Atkins Diet Misconceptions: Calorie-In Calorie-Out Fallacy

[HelenaVenom]

I don't believe the calorie-in-calorie-out-theory. Eating "normal" with lots of carbs I gain if I only eat 1300 calories (I have insulin resistance and PCOS). Eating lowcarb I can eat more than 2000 and loose weight!

[bowulf]

@HelenaVenom Amen!

[oshinkoboy]

Nonsense.

[bowulf]

@oshinkoboy Well why wouldn't one listen to such reasoned prose...

[Satarack]

But you see that this is what a science is. Calories in, Calories out simply says everything comes down to behaviour. It ends the scientific thought process, and makes it a psychiatric process. It says "you got fat because you let yourself get bad habits," when you should instead be asking, "what caused the bad habits that got you fat?"

The point is we need actual scientific theories here, not sociological and psychiatric ones. This is a biological phenomena, it needs a biological explanation.

[Satarack]

Ok then, what hormone is this; and what is giving this instruction?

And here we don't necessarily know quite as well. There's evidence to suggest that insulin is the primary hormone responsible, and figures like Dr. Robert Lustig and Gary Taubes believe this to be the case for the majority of the obese population.

[Satarack]

So what needs to happen is if someone does increase in weight, we have to ask ourselves, "what caused them to change their energy intake and energy outtake?" The answer is that their biochemical regulation system received some biochemical signal to store excess energy as fat; and they modified their eating and energy expenditure habits to accomplish this.

Then we delve further: what was this signal? Well most signals like that are hormones. That's how your body typically gives instructions.

[Satarack]

I feel this video is inadequate to explain the falacy of calorie in-calorie out.

The falacy is not in the law of thermodynamics, but rather is a thought terminating idiom. The problem is the claim that it's JUST calories in, calories out. That the road ends here, and there are no questions to ask. The reality is that your body mass is a regulated system, and that your eating and exercising habits are a response to this system, and are not the direct cause.

[s0ysauce09]

bullshit; starvation doesnt work? you can simply look at the contestants on survivor. they are starved for 30+ days and they lose a ton of weight.

[bowulf]

@s0ysauce09 Fine, you have a cast of doctors monitoring you, a drill sergeant beating you 6 hours in the gym to go harder, and see almost immediate bounce in your weight post show then it will work. The point is it the most efficacious way to lose weight.

Sure if you stop eating you'll lose weight, but will you lose at the same rate as your previous metabolism would have.

PS - Talk like your parents would be proud of you. Your arguments might get better traction.

[bowulf]

@pinkmushroom55 Actually my dedication didn't seem that much. I got to eat what I wanted, and I ate until my hunger was satiated. Losing over 4 pounds consistently every week was good enough for me. Any faster my athletic performance or lean body mass might have been sacrificed as well. Trying to artificially limit my calories as opposed to simply following hunger levels was one of the reasons all other diets prior to Atkins failed.

[bowulf]

@pinkmushroom55 Actually my dedication didn't seem that much. I got to eat what I wanted, and I ate until my hunger was satiated. Losing over 4 pounds consistently every week was good enough for me. Any faster my athletic performance or lean body mass might have been sacrificed as well. Trying to artificially limit my calories as opposed to simply following hunger levels was one of the reasons all other diets prior to Atkins failed.

[bowulf]

@pinkmushroom55 Restricting Calories well beyond your Basal Metabolic Rate (which there are multiple calculators online) will lead to starvation mode. Head to one of those calculators online, and put in your information. Exercising certainly increases your daily Calorie consumption, but you should still eat to your hunger levels. Let your exercise performance and energy levels after starting and the first couple weeks determine if you need more Calories or not.

[nobodyitellyou]

Thank you, Bowulf, for continuing the difficult and daunting task of championing truth in these matters you so diligently illustrate. keep up the good work, and don't let the occasional hater or skeptic get you down!

[bowulf]

@nobodyitellyou Well there are enough people supporting me that the one or two detractors hold little sway. Plus when your life has turned a 180 degrees and have zero health problems in comparison to before, their attempts to spread self-doubt don't gain much traction.

