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Getting Back Into Shape While At The Office?
rhuntley12 writes "Personally, I sit at a computer desk for 10 hours a day with very little actual work. I've also started to get a little belly and out of shape. I know it's real bad in my office, especially with all the beer I consume. What do you do to stay in shape? Any secrets? Recently I've started to do sit ups, push ups, and running up and down the stairs. I get a lot of odd looks, and would prefer something that doesn't make the whole office stare at me.
I've looked through some websites with equipment, but it's all serious equipment I can't/won't lug into work. Any suggestions?"
The key to losing weight with a non-active lifestyle is to EAT LESS. Exercising only burns off so many calories at a time, and you'll have a hard time catching up to a Big Mac when you're full time job isn't to run all day.
I've lost about thirty five pounds by reducing my caloric intake every day. I don't watch carbohydrates or meat or fat or any of that; I just eat less than I normally would and pay attention to the calories printed on the sides of packages, opting for less.
For example, I switched from a 300-calorie bagel to a 70-calorie apple every morning. I switched from a God-knows-how-many-calorie lunch every day to a single sandwich.
I let myself eat what I want on some days as long as the average intake is lower than normal.
I do also exercise (I walk up 12 floors of stairs), but the real weight drop occurred when I stopped eating as much.
Fidget. People who fidget a lot are in measureably better shape than those who don't(and are otherwise similar exercise/diet wise). Just make sure not to do this at a meeting with the boss to discuss a raise/promotion:).
Try lifting your desk while sitting at it. You don't actually need to lift it off the ground, just put a lot of force into it as if you meant to, do many repetitions of that.
Volunteer for any odd jobs around the office that involve physical labor.
If you live close enough, walk or ride a bike to work whenever weather permits. If you have enough time during your lunch break, take a walk or bike ride somewhere.
Get up and stretch regularly.
Situps/pushups and the like can help, don't worry about what other people think. When you are in shape to pull that vital bit of overtime that gets a product out in time, and they arent, guess who is employee of the month?
And lay off the carbohydrates too. This might start a flame war (Atkins diet arguments and such.) You should lay of the bread, chips, orange juice, and other things that have a lot of carbs. This stuff gets absorbed by your body and makes you fat. Actual fat is more or less just passing through and makes it into the toilet with your centrum multivitamin.
Cutting back on the carbohydrates and stepping up on the exercise is really what makes the difference.
Now, would anyone with a better understanding of dietary values care to correct me?
He's got a good point. Bike ride to work.
It works for me. Saves me money in car gas and parking and depending on how far you have to go, takes the same amount of time as driving.
Also, you make the earth cleaner, or some crap like that, but who cares. This is about YOU.
If you don't feel like exercizing, there are some things you can do... STOP drinking all soda/pop. These things are emtpy calories that just leave you wanting more. Don't drink it at all. Ever. Beer will also pack on the pounds but if you are moderate and just have a couple beers no more than 2 times a week, you will be fine.
For things to suplement your non-excersizing. Park as far out in the parking lots as you can wherever you go. I don't care if you are just stoping at the local Quiky Mart - park across the street. And also, stairs are your friend. Take those puppies whenever you can.
I havn't read what other people have suggested, but doing butt crunches while you are sitting in a chair isn't going to drop one pound. Be realistic. Eat better, and exercize more. Thats all there is too it, if you truely want to lose weight this is a no brainer.
Do you ever wonder why you don't see etheoipians that are fat? Its becuase they don't have all the sugary foods we do and they constantly are working. Simple math here... can you do it? :)
1 - gave up caffeine (I know!). I was drinking 3-4 cans of coke a day. I think doing that alone did me a huge deal of good.
If you were drinking 3-4 cans of coke a day, you do realise that caffeine aside that is the equivalent to pouring 3-4 cups of sugar down your throat every day?
In other words, are you sure it was the giving up caffeine, or giving up the multiple cups of sugar intake?
MORTAR COMBAT!
