Atkins & Low-Carb – Part 2

In our last article we talked about the low-carb diet, and
whether or not we can stick with it for life. In this
installment we’re still going to talk about carb control, but
from a slightly different perspective. Let’s take a look at who
is endorsing which diet plan, and what is their motivation?

Without a doubt, the most popular low-carb plan is the Atkins
diet. Atkins is the fuel in the rocket, so to speak, that has
put the low-carb phenomenon into orbit. Prior to Atkins, few (if
any) of us had considered low-carbing as a weight loss plan. Of
course, carb control as a concept existed long before Atkins; we
called it the glycemic index!

Since the birth of the Atkins plan, many have followed. The
South Beach Diet is probably the most successful derivative of
Atkins. South Beach teaches a more balanced approach to
carb-control eating, pointing out the difference between “good”
carbs and “bad” carbs. Yes, there is a difference! South Beach
doesn’t advocate eliminating ALL carbohydrates from your diet,
just some.

Along with these two low-carb heavy-hitters, there are hundreds
(even thousands?) of companies out there making a living off the
low-carb mania. There’s even a new magazine dedicated to
low-carb living. Should we believe what they say? Why or why not?

What do all of these people and/or organizations have in common?
Well, most of them are trying to sell us something. Atkins, of
course, has books and a growing line of food products. The South
Beach folks are following that retail receipe for success as
quickly as they can. Just because they’re making money off the
low-carb diet, does that automatically discredit what they’re
saying? Of course not! But, it should be enough to make us dig a
little deeper, to seek out more facts.

How about the federal government…..one of the reasons we have
a government is to protect us from fraudulent claims and give us
the truth. Right? Well, hold on a minute: for decades the
government has told us that a high-carbohydrate diet is the sure
road to weight management (remember the food pyramid?). Now, all
of a sudden, we’re not so sure about that.

So in whom do we place our trust? On the one hand, most of us DO
trust the FDA to give us the straight-scoop about health and
nutrition, so we should have 6-11 servings of carbohydrates per
day. On the other hand, most of us know someone who has lost
25-50 pounds on a low-carb diet. Who’s right? Who do we trust?

We join other fitness experts in encouraging you to trust the
most unbiased source available: your doctor. Not only will your
doctor have the most knowledge to answer your questions, but
perhaps more importantly your doctor has no vested interest in
pushing any particular diet plan.

Think about it. If you’re planning to buy a new car, who’s word
are you going to trust more: the car salesman or the automotive
expert at Consumer Reports? The car salesman has a vested
interest in what you hear, while the Consumer Reports expert
(probably) doesn’t care what kind of car you buy!

Many of us seek out fair, impartial resources when we’re making
a major purchase (car, boat, house, etc.). Shouldn’t we do the
same when we’re investing in our own body?

Please understand that we’re not saying you should ignore
everything from low-carb promoters. We’re not saying that at
all. Companies and corporations play an important role in
educating the public. What we are saying, however, is that it’s
critical to consult with your physician before starting on the
low-carb diet…..or on any diet for that matter. As we
discussed in the last article in this series, low-carb plans are
not right for everyone. Your doctor is in the best position to
tell if it’s right for you.

Once again, we must include a reminder to exercise! No matter
what nutritional approach you take, all of the experts recommend
that you exercise on a regular basis. Think about it: there are
hundreds of diet plans out there in the world today, and many of
them offer conflicting information, but the one thing they all
have in common is that they all encourage you to exercise. So
although the experts may disagree on what you should eat, they
do agree on what you should do: exercise!

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