Low calorie or low carb diet?

[pippa]

I'm looking to lose some weight before hitting the beach in summer - I know I know I've got some way to go but start as you mean to go on I say!

Anyway, should I go for a low calorie diet, say 1000 calories a day or a low carb diet, high fat / high protein food for breakfast and lunch and a low fat high protein dinner in the evening.

What do you think? Which one will work best?

Pip

[Tom@foresight]

To give you some good advice I would need to know a little bit more about you, such as you daily energy expenditure.

Are you currently exercising, if so how often, for how long and how intensely?

What is your current weight and height?

Do you know your current body fat %?

This would give me a starting block to offer some advice, I would watch out for low calorie diets, you need to make sure that the difference between energy intake and energy expenditure is not too excessive.

TOM

[pippa]

Hi Tom,

I exercise 'a bit'. I don't go to the gym - boring! - but I do a lot of urban walking and sometimes go for a run.

As for height and weight, I'm 5 ft 5 and weigh in at 56 kg. I have no idea of my current body fat level but few places wobble.

[Lee]

Hi Pippa,

To be honest low calorie diets aren't great. They tend to slow down your metabolism (the bodies ability to burn calories) and trigger your body to actually increase it's body fat stores. Why? Well during starvation, after all that is what a low calorie diet is, the body tries to store fat as a form of potential fuel for when food intake stops altogether - it isn't to know your on a diet to lose weight it simply thinks that times are hard and the next meal might be days away. After all we are all cave men and women deep down.

The gest way to lose weight is via a calorie controlled diet (500 calories less it would take to maintain your weight-approx 1500 calories I'd guess) and an increase in exercise.

Also, one good trick to use isn't to eat 1500 per day but to take the few that you must eat a total of 1500 calories x 7 for a week. Then play around with this.

Maybe 2500 calories one day and 1000 the next, followed by 1500, then 1000 then maybe 2000 calories the next etc. As long as the total doesn't exceed 1500 calories x 7 in one week this will work wonders. Why? Well put simply it is the reverse of the low calorie diet. Eating more actually promote your body to burn more fat and increases your metabolism, only to find that the following day the calories are lower - but it doesn't have time to reduce the increase in metabolim so more calories are burnt. :D

[sriramm3]

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/main.html:)

[tommo]

The concept of a one size diet fits all really doesn't work. literally the way you metabolise food is as individual as your finger print!

We all come from a bit of a genetic melting pot these days and so finding out your true metabolic type takes a bit of time. cutting back on fat is not the answer especially if you burn or metabolise food at a fast rate, you actually may need to consume 70% fat and protein with 30 % remainder from carbs, this can be the exact opposite in a slow oxidiser.

Saturated fats and cholesterol are actually very good for you and the building blocks for most hormones. there are more studies showing that a low cholesterol diet kills more people. You only need to look at eskimo's, the swiss and some african tribes that feed off blood, dairy and meat and who live the longest and with the highest cholesterol levels recorded! Once you get your head around consuming fat your halfway there! Always avoid foods that are low in fat and try to eat as much organic produce as possible. the least load on your liver and your body can actually function to get you to your optimal weight, rather than being stressed out with toxins!

On a basic level your body knows when a food choice is good for you, try eating a meal that is high in carbohydrates or fat and protein and see how you feel. A good food choice for you will uplift you creating good mental clarity and energy levels. play around with your percentages and fine tune.

If you want to know more you can always contact me to find out more about metabolic typing.

Hope that helps

Tommo :D

[Tom@foresight]

Just finished reading Wolcotts book (The Metabolic Typing Diet) on metabolic typing, it is inspirational stuff.

Well worth a read, as Tommo says it is common sense that we are all genetically different, therefore our nutritional needs will also be different. One size fits all does not work!

Tommo, you done the CMTA course? If you don't mind would you drop me a PM, or put your thoughts up in the forum.

Cheers

TOM

[LiamPT]

Hi there,

I'm with Lee on this one. Try the 1500 calories a day over 7 days (10,500 for the week) and zig-zag higher days and lower days.

Your can request a free nutrition tracker by clicking this link - nutrition tracker (http://www.everythingzing.com/hitchin/zing-free/nutrition-tracker.htm).

Hope that helps!


Liam

everythingZing.com - your local fitness website (http://www.everythingzing.com/)