Learning to Eat Well and Stay Healthy
howtoeatandlive.com
howtoeatandlive.com
Anyway, I don't want to argue or comment that certain foods are evil, carbs are bad and should be avoided, or about anything what Gary Taubes said or published. Everyone is different and different things work for different people. That said, I would like to link a very good post on Reddit with a list of studies that I think people should peruse and possibly reference for the future.
http://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/nv8ip/do_you_have_a...
Some highlights that might be of interest and relevance to the OP and comments:
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Calories
Detailed explanation of how calorie counts are derived, analysis of whether low-carb/high-protein diets can provide a metabolic advantage.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8561057
"We conclude that a calorie is a calorie."
Similar weight loss with low- or high- carbohydrate diets.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1734671
"The results of this study showed that it was energy intake, not nutrient composition, that determined weight loss in response to low-energy diets over a short time period."
Energy intake required to maintain body weight is not affected by wide variation in diet composition.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1734671
"Even with extreme changes in the fat-carbohydrate ratio (fat energy varied from 0% to 70% of total intake), there was no detectable evidence of significant variation in energy need as a function of percentage fat intake."
Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18025815
"This study showed that independently of the method for weight loss, the negative energy balance alone is responsible for weight reduction."
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Carb Timing:
Greater Weight Loss and Hormonal Changes After 6 Months Diet With Carbohydrates Eaten Mostly at Dinner
http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/oby2011...
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Fructose
The bitter truth about fructose alarmism
http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-ab...
Debunking Lustig and the fear of fructose. Health implications of fructose consumption: A review of recent data. No relevant data accounting for a direct link of moderate fructose and health risk markers.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21050460
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Glycemic Index
There are large problems with isolating foods cased on the glycemic index/load. First, food is rarely eaten in an isolated way. Fat, protein, fiber count, etc. will all slow down digestion. Second, there is evidence to support that it doesn't even make a difference in weight or blood markers.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17413101
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20504977
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16629877
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17923862
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17823436
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16177201
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12458971
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Vegetarians
Vegetarians have a reduced skeletal muscle carnitine transport capacity. Vegetarians have reduced muscle carnitine transport capacity . Carnitine helps fat burning and build bone.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21753065
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(I hope I did this right so it's formatted in a legible way.)
Edit: formatting and added a couple more links.
A lot of the confusion also has to do with people treating their diet as religion. Also, there's a lot of misinformation from the government (the normal Food Pyramid is the worst thing to follow if you need to lose weight), and as a result lots of conflict with popular wisdom. As such, when someone gives advice that is different from the norm, people immediately shoot it down as just a fad.
I used to live next to a rehab center here in Norway. They used to take in a lot of traffic accident victims, but had recently started taking in obese people.
Their focus was on making permanent changes to their day to day routine. Reintroduce the home cooked meal with plenty of vegetables and little fat. Getting away from the processed foods and especially sugar contents. I remember on an open presentation I attended that they explained how a packet of cookies contained as much energy as an entire dinner, and if you ate it quick enough almost all of it would simply go to fat storage because you couldn't possibly use all that energy fast enough unless you were running the entire time.
They said the key to weight loss is not to focus on the weight loss but rather on permanent changes to your diet and lifestyle. Make vegetables, salads and fiber the norm, not the exception. But this usually requires managing the rest of your life better. All it takes is a tough week at work for you to go back to frozen pizza and soda, and never turn back.
My family switched to a Pescetarian diet (vegetarian, but with some seafood). Even totally enjoying my food, I started to lose more weight than I wanted to so I added a fourth meal most days and my weight stabilized where I want it (I am 6'4" tall, and my preferred weight is 200 pounds).
Also, I personally love carbs: I eat lots of cauliflower, carrots, some pasta and whole wheat bread. It is a matter of seeing what diet works for you as an individual.
This is the what I did as well, dropped 25 pounds from 200 to 175 over a few months. And gained 5 back when I started eating more breads again.
I'm not sure what new topics are going to be covered as the evils of refined foods and bad carbohydrates have been rehashed since The Zone almost 20 years ago, but I'm glad to see Jeremy reiterating the success he had for others to follow. I'd be curious if there will be a section on stamina - I still crave my evil carbos at the holidays.
I've never had a weight problem, though in 2002 I started eating more healthfully (inspired by "whole foods", paleo, etc to try to get more energy and be healthier) and I actually dropped 30+ pounds. I was not even trying to lose weight and basically ate whatever I wanted that fit into a "whole foods" diet. I've remained a thundering, intimidating 150 lbs for years. :)
But I'd submit that's an indictment against the standard diet, not the "- carbs". It's taken me a while to work out how to deal with the correct diet longterm, but it has involved using a lot more oils (sesame, olive, etc), more butter, more oriental ingredients, and learning a lot more about French cooking. And you have to erase the last vestiges of the false idea that fat is bad, and realize that low-fat is bad and is the fad diet, and it should be entirely stomped out of your dietary plans. Now I don't have problems eating properly for years without backsliding; as tempting as the carbs can be, they just aren't as good as what I'm making myself. They're a hollow pleasure.
