The reason fad diets never seem to work out is because most of them get people hooked on the idea of losing weight without changing their lifestyle. Taking shortcuts never works when you are trying to lose weight, and people jump from one diet to the next try to avoid the inevitable fact that you can’t eat whatever you want and get away with it.
High protein and low carb diets have been around for a while, but only recently became popular. Why the sudden interest? Probably because most people didn’t know about them until the fat free craze died down. All of sudden, everyone was running around afraid to eat a carbohydrate without getting the facts first.
High protein and low carb diets will make you lose weight quickly, but in a very unhealthy way. Carbohydrates are converted by the body into glucose, which is the optimal fuel for the body. One of the reasons you lose weight on a high protein and low carb diet is that when the body is deprived of glucose from carbs, it must get fuel from fat, which makes you lose weight.
Since you are no longer supplying the body with a steady source of glucose, the body begins using glycogen in the muscles. When glycogen is taken from muscle tissue, water is also released. The quick weight loss experienced is from the breakdown of muscle to get to the glycogen, and the accompanying water release. The more water you lose, the more weight you lose. The downside is dehydration and loss of muscle.
As muscle is lost, you lose strength. Fat and protein fuel, are not as efficient as carbohydrate fuel. Athletes and people on the go will struggle to find energy on this type of diet. You have to either be a couch potato, or willing to give up all the activities you enjoy in life in order to feel fulfilled on this diet.
That’s just the beginning, though. The high animal protein foods recommended for these high protein and low carb diets (red meat, bacon, ham, etc.) contribute to heart disease, immune dysfunction, colon and reproductive cancer, prostate enlargement, arthritis and diabetes to name only a few. Why would anyone want to risk their health in such a way just to lose a few pounds?
And as if all this is not bad enough, animal foods contain substances which are not conducive to good health: growth hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides to name a few. The fact that these programs allow you to eat all you want is not good advice. Never trust a diet that gives you the green light to eat ten pounds of bacon, then says an apple is unhealthy. New diets may be appealing, but you have to use a little common sense too.
On the carbohydrate side of the equation, there are simple carbs (good as in fruits and veggies) and complex”carbs (bad, as in grain products). Good carb foods have soluble fiber that slows the absorption of sugar into the cells, which results in less triglycerides being produced and stored as fat. Fruits and vegetables have high water content foods as compared to animal foods. The more water your food contains, the better.
Despite these concerns, there are healthy and safe ways to lose weight and keep it off without the unbalanced equation of a high protein and low carb diets which affects your health. What you want to do first is forget about the current fads and diets you see on magazine stands and television. They are there to sell you something, and it is not good health.
As an alternative, seek out a credible and proven weight loss program with a focus on cellular nutrition that encourages the importance of eating healthy fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Soy-based protein meal replacement shakes are the best way to get the nutrition your body needs while allowing you to lose weight. Imagine drinking a 180 calorie shake that privides you with 2,000 calories worth of nutrition. You can easily begin to see how effective it is for losing weight.
Two things high protein and low carb diets won’t provide you with is a personal coach to make sure you get results, and a money back guarantee if it doesn’t work for you. With so many options and fads out there, it is wise to protect yourself in these ways so your efforts do fall to the wayside.
No matter how you chose to lose weight, always remember there are no shortcuts to proper nutrition and keeping your weight off for good. A willingness to lead a healthy lifestyle must be considered and executed. Otherwise you will find yourself jumping from one fad, like the high protein and low carb diets, to the next diet for the rest of your life without seeing successful results.