The Truth on Ketogenic Diets, Atkins
This is a writing sample from Scripted writer Jennifer Shakeel
I don't believe in "diets." Just in eating the right foods prepared the right way (that can vary from individual to individual based on medical conditions, allergies and belief systems). Over the years I have studied just about every "diet" that has come out often using myself as a guinea pig to see what impact the diet has on weight loss, muscle mass, energy and lifestyle impact. Kind of hard to honestly answer a client's question about an eating plan if I haven't really experienced it. (That is my thought process anyway.) Now there are some that right off the bat before you even start, you KNOW aren't going to be good for the long haul. There are also the eating plans that do battle with one another over who is better. It's all crap as far as I am concerned. You don't need packaged processed foods, you don't need to join an eating club that sells you products and doesn't teach you how to eat. My least favorite eating plan ever is probably Atkins. Now before anyone gets upset with me, starts sending mail about how this plan worked for them and helped them drop 30 pounds listen to me. I am NOT saying that it won't or doesn't work… short term. It does, actually many years ago my aunt and cousin both went on it together and lost a significant amount of weight. Did they keep it off? Ahhh no… Why? Because Atkins is not a life long way to eat. Seriously, think about this. Don't eat a piece of whole wheat bread but go ahead and eat a pound of bacon. Atkins is not the only eating plan guilty of pushing the high protein low carb formula as the key to weight loss success; there are others. NONE of them are better than the other. The American Journal Physiology Endocrinology Metabolism, published in January of this year published the results of a long term study done on the long term impact ketogenic diets had on the body and the health of the person following them. Diets that are high protein low carb increase the production of acid compounds in the body known as ketones. It is true that these diets trigger rapid weight loss, but the long term impact of that insignificant benefit are life changing. A long term study done on mice found that ketogenic diets led to changes in the beta and alpha cells in the pancreas that regulate the production of glucagon and insulin. These are the two hormones essential to blood sugar regulation. Ketogenic diets lead to a decreased ability to take up blood sugar in the cells. The mice in the study also developed blood markers of unhealthy fat regulation and inflammation such as elevated levels of leptin, Interleukin 6, cholesterol and triglycerides. Following a ketogenic diet for the long haul actually increases the likelihood of you developing Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease. Let's think about this for a minute… You are following a diet that will in fact help you drop weight rapidly. You get to eat all of protein you want (bacon, steaks and the like) but in the end that is going to change the hormones in your body so that they don't function properly. That though you are dropping weight and following what is being touted as a "healthy life long" eating plan it actually increases the likelihood of you developing heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes. "Sure sign me up for that," said no sane person ever. The study also shows that after 12 months there isn't any difference between the amount of weight lost on a ketogenic diet compared to a calorie restricted diet.
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