[angelofangle]

Calories in and calories out does matter. If we take a HEALTHY weight loss or gain(which is 1 lb a week), it does work in a calories in and calories out. Healthy weight gain where either the person take 500 extra or less calories of the person's daily maintanence calories everyday. It will lead to either weight loss or weight gain. Especially with bodybuilders, this is the the cycle that they follow, which is bulking(500 excess calories) and cutting(500 less calories).

[bowulf]

@angelofangle I am happy Calorie counting works for you. It does not work for many others. Any look at weight loss videos here will tell you that.

Explain to me why in the referenced studies low carb followers lost more weight eating the same number of Calories or more Calories than those eating a standard diet. Explain also why I could 2-3x MORE Calories and lost considerably more weight on Low Carb than I did on months following a strict Calorie intake diet.

[sumbarine]

@bowulf Weight lost was simply water weight & not fat. Carbs usually allow body to retain water.Then there^s muscle loss.Since your body prefers to run on carbs & doesn^t have much,it has to go thru the trooble to convert protein into carbs to run your body.This sacrifices the protein needed to repair your body.Those same studies confirm after 1 year low carb & low fat equal the same amount of weight loss.Also a study confirmed that low carbers lost some weight because of lesser calories

[bowulf]

@sumbarine So my 211 pounds lost was simply 26.75 gallons of water lost? The body fat percentage that I lost from48% to 11 or 12% at one point was simply due to water.

As for the muscle loss, why would it convert protein, which I have enough of in my diet, to carbs for fuel when it has all the ATP it needs from the fat it burns through the Krebs cycle. Let alone cannibalize its own muscle tissues for energy. My body like many expert marathoners acclimate to burning fat for fuel just fine.

[sumbarine]

@bowulf Your weight loss is easy to explain----Calories in vs calories out

[bowulf]

@sumbarine Did you even watch the video? I ate 2-3 times the amount of Calories on Atkins (3500-4500 Calories) as I did the months prior to starting Atkins. In the months prior to Atkins, I was on a strict 1500 Calories per day diet and saw little success, so either Atkins revved up my metabolism 3-4 times to account for the 4-5 pounds lost per week as opposed to 1 pound at best per month or the Calories consumed were not used for energy. (metabolic advantage)

[bowulf]

BTW - way to contradict your statement "Weight lost was simply water weight & not fat" -- If the weight loss was simply a matter of Calories and Calories out then water retention would not matter.

[sumbarine]

@bowulf No contradiction,regardless of diet chosen,your body can & will convert to fat any carbs,protein or fat that is not used.Don^t give me this bullshit i ate a million calories & lost weight.Either your getting the calories numbers wrong or your active very much.Recall the 50 & 60s USA---fries,cokes,cereals,mom made apple pies.Most people however were more active.Manual labour vs desk job,washing dishes vs dishwater,playin instead of 200 channels TV.Calories in vs calories out.

[bowulf]

@sumbarine If you can't accept the reality of my weight loss, that's not my problem. That is yours. Your exaggerations only prove your desperateness.

Recall the 50s and 60s. How much sugar did people eat? How much lard, bacon, meat, butter, whole milk, homemade foods with real ingredients? Over the last 50 years what portion of the diet has increased -- simple sugars or fats? I'll give you a hint. People didn't drink 2 liters of coke per day then. Trips to McDonalds for fries were rare.

[sumbarine]

@bowulf You proved my point,they ate those simple carbs & remained thin.Meat wasn^t the reason(& I love meat)

According to USA data people are taking in 400 more calories of food daily than in 1910.If you think you can eat all the protein u want & magically think the xtra calories will dissapear if your body doesn^t need them is wrong.Taubes is pushing a fad,with theories debunked,people misquoted etc. Studies reveal big time that people underreport/overreport what they eat without monitoring

[bowulf]

@sumbarine I think you don't have a clue what I am suggesting or not.

If you can explain eating 3000 more Calories per day and losing weight 8 times faster than eating 1500 Calories per day without dramatically more exercise, I'd love to hear it. Studies like the Harvard ones mentioned above with provided meals demonstrate the same thing. As for under- vs. over-reporting, you can ignore some people reporting calorie intake but take studies based upon mass reporting in 1910?

