| There are all kinds of diets, from the all cabbage diet | | | | meant to eat solid foods in most cases. The body |
| to the all soup diet. In the 80's, there was a high | | | | wants to eat solid foods. Even the most complex |
| protein, all liquid diet that was very popular, however, | | | | liquid does not have the mouth feel that can help to |
| there were several problems noted with this plan. A | | | | trigger the satiety hormone, leptin, which cues our |
| better liquid protein supplement has been found, | | | | body that we have had enough. Most liquid diets do |
| however, there still remain a number of problems | | | | not have enough of the macronutrients to be |
| with an all liquid diet of any kind, no matter how | | | | complete nor do they provide enough daily calories. |
| nutritious or delicious that the liquid might be. With | | | | The bottom line for liquid diets is simple: they are |
| over 34 million people listed as being obese, it is no | | | | great for a short term, weight loss kick off plan, |
| wonder that so many different diet plans have been | | | | meant to jump start the weight loss and get the |
| devised. (Source: med.Stanford.edu) | | | | body ready to burn up the fat. It is not a good idea |
| At any one point in the year, there are an estimated | | | | or viable for most people for a long-term, lifelong |
| 20 million people on a diet of some kind, whether it is | | | | solution. |
| one that has been studied and recommended by a | | | | The Medical Risks of Very Low Calorie Diets |
| doctor or something of their own devices. The diet | | | | Most liquid diets reportedly have between 600-800 |
| industry makes over a billion dollars every year, | | | | calories on average. For most adults, the low limit |
| whether the dieters get any kind of success or not. | | | | threshold for health and energy is 1100 calories. (For |
| (Source: thriveonline.com) There are problems | | | | smaller adults, this number might be slightly lower.) |
| associated with even the best of diets. Diets do not | | | | However, before you kick off any kind of extreme |
| fail because of a lack of willpower - they fail because | | | | calorie reduction, you should know what your daily |
| they do not look at the bigger picture. Liquid diets, | | | | calorie needs are, how much energy you use through |
| high protein diets and other diet plans have problems | | | | exercise each day and what can happen if you drop |
| that include: | | | | down below what your own body is comfortable |
| - Addressing the actual needs of protein, fat and | | | | with. |
| carbohydrates in the body | | | | Daily calorie needs are different for everybody |
| - Lack of support | | | | because of body composition and weight. A rough |
| - Medical risks of low calorie diets | | | | formula to determine this is to start with resting |
| - Medical risks of extremely high protein diets | | | | metabolic rate: |
| - Why the body will always work to get what it | | | | Multiply your desired weight in pounds by 8 and then |
| needs | | | | add 200. |
| How Much of the Macronutrients Do You Really | | | | To find out how much energy you use through |
| Need? | | | | exercise: |
| The body needs the three macronutrients, protein, | | | | - Multiply the number of minutes spent doing light |
| carbohydrates and fat, to function properly. The | | | | exercise (walking, light yoga, etc) by 4. |
| body uses fat and carbs to burn for energy while | | | | - Multiply the number of minutes you spend doing |
| protein is used in a number of other processes in the | | | | more intense exercise, like cardio work and strength |
| body. Protein is vital for every cell in the body and, | | | | training, by 8. |
| unlike the other two, is not stored at all. New sources | | | | - Add these two numbers together to get your daily |
| of protein, especially low fat, complete protein | | | | calorie needs number. (Source: Roizen and Oz, 2006) |
| sources, must be eaten every day. Carbs, especially | | | | This is the number of calories that you need to eat |
| complex carbohydrates, should make up the bulk of | | | | every day to keep your current weight. To lose |
| the diet with about 50% of the calories. In a | | | | weight, you need to lower this number by about 500 |
| weight-maintenance diet (one that is meant to keep | | | | calories (to lose a pound a week, a safe and |
| the body at its current weight), the ratio of proteins | | | | achievable goal), or you could increase your exercise |
| and fats should be 30% to 20%. However, in a diet | | | | minutes enough to equal an additional burn of 500 |
