Low Carb
Intelligence vs. Low Carb Stupidity
by Tom Venuto - author of
Burn The Fat, Feed The
Muscle
Remember that movie with Jim
Carey, “Dumb and Dumber?” And remember the sequel to that movie,
“Dumb and Dumberer?” Well, the low carb mania that is sweeping the
globe today has reached a level beyond dumberer… It’s more like
dumberererer (try to say that five times real fast)
There is an epidemic of
“low carb stupidity” running rampant among millions of people
throughout the world today – and fast food restaurants, food product
manufacturers, supplement companies, and weight loss programs are capitalizing
on it in a big way in 2004!
The low carb diet is not
inherently stupid, however. It can be quite beneficial within certain
parameters and under the right circumstances. The problem is that many
practitioners are uninformed, misinformed, or simply lack the common sense and
intuitive bodily wisdom to utilize the low carb approach intelligently.
Many low-carbers don’t
even know why they are on a low carb diet, they’re just following the
followers. Not intelligent. Doing what everyone else is doing is always one of
the surest, straightest routes to arrive at mediocrity! If you want to be a
success, your chances are far greater if you look at what the masses are doing
and do the exact opposite!
Fortunately, there is such a
thing as “low carb intelligence.” Hopefully, by reading my brief rant
this month, you will increase your carb IQ, and soon join the ranks of the
extraordinarily fit, lean and healthy “carbo geniuses!”
Low carb stupidity
#1
Selecting your beer or
liquor carefully to make sure you have the brand with the fewest grams of
carbs.
Low carb
intelligence
Avoiding alcohol if
you’re trying to lose body fat. Drinking only in moderation if you’re
trying to maintain your weight and be healthy.
Low carb stupidity
#2
Believing any of the
following: Low carbs diets are the only way to lose fat, low carb diets
are the best way to lose fat, no one should ever eat a high carb
diet, high carbs always make you fat, starches and grains make
everyone sick and unhealthy.
Low carb intelligence
Adjusting your approach
according to your health status, your goals and your body
type, not according to generalizations preached by dogmatic diet gurus.
Low carb stupidity
#3
Going on the Atkins diet (or
any other very low carb/ketogenic diet) with absolutely no idea why you’re
doing it or how the diet works (going on it because “everybody” is
doing it and because you see it advertised everywhere.)
Low carb
intelligence
Studying the physiology and
biochemistry of the low carb diet and completely understanding all the pros and
cons. Then making an informed decision whether to restrict carbs based
on your own personal goals, needs and heath status.
Low carb stupidity
#4
Thinking that very low carb
(ketogenic) dieting is a maintainable “lifestyle.”
Low carb
intelligence
Understanding that
reasonable (moderate) restriction of carbs can be a helpful short term strategy
for fat loss, a good way to reach a peak, a legitimate method to control
appetite, and an effective way for some people to control insulin. But also
understanding that a balanced diet of natural foods is probably the most
suitable of all the diets for health, lifelong maintenance and weight
control.
Low carb stupidity
#5
Believing calories
don’t count if you just cut out your carbs (or not counting calories
because it’s “too much work.”)
Low carb
intelligence
Knowing that fat loss always
did and always will boil down to calories in vs. calories out. Taking the time
and effort to crunch your numbers (at least once), typing up your menu on a
spreadsheet, keeping a diary, and/or using nutrition tracking software.
Low carb stupidity
#6
Staying on a low carb diet
that has stopped working (or never worked in the first place).
Low carb
intelligence
Adjusting your diet
according to your results; understanding that a common definition of insanity
(and/or stupidity) is to continue to do the same things over and over again,
while expecting a different result.
Low carb
stupidity#7
Believing that you
don’t need exercise because all you need to do is cut carbs.
Low carb
intelligence
Knowing that dieting is the
worst way to lose fat and that exercise is the best way to lose
fat (Burn The Fat, dont starve the fat).
Low carb stupidity
#8
Using the argument;
“There’s no such thing as an essential carbohydrate” as
justification for low carb dieting.
