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Hit the gym for best weight loss
Market Street Deli’s Turkey Club on 100 percent whole wheat bread is a good source of carbohydrates and fiber necessary for a healthy diet. This photo and others available through Photo Gallery at www.scntx.com. Megan Millender/McKinney Courier-Gazette
BY STEFANIE WHITE, McKinney Courier-Gazette
Low-carbohydrate diets have become popular for weight loss in recent years, but cutting out the bread and rice isn’t always the best choice for the body.
“We need carbohydrates to live,” said Kathie Robinson, Medical Center of McKinney program coordinator for the Center for Diabetes Education.
Foods with carbohydrates, such as whole grain cereals and bread, give the body energy and help the brain function.
Robinson said when people decrease their carbohydrates, they have to increase in other areas, such as a higher protein or fat intake. Eating too much fat and protein can be harmful to the body.
“It can increase the risk of cancer development,” Robinson said. “For people with kidney problems, it can be bad for their poor kidneys.”
Low-carb, high-protein diets can also be harmful to a person’s cardiovascular system.
As for weight loss, Robinson said there are some studies to support that cutting out carbs can temporarily result in dropping pounds.
“People who go on low-carb diets, the weight loss is greater at six months than people who go on low-fat diets,” Robinson said. “When you look at those people a year out, the weight loss is the same. The issue I have as a dietitian and a diabetes administrator, the American Diabetes Association recommends no less than 130 grams of carbohydrates a day.”
Robinson said she believes since many low-carb diets are so restrictive, many people have a hard time staying on them and often end up binging.
“I find that’s what happens to people who go on the very low-carb diets,” Robinson said.
Some good carbohydrate choices would be whole grain cereals and breads, fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk.
“When you’re choosing grain items, choose the whole grains like the brown rice or whole wheat pasta,” Robinson said. “When you’re choosing meat foods, you want to choose the lean cuts.”
Robinson said even a little bit of white rice or potatoes isn’t bad as long as the portions aren’t large. In many low-carb diets, white rice and potatoes are forbidden.
An example of an appropriate portion for a normal person would be half a cup of rice or potatoes, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“They’re fine but we don’t know what an appropriate portion is,” Robinson said. “I don’t think potatoes are bad. It’s the stuff we put on the potato, the butter, the sour cream, the bacon bits.”
Eating healthy can help with weight loss but Robinson said the best way to drop weight is to hit the gym.
“The best tip is to exercise,” Robinson said.
Contact staff writer Stefanie White at swhite@acnpapers.com. To post comments online, access this story at www.scntx.com.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
WEE wrote on Jan 17, 2008 1:03 PM:
" I agree, this information is old and outdated. Too bad they are still passing it off as the "truth". This disinformation is the cause on the obesity epedmic we are currently experiencing. Read the updated reserch and learn the truth!! "
Agreed wrote on Jan 17, 2008 1:48 PM:
" I agree with Dusty. I've done the no-carb diet and the weight loss was amazing. 20lb in 4 months and absolutely no exercise with caloric intake of protein and fat that far exceeds any "recommended" amount. There are things about the human body in terms of cause and effect that are so misunderstood. The relation to diet in terms of calories, carbs, and exercise is one of them. As for me now, several small meals a day (never be hungry), low-carbs, and moderate exercise...no problem. The weight loss myths will persist unfortunately and the snake oil salesmen getting rich off the misery of fat people will continue. "
Jere Krischel wrote on Jan 18, 2008 10:15 AM:
" Ditto to Dusty - Good Calories, Bad Calories, by Gary Taubes should put to rest once and for all the myth of low-fat, high-carb diets. Because of the unfounded advice given to us by the government for over 30 years, we've created the obesity epidemic. It should be considered a national priority to undo the damage done by misguided federal dietary recommendations for the last few decades - recommending low-fat diets to diabetics and obese patients should be considered malpractice. "
plusgirlonline wrote on Jan 19, 2008 5:57 AM:
" Being overweight is not a bad thing. It is not good to lose a weight. I never want to lose some weight as only if I am healthy. Sometimes I go to pluscupid.com blogs. There are many friendly plus size people. I feel self esteemed and accepted on the site. "
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The American Diabetes Association is recommending low-carb diets. Ms. Robinson needs to earn her pay and keep current with nutritional science.
For good, accurate information on nutrition, read Michael Pollan's or Gary Taubes most recent books. "