A conversation about Atkins.

This conversation took place on our old forums and has been moved here. Some headings have been added. It may seem a little muddled when read out of context, but some good information here.

After reading up on the Atkins Diet (got a copy of Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution) I have come to the conclusion that the Atkins diet is the best way for the average overweight/obese individual to lose weight. I have now been on the induction phase of the Atkins Diet for a week, and already have lost 3 pounds, and today managed to tighten my belt one notch, proof that I am slimmer too.

The Atkins Diet clearly explains how it works. Unlike other diets, which simply have a series of case studies of people that have “lost 40 pounds” and “got their body back”, the Atkins Diet explains the body chemistry that takes place when adopting a high protein / low carbohydrate diet. The key to Atkins is restricting carbs to the point that lipolysis starts, which means that your body uses its fats reserves as the prime energy source, rather than lean muscle tissue. Low calorie diets result in muscle tissue being used for energy before fat. High protein/low carb means that fat is used as energy, and fatty cells expelled from the body. The fat cells are lost by a process called ketosis – ketones are the result of fatty tissue being burnt for energy and the by product released.

“Lipolysis is the breakdown of fat stored in fat cells. During this process, free fatty acids are released into the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. Ketones are produced, and are found in large quantities in ketosis (an adaptive metabolic state that occurs when insufficient carbohydrates are present in the diet).”Source: Wikipedia.

So, if you want to lose fat, forget about low fat, calorie controlled diets. Go Atkins. High protein, low carb, low GI indexed foods – it is healthy, reduces heart disease risk, stroke risk, diabetes risk, and you lose weight too!

18th Century Diets

Oh, in the 18th Century people ate on average 12 pounds of sugar (in all forms) a year. That has now increased to about 250 pounds per year (about 40% of total energy).

There is both good and bad cholesterol. The good stuff actively prevents arteries from getting clogged up, and is only found in fatty foods.

All subjects studied so far have shown a reduction in bad cholesterol and triglycerides when adopting a low carb diet.

Studying doctors that sit about, smoking, drinking, eating pies, curries, and doughnuts does not really make a good argument against the consumption of eggs. Statistical analysis would no doubt also reveal that those that wore brown shoes were less likely to make it into old age.

I’d quite like to find out when the government first said that too many eggs is bad. I would not be surprised if it was just after the salmonella outbreak in the 80′s.

Eggs

“Men who ate the most eggs also were older, fatter, ate more vegetables but less breakfast cereal, and were more likely to drink alcohol, smoke and less likely to exercise — all factors that can affect the risk of heart attack and death.”

There you go. Avoid too much booze, stay fit and slim, and you’ll be OK. This statement really makes a mock of the entire article. It reminds me of when I was a student, and people would complain of an awful hangover, and say “it must have been that dodgy kebab on the way home”. They’d be convinced that if they did not have the kebab, they would not have had a hangover. The 10 pints of cheap lager were never to blame. With these doctors, the eggs are like the kebabs. They get the blame, even though the doctors studied smoke, don’t exercise and probably have an erratic diet and were all old and overweight.

Also, other research, not quoted here, has shown that it is what you eat you eggs with that it important. Cholesterol levels fall for people on low-carb diets. Again, it appears to mostly be the role of insulin and blood sugar peaks and troughs that lead to complications surrounding cholesterol. AND, there are both good and bod types of cholesterol, which these reports generally fail to mention.

Really this report says;

We studied a bunch of middle-age, unfit, overweight, GP’s (GP’s being famous for their unhealthy lifestyle, stressful working conditions, poor diets) and some of them died. And those that ate eggs were more likely.

What does this mean? Maybe the people who ate eggs always had their eggs on white toast, with some baked beans. But why mention that? Beans are healthy aren’t they, and so are refined flours. So we will concentrate on one small part of their diet and ignore all the research that tells us that there is much more to a good diet that eating your greens.

I wonder how many of these GP’s would have died of heart attacks if they ditched the junk food, refined flours and sugar. During the 18th Century sugar contributed to less than 10% of daily calorific intake. Now it is over 60%. (I need to check these figures, but it is something like that).

For this study to have been in any way useful, they should have had compared to a group of people who abstained from sugar, and a control group that ate no eggs and no sugar. And probably something else.

OK, what about this Eggy report?

OK, what about this report? Surely this means that eggs are bad for us?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Middle-aged men who ate seven or more eggs a week had a higher risk of earlier death, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

Men with diabetes who ate any eggs at all raised their risk of death during a 20-year period studied, according to the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The study adds to an ever-growing body of evidence, much of it contradictory, about how safe eggs are to eat. It did not examine what about the eggs might affect the risk of death.

Men without diabetes could eat up to six eggs a week with no extra risk of death, Dr. Luc Djousse and Dr. J. Michael Gaziano of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School found.

“Whereas egg consumption of up to six eggs a week was not associated with the risk of all-cause mortality, consumption of (seven or more) eggs a week was associated with a 23 percent greater risk of death,” they wrote.

“However, among male physicians with diabetes, any egg consumption is associated with a greater risk of all-cause mortality, and there was suggestive evidence for a greater risk of MI (heart attack) and stroke.”

They urged more study in the general population.

Eggs are rich in cholesterol, which in high amounts can clog arteries and raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.

One expert on nutrition and heart disease said the study suggests middle-aged men, at least, should watch how many eggs they eat.

“More egg on our faces? It’s really hard to say at this point, but it still seems, if you’re a middle-aged male physician and enjoy eggs more than once a day, that having some of the egg left on your face may be better than having it go down your gullet,” said Dr. Robert Eckel of the University of Colorado and a former president of the American Heart Association.

“But, remember: eggs are like all other foods — they are neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad,’ and they can be part of an overall heart-healthy diet,” Eckel wrote in a commentary.

