low carb diet

Over the weekend, I watched “Fathead”, a documentary produced in reaction to Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me”. This documentary completely challenged everything I knew about weight loss and heart disease, and was also incredibly informative and entertaining.
Tom Naughton, a stand-up comedian and computer programmer, set out to prove Morgan Spurlock wrong. Fast food can be part of a healthy diet. Tom decided that he’d eat fast food three times a day for a month, just like Spurlock…but he’d LOSE weight, not gain it.
According to the “Fathead” official site, the creators describe the film as a “delicious parody of Super Size Me…Naughton serves up plenty of no-bologna facts that will stun most viewers, such as: The obesity “epidemic” has been wildly exaggerated by the CDC. People the government classifies as “overweight” have longer lifespans than people classified as “normal weight.” Having low cholesterol is unhealthy. Lowfat diets can lead to depression and type II diabetes. Saturated fat doesn’t cause heart disease — but sugars, starches and processed vegetable oils do.”
Naughton’s plan was simple: maintain a caloric intake of 2000 calories per day while eating only fast food (and a couple of “Carb Options” snack bars.)
But you can’t just cut calories to lose weight. You need to be eating the correct types of food, and in the correct ratio. And you also need to take into account your hormones, particularly insulin. When insulin levels are up, you are more likely to store calories from food as fat, rather than burning them.
And what increases insulin levels? The consumption of sugars and carbohydrates. So Naughton decided that he’d limit both calories and carbs, ingesting 100 grams of carbohydrates per day.
While Morgan Spurlock gained 25 pounds in his 30 day fast food diet, Tom Naughton lost 12 pounds in just 28 days. His BMI dropped from 31.2 to 28.2, and cholesterol also improved. And that number is even more impressive when you hear what percentage of his calories came from saturated fats: a whopping 54%.
But saturated fats aren’t as bad as we’ve been conditioned to believe. Mother nature isn’t stupid. We prefer fatty foods because our bodies crave these foods, because we evolved to eat animal fats over millions of years. The diets of our ancestors were mostly meat-based, with a few fruits and veggies, and very few carbs…and they didn’t have a lot of heart disease. It wasn’t until the advent of agriculture that wheat and grains became a big part of our diet, and it wasn’t until several decades ago (when we started eating processed vegetable oils) that heart disease rates increased.
According to the lipid hypothesis, “Saturated fat raises cholesterol, and cholesterol causes heart disease.” But this hypothesis was based on skewed, outdated research. According to the doctors interviewed for “Fathead”, the lipid hypothesis is “bogus”. No medical studies have proved that a high-fat diet causes heart disease. In fact, several major medical studies have proved that high-fat diets have no link to heart attack rates.
Eating a diet rich in saturated fats has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels in your blood. And it isn’t cholesterol that causes clogs in your heart valves. Inflammation does. Cholesterol can build up on these inflamed parts of the heart as part of the healing process, but the root of heart disease is inflammation. And if you want to increase your HDL (good cholesterol), you need to eat more saturated fats. Bad cholesterol (small LDL) levels are increased by eating sugars and carbs.
Stress, elevated insulin levels, and smoking all cause heart disease. They also cause elevated levels of cholesterol, which is why people thought for so long that cholesterol caused heart disease, when really it is just a SYMPTOM of heart disease.
Processed vegetable oils and transfats are rich in Omega-6 fatty acids. And while your body needs a little of these fatty acids, too many cause stiffening of cell membranes and inflammation. You’re better off eating fries cooked in beef tallow or duck fat than fries cooked in vegetable oils.
So, in summation, here are Tom’s tips for losing weight and making your heart healthier:
1. Limit your calories to what is appropriate for your size and activity level.
2. Only eat natural fats, not transfats or processed vegetable oils (cook food in butter or coconut oil)
3. Limit your carb intake to 100 grams per day (not the 300 grams per day suggested by the FDA)
4. Get about 50% of your calories from saturated fats
5. Avoid foods with a high glycemic index (note that most unsweetened cereals still have a glycemic index rating that is higher than granulated sugar)
Follow these tips, and you’ll likely see the same success as Tom did.

