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Geez, Mike, I wish things were that simple! Which diet is better; low carb-high fat or high carb-low fat? How about this answer: NEITHER and BOTH!
Let me first tell you that there are hundreds of different "diets" that will "work" and you have only mentioned two! But let me give you an answer closer to what you want the answer to be. Figuring out which diet works better FOR YOU may come down to experimenting with both. In my experience, most people seem to get better results on a Low Carbohydrate Diet (like the Atkin's Diet, for example), but I have seen a few people do really well on a High Carb - Low Fat plan. Choosing the BEST DIET is an individual issue. Diets must be tailored to the individual. When you choose a diet, you need to consider many variables, including but not limited to, the current exercise program, lifestyle, current diet plan, current health, current bodyfat percentage, training goals, genetic profile, and even profession. After you design a good working diet, you only have to worry about one more thing: any specific diet will stop "working" after a period of time!
Without gettng too complicated here, I would like to provide you with some more practical information, Mike.
There are three (3) basic types of diet plans:
1) Low Carbohydrate Diets
2) High Carbohydrate Diets
3) "Zone"-type Diets
LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIETS
Low Carbohydrate diets are pretty "cool" right now. When we talk about Low Carb Diets we usually imply moderate to high protein intake and moderate to low fat intake. Most people are starting to get the message that sugar can make you FAT!, so low carbohydrate diets are becoming more acceptable. But, most people are still very afraid of consuming too much fat, so although the basic premise of low carb diets includes higher fat intake, in practice individuals tend to limit this macronutrient. What's left to eat? PROTEIN! Yeah! Woooooooooo!
Variations of the Low Carbohydrate Diet include (but are not limited to):
a) High FAT, Low Carb, Moderate Protein ketogenic diet.
b) High FAT, Low Carb, Moderate Protein non-ketogenic diet.
c) High Protein, Low Carb, Moderate to Low Fat diet.
d) High Protein, Mod to Low Carb, Low Fat diet.
e) Cyclic Ketogenic Diets
HIGH CARBOHYDRATE DIETS
Yes, High Carbohydrate Diets CAN WORK! However, let me clue you in on a VERY important part; if your carbs are mostly coming out of a box, you are not going to lose much weight. In fact, you are most likely going to get FATTER! A High Carbohydrate Diet that works consists mostly of carbohydrates like yams, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, brown rice, broccoli, green beans, and cauliflower, and every other natural vegetable you can think of. NOT bread, cereal, bagels, juice, low-fat cookies, crackers, microwave dinners, or other boxed "low-fat" foods.
Basically, stay out of the middle twelve aisles of the supermarket.
People that I have seen do well on High Carbohydrate Diets were typically very healthy eaters who took considerable time selecting and preparing their own food. There is a recipe for success on a High Carbohydrate - Low Fat Diet and it DOES NOT come in a box.
Variations of the High Carbohydrate Diet include (but are not limited to):
a) Non-Coordinated High Carbohydrate, Low Fat, Low to Moderate Protein Diet.
b) Coordinated High Carb, Low Fat, Low to Moderate Protein Diet.
"ZONE"-TYPE DIETS
For those of you who don't know, about 10 years ago, a doctor named Barry Sears wrote a diet book called ENTER the ZONE. If you haven't read it, I recommend you do. Dr. Barry Sears, coming from a medical backround of working with cancer patients, proposed a simple and valid diet theory. Just as in chemotherapy there exists a pharmacological "zone" for treating cancer, there must exist a macronutritonal "zone" for treating obesity and related chronic illness. In cancer treatment, giving the patient too much of the chemotheraputic drugs kills the patient, giving too little doesn't kill the cancer. Applying that same idea to macronutritional intake relative to treating obesity, we have the ZONE Diet. The Zone Diet has been modified and repromoted by others in efforts to make money, but the basic format remains largely intact- 30% of daily calories from fat, 30% of daily calories from protein, and 40% of daily calories from carbohydrate.
"Zone"-type diets can seem laborious and fairly complex. On the other hand, "Zone"-type diets do work well and if I had to pick a diet for the masses, I would suggest the "ZONE".
Variations of "Zone"-Type Diets include (but are not limited to):
a) The original ZONE Diet.
b) The Isometric Diet: 1/3 (equal parts) of daily calories from each of the three macronutrients (proteins, carbs, fats).
c) The Protein Diet; 40% of daily calories from protein, 30% from carbs, 30% from fat.
SUMMARY
So, Mike, I hope you can understand now that one diet is not necessarily best. Instead, try thinking in terms of what sort of diet you can implement RIGHT NOW for optimal results. Do not be afraid to experiment with any particular diet. Chances are you will find one that gives you better results than another, and some diets will be more practical for you to implement into your lifestyle. Pick one diet for the next 8-12 weeks and really do it right; give it an honest chance. If you don't like the feel of the diet or the results aren't terrific, try another one. You don't have anything to lose... except fat.
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