The Harvard team studied 21,327 men taking part in the much larger Physicians’ Health Study, which has been watching doctors since 1981 who have agreed to report regularly on their health and lifestyle habits.

Over 20 years, 1,550 of the men had heart attacks, 1,342 had strokes, and more than 5,000 died.

“Egg consumption was not associated with (heart attack) or stroke,” the researchers wrote.

But the men who ate seven eggs a week or more were 23 percent more likely to have died during the 20-year period.

Diabetic men who ate any eggs at all were twice as likely to die in the 20 years.

There you go. Avoid too much booze, stay fit and slim, and you’ll be OK. This statement really makes a mock of the entire article. It reminds me of when I was a student, and people would complain of an awful hangover, and say “it must have been that dodgy kebab on the way home”. They’d be convinced that if they did not have the kebab, they would not have had a hangover. The 10 pints of cheap lager were never to blame. With these doctors, the eggs are like the kebabs. They get the blame, even though the doctors studied smoke, don’t exercise and probably have an erratic diet and were all old and overweight.

Also, other research, not quoted here, has shown that it is what you eat you eggs with that it important. Cholesterol levels fall for people on low-carb diets. Again, it appears to mostly be the role of insulin and blood sugar peaks and troughs that lead to complications surrounding cholesterol. AND, there are both good and bod types of cholesterol, which these reports generally fail to mention.

Really this report says;

We studied a bunch of middle-age, unfit, overweight, GP’s (GP’s being famous for their unhealthy lifestyle, stressful working conditions, poor diets) and some of them died. And those that ate eggs were more likely.

What does this mean? Maybe the people who ate eggs always had their eggs on white toast, with some baked beans. But why mention that? Beans are healthy aren’t they, and so are refined flours. So we will concentrate on one small part of their diet and ignore all the research that tells us that there is much more to a good diet that eating your greens.

I wonder how many of these GP’s would have died of heart attacks if they ditched the junk food, refined flours and sugar. During the 18th Century sugar contributed to less than 10% of daily calorific intake. Now it is over 60%. (I need to check these figures, but it is something like that).

For this study to have been in any way useful, they should have had compared to a group of people who abstained from sugar, and a control group that ate no eggs and no sugar. And probably something else.

Too many eggs? What Nonsense!

The problem is, many of our guidelines are issues by government departments who cling to out of date, false information regarding health. Even though decades of research has shown that high protein diets, including eggs, is not bad for you so long as you do not combine with carbs, the government still tells us “don’t eat fat”, “don’t eat more that 2 eggs per century” etc. etc. They probably do this, because they know that the average person will not eat sensibly, and maybe they would be better off having just carbs instead of carbs and proteins. Maybe. In fact, too little fat is the main cause of gall stones. If you stop eating fat, the bile ducts stop working, resulting in crystallisation of bile, forming stones. Slow process, but if you went on a low fa diet and stayed on it for a few years (because it may take that long to get your weight down,.if ever) then this could lead to gallstones, which could require an operation to remove them.. Just think, you stop eating evil FAT, and the result is a part of your body stops working, and stones form inside you, that have to be surgically removed. Is that really healthy?

I know that I should really eat organic meat, and no processed food. But the sausages looked good, so I treated myself to one. Two. They do not contain a lot of carbs, so I should be OK. I’ll have a marginally smaller salad today (I was planning to anyway), If I had loads of money and lived/worked next door to an organic greasy spoon, I’d eat there instead.

The only problem with caffeine is that some people have a condition where caffeine results in some sort of blood sugar disruption. Cannot remember the details. A few cups of coffee/tea a day have been shown to be good for you. Long term it helps to prevent Alzheimer’s. Also good for the heart I think. Like red wine. A bit now and then is OK. But that is mostly about health. I am currently focusing on losing some weight. Once that is accomplished, I can worry about how healthy I am as well. But most things we eat (except sugar) are OK in moderation.

But you eat unhealthy food on Atkins!

But you eat unhealthy food on Atkins, like sausages, eggs, red meat – all of which are not good for us. You said that you had sausages for breakfast, and three eggs – I thought processed meat is bad for you? And too many eggs?

People Just Misunderstand Atkins

In fact, my father in law is a classic example of someone misunderstanding Atkins. He “went on the Atkins diet” and lost a lot of weight (more proof that it works). After one month he lost about a stone, and he decided that it was “dangerous” because he was losing too much weight too quickly! If only he read the rules about what you can eat, and what to eat after you have lost the initial weight.

The fact is, to lose weight you do one of two things:

1. try to starve yourself, ie. fasting, restrict calories. This results in losing muscle tissue before fat.
2. Drop the carbs, and eat just protein. This induces lipolysis (the reason that man in the Sun cannot put on weight – he has a naturally high tendency to be in a state of lipolysis), which means you lose fat, and retain muscle tissue.

If you start to monitor bad cholesterol and those triglycerides (?!???!?) then you realise that a high protein diet also reduces these factors, which contribute to heart disease and cancer.

Just think, if you were to find yourself in a natural environment, with no tools, then what would you eat? Probably anything you could lay your hands on – grubs, snails, green leaves, eggs, berries, nuts, seeds. These are all allowed in Atkins (although most people avoid grubs), You would not find any potatoes, carrots, bags of sugar or low fat yoghurts. You would very likely lose weight, even if you found enough food to not feel hungry. A natural diet. Think of Atkins as trying to mimic a natural diet. Other tools are looking at the glycemic index (GI), looking at the quality of carbs (more fibre, less absorbable carbs), combined with periods of lipolysis and ketosis. That is natural. Doughnuts and biscuits are not.

There are many diets that take parts of the theory, such as the “GI Diet”, the Food Combining Diet (Hay Diet) and things like the Sparrow Diet. But they are all part of a healthy living lifestyle. i.e. lifetime maintenance in Atkins.