I picked up a job as a trainer at the local Powerhouse Gym so I could pay the rent (and the occaisional video card upgrade ;) back when I was majoring in kinesiology, and a lot of my clients had the same issue.
;)
The short of it is this: If you want to lose weight, burn more calories than you consume. No fad diets, no gimicky workout equipment, no pills, just excercise.
The good news is that you won't need to spend anymore than it takes to get a good pair of running shoes to get into shape. The bad news is that a very significant part of weight loss is adjusting your diet, and the excersize you'll need probably isn't doable at the office.
Go running after work (make sure you keep good form), and pass on the beer when you can, and when you do drink, go for light beers, not Guinness (Sam Adams' Light is actually a good beer, but don't bother with that Michelob Ultra; just get a glass of water and spare yourself the couple bucks and the vile, pissy taste). If you feel like chicken, get it grilled, not fried. If you feel like a snack, eat an apple and have a glass of water, instead of a candy bar.
I know it can be really tough to start, but the best part about weight loss is that it's almost viral; once you actually see the results, you won't even want another beer. And trust me, after going a few weeks without junk like fast food, it'll almost make you nauseous to think about earing it again.
If you're into weight training, get a membership at the local gym; weight training is an excellent way to burn calories. Just don't entirely neglect running, biking, or some other type of aerobic excercise.
It's simple in theory, simple in practice, but amazingly hard to get used to it. Just remember, no matter how you choose to lose weight, it's a long-term commitment, so don't let yourself backslide before you ever really get a chance to see results; give it at least a couple months to see a difference, although you'll probably feel a difference in a matter of days.
Good luck to ya!
If you like video games, Dance Dance Revolution might be the answer for you. It's working for me, (ie, I'm losing weight and feeling better) and in the past I've only been able to stick to an exercise schedule if I was paying for gym access. "Better go exercise, I can't let the monthly fee go to waste!"
The basic set up for DDR is a pad on the floor with arrows pointing front, back, left & right. The game has over a hundred songs to choose from, with difficulties ranking from 1 to 10 feet, and basic, trick, and maniac modes for each song. There's an immense amount of replay value.
During the game, arrows scroll up the screen and you hit the arrows on the pad with your feet, in time with the music. For fast songs on difficult settings, this is very challenging, but more to the point: it's exhausting.
The key to DDR is learning how to keep your balance while hitting all of the arrows. I found that at first, I would bounce my whole body up and down in time with the music. This was exhausting, even on the easy songs. Nowadays, 5 months later, I am playing some fairly hard songs (6 foot songs on basic and trick), and while I am moving significantly more efficiently, the game is still pushing my physical limits of endurance and dexterity.
Because it is a video game with a scoring system and several levels of difficulty, there is a built in incentive to achieve the next level of ability, whether that means getting an A rank on a song, or trying a 6 foot song for the first time. This keeps me going, as I set goals and attempt perfect runs of my favorite songs. I can easily keep playing for an hour or more, and afterwards I jump right into the shower and cool off.
Get the home version, a cheap dance pad, and a PSone, and you're set up for $100 (including the PS1!!)
Run through the lesson mode, and you will learn the basics. If you stick with the game and play at least a couple times a week for 4 months or so, you will definitely lose weight and gain some footwork skills. Not to mention it's fun to show off in the arcade!
for more info on DDR: http://www.ddrfreak.com/
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Exactly.
And I find that, once you are in better shape, you tend to eat better. When I took up jogging and was running several miles per day, I could no longer stomach the less healthy foods I used to eat... I couldn't stand overly buttered popcorn, and candy just wasn't too appealing to me. I would rather eat vegetables or yogourts instead.
In my experience, you can't really have exercise without a healthy diet.
First, cut out all soda (pop). Like another poster said, the sugar accumulates. I was in a similar dilema, cut out the soda, and I was down 10 pounds inside of a month without much exercise at all.
Eat healthier. With every meal, you must have a vegetable. They are low-calorie, fill you up (so you eat less else), and they're good for your digestive system.