[sumbarine]

@bowulf Calorie needs are based on Basal metabolic rates,muscle mass,size,activity level,age etc which can vary from person to person.Studies of under reporting are confirmed by witnesses(example one obese woman claimed to eat 2 tblespoons of peanut butter a day,her husband confirmed later it was 8).Back in 1910 before the obesity epidemic there was no cause for people to lie or exagerate

[bowulf]

@sumbarine Now you are grasping at straws to prove your argument. People today lie, but people in 1910 are honest and are better able to judge how much they eat. That's quite an example of self-justification.

[bowulf]

@sumbarine Also in the 50s, moms didn't let their kids swear and looked down at those who needed to use vulgarities to get their point across. Clean up your act.

[bowulf]

As for the studies that show similar weight loss after one year. That's great as an average because the unfortunate truth all diets that are external or something put on someone as opposed to lifestyle results suck. However you change how one eats long term, and you breed permanent results. Even if all studies showed low fat to be ideal for most that still does not eliminate my reality of years of failure on low fat, strict Calorie control, and my 15 months 211 pounds lost or 7 years at goal.

[bowulf]

@angelofangle This does not even go to the source of the weight loss. Low carb followers have also been shown to lose lean body mass and lose more visceral fat than low fat followers. That is you lose more of the stuff you want to lose and less of your body you want to preserve. Heck even body builders know that fact.

[ltna69]

sorry but it is all calorie in calorie out i ate 1800 calories of whatever i wanted fat sugar and everything i wanted and lost weight i will never go low carb!

[bowulf]

@ltna69 Glad you think monitoring Calories works for you. I monitored my Calories for years, tried low Calorie diets ad nauseum, and failed every time. It was only when I stopped monitoring them and eating low carb that worked for me.

[Gideon359]

bowolf why did you show a pic of the bad calories good calories by gary taubes. Did you try to throw in a subliminal message or something.

[bowulf]

@Gideon359 In the past prior to the current Youtube controls, the only way to "game" the video thumbnail was to put a snapshot at exactly halfway through the video of what you wanted the video snapshot to be. This was the reason you used to see pictures of barely dressed females thrown into the middle of videos.

Youtube and the capabilities it offers videographers has changed greatly.

[SAMMbatMan]

So according to the studies, since group number 2 lost the most amount of weight, wouldn't keeping calories slightly below or at your BMR whilst loosing weight on low-carb be better than eating above your BMR, or is it just to be safe? I found that when I ate at or below my BMR (1792cals) I lost more weight than above my BMR, which helped me go from 228 to 133 pounds in 6 months (I'm a 5'9 16year old guy by the way). Although I did and still do work out nearly every day.

[SAMMbatMan]

@SAMMbatMan On atkins obviously, which has really helped me to learn a healthy way of eating for the rest of my life :)

[Vittoria10538]

Ha! This clears things up! At beginning of July, I cut back to 1800 cal/day (I'm nearly 6 ft tall) AND ran/walked 3 mi/day. At end July: NOT ONE OUNCE LOST! Then remembered how well Atkins had always worked (I forgot & remembered many times over the years). I stopped counting calories & went on Induction. Cals were probably much higher, yet the wt FINALLY started coming off: about 2-3 lbs/wk. Energy is high & even all day, mood is much better. Remind me to stop listening to Atkins bashers! :-)

[lovelylady1014]

Your awesome! I totally admire your success!

[lovelylady1014]

Micheal Phelps burns all those cals because he is naturally lean. He's driven physically not mentally to be active. There are plenty of people who can eat whatever they want and not be overweight. But, there are a lot of us who have an insulin inbalance and gain weight as a result. Thank you Gary Taubes.

[bowulf]

@lovelylady1014 I know part of Phelps success is genetics. I also believe part of his high metabolism is training his body, but I agree we are not all that fortunate genetic-wise or with our history of training our bodies to be broken in its relationship with food.

Knowing how to fix that relationship or retrain that body is absolutely due to the experts in the field low carb. Without them I would never been successful for running marathons.

[stockmaster1982]

@lovelylady1014 There are many causes for overweight

obesity. Insulin inbalance, metabolism, eating

more calories than the body requires (energy inbalance).

But ur comment regarding lean people eating

whatever they want and not being fat, well, that's

not necessarily true. Even lean ppl if they consume

more calories than there body needs, will eventually

gain weight. It's just that they haven't consumed

more energy than need! Calorie in out is

not a fallacy. What goes in must come out!