It makes me sad to read all of these posts because, without any exaggeration, I find bread to be one of the best pleasures in life, and living off sandwiches means it constitutes a fair amount of my diet.
If only living healthily didn't involve so much work, like actually learning how to take care of yourself, i.e. cooking, exercising regularly, etc.
Now all you have to do is decide whether the quality-of-life for your next few decades is worth the trouble of doing a bit of reading, such as half an hour a day for a few weeks or so... and trying the game challenge of seeing if and how much you can affect change in your home-grown lifestyle habits, you know, just for kicks.
Somewhat tempering my approach is the fact that I don't really believe they can be 100% evil. Like alcohol, we've been consuming bread for thousands of years. Like alcohol, I bet you can consume a certain amount of the right types without a significant penalty.
It's not a diet, but a life style change. I recommend it to anyone willing to try it.
http://examine.com/faq/what-should-i-eat-for-weight-loss.htm...
Here is a detailed debunking of Taubes science.
http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2011/08/carbohydrate-h...
The only known benefit of a low carb diet is that some people are more willing to stick to it than other types of diets.
Out of curiousity I clicked on one of the articles you linked to: "...during a 6-wk period of hospitalization. Consequently, 43 adult, obese persons were randomly assigned to receive diets containing 4.2 MJ/d (1000 kcal/d) composed of either 32% protein, 15% carbohydrate, and 53% fat, or 29% protein, 45% carbohydrate, and 26% fat."
A 6-week period with only 43 participants? ...how does this get published?
I'm not saying this study is the answer, nor does the study attempt to claim that. But to declare it as unworthy of publishing seems extreme.
The way this works is you have to show even one study that contradicts the 17 other studies.
Oh there is one - except it was funded by the Atkins Co.
Either way, to each their own. My research and experience has led me in a certain direction, and the results in my personal health and those around me have been fantastic. In all actuality only time will tell. Obviously the state of current knowledge in the area is widely inconclusive. Best of luck to you.
Taubes google talk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6vpFV6Wkl4
I've certainly never encountered it. In my experience, people who consume insufficient amounts of carb heavy food tend to be quite thin (Maharashtra, for example - all carbs, and not very many of them).
- Kitesurf lots (really fun and uses a lot of energy)
- Swim lots (if there was no wind)
- Never eat processed foods.
- Drink a pint of milk before and after exercise sessions.
Going to the gym demoralised me. Kitesurfing is addictive. I think finding a form of exercise you love is akin to finding a job you love. When you love something you want to do more of it.
If you have to force yourself to go to the gym you will fail. I want to go swim because I have nearly drowned kitesurfing big waves in Ireland and never want to experience that again. These external pulls and internal pushes are what keep me fit. Not a New Year's Resolution.
Just as a caution though, if anyone is reading this and is on the fence about taking up exercise and starting going to the gym, please give it a shot and don't assume you'll be demoralized. You never know until you try.
For me, going to the gym turned out to be quite moralizing, as it put me in that "exercise mode" (surrounded by exercisey stuff). I also associated it with getting better/fitter, so going to the gym == improvement == positive feelings.
Some of my friends hate running and love biking. I love running. If you told me 3 years ago that I'd be saying that last thing, I would be laughing in your face in disbelief. But you never know till you try.
That is the best reason to go.
Wouldn't you be more likely to regurgitate your stomach's contents by drinking milk before exercise?
I have some bad experiences from eating and then exercising...
If you look at the recommended macro percentages (carbs/fat/protein) for pre/post workout drinks milk matches it almost exactly and is typically cheaper than protein shakes.
Wouldn't you be more likely to regurgitate your stomach's contents by drinking milk before exercise?
Believe or not, your body can learn to deal with it. Look at ultra-marathoners who can eat pizza while on the run.
At the end of 2009 I dropped form 240lb to 180lb by a combination weight training and switching to a low-carb high protein diet for 6 days a week with the 7th day being a pigout (to trick your metabolism out of starvation mode).
I managed to maintain my weight around 185lb throughout 2010. With a big drop in the summer (cycling a total of 70km every day to work and back works wonders).
The problem is that the diet is really hard to stick to, so in 2011 I gradually switched back to a mixed diet. Which meant that sweet stuff was back on the agenda.
Fast forward to 2012 and I'm back at 230lb (although more muscular). I'm switching back to a health diet but I'm not cutting the carbs as much.
This time I'll eat more low GI carbs and less protein. Going for something similar to what Jeremy is doing (eating better, but nice food).
(Shameless Plug Warning!) Relating to a healthy & fit lifestyle, I have been working on a side project to help people stay fit, happy, and healthy at their desk during the workday and was created out of my own need & desire to not have a lifetime of working at a desk affect my body & mind too much. The 'nutrition' portion of the app is forthcoming, but it's 80% complete and I encourage everybody to do your body a favor and check it out! (http://www.fitbolt.com/)
Of course, these are 'simply' obstacles to be aware of and problems to go around, not something that stop you in your tracks.
An interesting article on the topic: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magazine/tara-parker-pope-...
1. Extreme weight loss 2. No control 3. Recipients re-gain some weight with no more oversight.
Shocking!
