| Remember that movie with Jim Carey, "Dumb and | | | | and over again, while expecting a different result. |
| Dumber?" And remember the sequel to that movie, | | | | Low carb stupidity#7 |
| "Dumb and Dumberer?" Well, the low carb mania that | | | | Believing that you don't need exercise because all you |
| is sweeping the globe today has reached a level | | | | need to do is cut carbs. |
| beyond dumberer... It's more like dumberererer (try to | | | | Low carb intelligence |
| say that five times real fast) | | | | Knowing that dieting is the worst way to lose fat and |
| There is an epidemic of "low carb stupidity" running | | | | that exercise is the best way to lose fat (Burn The |
| rampant among millions of people throughout the world | | | | Fat, don't starve the fat). |
| today - and fast food restaurants, food product | | | | Low carb stupidity #8 |
| manufacturers, supplement companies, and weight loss | | | | Using the argument; "There's no such thing as an |
| programs are capitalizing on it in a big way! | | | | essential carbohydrate" as justification for low carb |
| The low carb diet is not inherently "stupid," however. It | | | | dieting. |
| can be quite beneficial within certain parameters and | | | | Low carb intelligence |
| under the right circumstances. The problem is that | | | | Realizing that textbook definitions of "essential" can be |
| many practitioners are uninformed, misinformed, or | | | | taken out of context to promote a fad diet and that |
| simply lack the common sense and intuitive bodily | | | | just because there's technically no "essential" |
| wisdom to utilize the low carb approach intelligently. | | | | carbohydrates (as there are essential amino acids and |
| Many low-carbers don't even know why they are on | | | | fatty acids) doesn't mean carbohydrates aren't |
| a low carb diet, they're just following the followers (Not | | | | "essential" in other respects. |
| intelligent!) Doing what everyone else is doing is always | | | | Low carb stupidity #9 |
| one of the surest, straightest routes to arrive at | | | | Using the argument, "You have to eat fat to lose fat" |
| mediocrity! If you want to be a success, your chances | | | | as justification for a high fat, low carb diet, without |
| are far greater if you look at what the masses are | | | | explaining it or putting it in context (exactly how much |
| doing and do the exact opposite! | | | | fat and what kind of fat?) |
| Fortunately, there is such a thing as "low carb | | | | Low carb intelligence |
| intelligence." Hopefully, by reading my brief rant, you will | | | | Understanding the importance of essential and omega |
| increase your carb IQ, and soon join the ranks of the | | | | three fats (the good fats), but not taking any single |
| extraordinarily fit, lean and healthy "carbo geniuses!" | | | | nutritional principle to an extreme (such as, "If a little fat |
| Low carb stupidity #1 | | | | is good for you then a lot is even better.") |
| Selecting your beer or liquor carefully to make sure | | | | Low carb stupidity #10 |
| you have the brand with the fewest grams of carbs. | | | | Saying, "All carbs are bad" or "All carbs are fattening." |
| Low carb intelligence | | | | Low carb intelligence |
| Avoiding alcohol if you're trying to lose body fat. | | | | Avoiding generalizations, and instead, having multiple |
| Drinking only in moderation if you're trying to maintain | | | | distinctions about carbohydrates (and other foods) so |
| your weight and be healthy. | | | | you can make better choices. For example: |
| Low carb stupidity #2 | | | | Low GI vs. high GI carbs |
| Believing any of the following: Low carbs diets are the | | | | Simple vs. complex carbs |
| only way to lose fat, low carb diets are the best way | | | | Starchy vs. fibrous carbs |
| to lose fat, no one should ever eat a high carb diet, | | | | Natural vs. refined carbs |
| high carbs always make you fat, starches and grains | | | | High calorie density vs. low calorie density carbs |
| make everyone sick and unhealthy. | | | | Low carb stupidity #11 |
| Low carb intelligence | | | | Not clarifying your definition of low carbs. |
| Adjusting your approach according to your health | | | | Low carb intelligence |
