Popular Diet Fallacy #6: Count Your Calorie Intake to Control Your Weight
Calorie counting has been widely regarded as a reliable method for weight management. But is it really? - There are hidden, little-known risks if you count calories - and not all calories are created equal… cautions Warrior Diet author Ori Hofmekler http://www.dragondoor.com/b17.html.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 1, 2005 -
Calorie counting has been widely regarded as a reliable method for weight
management. But is it really? - There are hidden, little-known risks if you
count calories - and not all calories are created equal… cautions Warrior Diet
author Ori Hofmekler http://www.dragondoor.com/b17.html.
Diet Fallacy #6:
Count Your Calorie Intake to Control Your Weight
The Top Ten Diet
Fallacies -
Separating the Facts from the Fantasy
By Ori Hofmekler,
author of The Warrior Diet
Are You At Risk? You May Be Compromising Your
Health - If You Count Your Calories These Popular Ways
Calorie counting
has been widely regarded as a reliable method for weight management.
But
is it really?
Some of the most established diets today - including Weight
Watchers and the calorie-redistricting diet (CR) - use calorie counting as a
principal way of controlling energy intake. Researchers and vets have also used
it as a standard measurement for feeding.
Yet, in spite of its
reputation and wide appeal, calorie counting fails to provide the long-term
benefit of staying lean and healthy.
The reason:
Real life
involves dynamic changes that aren't included in the typical calculation of
calorie counting. One cannot overlook the profound effects of life changes on
our body.
The human body (like other animals), carries survival
mechanisms which regulate utilization of fuel and generation of energy, in
response to changes in environmental conditions. Our basal (basic) metabolic
rate (BMR) fluctuates according to changes in physical activity, food
availability and overall calorie intake.
For instance, low calorie
intake generally promotes a BMR decline whereas high calorie intake generally
promotes an overall increase in BMR. Since calorie counting is based on a fixed
BMR (many health clubs provide machines that check BMR), it often fails to
provide a real life measurement of energy balance (surplus or deficit of
calories).
Athletes and bodybuilders who use calorie counting to improve
body composition should be aware of the downside of this method.
All
calories are not created equal:
The calories you stockpile from sugar
cause more fat gain than the calories you absorb from grains or nuts.
The human body has adapted to utilize calories derived from certain food
combinations better than calories derived from others.
Same calories that
cause fat gain in one food combination can induce fat loss in another (see
fallacy # 4).
Timing is another factor which is often overlooked by the
avid calorie counter:
Same carb calories that could be very beneficial
when consumed right after exercise, (increasing protein synthesis in the muscle)
may be harmful if consumed before exercise (increasing cortisol levels - see
fallacy #2).
Are You Dieting at the Expense of Your Sex
Drive?
One of the most controversial diets today is the calorie
restriction diet (CR). CR is based on the assumption that chronic calorie
restriction increases life span. Many anti-aging advocates endorse this dietary
approach because they are adamantly convinced that CR reduces the overall
metabolic stress and thereby increases life span.
There are, however, a
few concerns regarding CR:
1. CR can often lower the
body temperature, which may be a sign of lower thyroid activity and a total
metabolic decline.
2. CR can cause a substantial loss of
libido. CR is often associated with declining sex hormone levels and an impaired
ability to maintain vigor, potency or fertility.
3. CR
compromises one's ability to endure intense exercise and for that matter, build
muscles.
Recent studies on intermittent fasting (one day fasting
followed by one day overeating twice as many calories) at the Johns Hopkins
University in Maryland, found that feeding cycles based on periodic fasting and
overeating, provided superior benefits than CR.
According to Dr. Mark
Mattson, professor of neuroscience and head of the research team at Johns
Hopkins University, intermittent fasting increases mice resistance to
degenerative diseases (Diabetes, Parkinson, Alzheimer and Strokes) while
improving body composition (lean mass/fat) and increasing life span more than
the calorie restricted mice. Note that the above studies were done on mice and
rats. More studies are required to fully understand the effects of similar
feeding cycles on humans.
The Hidden Costs of Calorie
Restriction
Saying all that, calorie counting can still be used as an
accurate way to evaluate food energy intake. If used correctly, calorie counting
can help measure the effect of calorie intake on nutrient utilization.
Indeed, studies by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have
established that overall calorie intake positively affects protein utilization.
High calorie intake (about 20% surplus) maximizes protein utilization and vice
versa, low calorie intake decreases protein utilization. Active individuals
should take advantage of this knowledge by incorporating specially designed high
calorie meals, preferably at night (see fallacy # 1).
In
conclusion:
Calorie counting can be used as a standard measurement of food
energy intake. However, it should not be applied as a principle dietary approach
to avoid consequent adverse metabolic set backs and impaired
performance.
For more articles by Ori Hofmekler on the Top Ten Diet
Fallacies visit http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode2/Nutrition and read
Ori Hofmekler's The Warrior Diet. http://www.dragondoor.com/b17.html
For more information
on the Warrior Diet Fat Loss Program and Controlled Fatigue Training (CFT)
certification seminars and workshops log onto www.warriordiet.com or call
818-992-1994 (866) WAR-DIET
Copyright ©2004 Ori Hofmekler All Rights
Reserved
To arrange interviews or receive review copies contact John Du
Cane at 651-487-3828.
The Warrior Diet is available online at www.dragondoor.com or by
calling 1-800-899-5111.
Dragon Door Publications, Inc is the leading
provider in the United States of cutting-edge information on diet, nutrition and
exercise.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
John Du Cane
Dragon Door
Publications
651-487-3828
http://www.dragondoor.com
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