[anotherjoe50]

My calories for the day: A whopping 2,600! But only 30 carbs. I'm no scientist, but I can tell you, eating that much on a "balanced" diet and I'd tip the scales at 180. My weight has been holding steady at 153 for 2 months. My waist hasn't. Lost 3 inches. An hour after eating a salad with lots of oil, a chicken breast smothered in a sour cream&mushroom sauce, zucchini with butter and lemon is: 101. (The ADA recommends below 140.) A calorie is a calorie? Not.

[stockmaster1982]

@anotherjoe50 A calorie may not be just a calorie

i agree with you on that one. Because not all food

are created equally because of the amount of nutrition

you get from each particular types of food! But the

calorie theory is not fallacy. Even if you choose the

best types of food, less fattening with high nutrition,

if you eat those healthy food in excess amount

you will gain weight, despite how health it is!

Energy balance theory is valid, but the type

of food is also important!

[anotherjoe50]

One criticism I'm tired of is, "...but so one can stay on low carb." I know of no one who has maintained weight loss on high carb/low fat. I just googled "biggest loser regains" and came up with stories of "winners" who are now as fat as ever. The same is true for Weight Watchers. What these programs are most successful at is convincing hapless victims that the programs are successful, in spite of all evidence to the contrary.

[bowulf]

@anotherjoe50 I agree. I commented on how the recividism or the failure rate of low carb is actually lower than the low fat approach like you said in the 7 or 8 comparative studies done. If you keep people eating foods they don't want in a state of deprivation and eating processed foods (like low fat cheese or lean cuisine meals), you are not destined for long term success.

[starsinthetwilight]

Counting calories does work. You said you went on a 1000-1200 calorie diet for weeks, well calorie restriction has to be consistently done. I'm underweight and I eat mostly carbs, why aren't I fat? Well, it's because I don't overeat and count calories. Plus low carb diets are boring.

[bowulf]

@starsinthetwilight So if you eat or burn 3500 Calories less you absolutely always lose one pound?

If I went on a restricted diet for a prolonged period of times (weeks), why wasn't my weight loss consistent less or directly tied to the calories ate vs. calories consumed? If numerical Calories determine success, why is consistency an issue? I should be able to tied weight lost and gained directly to today's consumption.

Why aren't you fat? I never said starving yourself doesn't work.

[bowulf]

@starsinthetwilight I would say it doesn't work as well as eating right. It certainly is not as enjoyable.

"Plus low carb diets are boring. "

You have either not done them right, viewed any of my recipe videos, or have dramatically different tastes than I do. My diet is only as boring as I am or my motivation to cook for myself. If you want to buy commercially processed junk, you might have a problem doing low carb.

[starsinthetwilight]

@bowulf It's great and all if you like low carb foods and it works for you, but it's not for everyone. Plus, people aren't exactly getting fat off eating apples and oatmeal. People eat more calories than they used to in previous decades, people don't just eat carbs, people who have weight issues most often consume more than enough fat also. I'm just tired of people acting like if you eat carbs you'll become fat or that calories don't matter, if one downs a whole bottle of olive oil they'll gain.

[bowulf]

@starsinthetwilight Sure not everyone likes low carb foods but that's like saying not everyone likes the color red or blue. Low carb foods or the diet of the low carber encompasses most in the world, and there are very few foods excluded. So yes if you must eat candy, cake, donuts, pizza crust, rice, white bread, ice cream AT EVERY MEAL- you might have a problem on a low carb lifestyle.

Your comment acts like there is only a small section of foods that a low carb can eat, which is not true.

[bowulf]

@starsinthetwilight I would challenge you to find a diet that simply says don't eat carbs and you'll be fine. What low carb diets say is carbohydrates play a dramatic role in regulating one's blood glucose and insulin levels, so limit them AND eat the right foods.

I am saying Calories certainly matter less than the nature of food you are eating. Eating 2000 Calories of Twinkies will result in a different body and weight than 2000 Calories of Meat / Veggies. Science proves that.

[bowulf]

@bowulf One more comment - show me one person that WANTS to down a whole bottle of olive oil by itself. Most people with a high fat option be it olive oil or even a steak self-regulate what they eat quite rapidly. The "off" button exists. Compare that to ice cream, candy, chips, cake, or even fruit, how many times does a someone or more people binge eat on those items.

So the getting fat on only olive oil example is a non sequitar since no one does that where the converse does happen.

