High Protein/Low Carb or Not?

Sometimes debate continues when common sense should have long before answered the question. And, perhaps, no debate is argued more on the basis of anecdotal 'proof' than the virtues of the low carb diet vs. high protein diet. In case no one has noticed, the secret of the effectiveness of the low carb/high protein diet is calorie restriction. Yes, the same plan that works with every other diet. Go figure.

Ounce for ounce carbohydrates and protein have the same number of calories. The award for fat content goes to the high protein diet. The difference is this: protein is more satisfying (generally) taking longer to digest and absorb; consequently, you eat less - or at least that is the plan. Less eaten when calorie content is the same per ounce equals fewer calories consumed. Fewer calories consumed equals weight loss. It seems to me we  read somewhere that we could lose weight by reducing calories.

That considered, what is the difference in overall health that can be contributed to each diet? Research, not anecdotal evidence, has answered the question. Here are two abstracts from PubMed of studies that address the question.

For those of you with an aversion to reading, the conclusion to be drawn from the two is that the healthiest way to lose weight and improve body composition is to eat a portion controlled balanced diet and exercise regularly. Didn't we hear that somewhere before too?

J Nutr. 2005 Aug;135(8):1903-10.

Dietary protein and exercise have additive effects on body composition during weight loss in adult women.

Layman DK, Evans E, Baum JI, Seyler J, Erickson DJ, Boileau RA.

Source

Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illnois, Urbana, 61801, USA. dlayman@uiuc.edu

Abstract

This study examined the interaction of 2 diets (high protein, reduced carbohydrates vs. low protein, high carbohydrates) with exercise on body composition and blood lipids in women (n = 48, approximately 46 y old, BMI = 33 kg/m(2)) during weight loss. The study was a 4-mo weight loss trial using a 2 x 2 block design (Diet x Exercise). Diets were equal in total energy (7.1 MJ/d) and lipids ( approximately 30% energy intake) but differed in protein content and the ratio of carbohydrate:protein at 1.6 g/(kg . d) and <1 .5=".5" .="." 0.8="0.8" and="and" d="d" g="g" group="group" kg="kg" vs.="vs.">3.5 (CHO group), respectively. Exercise comparisons were lifestyle activity (control) vs. a supervised exercise program (EX: 5 d/wk walking and 2 d/wk resistance training). Subjects in the PRO and PRO + EX groups lost more total weight and fat mass and tended to lose less lean mass (P = 0.10) than the CHO and CHO + EX groups. Exercise increased loss of body fat and preserved lean mass. The combined effects of diet and exercise were additive for improving body composition. Serum lipid profiles improved in all groups, but changes varied among diet treatments. Subjects in the CHO groups had larger reductions in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, whereas subjects in the PRO groups had greater reductions in triacylglycerol and maintained higher concentrations of HDL cholesterol. This study demonstrated that a diet with higher protein and reduced carbohydrates combined with exercise additively improved body composition during weight loss, whereas the effects on blood lipids differed between diet treatments.

J Nutr. 2009 Mar;139(3):514-21. Epub 2009 Jan 21.

A moderate-protein diet produces sustained weight loss and long-term changes in body composition and blood lipids in obese adults.

Layman DK, Evans EM, Erickson D, Seyler J, Weber J, Bagshaw D, Griel A, Psota T, Kris-Etherton P.

Source

University of Illinois, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. dlayman@illinois.edu

Abstract

Diets with increased protein and reduced carbohydrates (PRO) are effective for weight loss, but the long-term effect on maintenance is unknown. This study compared changes in body weight and composition and blood lipids after short-term weight loss (4 mo) followed by weight maintenance (8 mo) using moderate PRO or conventional high-carbohydrate (CHO) diets. Participants (age = 45.4 +/- 1.2 y; BMI = 32.6 +/- 0.8 kg/m(2); n = 130) were randomized to 2 energy-restricted diets (-500 kcal/d or -2093 kJ/d): PRO with 1.6 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) protein and <170 0.8="0.8" carbohydrates="carbohydrates" cho="cho" d="d" g="g" kg="kg" or="or" protein="protein" with="with" x="x">220 g/d carbohydrates. At 4 mo, the PRO group had lost 22% more fat mass (FM) (-5.6 +/- 0.4 kg) than the CHO group (-4.6 +/- 0.3 kg) but weight loss did not differ between groups (-8.2 +/- 0.5 kg vs. -7.0 +/- 0.5 kg; P = 0.10). At 12 mo, the PRO group had more participants complete the study (64 vs. 45%, P < 0.05) with greater improvement in body composition; however, weight loss did not differ between groups (-10.4 +/- 1.2 kg vs. -8.4 +/- 0.9 kg; P = 0.18). Using a compliance criterion of participants attaining >10% weight loss, the PRO group had more participants (31 vs. 21%) lose more weight (-16.5 +/- 1.5 vs. -12.3 +/- 0.9 kg; P < 0.01) and FM (-11.7 +/- 1.0 vs. -7.9 +/- 0.7 kg; P < 0.01) than the CHO group. The CHO diet reduced serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol compared with PRO (P < 0.01) at 4 mo, but the effect did not remain at 12 mo. PRO had sustained favorable effects on serum triacylglycerol (TAG), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), and TAG:HDL-C compared with CHO at 4 and 12 mo (P < 0.01). The PRO diet was more effective for FM loss and body composition improvement during initial weight loss and long-term maintenance and produced sustained reductions in TAG and increases in HDL-C compared with the CHO diet.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer
cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have
multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients
that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after
treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the
cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable
size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a
person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer
cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and
forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has
nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic,
but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing
diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day
and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing
cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells
in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can
cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7.. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars
and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often
reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of
chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor
destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from
chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either
compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb
to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to
mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy.
Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other
sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer
cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply. 