Myth #1: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.
Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of these diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people quickly get tired of them and regain any lost weight.
Fad diets may be unhealthy because they may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate (more than 3 pounds a week after the first few weeks) may increase your risk for developing gallstones (clusters of solid material in the gallbladder that can be painful). Diets that provide less than 800 calories per day also could result in heart rhythm abnormalities, which can be fatal.
Tip: Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making healthy food choices, eating moderate portions, and building physical activity into your daily life is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. By adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits, you may also lower your risk for developing:
type 2 diabetes
heart disease
high blood pressure

Myth #2: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight.
Fact: The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet are unknown. But getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a balanced eating plan. You may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which may raise heart disease risk. You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may lead to constipation due to lack of dietary fiber. Following a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet may also make you feel:
nauseous
tired
weak
Eating fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day can lead to the buildup of ketones (partially broken-down fats) in your blood. A buildup of ketones in your blood (called ketosis) can cause your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a risk factor for gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones. Ketosis may be especially risky for pregnant women and people with diabetes or kidney disease.
Low Carb Diets And Arthritis
Tip: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are often low in calories because food choices are strictly limited, so they may cause short-term weight loss. But a reduced-calorie eating plan that includes recommended amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat will also allow you to lose weight. By following a balanced eating plan, you will not have to stop eating whole classes of foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—and miss the key nutrients they contain. You may also find it easier to stick with a diet or eating plan that includes a greater variety of foods.

Myth #3: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.
Fact: Many foods high in starch, are low in fat and calories such as:
bread
rice
pasta
cereals
beans
fruits
some vegetables (like potatoes and yams)
They become high in fat and calories when eaten in large portion sizes or when covered with high-fat toppings like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise. Foods high in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an important source of energy for your body.
Tip: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating 6 to 11 servings a day, depending on your calorie needs, from the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group—even when trying to lose weight. Pay attention to your serving sizes—one serving is equal to 1 slice of bread, 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal, or a cup of pasta, rice, or cooked cereal. Try to avoid high-fat toppings and choose whole grains, like:
whole wheat bread
brown rice
oatmeal
bran cereal
Choose other starchy foods that are high in dietary fiber too, like beans, peas, and vegetables.

Fruits rich in vitamin C – Citrus Fruits: like limes, lemons, oranges, guava, grapefruit, papaya, sweet lime, tangerines and tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C and fibre and have fat burning properties so they may be called as fat burners or fat fighters.
Vitamin C helps the body process fat faster and also stimulates the carnitine amino acid which speeds up the body’s fat-burning capacity.
Vitamin C dilutes the fat and makes it less effective and helps in releasing the fat from the body.
Apples: Pectin in apple restricts the cells to absorb the fat; and also encourages water absorption from the food which helps in releasing the fat deposits from the body. The antioxidants in apples may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat or an apple body shape.
Calcium Rich Dairy Products: Calcium in dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt act as fat burner that can boost weight loss by increasing fat breakdown in fat cells. According to Professor Michael Zemel at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, (Obesity Research, April 2004; vol 12; pp 582-590), a dairy-rich diet with same calorie restriction can nearly double the rate of weight and fat loss. Eating 3-4 servings of dairy products a day is more effective at enhancing weight loss efforts than calcium supplementation alone.
The researchers found:
Overweight people who consumed 3 servings a day of calcium-rich dairy lost more belly fat than those who followed a similar diet minus two or more of the dairy servings. The calcium supplements didn’t work as well as milk.
Nuts help feel full while also increasing the body’s ability to burn fat, says author Jordi Salas-Salvado of the University of Rovira i Virgili in Reus, Spain.
Chilies: Foods containing chillies or cayanne pepper are considered to be as foods that burn fat. Chillies contain capsaicin that helps in increasing the metabolism. Capsaicin is a thermogenic food, so it causes the body to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chilies.
Cardamom: Cardamom is a thermogenic herb like Capsaicin that increases metabolism and helps burn body fat.
Curry leaves (Curry Patta): Curry leaves flush out fat and toxins, reducing fat deposits in the body.
Garlic: Garlic contains the anti-bacterial sulphur compound allicin which helps reduce cholesterol and unhealthy fats, making it an effective fat-burning food.
Cabbage: Cabbage, raw or cooked inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat, making it good for weight reduction.
Proteins: Protein rich foods and high fiber foods are best foods burning belly fat. Protein needs more energy to digest than fat so eat low calorie dairy products, beans, whole grains, oatmeal, eggs, etc. as much as possible. Eggs contain vitamin B12, which helps the body in breaking down and burning the fat.
Lentils are high in protein and soluble fiber, two nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels, therefore lentils are a great tummy flattener,” according to Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of The F-Factor Diet.
Green Tea: Studies show that green tea revs up your metabolism, so drink several cups a day.
Fish oil: Fish oil supplements are a great way to shed pounds. A recent study found that fish oil is great for helping your body burn fat more efficiently.
You may lose up to 2 kg over 3 months.
Some of the other foods that may be included in the list are asparagus, beet root, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, chillies, beans, soybeans, sweet potatoes, blueberries and watermelon.
Honey: Honey mobilises the extra fat deposits in the body.
Avoid Salt and Sugar: Avoiding salt and sugar can shape you up very fast.
Note that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. This can be done by eating fat fighting foods and doing some physical activity. This will help your body burning up the excessive stored fat.

