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Long Live the King - the Calorie King
Take Another Look, Calories Are Calories
By: Jim Karas
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For the past couple of years the American public has been bombarded with all sorts of information regarding carbohydrates, protein, ketosis, sugar, insulin spiking and countless other so-called weight-loss theories.
Bottom line, fat tastes good and keeps us full longer, but a little goes a long way. The same goes for carbohydrates; watch your portion size. Remember, the calorie is still king and will always be.
Yes, times do change, however, the more they change, the more they stay the same. Forget all the babble about Atkins, the Zone, Sugar Busters, and The South Beach Diet. Basically, they are the same. You'll lose weight on all of them. It doesn't matter that it's carbs you're cutting back on or the extra protein you're consuming. The fact remains, you will lose weight because you're only eating 1100 calories a day. That's right, 1100 calories. Most Americans eat nowhere near 1100 calories a day and thus are significantly overweight. Are these diets healthy? Yes and no. Take Atkins for example. There is some wisdom in the Atkins diet, and there is wisdom in the words of his critics. Atkins is right that protein is good for you; he's right that fat can be good for you; he's right that protein and fat are digested more slowly, and therefore give us all a more full feeling for a longer time after we've eaten. And he's right that certain carbohydrates can increase our insulin levels, which tends to make us crave even more carbohydrates - a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy. But - and this is an important but - you can get carried away on Atkins and people do. And, keep in mind; Atkins is keeping his dieters to approximately 1100 calories a day. What to do? Summer is coming and you'd like to wear some of those more revealing fashions. Go for the middle ground. Do record your calories in a food journal so that you have an accurate record of the number of calories you are consuming on a daily basis, eat protein - especially lean protein, eat vegetables and fruits, and minimize "wheaty" carbohydrates. Yes, if you consume huge quantities of bread, pasta and bagels your insulin levels will shoot up, but I am not talking about consuming huge quantities. I'm talking about being smart. Let's keep the portions to something reasonable, maybe 3 ounces or so. Bottom line, fat tastes good and keeps us full longer, but a little goes a long way. The same goes for carbohydrates; watch your portion size. Remember, the calorie is still king and will always be. Exercise common sense and follow a balanced eating plan. Long live the King.
About Jim Karas
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