| status, your goals and your body type, not according | | | | Realizing that there are "very low" carb diets, "low" |
| to generalizations preached by dogmatic diet "gurus." | | | | carb diets, and "moderate" carb diets and that you |
| Low carb stupidity #3 | | | | cant lump them all together. (Some people consider |
| Going on the Atkins diet (or any other very low carb | | | | The Zone Diet, at 40% of calories from carbs, a low |
| ketogenic diet) with absolutely no idea why you're | | | | carb diet, others consider 40% carbs quite high). |
| doing it or how the diet works (going on it because | | | | Low carb stupidity #12 |
| "everybody" is doing it and because you see it | | | | Believing that carrots are fattening because they're |
| advertised everywhere.) | | | | high on the glycemic index and because a popular fad |
| Low carb intelligence | | | | diet book says so. |
| Studying the physiology and biochemistry of the low | | | | Low carb intelligence |
| carb diet and completely understanding all the pros and | | | | Have we lost all vestiges of common sense? With an |
| cons. Then making an informed decision whether to | | | | average carrot clocking in at 31 calories and 7.3 grams |
| restrict carbs based on your own personal goals, | | | | of carbs, do you really think that this orange-colored, |
| needs and heath status. | | | | nutrient-dense, low-calorie, all-natural, |
| Low carb stupidity #4 | | | | straight-out-of-the-ground root vegetable is going to |
| Thinking that very low carb (ketogenic) dieting is a | | | | make you fat? (if so, you are in "carbohydrate |
| maintainable "lifestyle." | | | | kindergarten.") |
| Low carb intelligence | | | | Low carb stupidity... Lucky #13 |
| Understanding that reasonable (moderate) restriction | | | | Eating lots of processed and packaged low carb |
| of carbs can be a helpful short term strategy for fat | | | | foods (including those protein "candy bars")... and |
| loss, a good way to reach a peak, a legitimate method | | | | thinking you're "being good" and "following your diet." |
| to control appetite, and an effective way for some | | | | Low carb intelligence |
| people to control insulin. But also understanding that a | | | | Realizing that natural, unrefined foods are one of the |
| balanced diet of natural foods is probably the most | | | | keys to lifelong weight control and that anything man |
| suitable of all the diets for health, lifelong maintenance | | | | made and refined is NOT an ideal "diet" food - including |
| and weight control. | | | | the highly processed low carb foods that are all the |
| Low carb stupidity #5 | | | | rage this year. (Doesn't this bandwagon reek of the |
| Believing calories don't count if you just cut out your | | | | late 80's and early 90's "no fat" craze, when all those |
| carbs (or not counting calories because it's "too much | | | | "fat free" foods were being passed off as healthy diet |
| work.") | | | | food, but were really highly processed and full of pure |
| Low carb intelligence | | | | sugar?) |
| Knowing that fat loss always did and always will boil | | | | --End of Stupidities-- |
| down to calories in vs. calories out. Taking the time and | | | | Forgive me for the obvious dashes of sarcasm, but |
| effort to crunch your numbers (at least once), typing | | | | sometimes I just can't help myself and I end up going |
| up your menu on a spreadsheet, keeping a diary, and | | | | into "rant mode"... I think the last time this happened |
| or using nutrition tracking software. | | | | was in my newsletter almost a year ago... that was |
| Low carb stupidity #6 | | | | the issue where I wrote about the ad for the candy |
| Staying on a low carb diet that has stopped working | | | | bar that increases your bench press by 50 pounds? |
| (or never worked in the first place). | | | | Yeah... I heard those bars are especially effective |
| Low carb intelligence | | | | when you combine them with low carb potato chips |
| Adjusting your diet according to your results; | | | | (weren't those low fat potato chips a few years |
| understanding that a common definition of insanity (and | | | | ago??? Oh nevermind... it's all soooo confusing! |
| or stupidity) is to continue to do the same things over | | | | |