Flattening That Beer Belly It is not an impossible task. All it requires is determination and a little discipline. A few minor changes in your lifestyle will shrink your beer belly in a matter of months. You don’t have to go cold turkey on everything you enjoy. Just enjoy them in moderation and remind yourself that you want a flat stomach more than you want that extra slice of pizza.
Get Rid of the Beer Stop drinking beer. They call it a “beer belly” for a reason. Alcohol has a lot of empty calories that go straight to your gut. Cut out alcohol completely if you can. Otherwise, try an occasional light beer. If you keep chugging drinks, you will not lose your beer belly.
Eat Often It is counter-intuitive, but eating more often helps you lose weight. This is because a constant supply of food in your belly keeps your metabolism burning all day. These are not huge meals of cheeseburgers and fries. They are small snacks just large enough to fight off hunger. Six to ten of these per day will increase your metabolism and burn calories. The only time it is OK to eat more is at breakfast. A hearty breakfast reduces your appetite later in the day, and you have all day to burn it off.
Make Better Food Choices You don’t have to resort to salads every meal, but cutting down on certain foods will go a long way toward reducing your beer belly. Most men consume huge amounts of extra calories and fat without realizing it. Simple changes like skipping the mayonnaise and cheese on a sandwich or drinking water instead of a soft drink will make a big difference. Try to eat fewer fried foods and fatty meat. Skip the fries, chips and butter. Eat more high fiber foods like wheat bread, oatmeal and bran cereal that help you feel full. It doesn’t have to be a strict diet, but a few small changes will help shrink your beer belly without suffering too much.
Drink Lots of Water Have a water bottle with you at all times. Drink from it all day long. This will keep you hydrated and reduce hunger. Your entire digestive system works better when you drink more water.
Get Up and Move Around Now that you are consuming fewer calories, it is vital that you burn more as well. That way your body will burn those fat cells in your belly for energy. All it takes is some moderate activity. Get up and walk for an hour a day. Sit on a stationary bike while you watch TV. Go dancing. It can be any kind of exercise as long as it is on a regular basis. Try to do something every day.

Combining weight loss with eating out can be tricky, but if you have a few tricks up your sleeve you’ll find it is possible to enjoy meals out without blowing the diet.

Choose From the Menu Before You Go. You may be determined to stick to your diet before you go, but once you arrive at the restaurant and mouth-watering aromas fill your nostrils, it’s tricky staying on track. One solution is to make up your mind on what you should eat before you go to the restaurant. It may seem that it’s hard, because you don’t know what they have on the menu, but you can generalize food as meat, salads, sweets and others to make it easier.

Don’t Go to the Restaurant Hungry. Some people practically starve themselves throughout the day so they can get away with eating more in the evening. The problem with denying yourself food all day long is that when you do start indulging, it is very hard to stop – your body just wants to eat as it thinks you’ll go without food for a long period again. When on a diet, the best solution is to always have a small snack – this way you’ll never feel very hungry, especially when you go to a restaurant.

Watch Those Drinks. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that liquid doesn’t count. Some drinks are absolutely loaded with calories. That nice creamy liqueur at the end of the evening is one of the worst culprits. If you are having soft drinks stick to diet varieties, or water. If you are having alcohol, don’t have too much – alcohol may not have a lot of calories itself, but it’s certainly effective at making your stomach better at processing the food you eat and storing more fat than usual.

Think twice before eating the dessert. You’re on a night out and you want to enjoy yourself, right? If you love dessert then of course you should have it. One of the best ways to deal with dessert is to outright deny it, but of course, that doesn’t work most of the times, so what you can do is compromise and only have a small portion– no more, no less. To make it easier, you should take a 5-10 minutes pause after eating the dessert – a lot of the times, the craving for more will go away by itself!

It is definitely possible to eat while still being on a diet, the most important thing is to always remember that you’re keeping to one. By following the above advice, you can easily have an enjoyable dieting experience, lose weight and eat well at the same time.