The main thing about Atkins, is that most people totally misunderstand it. The induction phase of Atkins is the only part that the average person ever reads about, i.e. no carbs. People then try it, lose some weight, (or cheat and drink fruit juice, eat carrots, drink beer and wonder why they are not losing weight) and then think – “I cannot do this forever, it is not healthy” and go back to their previous diet, that made them fat in the first place. The ongoing weight loss phase (OWL) of Atkins is probably very similar to the any other healthy eating plan. And the lifetime maintenance is just a healthy diet, but ideally the dieter is more knowledgeable about the role of different types of carbs, foods, protein, insulin, sugar, fat etc. has on their body and digestive system. This empowers people to make the correct choice for themselves, to allow them to maintain a healthy weight without have to go on crash diets once every year. But most people do not read the book, or his web page, they just leap to an assumption based on a tabloid headline and take it from there.

But hunger is all in the mind

Nooo! That’s the problem. Eating sugary foods means that you feel hungrier. With a high protein diet, you actually do not feel as hungry. It’s like, when you go out and have a massive curry, with loads of nan bread and rice, and beer, the following morning you feel hungry, even though you ate enough to last a week. If you eat “empty calories” your body soon starts to crave more nutrition. Eat highly nutritious calories, fats, proteins, phytonutrients, then you do not feel hungry so soon. You do not need to use willpower, meditation etc. to overcome hunger, because your body is satisfied, your blood sugar is under control, your metabolism works harder, and you lose weight.

A calorie controlled diet can work, yes. But, more than likely you will put the weight back on afterwards. Many people fail to realise that there are 4 stages to the Atkins approach. In later stages, more carbs are added, but only after you control your insulin / blood sugar levels. The aim is to get to a point where you are slim and healthy, eating well, and maintaining your weight. Lifetime maintenance is the final stage of Atkins. It is different for everybody. Maybe I will never eat bread again – this seems to be my main problem. For you it could be roast potatoes and bananas. Who knows? But the key is, eat the foods that enable your body to use your fat as its prime source of energy.

Here is the workflow as I understand it:

You eat lots of carbs / high GI food > your body cannot use all of this and converts the surplus into fat.

You eat mostly protein and fat, with some healthy low GI carbs for nutrition and fibre > your body utilises fat reserves first for energy (lipolysis) and store less fat with the surplus foods.

If you consume 1000 calories of fat, and 1000 calories of sugar, your body will use more energy processing the fat.

Sugar makes you fat. Carbs turn to sugar (glycogen etc) which is stored mostly around the gut first, and then everywhere else.

Scientific research explained how it all works many years ago. Dr. Atkin’s has not come up with anything new, he has just simply accepted the science of weight loss, and promoted it, as it works. He spent 30 odd years treating obese patients in his GP surgery who had tried low fat / calorie controlled diets, and introduced them all to a high protein diet, and they all (all that stuck to his rules) lost their weight and maintained an ideal weight. This is how his approach got popular, simply because of years and years of good results.

Both UK and USA governments still advocate low fat diets for weight loss, but these really do not work very well for most people. Take so called “low fat” yoghurt – they make it low in fat, but add sugar, i.e. carbs to it, to make it tastier, and it is this that your body stores as fat. Utter madness. It seems that the entire low calorie/low fat health food industry has run us up the garden path (so to speak) and made fools of us all. Don’t be a fool, follow Motley Health advice! Urr….

You Cannot Half Do Atkins

With every theory there is a one man exception to the rule….

The one and only time I tried to lose weight through “dieting” I did a half-Atkins diet. I didn’t cut out carbs, but I cut back on them. I lost almost a stone in a three months. That diet wasn’t in any diet book that I know. It was in the “eating for people with common sense” book. Portion control, that’s what it’s all about. But then I eat healthy food anyway, I just eat too much of it. Oh, and I didn’t cut out alcohol during that time. Or cut down. In fact, I probably drank more.

Hunger is all in the mind. It’s what you get used to. For the last three years, I get really hungry at 8:30pm on a Thursday night, and have a real craving for processed cheese, burnt onions and a rather strange orange sauce. Amongst other things. Also my wife tried the Atkins Diet once. It was, to quote Geoffrey Boycott, Roobish. Although she did get to eat lots of sausages!

Ah, you can have too many sausages. There are carbs in sausages. Eat more than 20g carbs a day, and it won’t work. Need to induce lipolysis, cannot do that with lots of sausages. Unless they are really lean, but then you may as well eat pork chops.

All diets are Rubbish!

Many people think that there is no need to diet if you don’t eat too much in the first place.

I think that has been proven to be wrong. There is now more than 40 years of evidence, which actually started with UK research, that shows that it is what you eat, not how much, that makes you lose weight. High protein diets where more calories are eaten were shown to help weight loss back in the 60′s. All about insulin and metabolism, and eating food that your body evolved to digest and use, rather than eating refined carbs, empty calories and generally junk food.

Can You Get Fat From Eating Salad All Day?

Of course you would get fat. How daft is that? Of course, eat enough protein with the salad and you slow the absorption of carbs / glucose into your blood enough to avoid an insulin / sugar spike, meaning that you won’t put on as much weight, if any at all. Also, not all carbs are equal. Green leaves are low GI, potatoes, carrots etc. high. So if you think you’ll lose weight with potato salads and coleslaw, then you’re a proper fool. Eat healthy greens – phytonutrients (aka superfoods) and you will be healthier and lose weight.

There is abundant evidence from epidemiological studies that the phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables can significantly reduce the risk of cancer, probably due to polyphenol antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Source: Wikipedia

What About Exercise?

Where does exercise fit into all of this? Is it true that it doesn’t matter how much you diet, exercise is the key?

