I can't tell you the number of times I have heard, "Well, if you just watch your calories and fat you'll lose weight!" I know, I know, it has been what we've been told for decades now, "Eat less, exercise more...it's all about calories in vs. calories out!"
When I tell others about low carb eating I am often met with comments that include, "I lost all my weight just watching my calories and exercising. It's what works best for me." I can't help but wonder when I hear things like that how long it will be before that person goes face down in the feed bag, because you know, if you've ever lost weight like that yourself, that what is really happening is you're starving. If you have followed a low calorie, low fat diet for any length of time you may have lost weight, but you have also robbed your body of important nutrients, and it may shock you to know that much of the weight you've lost may not necessarily be all fat (or even mostly fat); a low calorie, low fat diet makes it so your body consumes its lean tissue, too. That includes one of the most important of the organs of your body - - the heart.
So, what is the advantage of losing weight and maintaining that weight with low carb eating vs. low fat, low calorie eating?
1. You keep your muscle mass when you eat low carb.
2. You don't really have to count anything on low carb once you learn what foods you can eat.
3. You don't ever have to be hungry.
4. You don't have to exercise until you fall over from exhaustion.
5. You keep your brain healthier and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's Disease.
6. You don't feel like you have to take a nap after lunch.
7. Bacon. Real Bacon.
8. If you have suffered from acid reflux it will disappear.
9. If you are diabetic you may be able to reduce your medication intake (with doctors supervision), or completely eliminate the need for it.
10. If you take anti-depressants, you may find you don't need those anymore, either.
11. Butter. Real Butter.
12. Low carb eating lowers blood pressure.
13. A low carb diet lowers triglycerides.
14. Did I mention Bacon? ;-)
And really, this way of eating goes beyond weight loss. The weight loss is a happy side-effect. This is really about good health.
Labels: acid reflux, Alzheimer's, blood pressure, brain health, calories, carbohydrates, dental health, fat, low calorie, low carb, low fat
Once I began eating a low carb diet, I try to make my diet as low carb as possible, I realize that my food is not packaged. Except for butchering of meat or picking of vegetables my food isn't processed. Since I cook more seriously now, I have no real desire to eat out at a restaurant. I've learned to enjoy foods that I didn't know existed such as coconut flour and celery root. I've learned to understand my cravings instead of fight them.
ReplyDeleteA health benefit that I noticed that gets a lot of skepticism is that I have less grey hair. Yes indeed, I have many, formerly gray, hairs on the top of my head that returned to their original color. After doing a little research and being able to sift out information from scientific dogma, it is my diet that is saving my tresses.
2 years of low carb way of eating and I have painlessly and effortlessly kept the weight off. My cholesterol is back down to normal, my HDL (the good stuff), has gone from a very low 42 to a respectable 74, trigs are lower, BP has stablized...it's all good!
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