[Eug Wanker]

Plus you don't get the massive insulin release after meals (trust me - you don't want diabetes).

Eating high carb diets doesn't cause diabetes. Diabetes is common in obese people though. Indeed, your list showed just a generally bad diet, even though you singled out carbs. It was also loaded with fat, for instance, and of course, it had an EXTREMELY high caloric content for your level of activity.

[d0ubled0wn]

Originally posted by iDriveX:
My brother has a super fast metabolism and he thinks it gives him the authority to eat the way I was eating and that his body just processed it "better". I always told him that I'm glad my body puts on so much weight cause I'll always know what the interior of my arteries look like by looking at myself in the mirror. He'll just have a massive coronary one day and show no signs.

Tell your bro to get his blood screened for cholesterol and glucose, then he'll know for sure.

I used think the same way as he did. My weight is optimal for my height and it has stayed nearly the same since high school (I'm 32 now.) I worked for a pizza chain for 8 years throughout high school and college and ate pizza and burgers all the time. Recently I had my blood screened and it turns out I'm borderline on cholesterol, near 200 total and only 29 HDL (good cholesterol). I really consider myself lucky that I'm not in worse shape (heredity also play a big role.) Anyway, I've seen the light... I've changed my diet and now I consistently get to the gym 3 times a week. That's especially important for me since I sit on my azz all day in front of a computer, not much exercise in that. Also eating more fish and taking fish oil supplements to boost my HDL cholesterol. Admittedly, I will still eat fast food on occasion... it just tastes too damn good to give it up totally. But I just try not to over-eat and limit those binges to once a week.

[iDriveX]

Originally posted by d0ubled0wn:
Tell your bro to get his blood screened for cholesterol and glucose, then he'll know for sure.

I used think the same way as he did. My weight is optimal for my height and it has stayed nearly the same since high school (I'm 32 now.) I worked for a pizza chain for 8 years throughout high school and college and ate pizza and burgers all the time. Recently I had my blood screened and it turns out I'm borderline on cholesterol, near 200 total and only 29 HDL (good cholesterol). I really consider myself lucky that I'm not in worse shape (heredity also play a big role.) Anyway, I've seen the light... I've changed my diet and now I consistently get to the gym 3 times a week. That's especially important for me since I sit on my azz all day in front of a computer, not much exercise in that. Also eating more fish and taking fish oil supplements to boost my HDL cholesterol. Admittedly, I will still eat fast food on occasion... it just tastes too damn good to give it up totally. But I just try not to over-eat and limit those binges to once a week.

Yeah he may have some problems, on my Dad's side of the family, short life and massive coronaries are the norm, on my mom's side of the family they live long, tall and skinny lives. Hopefully he didn't just get the outward appearance of my mom's side and the insides of my Dad's.

[Balneum]

In 10 years you�ll be dead.

[Il Duce]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
Eating high carb diets doesn't cause diabetes. Diabetes is common in obese people though. Indeed, your list showed just a generally bad diet, even though you singled out carbs. It was also loaded with fat, for instance, and of course, it had an EXTREMELY high caloric content for your level of activity.

I didn't say high carb diets cause diabetes. I should have been clearer, but I was implying that eating lots of high GI carbs has been implicated as a risk factor for diabetes (due to the massive spikes in blood glucose). When a huge calorie load hits the blood stream, the pancreas releases a bunch of hormones (insulin in particular), which stores the excess energy (mostly as fat). The higher the blood glucose, the more insulin released, and the more fat that gets deposited. The high insulin levels are also thought to play a part in insulin resistance (which leads to type 2 diabetes).

If anyone is interested, the foods I listed in my previous post are the basis of one of the healthiest diets in the world. It is based on the mediterranean and paleolithic diets, which approximate the diets that humans have been eating for tens of thousands of years. A lot of the health problems that are common today (especially obesity and diabetes) are partially due to the fact that our digestive system has had a relatively short period of time to adjust to a massive shift in eating habits. Historically humans and their ancestors ate fruit, vegetables, nuts, and meat when they could get (ie. catch) it. People who eat food like this tend not to be obese, and don't get heart disease (the two biggest health problems in the western world).

Still not convinced that white bread and coke are bad for you? The Australian Aborigines are a text book case - instead of having 5000 years to adjust to the new, highly refined diet, they have had 200. Few of them live past 60 because of widespread obesity and diabetes.

But remember - fat is NOT bad for you. Only too much fat is bad for you. All of the fat that I listed before is mono or polyunsaturated, and will help to lower total cholesterol, as well as increasing HDL levels. Steer clear of animal fats, though. They taste good, but they're no good for your arteries (or your waistline).

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by Il Duce:
I didn't say high carb diets cause diabetes. I should have been clearer, but I was implying that eating lots of high GI carbs has been implicated as a risk factor for diabetes (due to the massive spikes in blood glucose). When a huge calorie load hits the blood stream, the pancreas releases a bunch of hormones (insulin in particular), which stores the excess energy (mostly as fat). The higher the blood glucose, the more insulin released, and the more fat that gets deposited. The high insulin levels are also thought to play a part in insulin resistance (which leads to type 2 diabetes).

If anyone is interested, the foods I listed in my previous post are the basis of one of the healthiest diets in the world. It is based on the mediterranean and paleolithic diets, which approximate the diets that humans have been eating for tens of thousands of years. A lot of the health problems that are common today (especially obesity and diabetes) are partially due to the fact that our digestive system has had a relatively short period of time to adjust to a massive shift in eating habits. Historically humans and their ancestors ate fruit, vegetables, nuts, and meat when they could get (ie. catch) it. People who eat food like this tend not to be obese, and don't get heart disease (the two biggest health problems in the western world).