To get slim, diet is all that is required. To get fit and healthy, diet and exercise are required.

Although saying that, Atkins says that “exercise is not an option, is it compulsory” or something like that.

Sumo wrestlers exercise a lot. They could lift more weights than you, and probably fight for longer. But they are not too concerned with reducing fat are they? Many rugby players carry too much fat according to health guidelines (many having BMI over 30, these are obese). But they still manage to run around a pitch for 80 minutes. They are “overweight” because they train to be large – i.e. they eat a lot and exercise to make themselves bigger and stronger. Ever watched World’s Strongest Man? Rarely do they look like Mr Universe. Being strong is not the same as perfect muscular definition. To get perfect muscular definition, i.e. be Mr. Universe, Arnold Schwarzernegger etc. involves extreme diet and weight training (diet to the point that you are actually weak!).

So, yes, exercise is essential for good health, but not for being skinny. Just look at your average starving individual. No doughnuts, no exercise, skinny as a rake.

I have been exercising 3 times a week for ages, and until last week, my weight was not going down. I think that there are two reasons why extreme exercise makes you lose weight:

1. you burn more calories yes, but you would put these back by eating… but….
2. when you exercise loads, you eat less, because you are exercising.
3. Metabolism increases, burning more energy, but you need to exercise loads! And you still have less time to eat.

Really only professional athletes and soldiers have time to train to the point that diet / calories control / low carb etc. is required. The average Joe needs to eat sensibly to lose weight, even with exercise. In fac, especially with exercise. Eat junk food while exercising, and you’ll use up all of the little goodness you take in, leaving all the junk to turn to fat. See? Mad innit? When I lost a lot of weight before, I was exercising 3-5 times a week. I never had time to pig out on the sofa, or the inclination to do so. I was deliberately dieting too though. If I had a full English breakfast everyday, and a curry in the evening, I would have probably got fitter and stronger, but not slimmer.

The Insulin Connection

The role of insulin and controlling it is the key to Atkins. Almost everyone that fails to lose weight with Atkins does not stick to the diet – they think, oh, one slice of toast won’t hurt, carrots with my dinner will be OK just on Sunday, one glass of wine will be OK. It takes very little to to prevent lipolysis (fat burning) from occurring. I have already lost 3 pounds this week. In ten weeks I should be a slim 32 inch waist, and about 80kg……

maybe…..

but I did have some Port on Friday, and wine on Saturday. But we were celebrating my father-in-law being in the UK, and my wife graduating from the OU, so had a good excuse both times!

Hungry. The other odd thing about “Atkins”, is that although I feel slightly hungry, I do not have an uncontrollable desire to eat. As I am not addicted to sugar now, I can go hours feeling hungry and it does not affect me. Before I’d get dizzy and feel sick if I did not eat. Now I just wait patiently until I prepare some bacon and eggs. It’s really tough. Not!

Jon

If you are looking to start some weight training, either to help build some muscle, improve core strength, lose weight or just to get fitter, then it is good to start simple. This two day per week split routine will start to work all the muscles, and will provide a good foundation for going on to more specific weight training later on.

Day 1: Chest, Triceps & Calves

Chest:

Flat Barbell Bench Press: 2 sets – 10 reps
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 2 sets – 10 reps
Decline Barbell Bench Press: 2 sets – 10 reps

Triceps:

Dumbbell Kick-backs: 2 sets – 10 reps
Cable Push-downs: 2 sets – 10 reps

Calves:

Standing Machine Calf Raises: 2 sets – 10 reps
Seated Calf Raises: 2 sets – 10 reps

Day 2: Legs, Shoulders & Traps

Legs:

Squats: 2 sets – 10 reps
Leg Press: 2 sets – 10 reps
Leg Curls: 2 sets – 10 reps

Shoulders:

Seated Dumbbell Press: 2 sets – 10 reps
Standing Side Lateral Dumbbell Raises: 2 sets – 10 reps
Seated Bent-over Rear Lateral Raises: 2 sets – 10 reps

Traps:

Dumbbell Shrugs: 2 sets 10 reps

When weight training for the first time, or getting back into bodybuilding after a long break, you will probably ache a lot afterward the first few training sessions. Do not worry, this is normal, and within a few weeks the aching will be less severe after each workout, and you will find that you recover quicker too. Do not go overboard to start with, start with light weights, then increase the mass you lift once you are confident with you own abilities. Do not overtrain, as this is often counter-productive and also leads to injury.

Keeping a training log is essential if you wish to progress well with weight training, as making small increases in weight lifted can have a great impact on how well you improve in strength and endurance.

Jon

1. Believe in Yourself and never give up. If not, you won’t be able to achieve your desired I results.
There will be days when you feel close to giving up, but be determined to fight back.

2. Write down your goals. How can you get somewhere if you don’t know where you are heading?
Share your fitness goals with others, that way people can provide you with greater support.

3. Set new goals every six weeks. After six weeks, compare your results against what you had in your original goals.
Be critical of your own progress, but also be realistic. You will not always fulfil your goals, but it is better to aim high, and work hard, than to give yourself a task that is too easy. Challenge yourself.

4. Place a calendar on your fridge. Mark a back slash on the days that you followed your diet without cheating. Make a forward slash on the days that you trained. If you trained and followed a good diet on a given day, you should have an X marked on that day.

5. Place a picture of how you currently look somewhere that you will be
able to see on a daily basis. This picture should provide you with additional motivation to follow this program. Or post a photo to your training log, so that others can see your progress, and give advice and encouragement.

6. Take pictures of yourself every 4 weeks and place them next to the before picture. This is to keep reminding yourself why you are doing this and also get motivated by seeing the progress that you are achieving.

