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Are Protein Diets Right For You?

The promises and catches are everywhere: "Our diet will make you lose the weight you've always wanted to - and trim that [beer gut]," one ad says. "Lose 15 pounds in 15 days - or your money back, guaranteed!" Or: "30 people needed to lose 30 pounds in 30 days."

One current trend, the protein diet, allows you to eat foods like bacon and hamburger, but insists you stay away from most dairy products, fruits, vegetables and "unfavorable" carbohydrates. In this article, we'll talk about what a protein diet consists of, what you can and can't eat on the diet, and discuss two proponents of the protein diet revolution - "The Zone" Diet(R) and the Atkins Diet(R):

How Do Protein Diets Work?

All of today's protein-based diets began with a book called Protein Power, by Michael and Mary Dan Eades, which radically questioned conventional American wisdom regarding our most basic nutritional theories. Remember that "food pyramid" from health class - where breads, pastas and other grain-based foods represented the largest - and best for you - food group required by the body? All wrong, according to these writers.

According to the research underlying Protein Power and other protein diets, foods that are high in sugar and carbohydrates (i.e., bread, cereals, pasta, processed foods) increase your body's production of insulin. When insulin is at high levels in the body, food can easily convert into body fat (in the form of triglycerides, and high levels of triglycerides play a factor in heart disease). The bottom line? Eating unfavorable carbohydrates - basically all grain-based foods - cause you to gain weight more easily than other foods because of the high-insulin = body fat connection.

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What Is A Protein Diet?

A protein diet is just that: a diet extremely high in protein, and nothing else - well, almost nothing else. You can eat all the red meat, chicken and fish you want. Steaks, bacon, hamburgers, sausages - it's all encouraged in these diets. However, except for very minimal amounts, throw out the high-sugar foods, breads, pasta, cereal, and starchy vegetables.

Protein Diet 411: The Atkins Diet

The so-called "Atkins Diet," based on Dr. Robert Atkins' New Diet Revolution, incorporates many of the principles established in Protein Power, with a strong emphasis on losing weight. Atkins encourages dieters to eat such formerly "taboo" diet foods as hamburger (but without a bun - too many carbohydrates), steak, pork chops and even bacon. Unfortunately, milk and other dairy foods and fruits and vegetables are all forbidden.

The Atkins Diet has been proven to work, but the long-term effects of this diet are not fully known. Most who have followed the diet lose weight, and lose it quickly. However, unless you take a multi-vitamin (which Atkins recommends), you're not getting the nutrients of a complete diet.

Protein Diet 411: The Zone Diet

Another one of the original "protein" diets may answer Mr. Price's concerns. Originally designed for University swim teams, The Zone diet by Dr. Barry Sears calls for a balance of fats, protein and "favorable" carbohydrates, like fruits and vegetables.

While The Zone helps dieters lose weight, it more closely focuses on creating a lifestyle of eating that will maximize an athlete's (or a non-athlete's) physical and mental performance. In The Zone, Dr. Sears explains that because eating is the most powerful drug-intake system in the human body, by choosing the proper food "drugs" to fuel our bodies, we can achieve maximum performance. He likens the results to being in a constant runner's high or "the zone" that athletes describe.

-- Anonymous, February 17, 2002


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