Ten+ Easy Rules for Weight Loss

Knowing how to lose weight is easy once you get the hang of it. It is a matter of having a good weight loss plan and following a few simple guidelines. Here are ten rules to help with your weight management program.

1. If you want to lose weight and get fit, the first rule, the most simple and the most violated, is that you save some of the elephant for tomorrow. The French eat a diet of very rich food but manage to stay trim. How do they do it? Research disclosed that the French quit eating when they are no longer hungry. Americans quit eating when the food is gone.

2. Don't skip breakfast.  Start your day with a meal that consists primarily of complex carbohydrates. They help stabilize your blood sugar, hold off hunger attacks and provide the energy you need to get the day underway. Often you hear wellmeaning but badly informed fitness pundits hawking no-carb/low carb diets.  The fact is that carbohydrates, gram for gram, have exactly the same calories as protein, a whole lot less saturated fat than animal protien) and are a much more readily available source of energy for your body than protein and fat.  50 t0 65% of your diet should be carbohydrates.  It isn't carbohydrates, per se, that are the problem.  The problem is the quality and quantity of the carbohydrates.

3. Have regular specified times of the day when you eat and eat only at those times. We all want to get in shape but you aren't going to lose weight by skipping meals. If you are eating balanced meals of wholesome food, you will not starve between meals; you won't even get very hungry. The number one cause of snack cravings is feeding on high glycemic foods; e.g. sweets and, for the most part, white foods in general.  They spike your blood sugar giving you and energy high; then, just as quickly they leave your blood stream, your energy level goes into the pits and you reach for more high glycemic 'foods' to get you energy back up.  Familiar pattern?

4. Have specific places in your house where you eat and do not eat anywhere else. For most people, eating in front of the TV should not be part of your weight loss plan.

5. Divide your daily allowance of food into five or six small meals and/or snacks. It will keep your blood sugar stabilized and prevent cravings.

6. Eat high fiber foods such as whole grains, leafy vegetables - esp. cabbage, broccoli, greens, celery etc.  Not only will your colon will love you but the food digests more slowly giving you a feeling of satisfaction for a longer period of time.  If you aren't going to eat the foods you need for your health, you should start shopping for some good nutritional supplements.

7. Until you can 'eyeball it' measure your food. Yes, use a measuring cup. You use it for cooking is it that much harder to use it for serving? You eat a lot more than you think. Go to mypyramid.gov. or some other site and print off a personalized eating plan. It will give you a balance diet, the number of servings you need every day from the various food groups and a guideline to serving sizes. If you use mypyramid.com, when you put in your information, remember that an hour of exercise a day three time a week is not the same as an hour of exercise every day. Divide your weekly exercise time by seven.

8. Watch what you drink. Don't sabatoge your eating plan by drinking high calorie beverages. One glass of soft drink, sweet tea, cool aid, high fructose sweetened fruit juice (read the label) a day will add about a half-pound a week to your waist.

9. Drink water. Drink lots of water. Drink lots and lots of water. You would be suprised how often that hunger pain is a thirst pain misunderstood. The average person loses 10 cups of water at day just doing average activities - now you know the reason for the 6-8 glass rule.  If you exercise vigorously on a regular basis, 1/2 oz. water for each pound of body weight is a better guideline.  Make drinking lots of water part of your exercise plan.  It is that crucial. "How do I know if I am getting enough water?"  Check your urine.  If it isn't clear or very nearly clear, you aren't getting enough water.

10. Do not put bowls and platters of food on the table where the temptation is to have 'just a little more'. And lest you should be tempted to go back to the kitchen for more, it is a grand idea not to prepare anymore than the actual number of servings you and/or your family should be eating. You will spend less time with your doctor, less time in the kitchen and less money at the grocery. Your body will love you and your pocket book will love you.

10+ Exercise.  More than 80% of those who lose weight by diet alone regain the weight within a year.  Find a weight loss plan that includes exercise, find someone who will show you how to exercise then buy some good exercise equipment if you don't want to join a gym. Invest in proper active wear.  Your habits are more likely to follow your money than to follow your dreams.  Plan your diet around healthy, tasty recipes.  

And your bonus for the day is...

Keep a little "Anytime Soup" on hand (it freezes well) for those days when you 'just have to eat or die'. Here's the recipe:

One head cabbage

One large onion

One or two bell peppers

A few stalks celery

One or two cans diced tomatoes

A few clove garlic (optional - but not at my house)

Enough fat free chicken or vegetable broth to cover a couple of inches above veggies.