7. Write down the reasons why you are following your fitness program and put them on your blog or profile.

8. Keep your house free from any foods that are not good for your program. Only on Sundays can you bring these foods in the house.

9. Remember to prepare all your meals the day before, so that when you are at work, you already have all of the food that you will need for the day with you. That way you limit the amount of times you’ll be tempted.

10. Remember that only you control what goes in your mouth. Food does not control you!

Reference: The Body Sculpting Bible for Men: The Way to Physical Perfection (Body Sculpting Bible) By James Villepigue, Hugo Rivera

Jon

Adjustable Gastric Band

The FDA (The U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has issued a report that highlights the dangers of gastric band surgery and found that many adverts for the procedure are misleading and fail to highlight the risks.

“FDA’s concern is that these ads glamorize the Lap-Band without communicating any of the risks” Steven Silverman, FDA.

Gastric band surgery seems to be becoming more common and many people are getting the treatment in privately run hospitals and clinics. Adverts always highlight the most successful case studies and rarely talk about complications that can occur.

“Surgery itself has risks, including death, and those risks are heightened for people who are obese” Herbert Lerner, M.D., FDA.

What is Gastric Band Surgery?

A gastric band is simply a band that restricts the flow of food through the small stomach pouch into the main stomach. This means that you cannot consume as much food in a single sitting as the small stomach pouch and esophagus soon become full.

With modern gastric bands a tube is attached to allow adjustments to be made to the band by keyhole surgery. This can allow a more gradual tightening of the band so that a person adjusts their eating habits at a more confortable pace, it also allows the band to be loosened if a person is losing too much weight.

Misleading Adverts

The FDA has highlighted one particular product that is being aggressively marketing, and have decided to take action. The FDA share this advert on their website:

Ready to be the next weight-loss success story?

Let your new life begin!

I lost 90 pounds with the Lap-Band!

The FDA has contacted 8 surgeries and also the marketing company 1-800-GET-THIN LLC about their promotion of the Lap-Bands.

Adverts for Lap-Band have been seen on billboards, bus placards, newspaper advertisements and the Internet. They tend to feature very fit and healthy men and women (always professional fitness models) who claim to have lost a huge amount of weight in a short time.

Federal Law and the Advertising of Medical Devices

Federal laws are in place to protect consumers from this form of advertising. By federal law, product advertising for medical devices of this nature have to include warnings and information about precautions, side effects, and contraindications (health problems that make the procedure unsafe). 1-800-GET-THIN LLC has 15 working days to remove all advertising – this may be a difficult task online though.

Approved Lap-Band Solutions

The FDA has approved 2 Lap-Band solutions:

• Lap-Band, by Allergan Inc.
• Realize Adjustable Gastric Band, by Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc.

These products have been approved to be used on adults (over the age of 18 years) who have failed to lose weight by dieting and exercising. Patients who should consider the procedure are those with a BMI of over 40, or over 35 if they have an obesity related health problem already, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

The Risks of Gastric Band Surgery

The FDA point out that as well as the risks of the surgery itself, post-surgery there are several more important risks to consider:

• upset stomach or pain
• stretching of the stomach pouch
• stretching of the esophagus
• nausea and vomiting
• problems with swallowing
• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• displacement of the gastric band
• erosion of the band through the stomach wall and into the stomach

The last two risks require further surgery to correct the problem, posing even greater risk to health.

People Cheat the Gastric Band

Once a gastric band is fitted a permanent lifestyle change is required. Binging is no longer allowed as meals must remain small to prevent. However, some people have learnt ways to cheat gastric bands, such as by liquidizing meals and drinking softened ice-cream – just to get more food inside.

Although some people fail to lose weight with lifestyle interventions, this is usually because a soft approach is taken. It still seems odd that some people will opt for major surgery before making a real effort to exercise more and eat healthily. Some people are in very difficult situations, but many people really can do without this form of treatment. Maybe if doctors were in a position to be harder on patients then there would be less surgery. However, we do now live in an age where doctors are criticised for telling people that they are overweight!

References

You can read the full report from the FDA here: FDA Targets Gastric Band Weight-Loss Claims – Dec. 13, 2011

Jon

It seems that people are finally realising that they can achieve as good a workout for free in their local park, than they can by joining an overpriced gym.

Overweight Brits are ditching the gym and opting for “DIY” fitness solutions. Last year, 54,000 fewer adults joined health clubs compared with the previous 18 months.

Instead they are opting to get fit at home or going for a run or walk at a local park. Health experts say clubs are sterile places where repetitive use of equipment is boring.

And Martin Hagger, a health psychologist at the University of Nottingham, said “Gyms feed into people’s insecurities about their weight and appearance.”

Five years ago, gym numbers peaked at 8.7 million, accountancy firm Deloitte said. But a fall in new applications has led to a 17% drop in fees. However, the Fitness Industry Association insisted: “There is no evidence there has been a downturn.”

We at Motley Health are in favour of home exercise regimes. By exercising at home, you always have access to your gym equipment, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Bad weather, bad traffic and gym closures for “staff training” need never keep you away from your training.

Calories Per Minute of Exercise:

• Jogging 11.5
• Cycling 7.8
• Mowing the lawn 4.8
• Dancing 4.4
• Using Wii Fit Circuit Training 4.5

For more ideas on exercising at home, or in a park, check out our articles on circuit training, running, and our 20 minute fitness routine. Also consider building a small home gym and do some weight training.

Jon

The HCG diet is another diet that follows in a growing trend of diets weight loss designed to help manage blood sugar levels and appetite.

HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. You can see why most people prefer the call it the HCG weight loss diet. Basically it is a complete hormone produced during pregnancy which is made by the developing embryo. So, what does this have to do with a weight loss diet?

