Which diet is better?

[ElfiePoo 109]

I pulled this from one of my favorite authors, Gary Taubes:

"Instead of thinking of low-carbohydrate diets like Atkins as deadly, which was formerly the case, nutritionists and dietitians (or at least most of them) now think of these diets as useful, just as other diets, low in calories or fats, are also useful. The idea now is that some people do well on carbohydrate-restricted diets and some people do well on low-fat diets, and maybe this is a result of whether they happen to be insulin sensitive or insulin resistant or maybe its just a product of their particular food tastes and preferences. And this belief, of course, is based on the notion that we get fat for reasons other than the nutrient composition of the diet – probably because of some combination of our genes, our tendency to eat to much and our sedentary behavior – and so the diet that works best is the one that allows us to most comfortably restrict our intake of total calories.

This was the conclusion, for instance, of a 2008 article by Chris Gardner and his colleagues at Stanford, reporting on a subgroup analysis of their famous A to Z study. (The trial is famous, at least, in the low-carb world, because the Atkins diet resulted in twice the weight loss of any of the three other diets tested, and it also did a better job of improving heart disease risk factors). In this follow-up study, Gardner and his colleagues reported that in each diet group — from the Atkins diet on the high end of the dietary fat to carbohydrate ratio to the Ornish diet on the low end — the subjects who actually adhered to the diet lost the most weight. Hence, their conclusion: maybe adherence to a diet is more important than the actual nutrient composition of the diet."

My note: Hard to argue with that last sentence!

.

[Sperry 1]

I pulled this from one of my favorite authors, Gary Taubes:

"Instead of thinking of low-carbohydrate diets like Atkins as deadly, which was formerly the case, nutritionists and dietitians (or at least most of them) now think of these diets as useful, just as other diets, low in calories or fats, are also useful. The idea now is that some people do well on carbohydrate-restricted diets and some people do well on low-fat diets, and maybe this is a result of whether they happen to be insulin sensitive or insulin resistant or maybe its just a product of their particular food tastes and preferences. And this belief, of course, is based on the notion that we get fat for reasons other than the nutrient composition of the diet – probably because of some combination of our genes, our tendency to eat to much and our sedentary behavior – and so the diet that works best is the one that allows us to most comfortably restrict our intake of total calories.

This was the conclusion, for instance, of a 2008 article by Chris Gardner and his colleagues at Stanford, reporting on a subgroup analysis of their famous A to Z study. (The trial is famous, at least, in the low-carb world, because the Atkins diet resulted in twice the weight loss of any of the three other diets tested, and it also did a better job of improving heart disease risk factors). In this follow-up study, Gardner and his colleagues reported that in each diet group — from the Atkins diet on the high end of the dietary fat to carbohydrate ratio to the Ornish diet on the low end — the subjects who actually adhered to the diet lost the most weight. Hence, their conclusion: maybe adherence to a diet is more important than the actual nutrient composition of the diet."

My note: Hard to argue with that last sentence!

.

[Sperry 1]

Now I found that when I follow the Adktin guidelines I loss weight ...I eat bacon and egg for Breakfast and just meat for dinner i loss.....

[HeatherinCA 10]

Yea it's about sticking to something you can follow for the rest of your life.. which usually isn't a fad diet.

[vlp1968 83]

I totally agree it's a matter of finding a healthy food plan that works for you. If you eat less calories than you burn, you will loose weight. I did a low fat and low carb diet when I was loosing. I ate lots of lean protien, non-starchy veggies, berries (low in carbs for fruit) low fat cheese sticks, some nuts. I lost 107 pounds in about 10 months. Just my experience, hope it helps.

[ElfiePoo 109]

Now I found that when I follow the Adktin guidelines I loss weight ...I eat bacon and egg for breakfast and just meat for dinner i loss.....

Steph...just to clarify...if you aren't eating vegies, then it's not Atkins. I know some people think I'm beating a dead horse, but it's innocent comments like this that lead people to the wrong assumption as to what Atkins is. Please understand, I'm not making a judgment on your eating plan...whatever works for you and I know many people doing well on a paleo diet (which is what you're doing if you're only eating meats)...but it's not Atkins.

[Humming Bird 275]

I "did Atkins" , mostly extended the induction phase, which sounds like the paleo diet, I guess. I did it many years ago and it worked very well, but of course I put back on the weight I had lost plus some. I felt good and was not hungry while doing it. I also messed around with the south beach plan for a bit. Over the years I also tried weight watchers, nutrisystems, diet pills, diet center, other weightloss centers, medi-fast ..... the list could go on forever.

During my big weightloss phase with the band there was a time when I wished I could do an Atkins-like diet to make the weight come off faster. The problem is that from the day I had the band placed, I am very sensitive to meat no matter my restriction level. I have been sensitive to pretty much everything on the list of things that are known to give bandsters problems. I think the only exception to the lists I have seen is broccoli. I'm not sure why that is on the list, but have not tried it raw. I love it and eat it often.

I think it's ok to try different "dieting" methods to find our own nitch and make the band work in our own situation.

For me, the band is boss and makes the rules for me. I think I'm lucky with that, but some may look at it differently.

I eat what my band will allow (within reason) and don't bother tracking, counting, journaling, measuring ....... I'm not on a diet.

For me it has pretty much been .... insert band, get a couple fills, learn some hard lessons about what it will allow, the weight drops off.

[karewpah 173]

I've just been reading up on the Paleo diet and its not a no veggies or fruits diet. It's high in fat, moderate in animal Protein and low to moderate in carbohydrates. Calorie counting is not encouraged, neither is portion control....although with Lapband patients I would say that Portion Control is a factor.

[AquarianCrab 8]

I've always done best with Sugarbuster's, but then I was diabetic, so it makes sense. Always lost and always felt well. It was just so hard to keep up because my family just had to have their white carbs. Now that my boys are grown and gone, it might be easier. My husband is a human toothpick and has always eaten less than what I'm eating on the band, but he's a junk food junkie and that's tough for me.

[Jachut 487]

I think the last sentence sums it up.

I agree, some people do seem to need to low cab it, and it tends to be the people with that whole metabolic syndrome - abdominal fat, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, PCOS - but I think for most people calories are calories are calories and as long as you STICK to the diet, it will work. Everyone loves to bleat about how high carb low fat hasnt worked, but when you look at what people actually eat - its high carb, HIGH fat, they're not sticking to it at all.

I'm eating the worst diet you could possibly imagine at the moment - high white carb. Every meal is based on rice, bread or Pasta, I have to limit fruit and veg, I cant handle fibre. I have not gained, in fact i have lost. It makes me anxious becuase like Atkins, I dont believe its best for my HEALTH overall, but I dont think health and weight loss are the same thing necessarily. Tastes matter too - to me bacon is a disgusting greasy processed food full of nitrates and other additives and anyone who thinks that its healthy is a bit misguided. But if you love it, you can justify it on the basis of the Protein, simply by taking the Atkins side of the fence. I think the key is eating in a way you can sustain for life, be that high carb, low carb or whatever.