Another question about dieting...

[xxxpinkladyxxx]

Thanks for everyone's advice for me in here. It is much appreciated.

Why is it that you choose to do a diet that is high in fat and not one that is low in fat? I always thought that, if you lowered the fat in your diet, you would lose fat. And I've heard that with the Atkins diet (which is low carb), you are breaking down muscle tissue. Is this right or is this a myth?

 

[RottenWillow]

I dont even remotely resemble a diet expert, but I do know that anytime you consume fewer calories than you burn there is some risk of experiencing a net loss of skeletal muscle, Atkin's diet or not.

However, if you engage in some kind of regular resistance weight training, you get plenty of high quality protein, and you avoid slashing your calories to the starvation level the chances of that muscle loss can be greatly reduced.

Atkin's sucks in concert with pumping iron because carbs are the best source of energy for that type of exercise. People on Atkin's are dragging their ass 15 minutes into a tough workout and cant figure out why their energy level seems so awful now.

 

[xxxpinkladyxxx]

I dont even remotely resemble a diet expert, but I do know that anytime you consume fewer calories than you burn there is some risk of experiencing a net loss of skeletal muscle, Atkin's diet or not.

However, if you engage in some kind of regular resistance weight training, you get plenty of high quality protein, and you avoid slashing your calories to the starvation level the chances of that muscle loss can be greatly reduced.

Atkin's sucks in concert with pumping iron because carbs are the best source of energy for that type of exercise. People on Atkin's are dragging their ass 15 minutes into a tough workout and cant figure out why their energy level seems so awful now.

My boss did the Atkins diet and, whilst he lost a hell of a lot of weight, he was the moodiest f*ck going - that is what worries me about high protein diets. Because I know the Atkins diet has a lot of bad side effects like moodiness and bad breath. Neither really appeal to me. I think I need to buy that Body for Life book. I might be a bit wiser then.

 

[RottenWillow]

My boss did the Atkins diet and, whilst he lost a hell of a lot of weight, he was the moodiest f*ck going - that is what worries me about high protein diets. Because I know the Atkins diet has a lot of bad side effects like moodiness and bad breath. Neither really appeal to me. I think I need to buy that Body for Life book. I might be a bit wiser then.

it's not the high protein that may be making them irritable, but more likely the almost complete lack of carbohydrates.

 

[Sassy69]

Good quality fats have a place & purpose in a healthy balanced diet. Its the high processed fat that kills everyone. But to totally cut fat out of your diet is not good either. But to swing the other way and pound carbs is not good either. Same reason - there are good carbs & bad carbs. Generally the more processed the food is, the worse it is as a food source.

The biggest problem with healthy dieting these days is that the media as gotten ahold of it and packages diets around a simple theme like Atkins - eat all the fat you want but cut out the carbs. Sounds easy right? Gets fast results right? That sells because we all spent our whole lives getting fat but we want to lose it all in 20 minutes or less. The problem is that any major change to your diet, particularly one that restricts your intake , will get results. However, over the long term, you will probably see a rebound effect if you stop the change you made, or even if you continue it because it isn't a healthy state to remain in long term. Thus we come to the idea of a LIFESTYLE instead of a diet.

 

[The Shadow]

Just curious - how much weight are you looking to lose....you are already at 112?

 

[xxxpinkladyxxx]

Just curious - how much weight are you looking to lose....you are already at 112?

Not necessarily looking to lose any weight, just want to tone up my whole body.

Is there a way you can measure your body fat yourself?

 

[The Shadow]

tone??


oh boy..I hate that word...


but - thats another rant


sure.....


there is a three site pich test for men and women.......theres a digital set of claipers thathave the Jackson-Pol. equation in the microship...you plug in age and sex and then pinch three sites:


tricep
ab
mid thigh

 

[xxxpinkladyxxx]

tone??


oh boy..I hate that word...


but - thats another rant


sure.....


there is a three site pich test for men and women.......theres a digital set of claipers thathave the Jackson-Pol. equation in the microship...you plug in age and sex and then pinch three sites:


tricep
ab
mid thigh

What about the bathroom scales you can buy to measure body fat? Are they any good?

 

[The Shadow]

What about the bathroom scales you can buy to measure body fat? Are they any good?

no...hunks of junk...see thread on this board