Still not convinced that white bread and coke are bad for you? The Australian Aborigines are a text book case - instead of having 5000 years to adjust to the new, highly refined diet, they have had 200. Few of them live past 60 because of widespread obesity and diabetes.

Actually, the Australian Aborigines are a textbook example of why people focus on carbs way too much. The Aborigines have transformed from their original diet and lifestyle to a sedentary lifestyle and a diet that is too high calorie for their activity, with high fat and high refined carbs, and obesity is common.

ie. Contrary to popular myth, it's not the refined carbs alone causing the diabetes. It's a combination of factors. Don't believe the high carb hype.

[typoon]

Originally posted by techweenie1:
Calories Exist! Along with Fat, Carbs, Cholestrol, etc. Up until the last part of 2004 I completely denied their existence. Since then I've lost around over 40 lbs. I've been exercising daily now and eating moderately. Want to get into even better shape so will continue and probably increase my workout routine...anyway just my 2 cents. Oh and also the serving size in the states in restaurants is way too big. After living abroad I noticed this, anyway I suggest either cooking for yourself more often or taking more of your meal home from your restaurant, avoid buffets.

The thing about Buffets is to not over eat while at one. They say all you can eat so many stuff themselves til they feel bloated from eating so much. the best thing at a buffet I've found is to try a little of everything or just the things you like and go back til you get that full feeling then stop. It does take a bit more self control to do that since you are surrounded by nothing but food when at a buffet.

[ReggieX]

I like the occasional buffet, but I don't eat any more or less at those than other restaurant types. I just find that the food quality is lower than a standard meal, so why pay for it?

[paul w]

I lose control over myself at buffets -even if they're bad.

I was at a pretty good one though, at Harrah's at Lake Tahoe. Nice view from atop the casino, pretty good food and so on. Then I downstairs went and won me 20$ off one quarter. So free lunch and then some.

[techweenie1]

I generally don't like buffets either, except for the ones at Indian restaurants, all those curries, the dosas, samosas, plus tandori chicken, and naan...sooo good. The places near my house have so much food for what you get, and it's pretty good. I have had to avoid that, another thing is since I've been moderating my food consumption I don't have the craving for all that food.

[spiky_dog]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
JAMA April 2003, Bravata et al. Efficacy and safety of low-carbohydrate diets: a systematic review.

"Among the published studies, participant weight loss while using low-carbohydrate diets was principally associated with decreased caloric intake and increased diet duration but not with reduced carbohydrate content."

It's like the reason some people can more easily lose weight with a low carb diet is because they feel full longer at the same caloric intake if the proportion of fats and protein is higher than what would be seen on a high carb diet. However, again, what really matters is the overall caloric balance.

thanks for the link. i'll have to look at it closer after (hopefully passing) a final exam in a few minutes.

[jcadam]

for getting into shape, see the following:
Iron Online

Lots of info
Good forum too, which I participate in.

My 'fat' problem was not exercise. I have always worked out like a madman, though it was mostly cardio. My problem was nutrition. Lots of pizza, fast food, junk, etc. If I saw it and wanted it, I ate it. Also, massive amounts of alcoholic bevarages.
With my exercise regimen and poor diet, I was a fat guy that could run

Now I run less, hit the weights 5 days a week, and am getting stronger and leaner

[ReggieX]

Originally posted by SSharon:
I spent a summer in the desert in Israel doing an archeological excavation and drank 3 liters of water between 4am and 1pm every day without peeing, so its not that crazy.

Heh, I did the math in my head and came up with 5.8l, not the 2.9 that 100 fl oz is. Oops! Stupid non-metric measures

[Il Duce]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
ie. Contrary to popular myth, it's not the refined carbs alone causing the diabetes. It's a combination of factors. Don't believe the high carb hype.

Of course it isn't carbs alone. Diabetes is a complicated disease process that we still don't really know much about. I was just making the point that highly refined carbohydrates are the biggest thing that has changed about our diets in recent years (yes, activity levels are important too, but that's a separate issue). The massive loads of simple sugars that people are putting in their guts are messing with the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels. Like it or not, eating lots of high GI carbs (over a long period of time) will increase your risk of obesity and diabetes.

Combine this with a tendency to eat too much of everthing (carbs, fat, sugar) while doing practically no exercise. Of course people are going to have health problems. If you eat in moderation and exercise regularly, chances are you will be healthy for a long time.

[spiky_dog]

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
JAMA April 2003, Bravata et al. Efficacy and safety of low-carbohydrate diets: a systematic review.

just looked it over. the study seems sound enough. however, studying such a heterogeneous group of studies (even within their classification of low- and high-carbohydrate diets) definitely limits the conclusions one can draw, as they note themselves.

i also am suspect of their exclusion criteria of "Did not report data for any of the outcomes of interest", which eliminated 1994 studies. for comparison, 107 studies were included in the analysis. it makes one wonder what obscure outcomes they were looking at for such a vast majority of diet studies to not report such data.

addition: here's a new study: http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/ab...142/6/403?etoc . their conclusions were that the observed weight loss was completely accounted for by the calorie deficit. what they did observe on low-carb vs. high-carb diet was marginally lower HbA1c (7.3 to 6.8%) and "75%" better insulin response. this last is significant.