Eat less. A simple rule, but hard to follow. Cut back on snacking first, then cut back on portions. No matter how well you're eating, seconds are out of the question.
Avoid starches. Starches tend to trap fat and sugars in your stomach and prevent them from being properly digested. As such, you have to eat more to get the energy you need to keep going, and the extra gets converted to fat later. Basically, less breads, less potatoes, will do you good. Remember: beer is liquid bread.
Any activity is better than no activity. If you're unhealthy, it can be hard to exercise because you don't have the stamina, and you probably have a lot more weight to move around. But still, if you get out every day and do some walking, you'll lose weight much more effectively. Also, DDR is a great solution for those of us addicted to video games. It may not be all that amazing of a workout (by workout standards) but remember that every little bit of exercise helps.
Stick with it. Even if you don't meet your weight-loss goals, don't give up. Re-adjust your goals and keep trying. Gradually, you will get used to the smaller portions and exercise, which will make it easier to push yourself harder. Remember that you're not trying to lose a few pounds for a date or something... you're making a slow transition to a healthier lifestyle.
That being said, I'm no weight loss guru... I'm a web-page designer. I sit on my bum all day typing, and I don't wanna be a gigantic fat-ass. I used to be about 300 lbs., but using the above methods, I've worked myself down to 250 in about 6 months. It's not a radical change, but it's been slow, steady progress. My situation was a lot like yours is. There are no secrets to weight loss, but there are some tricks you can use to make it a little easier. The secret isn't that you have to take in less calories, the secret is learning to do that every day.
-=-=-=-=-=
I'd rather be flamed than ignored.
Finally, get off you a$$ once in a while. Just a little exercise, like walking in the park, helps.
IANAD (I am not a dietician), but it seems to work well. It's not an overnight success, but I feel much better than I did a year ago.
Coderz 4 Life
In college, I gained a lot of weight, and after I graduated decided I needed to lose it. It took me three years, but I lost 100 pounds -- and have kept it off for five years. Essentially I did this:
I know this doesn't answer the while at the office part of your question. But I think the only realistic thing you can do while at work is to drink lots of water.
What I do not recommend is joining a gym or buying exercise equipment. This does work for many people, but it is expensive and simply not required for exercise. [One possible exception: if I wasn't such a cheapskate I would buy myself a bicycle!]
podBiking? Get real, my friend. If you're dumb enough to go biking on public roads for 2 hours a day listening to your iPod, don't be surprised when someone like me accidentally swipes you off the road in my '84 Cutlass hoopty. Honestly. There's absolutely no place for people to be biking while listening to music. Nada. Since /.'ers seem to love analogies, podBiking would be the close equivalent of being on a motorcycle while listening to music at full blast and talking on a cell phone. Dangerous, stupid, and setting yourself up for failure.
And just because you don't like mountain bikes, doesn't mean they're for "sissies". I mountain bike on singletrack TRAILS, where mountain bikes are SUPPOSED to be ridden, and it's great and at least as exhausting as road biking. Trust me. I've done both for a looong time.
However, your point about not stuffing yourself is a good one. There's a world of difference between eating and being content, and eating and being stuffed. Hence why more frequent smaller meals are better for you than 3 pig-fest buffets. The diabetic diet works for a reason.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned for SEGA. ..."
We all know how to get in better shape: eat less, exercise more. It's a simple formula that is expounded endlessly in the media. Most days I run a few miles after work; some people bike after work; others swim, play frisbee or train in martial arts. The fact is that if you want to exercise you will, if not you'll make excuses.
On the food side, a few simple steps do wonders for most people:
-Don't drink soda.
-Don't eat fast food.
-Buy nonfat milk, cheese and yogurt. (You don't drink milk or eat yogurt? Start.)
-Eat breakfast. Every morning.
-Have some fruit on the counter so you can grab a snack before work and after.
-Make lunch. This will help you avoid fast food, pizza and greasy lunches.