[starsinthetwilight]

@bowulf Calories are calories in all honesty. I've never liked savory foods and I've eaten sugar since I was a child and I've always been underweight. I've even lost more weight recently just by further cutting calories, while still enjoying my ice cream and cookies. Your body requires energy to run on, the body won't store fat if it has to use all the calories you put in, if it was as simple as simple sugar/carbs makes you fat then I would have reached morbid obesity a long time ago.

[bowulf]

@starsinthetwilight Well I have tried to explain the position more than once to you, but you don't seem to catching it.

Body requires energy to run; however it does more with food than just run. It provides nutrients and the building materials for the body systems. Without those building materials (which the only essential ones that the body can't make itself are fats and proteins), it will break down.

So if you lose while eating cookies, great but you aren't doing your body any favors.

[zegonzales]

There certainly IS a metabolic advantage on atkins. theres is more FAT burned for calorie in deficit than in other diets. low fat diets are well known to promote a lot of muscle mass during weight loss and to be not so efficient on the improvement on bloodwork of the people that decide to use them to control weight.

[bundleHastings]

I totally LOVE all your vids. Good on yer, Kent!

[bowulf]

Thank you!

[bundleHastings]

Is that rabbit to eat later?

[bowulf]

Nope. To paraphrase Bruce from "finding Nemo," pet bunnies are friends not food. :-D

[deebestout]

thanks 4 the info, i always figured this, just nobody ever announced it

[galaxyblade]

This has to be one of the most retarded things I have ever heard.

[bowulf]

Great - now move along and pass along your wisdom elsewhere...

[lukerickrob]

How did we go from Atkins to rabbits? *Smile* Yes, he is litter trained, but I didn't 'train' him, he is just very clean and if he is loose he will jump back into his cage to...you know....lol. Anyway, loved the vid!

[lukerickrob]

Oh, your bunny in the background is so cute! I have a dwarf rabbit myself, lol

[bowulf]

Thanks! They are definitely interesting to have around. Is yours litter-trained?

[seanadb]

Hey dude,

Just wanted to say keep up the great work, passing on the right info. It's funny to see people nit-pick about the low-carb approach, but in the end, facts win.

Cheers!

[bowulf]

Thanks! When the truth is on your side, the arguments fall on deaf hears. My goal is to get everyone with deaf ears to the critics and self-doubt.

[drsamhouse]

why do you have a rabbit in a cage?

[bowulf]

Because we have 2 pet rabbits who stay in their cages until we let them roam the house (have to wait for the dog to be outside).

[lightninlad]

Hey, nice job with these videos.

Question for ya....

Would the new Kentucky GRILLED chicken with 0carbs be an okay choice for a low carb diet? I noticed it had a lot of sodium and just wanted your thoughts on this.

[bowulf]

For Induction, no. If you read the ingredients they load the stuff with dextrose and modified food starch. I am less concerned about the MSG than others, but the sodium can certainly cause water retention. You are drinking a lot of water to counteract it.

After Induction, it would be acceptable if you continued to lose weight while eating it.

[MisterQuebec]

Sorry if my question is not about this video. We often hear that Joe Smith can eat much lots of so-called fattening food and stay slim while John Doe stays obese because he has a much lower metabolism rate. Is this a myth? Thanks.

[bowulf]

Not everyone will run at the same metabolic rate -- it can be affected by a lot of different factors, such as hormonal changes (stress), Caloric intake,thyroid prob,amount of exercise, or muscle density. The basal metabolic rate is just a common guideline not a concrete line in the sand.

I am convinced that what you eat can adjust your metabolic rate too. I know when I fed myself junk, I could feel my body be sluggish. If I eat healthy (as defined by Atkins), I am usually full of energy.

[bowulf]

So while I believe ppl could certainly have different metabolic rates, it does NOT mean that is death sentence or a curse to remain fat. I would have thought my metabolic rate would have been shot after years or decade of being fat and inactive.

Mine has bounced back, and I have no problems with energy or maintaining by and large now.

[hightrump]

I think you need to rethink this video. Your argument depends on people who miscalculate their calorie expenditure. Calories in - calories out = weight gain or loss. If you eat in a manner which lowers your BMR you have to adjust the equation. The relation is a fact of thermodynamics. The people do the math wrong does not prove modern science wrong. Also, you claim 3000 cals is a pound of fat. Well its 3,500.

