Proper diet, exercise key for weight loss--not eating fewer carb

Nebraska

Losing weight can be confusing with the never-ending array of weight-loss messages and schemes available.

It's estimated that nearly 25 percent of Americans are following the latest diet--low carbohydrate and high in proteins, said Wanda Koszewski, a University of Nebraska nutrition specialist.

However, the diets, which restrict high-carbohydrate foods, such as bread, pasta and most fruits, and allow liberal amounts of protein such as beef, poultry and fish and some vegetables, probably are just another passing fad, she said.

"No matter what people think, the low-carbohydrate/high protein diet still is a fad diet," Koszewski said. "The only difference this time around is food manufacturers and restaurants have gotten on the bandwagon and have started to offer low-carb products."

People may be making the same mistake with low-carb diets that they made with the low-fat diet phase a few years ago--assuming that it equates to low-calories which isn't necessarily true.

"People still need to read those food labels, and they still need to know how many calories they're eating each day," she said.

Koszewski, and Linda Boeckner, a nutrition specialist at the university's Panhandle Research and Extension Center at Scottsbluff, say the best way to get rid of those extra pounds simply is to eat fewer calories and exercise most days of the week.

To lose weight, a person's caloric intake needs to be less than their output.

People need to monitor what their current caloric intake is and make a 500 to 1,000 calorie deficit between energy in and energy out, and they'll lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, Boeckner said. This can come from less food and more exercise.

Boeckner said the low-carbohydrate/high protein diets work so well for so many people because people are lowering their caloric intake.

"Studies are showing that it's not the carbohydrate content that is creating weight loss, but the low-calorie nature of the diet," Boeckner said.

The problem with the low-carbohydrate/high-protein diet is people aren't getting the vitamins and nutrients that the body needs to function.

"Most of these diets recommend 30 grams of carbohydrates, but the body needs 130 grams of carbohydrates a day in order to function, especially the brain," Koszewski said.

However, in a society where people like to eat meat, the diet is attractive, she said. Grains, fruits and vegetables are still important, though, for fiber, vitamins C and A and other nutrients associated with these food groups.

"Eliminating food groups is not a good thing," she said. "A baked potato is a nutrient-packed food; it's what you add on top of it that makes it bad."

Also, the long-term effects of the diets are still unknown, Boeckner said. When carbohydrates are so restricted, fat composition in the diet generally goes up. Short-term, it appears blood lipid levels are not harmed, but long-term studies with followup will be needed to determine if there could be harmful changes over time.

"People are losing weight and are excited, but the long-term concern is if people's habits have changed enough to sustain weight loss over time," Boeckner said. "Unless people can find a way to make an adjustment that they're ready to live with then it's not going to work for them. They'll slip back into their old habits."

Also, Boeckner said it isn't surprising that people lose so much weight so fast on these diets because as with most fad diets rapid initial weight loss is just water weight.

"The rapid weight loss is a real motivator for people, but in general, a diet high in fiber and fruits and vegetables will be more successful," she said.

Both Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources specialists say a balanced diet, which includes grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein and fat, is important. In addition, people should be moderately active 30 to 45 minutes most days of the week.

"I would encourage people to consider their fitness level first, then look at the food they're eating," Boeckner said. "This is a slow process, but examining your food habits is really critical."

People need to make sure they're eating the right portion sizes, getting enough fruits and vegetables and not eating french fries and candy all the time, she said. People also need to find out if they use food as an emotional crutch and figure out ways to deal with periods of emotion and anxiety that don't involve food.

"Over time, if they really work hard at it, they'll develop some nice habits that they can maintain," Boeckner said.

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4/30/07

Date: 4/24/07

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