Low Carbohydrate
Dieting 
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1960s it reappeared as the Calories-Don't-Count Diet, the DuPont Diet,the Air Force Diet, the Mayo clinic Diet, and the Drinking Man's Diet, and in the late 1960s and 1970s it was with us again as the Stillman Quick-Weight-Loss Diet and the Atkins Revolution. In all it's forms, the low-carbohydrate diet is aimed specifically at reducing excess poundage and counteracting obesity, the nation's number one health problem. The enormous success that has been claimed with the diet that saves you from hunger, has given it widespread appeal for desperate dieters. Those who advocate a low-carbohydrate diet believe that carbohydrate is primarily responsible for forming body fat and that carbohydrate metabolism in the fat person is impaired so that all potential energy (calories) is converted to fat tissue. Only when carbohydrates are restricted or removed from the diet, they assert,can body fat be broken down for energy. They contend that as long as carbohydrate is lacking in the diet you eat as much protein as you like without gaining weight. Although most low-carbohydrate diets permit up to 60 grams of carbohydrate in the daily menu, the lower the carbohydrate intake the faster weight loss proceeds. You are allowed high protein items such as : Meat, fish, poultry,cheese,eggs,butter,oil,cream and some vegetables. The forbidden foods are : Bread, crackers, pastry, cereal, grains, potatoes, pasta, fruits and juices, candy and sweets. |
Here Are The Most Popular Of
The
Low- Carb High
Protein Diets
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(not associated with the Mayo clinic) Daily Meal Plan Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit or unsweetened grapefruit juice 2 eggs, any style, 2 slices bacon, minimum (you eat as many eggs and slices of bacon you want) Coffee or tea, no cream or sugar Lunch: 1/2 grapefruit Meat, any style, any amount Salad, as much as you can eta with any dressing that contains no sugar Coffee or tea Dinner: 1/2 grapefruit Meat, any style, any amount, with gravy, provided it is not thickened with flour You can substitute fish for meat Any green, yellow or red vegetables, as much as you can eat, and salad as above Coffee or tea Bedtime Snack : Tomato juice or skimmed milk At each meal you must eat until you are full, where you cannot possibly
eat anymore. |
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( later renamed the Drinking Man's Diet ) Although alcohol is not a true carbohydrate, it stimulates insulin production as do,coffee, cola, and other caffeine-containing beverages- so it inhibits the so-called fat mobilizing hormone. Therefore, it is excluded from most low- carbohydrate menus. The Drinking Man's Diet, however, is one of meat, poultry, limited amounts of eggs, cheese, fish and vegetables, plus hard liquor and wine. This diet is very similar to the Stillman Plan, and does not deny any foods by name, but rather relies on your counting carbohydrates and imposes an upper limit of 60 grams per day. |
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If you follow the Stillman's plan you may eat satisfying amounts of protein, a limited amount of carbohydrate, and no fat other than that inherent in the protein foods you consume. In terms of actual menu planning, this means ; Satisfying portions of : Skinless chicken or turkey cooked without added fat. Fresh fish or seafood cooked without fat, or water-packed salmon or tuna. Lean fresh meat, trimmed of all visible fat, plus a variety of meats (occasionally liver) and all-beef frankfurters. Eggs cooked without fat, but if you have a cholesterol problem no more than 3 per week. Cottage cheese. Coffee, tea, club soda, and no-cal beverages. Restricted amounts of : The following vegetables: asparagus, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, green, string and wax beans, beet greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chard, chicory, chives, collards, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, fennel, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, parsley, peppers, radishes, sauerkraut, spinach, summer squash, tomatoes, turnip greens, watercress, zucchini. If the vegetable is eaten as a Salad you may use only low-calorie dressing, vinegar, or a wedge of lemon or lime to dress it. Four ounces each day of skim or buttermilk, or 1/2 cup plain, skim-milk yogurt. Up to 2 slices bread daily. Up to 3 cups diluted bouillon or consommé. Up to 1 1/2 ounces pure distilled liquor or very dry wine. As much as 3 servings of no-sugar gelatin, a tablespoon of no-sugar jam and up to 3 unsalted olives. And sparing amounts of vinegar, mustard, ketchup or cock-tail sauce, fresh