| that is meant to reduce weight, the amount of | | | | calories. |
| protein may go up to as high as 35% (the upper limit | | | | Once you go lower than what your body is |
| threshold) and the fat percent will go down to 15% | | | | comfortable with, however, it will start to panic. |
| of total calories per day. The American Heart | | | | Instead of burning the fat stores for energy like it |
| Association's guidelines for weight management and | | | | normally would, the body may start to slow down |
| heart health states that the total protein in the diet | | | | the metabolism altogether. If there is insufficient |
| should never go higher than 35% because of a | | | | intake of calories from all three macronutrients, the |
| number of health risks. | | | | body may start taking drastic measures, thinking that |
| Everybody needs a different level of protein, | | | | it is starving and breaking down its own muscle tissue |
| however. It is a common fallacy that the bodybuilder | | | | to use for energy. |
| becomes enormous from eating extreme amounts of | | | | Medical Risks of Extremely High Protein Diets |
| protein. Pound for pound, a baby, aged zero to six | | | | Just as a diet that is high in fat will lead to weight |
| months, needs and should get twice the amount of | | | | gain, diets that are extremely high in protein (defined |
| protein than the typical body builder. (Baby needs 2.2 | | | | as over 35% of total daily calories) can cause major |
| grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, while | | | | health problems as well. It is a myth that protein only |
| the body builder needs only 1.2 grams) (Source: the | | | | turns to muscle in the body - excessive protein can |
| US Guidelines on Protein and Diet) To determine your | | | | and is stored by the body as fat. In addition, high |
| own protein needs, you can follow a simple formula | | | | protein diets can lead to electrolyte imbalances, which |
| or discuss your needs with a doctor or a nutritionist. | | | | in turn can lead to heart rhythm problems. Those |
| If you are being treated for any type of medical | | | | who have diabetes and kidney disease may see |
| condition or illness, you should be discussing your | | | | more health risks from high protein diets because |
| dietary needs with a medical care professional | | | | they can lead to the formation of the most common |
| anyway. The formula for protein needs is: | | | | type of kidney stone, the calcium oxalate stone. Too |
| Divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get your | | | | much protein can cause the body to eliminate too |
| weight in kilograms. Multiply that number by.8 to get | | | | much calcium in the urine, increasing the risk of |
| your daily protein needs in grams. | | | | osteoporosis in those that are prone to the disease. |
| This formula is not perfect, however, and there are | | | | Why the Body Will Always Work to Get What it |
| some factors that you should keep in mind. For | | | | Needs |
| instance, if you are a sedentary person, your daily | | | | The body knows what it needs. It knows how much |
| protein needs will be about half (.4 grams per kg of | | | | it should eat and what kind of protein is needed for |
| body weight). If you are a frequent exerciser, your | | | | each of its processes. Regardless of how hard you |
| needs will be between.5 and.8 grams. If you are an | | | | try to fight against your own nature, you will always |
| intense exerciser or an athlete, your needs may go | | | | find yourself eating more than you meant to so that |
| as high as 1 gram. Keep in mind however, that the | | | | your body can get the protein that is required. Your |
| body builder only needs between 1.2 and 1.5 grams of | | | | body will simply continue to eat until the right amount |
| protein per kg of body weight. Actual protein needs | | | | and type of protein is met. (Source: Science Alert: |
| will vary depending on age, gender and health status | | | | Massey University) |
| as well. The upper limit of safe protein levels is 35% | | | | References |
| of total daily calories. | | | | Michael Roizen M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz. M.D. You on a |
| The Lack of Support in Liquid Diets | | | | Diet: the Owner's Manual for Waist Management Free |
| Support and proper education is important in any diet | | | | Press, a Division of Simon and Schuster, New York, |
| plan. It is even more important in a liquid diet plan | | | | New York. |
| because it can be so difficult to manage. The body is | | | | |