This.
A few more tips:
1. Eat more frequently. 5-7 small meals of high quality foods each day.
2. Aim for 90% compliance to the diet. Eat clean foods 90% of the time, have a "cheat" meal once or twice a weak. Good for your sanity and metabolism.
Of course, if your diet doesn't satisfy you and keeps you hungry between meals, then frequent healthy meals and snacks might be a better option to, as you say, reduce temptation to eat bad stuff. Try both, figure out what works.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/01/04/new-evoluti...
It's a lot to read, but this article explains it: http://gettingstronger.org/diet/
Basically, we need to gradually give up snacking if we want to lose weight, then just stick to 3 meals a day, and if you're ambitious do intermittent fasting.
Basically you can feast on as much food as desired and even any kinds of carbs etc. and never get too fat / always stay skinny! Quite amazing. Now calories-in-vs-out still holds but no-one on intermittent fasting will consistently eat 3000-5000 calories day in, day out -- plus the body is tuned and trained to burn body fat for energy on a daily -- daily -- basis.
For me, trying to eat 5-7 small meals a day is like asking an alcoholic to go to a bar 5-7 times a day but only order Pepsi. Also, people were always telling me that I should eat a good breakfast and lunch so that I wouldn't be as hungry at dinner time but that's not how it turned out for me. I ate the same amount at night regardless of what I ate before.
From a compliance stand point it has worked well; even though I don't eat during the day, I don't eat any more than usual at night. I do get some hunger pangs around 11 but they go away after a little while. It also feels good to be able to exert some control over a part of my life that I have struggled with.
Note this is not a health hazard as long as daily nutrient and caloric needs are met every day.
Working out daily in a fasted state, starting the feasting-phase as soon as possible after the work-outs.
Losing 45 lbs is a lot of work. After all that, how can you gain 35 lbs and not notice or try not to counteract it? I weigh myself a couple of times a week and it's easy to keep a running average of that. 5 lb variation is noise, but when you're starting to hit 10+, you should be taking notice.
I am assuming the OP exercises (as that's KEY to keeping weight off). You need to treat it like a feedback cycle: are you starting to gain a little? Ok, then be a little more cognizant of what you eat (cut down amounts, leave that last bite on the plate, really make sure you don't eat candy or soda) and crank up the energy expenditure and exercise (try to walk an extra couple of miles extra couple of days a week, make sure you take the stairs every time, etc).
Calorie counting is a great tool, but is inadequate because your metabolism changes as you attempt to lose weight. Your body resists change. It's also difficult to truly estimate your caloric expenditure in a given day. Your daily pattern of activity may have changed slightly in a way that you now burn 100-200 fewer calories--that can add up.
Carbs are not the root of all evil and many factors affect your hunger and metabolism. Here's a great science-sourced article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/fitness/exercise/... -- e.g. "the results showed the best predictor of weight loss was how closely the subjects had managed to stick with their prescribed diet"
Also, studies suggest that the more you exercise, the less diet matters: http://sweatscience.com/the-more-you-exercise-the-less-diet-...
So, make sure you're out there burning those calories. And follow the "feedback cycle" model. Weigh and react.
If you're eating 6,500 calories per day in lean meats, fish, nuts, vegetables and fruit, I absolutely guarantee you will become fat without rigorous physical activity.
Calories in/calories out is what matters when it comes to weight. If your concern is cholesterol or blood sugar, on the other hand, your diet and genetics play a huge role in that.
Let's not forget about the teacher who ate nothing but Twinkies and cupcakes for several weeks and lost a tremendous amount of weight and lowered his cholesterol.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/...
Now, I'm not suggesting that anyone go on a Twinkie diet, but the biggest takeaway from what that professor did is that the amount of calories you consume is important when it comes to weight loss, and subsequently lowering cholesterol.
Here's his google talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6vpFV6Wkl4
On a personal note, I lost 40 lbs and I eat far more calories now than I did before. Open you mind for a bit and really watch that video, you might be convinced that what you think about calories are all wrong. I certainly changed what I thought was true as fact.
I take it you're kidding, so I'll treat it as such. Taubes, and only Taubes, has blamed refined carbohydrates as the single and absolutely positive source for all our dietary-related maladies. Clearly, you chose to ignore the example of the professor who went on the Twinkie diet.
For 10 weeks, the professor had a "steady stream of Hostess and Little Debbie snacks, Haub munched on Doritos chips, sugary cereals and Oreos, too." His body mass index dropped to healthy weight, his bad cholesterol went down 20% and good cholesterol went up 20%, and his triglycerides were cut by 39% -- these are not inconsiderable numbers.
Again, I'm not preaching that diet--I'd never do it myself. However, it is direct, physical proof that Gary Taubes is wrong.
Also, consider that the regions on the planet with the most centenarians (people who live to be 100 or more) are the same regions where bread, pasta and rice intake are high.
and a little advice, try to eat low glycemic indexed foods all the time, they will make you feel full all the time and they are generally quality food that everyone needs to have. Plus, you will not have to take in-between meals 'cause you won't be hungry ; )