Salt and pepper to taste. If you will add a little apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar before adding the salt you will find that you use less salt - always a plus. Cook up a pot and store it in serving sizes in the freezer.

This is a great soup for between meal snacks or for those times when you are sure you are going to die if you don't put something in your mouth. A half-cup is a snack. A cup is a big snack. A bowl is a meal.

In a pinch, you can pull a bag out of the freezer, heat it up and serve it as a meal. Put a dollop of low fat cream cheese on top and serve it with a slice of whole grain toast or a few whole grain crackers

The Skinny on Weight Loss

How many time have you heard it repeated - "If you want to lose weight, you have to exercise." That simply is not true. You do not have to exercise to lose weight. Wait! Don't take your gym shorts to Goodwill and cancel your fitness club membership. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, that is about 90% true. If you want to lose weight and stay healthy, that is 100% true. 

1. Exercise your right not to eat.

Excess weight comes from eating. I promise you, you can sit on your couch, watch TV,
do absolutely no exercise and if you do not eat you will lose weight - and if you continue not eating for a long enough period of time, the weight loss will become permanent. Food is fuel for your body. Whether or not you gain, lose or maintain weight is a simple matter of how much fuel you put into your body in relation to how much fuel you use. 

Some vehicles have reserve tanks where you can store extra fuel for long trips - or prevent long walks on short trips. Your body has at least a few billion of these little reserve fuel tanks. We call them fat cells. When you put more fuel in your body than you are burning, it is stored in these cells. Most experts seem to be in agreement that the number of fat cells in your body is fixed and determined genetically. As you put in more fuel than you are using, the fat cells grow larger and larger. Others think you can increase the number of fat cells in your body. Either way, when you eat more than you burn, it gets stored as fat and you get fatter.

And that gets us to the basic of weight loss. In spite of all the research out there about genetics, thyroid problems, body types, food compatibility etc. no one has ever gained a pound by eating less than they were using. That is not to say the above have no impact on weight loss, it is just to say that, bottom line, it comes down to calories in and calories out. Whether it is junk food or health food, if you eat more than you burn you will gain weight.  No matter how much you exercise, you will not lose weight until you are burning more calories than you take in. A brisk thirty minute morning walk in the morning followed by a stop at the coffee shop for a latte and muffin will, at best, only keep your weight the same.

2. Exercise is crucial for keeping the weight off.

Although you are going to have to eat differently if you want to lose weight, exercise is a crucial part of attaining and maintaining a healthy weight. On this point, experts are in agreement. Dr. Timothy Church in an interview with Perishable Pundit Investigator and Special Projects Editor Mira Slott noted, "Weight maintenance is where it’s at right now, not weight loss. And we know that people who lose weight and keep it off, 100 percent of them are very physically active. Physical activity is critical to keeping weight off." In short, if you want to lose weight and keep it off - and isn't that the whole point? - you must exercise regularly.  "I come back to this over and over and over -- you can't find very many people maintaining a healthy weight who aren't regular exercisers." (James O. Hill, PhD - Director of the Center for Human Nutrition, University of Colorado at Denver.)

Now matter how you go about losing weight, if you want to get fit, stay healthy and keep the weight off, you are going to have to make regular exercise a part of your lifestyle. 

3. Exercise shouldn't be painful.

Boot camps and screaming Personal Trainers, who drive you to the point that you can no longer move and make you wish the next day or two that you had died of cardiac arrest during your workout, have their place in the world of exercise. Some people enjoy punishing themselves, pushing themselves to the limits, discovering how much they can endure. Others, for various reasons (usually procrastination) find themselves in a spot where they think they must lose a ton of weight quickly and are willing to walk through hell to do it. If you are one of those, find a trainer who will drive you to the breaking point.

Unfortunately, like those who follow every fad diet, those who follow exercise programs of this sort tend to the same results. i.e., the weight drops rather quickly and then the weight returns and they find themselves repeating the same punishment next year. Like the fad diets, these fad exercise programs just cannot be sustained. End of fad diet, end of boot camp and, almost like magic, your body balloons again. The long and the short of the story is that these weight loss strategies, though successful for the short term, do not provide an adoptable, healthy lifestyle and without that you are not going to be successful at long term weight maintenance.

If you are in an exercise program that is painful and leaves you exhausted workout after workout, you need to make a change. You are not going to sustain that level. If you successfully reach the "Thank God that is over." end of the program without injury, you will have sufficiently learned to hate exercise and the weight is coming back with a vengeance. Boot camps and hard-driving Personal Trainers are wonderful choices for the fit and seasoned exercisers who want to drive themselves to the next level. But the rest of us, those who just want to lose some weight, to keep it off and to stay fit, need to take a different approach. Before you choose a trainer, check his/her credentials, get a list of references and contact them. They may be one of those who love to drive themselves to the brink so ask questions about them as well as the exercise program. "What was the exercise program like? How hard did you have to work? Are you a masochist?" You get the idea.