Reader's Digest Low-Carb Diet

T

Toddless

New member
Hey All,

Did anyone see the new Reader's Digest article on Low-Carb dieting? I can't seem to find anything about online, but then, I didn't look too hard either.

Anyway, it discusses the advantages to a low-carb diet and suggests things like eating as much as you want and avoiding fruit most of the time. They go into a bit of the history behind the low-fat diet that has plagued us for years and why it's actually very unhealthy. They're eager to point out that cutting calories and exercising more is the perfect way to gain an appetite, not lose weight, and they recommend against counting calories. They argue that nobody can really know how many calories they eat in a day, and sure as hell nobody knows how many calories they burn in a day, so counting calories is ridiculous. On top of that, they argue that the body adapts quickly to calorie restriction, so eating only 1,500 calories means you'll only burn 1,500 calories.

The article is great and really falls in line with what I've come to believe is a healthy way to lose weight. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who can't seem to find a way to drop the pounds. As for myself, I've been following a low-carb diet lately that's similar to what they suggest and have noticed an improvement to my physical appearance (I don't check the scale, so I'm not sure how the actual weight is fluctuating.)

Ok! Good luck to those that want it!
 
yeah... I too have done low-carb for most of the time I am healthy... I have not been counting the calories as of late, but I am already at my goal... These diets that preach "do whatever you want within these constaints" are going to come and go... you really DO need to watch the number of calories that you eat, because it can get way out of hand.. starvation (a male adult eating <1500 calories) most likely will result in some metabolic rate reduction, but that is extreme.. if you restrict to 2000-2200 calories as an adult male at a healthy weight, you can still maintain and get plenty of food to boot, not feeling full and avoiding the diet.

The fact of the matter about carbs, is that most of them are now processed, which is why they are so bad, easily metabolized and causes monster spikes in insulin. When the low-fat diet was enacted back in the day, people cut out fatty meats, and treats like real ice cream which cut out lots of calories... they substituted with fresh-prepared foods from their live at home mothers, and this worked... times have changed, and low carb looks to be the way that things are going... but not in a gimicky way, in a healthy way. Cut out processed carbs (white flour, HF Corn Syrup, etc.)
 
Melancholy said:
When the low-fat diet was enacted back in the day, people cut out fatty meats, and treats like real ice cream which cut out lots of calories... they substituted with fresh-prepared foods from their live at home mothers, and this worked...
Click to expand...

I'd agree with everything but the above quote. People didn't add fresh foods in, they added Entenmanns, Margerine, and a host of other low-fat foods that actually made things worse.
 
Counting calories has always been a daunting task to most people, it is usually tasking and very difficult. I believe the best way to lose weight is just to be watchful of what you eat and with the right exercise. we are all guilty of unhealthy diets, high carb diets and the likes.
 
Toddless said:
On top of that, they argue that the body adapts quickly to calorie restriction, so eating only 1,500 calories means you'll only burn 1,500 calories.
Click to expand...

This one I'm curious about - I've seen numerous claims that this is true, but also numerous claims that "starvation mode" is a myth and that while you may move around less if you eat fewer calories, your actual BMR does not decrease when you restrict calories. (TEF from food goes down because less food in = less calories burned digesting food, but it doesn't make up for all the calories not eaten)

Melancholy said:
yeah... I too have done low-carb for most of the time I am healthy... I have not been counting the calories as of late, but I am already at my goal... These diets that preach "do whatever you want within these constaints" are going to come and go... you really DO need to watch the number of calories that you eat, because it can get way out of hand.. starvation (a male adult eating <1500 calories) most likely will result in some metabolic rate reduction, but that is extreme.. if you restrict to 2000-2200 calories as an adult male at a healthy weight, you can still maintain and get plenty of food to boot, not feeling full and avoiding the diet.

The fact of the matter about carbs, is that most of them are now processed, which is why they are so bad, easily metabolized and causes monster spikes in insulin. When the low-fat diet was enacted back in the day, people cut out fatty meats, and treats like real ice cream which cut out lots of calories... they substituted with fresh-prepared foods from their live at home mothers, and this worked... times have changed, and low carb looks to be the way that things are going... but not in a gimicky way, in a healthy way. Cut out processed carbs (white flour, HF Corn Syrup, etc.)
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's a good point. And interesting to me, because I've just started a gluten free test period to see if I have any gluten allergies. What makes it interesting is that while there are enough 'treats' to get something carby now and again, gluten free products are rare enough and expensive enough that I can't just chomp down on the higher calorie density foods at whim. Even though I'm not strictly low carbing it, it's still working for some minor weight loss simply because I can't grab the last donut that's out in the office right now, didn't have the dinner rolls the other night, didn't... well, you get the picture. Cutting out most of the processed foods in general seems like a good decision for health.
 
As a side note, I came across a Reader's Digest low carb tips page... including to eat ... 'low carb' cereal instead of bacon and eggs. ... ???

Of course, this does rub up against my "Eat less processed food!" bias, as did several of their tips wrt whole wheat pasta being good etc... just the bacon & eggs thing kind of grabbed my attention :)
 
And there is a news item on Yahoo today about how it's a high carb diet that lets you lose weight.



Which one's right? I agree with some of the things in both. Most importantly, from the Yahoo one, that beans are awesome, and keep me full for a long time. But the reader's digest goes all the way back to an Atikins-style 20 g of carbs a day.

I think that's their goal, keep us all confused and get the dollars out of our wallet. You have to find something that works for you, and that can take a long, long time. It's easier to just latch onto one of these fad diets for a while then give up. One day we'll buy the low carb one, then three months later buy the high carb one. Humans are stupid. (In general, no one here specifically).

Also, I'm under 30. Did Reader's Digest ever have anything to do with reading? The one I looked at was three-quarters medication adds.
 
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