“hCG is ineffective in dieting and should not be used” (Rabe et al, 1987)

The idea of the HCG diet was developed by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons in 1971 and detailed in his book Pounds & Inches: A New Approach To Obesity. It seems a little depressing to think that a “new” approach to obesity was written almost 40 years ago, and they the obesity epidemic rages on. However, this so called diet is not one that we recommend anyone follows, and it seems that in the 1970′s most health professionals were quick to ignore it also.

Dr. Simeons was studying the role of HCG in the development of babies when he noticed that one of the effects of HCG when administered was:

“When such patients (overweight boys) were given small daily doses they seemed to lose their ravenous appetite though they neither gained nor lost weight. Strangely enough however, their shape did change. Though they were not restricted in diet, there was a distinct decrease in the circumference of their hips.”

As a result of this observation Dr. Simeons decided to pursue this line of research as a way to help people manage their appetite and reduce weight. His studies led him to the conclusion that the hormone actually helps to relocated fat, he called it “fat on the move”. This fat on the move is not just a way to remove fat but also it is to be used as a form of energy, to replace food. You literally start using your body fat for energy when you have HCG treatment.

“I found that as long as such patients were given small daily doses of HCG they could comfortably go about their usual occupations on a diet of only 500 Calories daily and lose an average of about one pound per day.”

The problem for people who wish to lose weight is simple though – HCG is only ever found in the body of a pregnant woman. Dr. Simeons made a very clear warning to anyone looking to lose weight:

Dr. Simeons Warning About Using HCG For Weight Loss

“I must warn the lay reader that what follows is mainly for the treating physician and most certainly not a do-it-yourself primer. Many of the expressions used mean something entirely different to a qualified doctor than that which their common use implies, and only a physician can correctly interpret the symptoms which may arise during treatment. Any patient who thinks he can reduce by taking a few “shots” and eating less is not only sure to be disappointed but may be heading for serious trouble. The benefit the patient can derive from reading this part of the book is a fuller realization of how very important it is for him to follow to the letter his physician’s instructions.”

He could not have made it any clearer really, which means that it is a real shame that so many companies are now exploiting this idea and sell HCG hormones to the layperson with nothing but a simple leaflet to guide them.

Various problems can occur which is why it is vital that any patient on this “diet” is supervised by a medical professional. Some people become immune to the HCG hormone which means that weight loss will stop. It is very dangerous to start increasing dosage in the hope that weight loss starts again as this can cause serious damage to internal organs.

Anyone undertaking the HCG weight loss plan needs to be checked daily by a doctor to ensure that they are well and that treatment can continue.

What most people are really doing is just the 500 Calorie Diet, that will still aid weight loss. We can share this here. However, this is not a good way to lose weight.

Dr. Simeons 500 Calorie Weight Loss Diet

Since this diet plan was devised by Dr. Simeons later research has shown that it is better to consumer smaller, more frequent meals, when trying to lose weight. This plan sticks with the more traditional 3 meals a day method.

Breakfast:

• Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar. Only one tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours. Saccharin or Stevia may be used.

Lunch:

• 100 grams of veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw. It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat. Salmon, eel, tuna, herring, dried or pickled fish are not allowed. The chicken breast must be removed from the bird.
• One type of vegetable only to be chosen from the following: spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage.
• One bread stick (grissino) or one Melba toast.
• One fruit: An apple, orange, or a handful of strawberries or one-half grapefruit.

Dinner :

• The same four choices as lunch (above.)

So this is simply a very strict calorie controlled diet. The idea is that anyone on the HCG program will not feel hungry enough to eat more than this. If you are not taking the medicine then you will no doubt feel very hungry on this diet.

Criticisms of the HCG Diet

The first and most crucial criticism of the HCG diet is simply that you have to be under medical supervision to follow this diet and this is not a diet that is covered by many health services. Other important criticisms:

• HCG has been banned by the athletic community because of its enhancement effect on muscle growth and risk to ill health
• No scientific study has shown that HCG actually aids weight loss in the way Simeons states – the weight loss may just be down to a calorie controlled diet that is low in sugar and processed foods (i.e. a caveman diet or low GI diet).
• The only way you can buy HCG is online and often what you are sold in HOMEOPATHIC HCG, What this means is that there is nothing in the medicine, and you are paying a lot of money for a sugar pill and a 500 calorie a day diet.
• A 500 calorie a day diet will lead to malnutrition, muscle deterioration and lethargy. You will waste away, not get slimmer and more toned.
• The 500 Calories Diet does not allow oily fish or healthy fats which are both essential to health and weight management.
• The moment you end this diet plan you will revert back to your old bad habits and put all the weight back on again.

Really this is a case of how the Internet can so easily provide bad advice on diet and weight loss. There is a huge amount of money in selling people sugar pills and diet plans that serve no function other than to starve a person. Although governments are attempting to regulate the industry more it seems to be an uphill task. If you want to lose weight fast then follow a tried and test Weight Loss Diet and Exercise Plan.

FDA – HCG Diet Products Are Illegal

On December 6th, 2011, the FDA declared HCG diet products illegal. They state the following on HCG:

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers to steer clear of these “homeopathic” human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) weight-loss products
• FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have issued seven letters to companies warning them that they are selling illegal homeopathic HCG weight-loss drugs that have not been approved by FDA, and that make unsupported claims.

Marketing of HCG products often make completely false claims, such as;

• They reset your metabolism
• They change “abnormal eating patterns”
• You can lose 20-30 pounds in 30-40 days

Weight management is a lifestyle choice and not a quick fix. You need to lose weight through diet and exercise and develop a personal strategy that means you manage your own weight within your own environment. The best weight loss advice anyone can give you is the advice that you should empower yourself by reading and learning about fitness, diet and weight loss.

