, that approximately one-half of the weight people lose on these diets is from water weight. For that reason drinking lots of water is strongly encouraged on these diets to prevent dehydration.

Other dangers associated with high protein diets may be kidney problems, dehydration and development of osteoporosis. These diets restrict a variety of foods, including many vegetables and fruits.

This advice basically ignores the fact that these foods provide many vitamins and minerals. In addition the Sugar Busters! diet does not promote regular exercise, which is a key element leading to sustained long-term weight loss.

Restrictive diet regimens like these are prone to failure since dieters get bored with their diet and return to their old eating habits and gain the weight back they had lost.

When choosing a weight management program, avoid those that have one or more of the following red flags: (adapted from the 10 Red Flags of Junk Science, FANSA Sept. 1995):

Recommendations that promise a quick fix.

Severe warnings of danger from a single product or regimen.

Claims that sound too good to be true.

Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex research study.

Recommendations based on just a single study.

Drastic statements refuted by other scientific organizations.

Lists of good' or bad' foods.

Recommendations that try to promote a product.

Recommendations not promoted by peer review.

Recommendations that ignore differences in people or groups.

For a healthy, effective weight control program contact the Nevada County Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas, to participate in its NoonLiting or RESHAPE YOURSELF weight loss programs.