lemon or lime, and low-calorie dressing. Salt is best omitted, but may be used sparingly; herbs, pepper, and spices can be added freely. If you do not bother with any of the "restricted" foods, weight loss will come much faster. You MUST drink 10 cups of liquid each day ( preferably water) the more you drink, the faster the weight loss. You may not eat anything other than the items mentioned above. That means NO fruit, No regular salad dressings, oil, butter, margarine, sauces, pickles, relishes, salty or spiced foods, processed meats, potatoes or other root vegetables, flour, pasta, grains, beans, nuts, cakes, cookies, candy, potato chips, pretzels, etc. Eating takes place 3 times per day, or 6 small meals. Stillman advises to weigh yourself each day and continue the diet until your ideal weight is reached. |
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Nutritional research indicates that carbohydrates are essential to normal body functioning- although this is still subject to controversy. Your body needs 5 grams of carbohydrate for each 100 calories it burns whether these calories come from food or stored fat. Therefore if you oxidize 2,000 calories to perform your daily activities you should provide your system with 100 grams of carbohydrate. While some dietary protein can be broken down to form the glucose needed for body processes, in doing so nitrogen is released and must be excreted, putting great strain on the kidneys. For some people this strain causes serious damage. And since protein used in this manner is not available for tissue maintenance, the brain and nervous system that draw on protein for glucose are, in effect, living off of body tissue. When the body does not have enough food-fuel it compensates by breaking down it's store of fat, but in order for fats to be changed to energy smoothly, the compounds of carbohydrate metabolism must be present. If this carbohydrate is not available, certain fatty acids accumulate in the blood stream, bringing on a condition known as ketosis. While Atkins considers this a positive sign of fat destruction, prolonged ketosis can lead to kidney and liver damage and a build up of uric acid, which precipitate gout and associated ailments. The more fat you include in your diet-the more carbohydrate you need for it's normal breakdown. It is also known that low carb dieting has helped reduce blood cholesterol and triglycerides, but the extra dietary fat included in this diet could also run the risk if they have heart disease. In these cases follow the advice of your Doctor. Please note that many essential nutrients are found primarily in carbohydrates such as : whole grains, nuts and beans, fresh fruits, vegetables- so that the low-carbohydrate dieter is more susceptible to infection and nervous irritability, and eventually more pronounced symptoms of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. So unless large quantities of cheese are consumed, calcium intake may be inadequate and on the low-fat regimen this means as much as 2 pounds of cottage cheese a day. Also the lack of roughage from whole grains, fruits and vegetables may cause constipation and related lower-intestinal illnesses. Most important about this diet, is that you cannot cheat...if you give in to the slightest craving for sweets, or have an extra slice of bread, you could throw the intricate carbohydrate balance off and end up with a weight gain instead of loss. Hidden carbohydrates in food that you may not be aware of will have the same negative effect. And finally this diet is very expensive, carbohydrates being the most reasonable items and protein the most costly on the food market. On the plus side: If the high-protein diet puts an end to an empty-calorie eating style it can be a positive influence. Some foods with empty calories are : Found in the form of sugar, white flour, processed foods, pizza, potato chips, cakes, cookies candy etc. Weight loss on the Low-carbohydrate diet does proceed faster, providing the encouragement many dieters need to go on. Just the knowledge that they can eat as much as they want helps motivate people who normally resist any food deprivation. For those on the unrestricted fat- regimens the fact that they can sit down to a meal of such "fattening" items as bacon, creamy salad dressing, and butter, and even a drink before dinner and heavy cream in their coffee for dessert, makes the low- carbohydrate diet all the more appealing. Once your desired weight is within view, you may wish to continue some modifications in your eating habits. Choose food with fewer calories and plenty of vitamins and minerals. With the proper balance you can maintain your new figure. |
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