The low-carb conundrum
There's no doubt that low-carb diets do work. Two years ago, Dr. Eric Westman, research director of the diet and fitness centre at Duke University in Durham, N.C., led a study of patients who were eating a scant 25 grams of carbohydrates per day (equivalent to two cups/500 millilitres of vegetables or a large apple) with no restrictions on meat or eggs. After six months, participants who adhered to the program lost an average of 10 per cent of their original body weight. Based on these results, Westman says: “It's no longer a matter of controversy whether low-carb diets can lead to weight loss. They can and they do.”
But here's the little-known secret: a meta-analysis done at Stanford University in California suggests that low-carb diets owe most, if not all, of their effectiveness to the incidental caloric reduction that typically accompanies such diets. “If you eat fewer calories than your body uses, you'll end up losing weight no matter what the mix of nutrients in your diet -- high carb, high fat or high protein,” says Peter Jones, a professor at the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition at McGill University in Montreal. “It's the balance of energy in-energy out that counts.”
That means you don't have to give up carbs to lose the love handles. If you reduce your daily caloric intake by 500 calories, eat high-fibre carbs in abundance and get off the couch at least a few times a week, you'll lose weight. And whole-grain carbs, along with providing energy for daily living, may even reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. For the whole-grain pasta-lovers among us, the news couldn't be better.
Some researchers believe that, calorie for calorie, proteins offer greater “satiety” than carbs: in other words, you're apt to feel fuller after 500 calories of steak than after 500 calories of bread. But satiety studies have yielded mixed results at best. If you find that proteins leave you more satisfied, by all means go for the higher-protein meal. But if you depend on carbs for energy and comfort, there's no need to kiss your beloved breads, biscuits or burritos goodbye -- whether you have five or 50 pounds to lose.
Page 3 of 3 -- After carrying excess baby weight for six years, Gabrielle decides to work it off. Learn about why she made the decision on page 1.