The library has a million fitness books, magazines and articles. They're useful for knowledge, but nothing will replace your own dedication. Everyone has an excuse as to why he or she doesn't have enough time or energy or whatever. There is no special way to start working out - you just have to do it, and no book can make you do it. Good luck.
I tried the Atkin's diet for two weeks, and it failed me. I didn't gain weight to my amazement, but I didn't lose any either. I did realize that it was silly to deprive myself of certain foods (breads, anything with a fair amount of carbs) because I live a whack, sedentary existence as a programmer. I gave up the protein-or-bust diet, bought a $50 elliptial machine (still working after 2 years), bought a road bike, and swore off fast food. Now I bike to work, mix in some work on the elliptial machine, and enjoy a diverse diet limited only by the number of calories and some fundamental nutritional requirements.
I lost fifteen pounds in two months and have kept it off. I feel great. And most importantly, I don't feel deprived.
What is it about our culture that makes us feel we have to go cold turkey on natural instincts? I say, "Want a slice of cake?" Have at it and attack that next hill on your bike this weekend. Angry at that girl that cut you off in traffic? Roll down your window and launch into a profanity-laden tirade the likes of which traffic has never seen so she thinks thirty-thousand times before doing it again.
Goddamn these scientists that tell you what you can't eat. Goddamn the lawyers that put responsibility on trial. We live in a world of consequences, and your life is not the control group of a scientific experiment nor does it require the a writ of habeas corpus to satisfy someone else's lack of sensibilities. You can fend for yourself. You have it in you. Your ancestors would not been able to pass you the genetic torch if they did not have it. Life and happiness are not exclusive.
Asking the slashdot readers how to get in shape?
in girum imus nocte et consumimur igni
I'm not going to argue the point, because you have a good one, but I'll add a warning:
If you're one of the 800 out of 100,000 people who are susceptible to gout, you'd better stick to a high-carb, low-protein diet or you'll be in a world of hurt in no time. I went on Atkins and lost thirty pounds. So far, so good, right? But, one morning I woke in agony. The high protein brought on a horrible attack of gout, which is a form of arthritis affecting the large joints of the foot, and often comes on overnight with very little warning. I felt like someone was driving red hot spikes through my big toe's largest joint, and within a few days I couldn't even walk. It's about a week and a half later, and I'm hobbling around, yoda-style with a wooden cane, but at least the pain has gone way down (I'm a vegetarian now, and I'm drinking huge amounts of water, cranberry juice, and cherry juice, which seems to be helping).
GOUT. And, I'm only 32!!!
Anyway, you won't know you're susceptible until you have an attack, and if you have an attack, you'll wish you were dead for at least a week or two. It's really, really horrible. The pain is really intense.
Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
Do you shower and bring a change of clothes afterwards? I couldn't go back to work in the afternoon after being in a gym for 45 minutes.
I also couldn't spend the time to take two showers a day and do laundry twice as often, so I always exercise first thing in the morning. Then I walk the dog in the early afternoon. Some day when I work at a large company again I'll go back to walking around the building or park if they have one after lunch.
There are two main types of carbs: Simple and Complex.
Simple carbs are those that can't be broken down into anything more useful than just calories. These are things like junk foods (cookies, chips, ice cream, etc).
Complex carbs can be broken down into simpler parts: sugar, fibre, nutrients, etc. These are things like bread and cereal, fruits and vegetables. They have calories and sugars, too, but once broken down they are healthier.
The Atkins diet ONLY succeeds because people cut out junk foods since they are carbs. It would work just as well if they only cut out junk food.
To stay on topic, though... the biggest thing for this guy is to cut out the damn beer. Alcohol is empty calories. It gives your body nothing but calories. Oh, and screw those fat asses that look at you weird at work. If they have a problem with you trying to get in shape while at work, that's their issue, not yours.