[bowulf]

No, well I may have misspoke on the Calorie to equal a pound. The law of thermodynamics has only marginal relevance with weight loss. The law of thermodynamics has no role in water retention or hormonal changes. The human body is not a closed loop system.

If you could control EVERY variable to nail your BMR to the Calorie level, you MAY be able calculate weight loss; however, no human can. So if EVERYONE is doing the math wrong, what is the point of doing it.

[hightrump]

In the short term a persons weight is affected by changes in water and stool, yet there is a range of only 5 or so pounds attributable to those causes. This is why a wise dieter does not concern themselves over daily weight changes.

If you meant to say "counting calories is prohibitively complicated" (which I disagree with also) that is fine. However what you said violated conservation of energy and is 100% incorrect.

[bowulf]

I am saying that your BMR can change on routine basis, and if you are counting on that as the negative you problematic to say the least. I just had someone increase his documented Calories by 700-800 per day and lose 3 more pounds this week than the previous three weeks.

If it was simply CI-CO, he should have lost less weight. Also CI-CO does not address the studies I referenced where LCarb lost more weight at the same and higher Caloric intake than LFat dieters over prolonged periods of time.

[hightrump]

Look I am not going to debate basic thermodynamics with a 500 character limit. I have a degree in biochemistry and a medical degree. I am telling you that calories in minus calories out equals loss of fat and or muscle/glycogen. More is accounted for on a scale that fat and muscle and this is a known complication of using a scale for using weight as a proxy for a true fat measurement. It does not mean you get to repudiate the known laws of thermodynamics.

[bowulf]

OK, good luck to you....

I agree that body fat % is better indicator of success in weight loss than any scale reading. That is why a low carb diet, which has been proven as more protective of lean body mass and features a greater fat tissue loss than other diets, is my diet of choice.

[bowulf]

OK, good luck to you....

I agree that body fat % is better indicator of success in weight loss than any scale reading. That is why a low carb diet, which has been proven as more protective of lean body mass and features a greater fat tissue loss than other diets, is my diet of choice.

[AnninHouston]

You are a great ambassador for Atkins and lc in general. Were you ever an ASDLC participant? Some of your expressions really give me a case of deja vu.

[bowulf]

I used to follow that newsgroup a long time ago, but never was active more than a few posts a year. I was more active on atkinsdietbulletinboard and lowcarbfriends online support forums.

[yourtuberr]

Just so you know where I stand, I lost around 95 lbs low carbing and lifting weights. In my opinion low carb has the benefit of lowered insulin. Insulin is the enemy of fat loss. When you lower your insulin, you allow your body to use fat. When you just eat less, you just become a smaller version of yourself.

[bowulf]

Ditto - Lowering your insulin finally enables you to get off the carb train, and start burning fat first for energy.  No insulin response, you body can't burn anything but the fat for the fuel.

[nevah01]

This is all a lie. Atkins depends so much on eliminating an important food group like whole grains to lose water weight. How can you shun activity?

[bowulf]

>> How can you shun activity?

Dude have you seen my exercise videos? Have you watched anything I have done? Learn something and expand your horizon. As for whole grains, they are excluded from one phase not the 3 other phases. How about your read first and then comment.

[shiz1246]

Counting calories DOES work! It's the only thing that has been working for me. Maybe you didn't calculate your BMR properly, so it didn't work for you. Maybe you need more calories in order to not go into starvation mode. Some people may lose weight by cutting carbs, but it's easy to gain it back. I agree with you about weight not being all fat, etc. Look at Antishay's videos, too... she loses weight w/o counting carbs or anything other than calories.

[bowulf]

I am not saying that if you restrict your Calories you won't lose weight.

What I am saying is that your weight loss will NOT equal the sum total of Calories In minus your Calories Out. Water has no Calories, but it figures no where in the equation, and it obviously affects scale weight. The source of the weight loss is important.

My point was it is not simply an equation, and that all methods are not equal. If it was, you'd plug in the numbers and not have to weigh.

[bowulf]

As for the ease in gaining it back or recividism, the point is if it was just calories, it wouldn't matter how you lost it or gain it back. You just pointed out its more than just the Calories in the food.