References and Web Resources:

• “Risk-benefit analysis of a hCG-500 kcal reducing diet (cura romana) in females.” by Rabe T, Richter S, Kiesel L, Runnebaum B.. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 1987 May;47(5):297-307. Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3609673
• “HCG Diet Products Are Illegal” FDA.gov, 6th Devember 2011.
• Human chorionic gonadotropin Wikipedia.org

Jon

Submitted by Peaches on Sat, 16/04/2011 – 1:41am

Day 1:
I began the Lemonade Fast/Master Cleanse Monday, April 11th. My main concern was my addiction to coffee and whether or not I would be able to give it up. Surprisingly, I have not had any and coffee or cravings. I prepared the lemonade mixture a day in advance. Monday Morning I made the salt water mixture,however I was unable to drink the entire portion. I managed to consume 1 1/2 glasses, about 16ozs. After rapidly purging, I began drinking the lemonade, and although I love spicy things, I thought the taste was going to be a challenge for me. I managed to drink 8 glasses throughout the day. I experienced slight headaches, which I attribute to the caffein withdrawal. I was a little irritable today. Overall it was a good day. The laxative tea in the evening was acceptable.

Day 2:
April 12, 2011. This morning I was able to increase my intake of the salt water flush, however I think it’s very nasty and too salty. I am using 2 teaspoons pure sea salt to 1 qt water. I was able to drink about 24 ozs today. Still no problem drinking the lemonade, in fact, I am beginning to like the taste. I’m using 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 8ozs Grade B Maple Syrup, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 3 quarts purified water. Today I did not experience hunger pangs nor any coffee cravings. However, I have headaches on/off, but not too bad and I became a little more irritable.

Day 3:
April 13, 2011. Could not tolerate the salt water flush this morning… the taste is too aweful for me. I was only able to drink about 16ozs, but it still flushed my system. I’m not experiencing headaches and I am not craving coffee or food. In fact, I’m not hungry and I’m having a problem drinking the recommend glasses of lemonade (8-12 glasses a day). For the most part I’m getting in 8 glasses. I’m seeing weight loss as I weigh myself after awaking daily, and before consuming any liquids. So far I have lost 5 lbs and I seem to have also lost the irritability.

Day 4:
April 14, 2011. Today I passed on the salt water flush. Just could not imagine drinking it. I will resume sometime on the weekend. I hope. I’m enjoying the lemonade and am feeling full throughout the day, I literally have to force myself to drink it so that I won’t become dehydrated. I do not miss food at all and I’m pleased with how I feel. I feel energized and was able to complete 15 minutes of teadmill walking today. Although I take the laxative tea every evening before going to bed, I noticed that I am not having a movement daily. I guess this is because I’m not eating solid food. I’ve never been that regular anyway, so I’m going to monitor that.

Day 5:
April 15, 2011. To date I have lost 8.5 lbs. Yippie! In addition to the weight loss, I feel happier, vibrant, and I can see a change in my skin. The oil is surfacing, which I expected, but my face looks clearer. I’m not experiencing the foul breath yet, however in the mornings I could probably kill a mocking bird!!! Because I’ve read about the foulness, I am conscious about brushing 3 times a day (teeth and tongue), and rinsing throughout the day with mouthwash. Today I have noticed two dark spots on one side of my tongue. Seemingly this is an indication that my body is detoxing. So it’s a good sign. I’ve read that some people even get a fuzzy tongue… I don’t want that, but I’ve been looking out for it. I’m full all the time and still have to force myself to drink at least 8 glasses of the lemondade. I’m enjoying this fast, because I really do feel focused and energized. I think I’ll achieve the results I’m looking for. I plan to continue for 15 more days, for a combined total of 20 days. Then I will break the fast accordingly with orange juice for a couple of days, vegetable soup for a couple of days, fruits and veggies for a couple of days, and then I will begin to eat light, sensible, smaller, healthy meals. I am doing this to change my eating habits as I’m now 50. I want to lose about 35 lbs overall, but not within these 20 days. I plan to eat sensible and exercise regularly to reach my desired weight. Meanwhile the 8.5 lbs feel great and I can’t wait to see what else happens. I will resume the salt water cleanse on tomorrow and Sunday. Doing without coffee does not pose a problem for me at all, and I am someone who previously dranked about 60 ozs of coffee a day. Since I’m not craving it, I plan to discontinue coffee altogether following this fast. I’m so surprised by this, because I am a connosseur of fine coffees! Amazing!

Lemonade Fast

Submitted by Peaches (not verified) on Sat, 16/04/2011 – 1:50am.

Peaches

Forget waist circumference, as much simpler measurement may provide an indication of future heart disease risk is wrist size.

Research carried out at Sapienza University in Rome and led by Raffaella Buzzetti showed that wrist size showed a strong correlation with insulin resistance which is an indicator of possible health risks in the future, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

In children total body fat can often fluctuate rapidly, especially once puberty is reached, so waist size or BMI may not be the best indicator of possible health issues associated with weight gain. The researchers carried out a study to see if wrist circumference could be a better indicator of weight problems.

They measured total wrist circumference as well has bone size to ensure that the results were not confounded by some people having a larger bone structure.

The study looked at 477 children that were either overweight or obese (i.e. with a body mass index of over 25). Wrist size, bone size and blood tests were carried out.

The results of the test indicated that wrist size was up to 17 times more accurate in predicting insulin resistance than BMI. Children who were classed as still having a relatively healthy BMI were sometimes at an increased risk of developing insulin resistance (as determined by the blood tests) and these children were the ones with a larger wrist circumference.

Wrist measurement is a good indicator for athletic boys and young men as BMI cannot be used to increased muscle mass. Waist to hip ratio is often also inaccurate due to muscular growth, however, fat is still sometimes present as a result of a diet high in energy dense food such as junk food and sugar.

