It’s probably no secret that ever since the low-carb approach to weight loss was published, arguably the most visible proponent was Dr. Robert Atkins; the medical profession was generally unimpressed. In fact, one might suggest that many doctors, researchers, and government agencies went to great lengths to try to talk us out of this approach to weight loss. Study after study was presented as evidence and in support of his position. There was so much negative information in the media that it eventually became a weight loss method that, if followed, was not something the participant talked about too openly. It just wasn’t socially acceptable. This seems to be a common method of suppressing anything but the status quo.
But something happened along the way that started to change things. Low-carb weight loss advocates actually lost weight; lots. They kept the weight off and began to show signs of other health-related benefits such as reduced cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure results, fewer glycemic crashes, etc. The pressure on the medical establishment began to mount and bona fide calls for more research reached a very high level. Over time, these calls have resulted in an increasing number of studies showing that there may be some validity to the diet approach. It was a start.
With over 60% of Americans overweight or obese and a significant number of us suffering from related chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, the importance of providing safe and effective weight loss methods is paramount. It seems that most diets fail. My impression is that our inability to persevere, the demands placed on us by our personal and professional lives, and the lack of long-term results are major contributors to this failure. An approach that is not severely restrictive with regard to food choices, that offers initial weight-loss success in exchange for initial acceptance of the plan for a couple of weeks, and that can explain, predict, and help resolve plateaus is well deserved. attention.
In fact, Gary Foster, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia, was recently quoted as saying: “We are past the time where we would say that the Atkins diet is bad for you. That is an outdated position. This is a viable alternative to lose weight..”
It is important to note here that any approach that will help you lose weight safely, and after review by your healthcare professional, is highly beneficial and deserves consideration. Some are more applicable to your lifestyle and preferences. If so, follow them.
It should be your hope and goal that the initial weight loss turns into a complete lifestyle change. Let’s face it, it’s our eating habits and lifestyle that created the problem in the first place, unless a particular medical condition was to blame. It is my opinion that eventually, without lifestyle change, there is no long-term weight loss or maintenance of that weight loss. Welcome to the infamous “weight loss roller coaster” that has been reported to be dangerous to your health in its own right.
Recently, a summary of 17 studies that followed more than 1,100 obese people following the low-carb weight loss approach provided some very interesting observations. On average, these dieters, over the course of 6 to 12 months, lost nearly 18 pounds. At worst, that’s an average of 1.5 pounds per month for the year. Who wouldn’t sign up for that in advance?
It seems our dieters improved their body shape by losing inches around the waist, but that’s not all. They also saw improvements in other categories. Specifically, areas such as blood pressure, blood sugar, blood fats, and good cholesterol had improved, while bad (LDL) cholesterol had not changed. The bottom line is that by improving heart disease and other risk factors, our dieters were getting healthier. Isn’t this what it’s all about?
I know that the medical profession is a dedicated, often selfless group of people. In addition to not harming us and curing our ills, they are committed to protecting our best good. Now, to some degree, science is catching up with the low-carb lifestyle for weight loss. I’d like to see more doctors take a second look at this research so that those of us following this approach can become more mainstream; bring the good news to more people who would benefit as a result.