Low carb recividism is equal to the people who learned the lessons as they were losing the weight. If you return to old ways and old bad habits, you will gain the weight back. If you follow the plan, the weight stays off. It has for me for 5 years, and my friends for 20+ years.

[Xtro2005]

So then its not really anything inherent to them. It the stall would be more aptly associated with their own metabolic issues?

[bowulf]

Yes and no. There are foods which don't have the negative impacts associated with them as these foods do. Red meat, poultry, salad lettuces, mayo, etc. are pretty safe to eat by anyone until they are satiated. I have not heard of people typically being stalled for months due to their chicken intake. The same can't be said for these foods -- nuts are another one that can cause problems due to their protein makeup.

So it goes beyond just metabolism (fast/slow) to how your body processes it.

[Xtro2005]

have you addressed dairy products and caffeine?

[bowulf]

In other videos, I have talked about how both are common stallers to people over and above their simple Caloric intake. A bunch of people are sensitive to lactose and whey proteins than those who react more violently to it.

Caffeine is similar. 25% of the people in Dr. A's clinics had reduced weight loss while taking caffeine. That said he did recognize the metabolism value of limited doses. It's definitely a YMMV thing.

[Xtro2005]

I think you should do a vid on exotic foods

[bowulf]

I just did another recipe video and should be doing a video on product recommendations (unsponsored) shortly. As for exotic foods, my menus are pretty traditional American with some common ethnic food influences (Mexican, Chinese, etc.), so I may not be the best judge.

[Xtro2005]

The Cal in/out routine has to be fallacious just from the get go. The avergage person takes in far more cals then they output in a day. If the myth were true everyone would be overweight.

[Xtro2005]

Off topic but that rabbit is huge.

[bowulf]

Yea, he's a lop-eared rabbit and probably near 8 pounds. Our other one is much smaller.

[uvayne]

I viewed both videos and have read most of the book. Question, Do you know if it would make a big difference if you were to do no carbs and just eat meat for say just two weeks and then go up to 20-50 net carbs a day as in the Atkins diet plan?(including veggies etc)

Thanks

[LadyMatsuyama]

another good one, im still going along on the atkins way of life, not cheated yet! before christmas i was 320, i am now 288!

[bowulf]

Big congrats! That is impressive. Keep up the great work!

[irisdaflower]

Appreciate your thoughts on the biggest looser. IMO that show is just about the biggest liar. So many fallacies put out it makes me sick.

[bowulf]

Yep, I had to laugh when Bob said you need those carbs to complete the workouts. I certainly haven't needed any to complete a 4 hr marathon.

[TheJoshster88]

I lost just under 100 lbs on the atkins diet and exercising so easily about two years ago.

Sadly to say I did not treat it as a lifestyle, just as a diet and I let myself balloon up, gaining about 60 lbs.

Although I know it is not going to be as successful or "easy" this time around, I just started going back into it today.

What are the main consequences of going off atkins for a long period of time then getting back on? Sugar and beer are my main vices any tips on supressing those urges?

[bowulf]

You might want to see my Golden Shot Theory video. It may very well be as easy this time. Partly it comes down to finding your motivation to lose and holding that in front of you.

As for consequences there really is no difference physically to someone doing it first time to someone who has been off the diet for awhile. Both should have built their glycogen stores back up.

To suppress those urges, I have other craving videos. They point to motivation on why and keeping the cravings manageable.

[TheJoshster88]

Thanks, the low carb emergency kit video helped and I remember watching the mock danish video before, that has become my staple "craving" food, I only limit myself to just one a day.

[bowulf]

Good call. That recipe is so simple but so good (from taste and nutrition stand point). Just keep under your cheese and sweetener allotment for the day, and you are good to go!

[uvayne]

Great video! How many carbs are you limiting yourself to? induction is 20?

what do you eat from meats, eggs & veggies? ie whats a typical day for you?

tks

[bowulf]

Right now I eat between 30-60 carbs per day. Induction is indeed 20 net carbs per day, but it is more than that as well. Watch my Induction videos to capture just what the rules are because it makes a difference where they come from not just the amount. For a typical day, check out my breakfast video -- those are foods I am eating most days.

[spamllpitdept]

Thanks for another great video. One of the myths that bother me the most is calorie in calorie out as well. For instance, in ketosis (assuming you're not eating hidden carbs that release insulin), you'll urinate out extra calories.