Neck Circumference Also A Health Indicator

This is not the first study to look at other body measurements to determine health. In 2008 scientific research revealed the neck circumference is also a good indicator of weight related health problems.

Research has shown that the thickness of ones neck may be a better indication of heart problems and risk that waist circumference. In an American study 3300 men and women, with an average age of 51, where examined by the Framlington Heart Study.

Results showed that even in subjects with a relatively healthy bodyweight, a larger than average neck represented increased risk. Those with more fat deposited around their necks had lower levels of the good cholesterol, HDL, which helps to draw bad cholesterol away from the heart and liver.

Fat deposits around the internal organs (known as visceral fat) are the greatest danger to health. Past research has shown that it is not the amount of fat a person carries that increases risk of ill health, but where it is deposited, and a larger than average neck could be an indication of increased fat deposits in the upper body, around the heart and liver.

So, what action can be taken to reduce this risk? Research has also shown that diet alone does not effective shift visceral fat as it is often the last type of fat to be broken down. The only really effective solution is to exercise, and the best exercise is in the form of intensive interval training.

Such training can include circuit training workouts and other full body workouts as well as HIIT workouts. Tabata and kettlebell workouts are popular at the moment, and both will effectively burn fat and build lean and healthy muscle.

Jon

We are in the last week before the 2011 Virgin London Marathon which is being run this Sunday 17th April. The weather is looking good, clear skies but not too hot. Runners are in their final week of preparation. There are many celebrities running again this year to raise funds for charity.

Some celebrities are appearing in a photocall and press conference on Friday, they include;

• Joe Pasquale from television and theatre
• Charlie Brooks from EastEnders
• Ricky Wilson from the Kaiser Chiefs
• Elen Rivas, the Spanish Model who is dating Peter Andre
• David Gandy, a Dolce and Gabann model
• Agyness Deyn, model and actress who played Aphrodite in Clash of the Titans
• Cheryl Baker, television presenter and singer in Bucks Fizz
  
• Jay Aston, fellow Bucks Fizz group member

Plus some famous British sports celebrities;

• Iwan Thomas – fastest Brit over 400m
• Jamie Baulch – Olympic athlete, 400m runner
• Matthew Pinsent – Olympic rower
• James Cracknell - Olympic rower
• Dwight Yorke – footballer

They are all supporting charities of their choosing.

Marathon News

Hayley Yelling has had to pull out of the 2011 London Marathon after suffering from a torn calf muscle. She is 2 time European cross country champion and is the sister of Liz Yelling. She was also hoping that a good run this weekend would place her well for the London 2012 games, but now she fears that her running career could be over.

Running and Health

The London Marathan helps to highlight many charities each year, many of which are health related charities. It is also a great reminder of how running is a great way to stay a healthy weight and keep fit and active. We have written on the subject of running and health already, so read Health Benefits of Jogging and Running to learn more and join the discussion. Some other articles provide tips and insights into marathon running:

• George Gandy’s Tips on Running for Fitness
• Seb Coe’s Marathon Running Tips
• Military Fitness Training – Running
• How To Start Running – eBook and Training Package
• Paula Radcliffe’s Marathon Training Tips
• Christopher McDougall: Are We Born To Run?
• Marathon Training Workouts and Advice
• Runners Calorie Counter
• Nutrition For Runners and Weight Loss Advice

If you want to learn how to lose weight then know that running is certainly a good way to achieve that goal. Running is possibly the most natural form of exercise for humans to participate in. Christopher McDougall certainly believes that this is the case. So as the weather is getting nicer, get out and start running.

Jon

We are one week away from the 2011 World Health Day! What, you have never heard of it? You are not doing anything to mark the day? What is World Health Day?

World Health Day is run by the World Health Organisation. Every year WHO highlight one specific part of human health. It is always held on the 7th April.

World Health Day is not a new event. It started in 1950 to mark the birthday of the World Health Organization.

Many events are organized by the WHO each year to mark World Health Day. Also local governments around the World organise their own events. One good example is the NHS in South East Essex that hold a Health Fair and Activity Day in the community to teach and introduce people to health and fitness.

“Health Fair and Activity Day at Belchamps Scout Centre with refreshment and craft tents, stalls, sideshows, live music, martial arts, gym, yoga, nutrition and health, beauty and massage and for the kids; face painting, egg decorating, Easter egg hunt, fancy dress competition, crate stacking, kick boxing, climbing, archery, mini crossbows, pedal karts, fencing lessons and much more.“ Source: World Health Day Brings An Exciting Week Of Activities To Hockley | Essex Portal

Previous years looked at “Urbanization and Health” (2010), “Save lives. Make hospitals safe in emergencies” (2009) and “Protecting health from climate change” (2008).

2011 is Antimicrobial Resistance

This April 7th the WHO will be highlighting the problem of Antimicrobial resistance.

“Antimicrobial resistance is not a new problem but one that is becoming more dangerous; urgent and consolidated efforts are needed to avoid regressing to the pre-antibiotic era.

On World Health Day 2011, WHO will introduce a six-point policy package to combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance.“

Antimicrobial resistance is when drugs become ineffective at treating illnesses. There is a real risk that in future years so many illnesses and infections will become untreatable as the rates of Antimicrobial resistance increase to epidemic proportions.

World Health Day 2011 will focus on bringing together world leaders and health advisors to formulate a global policy to help tackle the problem of increasing numbers of highly resistant microorganisms.

General Health and Fitness

For many other people World Healthy Day is an opportunity to highlight general health and fitness and to educate people that they can do to lead healthier lives.

Ultimately following a healthy diet, not smoking, moderating drinking and regular exercise are the 4 cornerstones of living a healthy and more rewarding life.

Learn more about this year’s World Health Day and also previous campaigns at http://www.who.int/world-health-day/en

Contact your local government to find out what is happening in your area.

Jon