Low carb
intelligence
Realizing that textbook
definitions of “essential” can be taken out of context to promote a
fad diet and that just because there’s technically no
“essential” carbohydrates (as there are essential amino acids and
fatty acids) doesn’t mean carbohydrates aren’t “essential”
in other respects.
Low carb stupidity
#9
Using the argument,
“You have to eat fat to lose fat” as justification for a high fat,
low carb diet, without explaining it or putting it in context (exactly how much
fat and what kind of fat?)
Low carb
intelligence
Understanding the importance
of essential and omega three fats (the good fats), but not taking any single
nutritional principle to an extreme (such as, “If a little fat is good for
you then a lot is even better.”)
Low carb stupidity
#10
Saying, “All carbs are
bad” or “All carbs are fattening.”
Low carb
intelligence
Avoiding generalizations,
and instead, having multiple distinctions about carbohydrates (and other foods)
so you can make better choices. For example:
Low GI vs. high GI carbs
Simple vs. complex carbs
Starchy vs. fibrous carbs
Natural vs. refined
carbs
High calorie density vs. low calorie density carbs
Low carb stupidity
#11
Not clarifying your
definition of low carbs.
Low carb
intelligence
Realizing that there are
“very low” carb diets, “low” carb diets, and
“moderate” carb diets and that you cant lump them all together. (Some
people consider The Zone Diet, at 40% of calories from carbs, a low carb diet,
others consider 40% carbs quite high).
Low carb stupidity
#12
Believing that carrots are
fattening because they’re high on the glycemic index and because a popular
fad diet book says so.
Low carb
intelligence
Have we lost all vestiges of
common sense? With an average carrot clocking in at 31 calories and 7.3 grams
of carbs, do you really think that this orange-colored, nutrient-dense,
low-calorie, all-natural, straight-out-of-the-ground root vegetable is going to
make you fat? (if so, you are in "carbohydrate kindergarten.")
Low carb stupidity…
Lucky #13
Eating lots of processed and
packaged low carb foods (including those protein “candy bars”)…
and thinking you’re “being good” and “following your
diet.”
Low carb
intelligence
Realizing that natural,
unrefined foods are one of the keys to lifelong weight control and that
anything man made and refined is NOT an ideal “diet” food –
including the highly processed low carb foods that are all the rage this year.
(Doesn’t this bandwagon reek of the late 80’s and early 90’s
“no fat” craze, when all those ”fat free” foods were being
passed off as healthy diet food, but were really highly processed and full of
pure sugar?)
--End of
Stupidities--
Forgive me for the obvious
dashes of sarcasm, but sometimes I just can’t help myself and I end up
going into rant mode… I think the last time this happened was in my
newsletter #22 almost a year ago… remember that one… the one where I
wrote about the ad for the candy bar that increases your bench press by 50
pounds? Yeah... I heard those bars are especially effective when you combine
them with low carb potato chips (weren't those low fat potato chips a few years
ago??? Oh nevermind... it's all soooo confusing!)
For information on a more
balanced method of fat loss which is also individualized, all-natural and
maintainable for life… and which teaches you a new, safer, more moderate
and more effective “twist” to the old low carb diet, visit my fat
loss website at
www.burnthefat.com
If you’re already on
the Burn The Fat program and getting great results, email me and tell me about
your success story!
Here’s couple
“success story” emails I received just recently:
“THANK YOU for Burn The Fat Feed the Muscle (BFFM). It has
changed my life. I have lost 3 dress sizes in 4 months and feel better than
ever before. I tell everyone who is interested in how Im losing fat about your
book. I now have my husband on the program. If we can do it with 4 kids and
full time jobs -- anyone can. Thanks again!
Author Tom
Venuto
Tom Venuto is a bodybuilder, gym
owner, freelance writer, success coach and author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The
Muscle" (BFFM): Fat Burning Secrets of the World's Best Bodybuilders and
Fitness Models. Tom has written over 150 articles and has been featured in
IRONMAN magazine, Natural Bodybuilding, Muscular Development, Muscle-Zine,
Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise. Tom's inspiring and informative
articles on bodybuilding, weight loss and motivation are featured regularly on
dozens of websites worldwide. For information on Tom's "Burn The Fat" e-book,
click here.
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