[bowulf]

Absolutely... Unless there is insulin in the system, the body can't do anything with excess dietary fat than excrete it out in some fashion. There just is no other pathway for it to be stored.

[cz2509]

Hiya Bowulf - Just wanted to say Thanks! Your videos have helped me with my own Atkins journey.

Doing good work here!

[bowulf]

You are welcome, and thanks for watching.

[KarthikSoun]

and i cant help but notice the bunny in the back ground!! is he part of the Atkins diet? : P

[bowulf]

To paraphrase Finding Nemo, bunnies are friend not food.

[KarthikSoun]

hi kent.i agree with u tht high carb diets r really bad for weight loss programs.! but i also find Atkins low carb diet is not very good in the long term.. the main problem with Atkins is that it makes u feel dull and even unhealthy at times.. the body feels slow and sluggish, if ppl who hv a risk of heart disease in their family it cant be advised!

However i think a balanced diet which makes u feel lively and healthy the whole day is better even though u may loose weight much slower.

thanks.

[bowulf]

Actually, most people find Atkins and low carb brings out a feeling of energy and vigor. What you might be talking about is Induction flu, but that is only temporary. As for heart disease, Atkins Diet is actually good for it as it drops inflammation, bad cholesterol levels, and triglycerides. The diet was made by board certified cardiologist.

As for lively and healthy, I don't think you can feel more alive than I do when I am running a marathon (26,2 miles). My health has never been better.

[cz2509]

I have lost 65 lbs over the last 8 months using the Atkins diet. While I felt a bit sluggish during the first 3 or 4 days,

once into the induction phase your energy level will not be a problem.

My cholesterol dropped from over 300 to within normal range without drugs. My blood pressure is excellent.

Now I maintain a low carb lifestyle along with a family, a daily 2hr workout and a pretty demanding job.

I feel great! I sleep better than I ever have. My Energy level is not an issue!

[nirvanachick84]

What about anorexics? How do they get so skinny hummm...

[bowulf]

I am not saying you can't lose weight by restricting Calories. I am saying that the amount lost does not directly equal a subtraction of 3000 Calories from your diet. Even anorexics eating only 200-300 Calories per day have problems losing weight sometimes because their bodies are thankfully fighting against them and their eating disorder.

[baltimoregurlie]

Hi Kent I know this is off topic i cant find anyone to ask and you are the atkins king lol  my question is about interval traning when you are in ketosis..i know they say the intervals are good couse they take the suger out of your muscles so you can start burning fat. now if you are already in fat burning mode how would intervals benifet

[bowulf]

The beauty of the ketogenic diet is that you are always in fat burning mode, so there are no specific target heart rate zones for one vs. the other. However, that does not mean interval training goes to waste as it is important to stimulate cardio fitness, which is really the goal of exercise in weight loss.

The exercise element insures that after you lose the weight you will be happy with the result as some of daily resistance training goes away (just lugging the extra weight around).

[aydensfolks]

Hey Kent thanks for the vid! =) Easy not to get enough calories when youre in ketosis and not hungry! I gotta work on that. ...... Off note, those bunnies hard to clean up after? Ive thought about gettin one before! LOL

[bowulf]

The rabbits are very hairy pets. I don't mind changing the litter pans so much, but they shed quite a bit. I am sure if we groomed them more often we wouldn't have the problem, but they blow their coat at least twice a year.

[sidecrank]

Hi,thanks again for a great vid.For me,a recovering compulsive over eater,I must not forget that carbs mean compulsive addictive eating.Carbs trigger my addiction.I lost a lot of weight on W.W. once,but boy that was a painful,white knuckle ride.I thank Atkins,saved my life.

[bowulf]

Yep, that was the magic of low carb for me that I was able to control my eating for the first time and stop eating when I wasn't hungry. I can very much relate to your story. Stay tuned for my next episode where I talk about since it is not Calorie In Calorie Out what role Calories do play.

[creaturex]

Another great video. Keep it up!

[bowulf]

Thanks again for watching. :-)

[VeeVeeVeeV]

HA  Hi Kent,

I want to be the first to make a comment....

Thank you for all your work, and for your support in this field. We appreciate you!!!

xo

e.

[bowulf]

You are very welcome. :-)