IANAL, but I play one on
"As a fairly typical geek, I tend to dislike most sports (particularly those involving "teams" - stupid primate dominance rituals"
It sounds like you have some real anti-social tendencies more than anything else. Team sports teach about working together which is a very important quality to have which will serve you well in life. I'd hate to have to be a co-worker of anyone who hates being part of a team.
This stuff gets absorbed by your body and makes you fat. Actual fat is more or less just passing through and makes it into the toilet with your centrum multivitamin.
Wha? No it doesn't. Don't kids have to take physiology in high school anymore?
There are certain classes of fats that can pass through your intestines undigested - that's what Olestra is all about. It causes gas pains, 'staining' and 'seepage'. That means it leaks out your ass. I seem to recall eating a bushel of peaches might have a similar effect because of a fat they contain.
Anyway, most fats are broken down, just like carbohydrates and proteins. You figure 9 kcal/gram of fat and 6 for carbs and protein, IIRC. It takes energy and enzymes to break down the stuff, until you get it into basic fatty acids, amino acids, and glucoses that your body can use to build what it actually needs (there's even a neat fructose to glucose step, 5 to 6 carbon if memory serves).
If you eat too much simple sugar you'll mess with your insulin response and if you eat too much protein you'll put a strain on your kidneys, and if you eat too much fat you'll clog your arteries.
How 'bout this?: Eat a balanced diet of foods that are good for you. I know, heresy.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
Do something active at least 30 minutes a day during the OTHER 14 hours of your day. Even just walking would be good. Bike to work, avoid elevators and other lazy people devices.
>you're not going to look back and ask yourself, "darn, why couldn't I have worked *just
>a few more hours*?!?"
Some (not all!) of my happy memories are of times when a group of us put serious effort in at work and achieved something nobody thought we could do. And some of my regrets are of times when work became "just a job", and we failed to achieve much because there was no spirit.
diet soda is bad. Please see previous slashdot discussions as to why.
Summary: nutrasweet eats holes in your head. It can cause you to become sensitive to it and get severe debilitating migranes as well. I have direct experience as well as many other people I know.
I had to quit the nutrasweet because of how it was messing up my body (used to drink lots and lots of diet soda) and now only drink one can of regular soda a day if I have a soda craving.
"Would you rather have a playstation addicted dork wearing a star wars t-shirt?"
Lifting weights is very compatible with coding, as it doesn't have to take very much time at all. Look into 'hardgainer' routines which some people, including myself, have had success with. Even advanced hardgainer routine only require about 45 minutes at most twice a week, some even less. Even with this limited time investment you can get quite strong (compared to previous untrained self) if you do it right.
Doug Eleveld
you should re-read what he wrote. he was pointing out how you can determine how much water the body loses in a day. it's typically 2-2.5 litres a day for an adult. you need to replace that much water daily, but a lot of the water you need comes from food, including things that you might expect to have very low water content, like bread.
When Im at work, I work on the things that I get paid for. To keep in shape, I ride a bike to work, 3 miles each way, every day.
On days when the weather is bad, I drive to work and then just hit the gym after work...or skip a day if Im not feeling it.
The kind of exercise that keeps you in shape requires real sweating. I don't know about you, but who wants to be all sweaty and stinky at work?
In the big picture it is very important for me to do things outside the office and away from the computer...it keeps me sane. I fight like hell to keep my work life from creeping into the other parts of my life.
Other claims discredited by scientific evidence that Valtin discusses include:
* Thirst Is Too Late.
It is often stated that by the time people are thirsty, they are already dehydrated. On the contrary, thirst begins when the concentration of blood (an accurate indicator of our state of hydration) has risen by less than two percent, whereas most experts would define dehydration as beginning when that concentration has risen by at least five percent.
* Dark Urine Means Dehydration.
At normal urinary volume and color, the concentration of the blood is within the normal range and nowhere near the values that are seen in meaningful dehydration. Therefore, the warning that dark urine reflects dehydration is alarmist and false in most instances.
High protein deits do not represent nutritionally balanced eating and may prove harmful to *some* dieters.
It is true that HDL levels increase and LDL levels decrease, but the foods themselves are very high in cholesterol and saturated fats, which are now established as the major reasons for heart attacks and strokes.
The biggest problem I see with high protein diets, however, is the resulting loss of calcium to your bones which may lead to osteoperosis. Protien overload forces your kidneys to try to eliminate large amounts of urea, which is a by-product of protein metabolism.
Many high protien diets, including Atkins prohibit foods which are known to lower the risks associated with heart disease and cancers.
It is true that for a sedentary person high protein diets will cause you to lose weight. Unfortunately when you go off the diet the weight comes back very rapidly. Almost no working "rapid weight loss" diets are meant to be on indefinately... Just long enough to lower you near your desired weight, then the diet is altered to match proper caloric intake so the individual's weight remains where desired. Even the ever popular calorie-restrictive diets are meant to be on in cycles so you lose the weight at a healthy speed while your body recouperates from the stress you're putting on it. Most any rapid weight loss diet will eventually cause harm by robbing you of nutrients you may need or stressing your body with too many of certain types of food. The human body was built for diversity. (Although there is some research stating certain people process certain types of foods [lipids, protiens, carbs] better than others)
A real diet is more of a life style change, you eat healthier and get proper exercise and eventually the weight will go and the body will remain healthy without having to count every calorie you take in. Altering your lifestyle will cause the weight to stay down.
Now if you're an active individual, however, you need the energy that carbohydrates give you, especially if you compete or plan to compete in something, even at a low level for fun. Your body burns 23 calories for every 100 calories of carbohydrate it digets, but only 3 calories for every 100 fat calories... Carbohydrate is the PREFERRED fuel of the body. There are lots of other reasons to avoid high protien diets, including the fact that they deprive you of the enormous benefits of fiber, which is a form of carbohydrate.
A large part of the weight loss invovled with high protein diets is water weight and lean muscle mass... not fat. You lose water because your kidneys try to rid your body of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that the body makes. If you're going to use bodybuilders as an example, bodybuilders may look great but they're generally not super healthy... They're meant to look immaculate for a few short years of their lives and disregard the problems it may cause. Not to say they're less healthy than your average, overweight american or anything. They put tremendous stress on their bodies to do the awesome things they can do and it eventually takes its toll for many of them who don't slow down. People who do suppliment with protein generally only intake 20-60 grams a day or so and watch their diet. These individuals are usually involved with the gym and or activities where their bodies make use of the protien rather than letting it sit there for the body to make a futile attempt to get rid of as you keep cramming more down it.
Unfortuantely, there is little you can do at the workplace without looking like a crackpot unless your employer offers facilities to do so. I would highly suggest lowering or removing completely the alcohol from the diet as it is just empty calories ( I drank more than almost anyone I knew in high school so don't tell me its not possible, I got into personal training and rearranged my life style, my friends all gained 40+ lbs. after highschool and i dropped 20 by simply dropping soda and alcohol from m
So for those that exercise regularly, what keeps you from saying "aw, fuckit. I'll exercise tomorrow instead."? How do you keep motivated to do it?
This is one of those stupid sayings you hear, but the best exercise is the one that you will do. So, the key to exercising regularly is to find something you like doing. I enjoy swimming. I also swam competetively in high scool and college and coached some, so I know how to make good workouts. When I decided I needed to lose weight swimming was the obvious choice. So, find something you like and do that.
If you are looking for muscle gain, you may want to get the gym membership and a trainer. They can help with 2 things.
1) Diet. Get the calorie count, and food mix right so you can build the muscle as needed without putting on fat.
2) Teach you how to exercise correctly. Avoid over training and injuries.
Dastardly
>lite beer over regular
Come on now, that's going too far.
So what the hell do you do when there's absolutely nothing you like to do?
You're approaching the issue from the standpoint of someone who found something that resembles an acceptable way to spend time while working out.
To me, lifelong overweight guy, there is no "exercise I will do", that I know of. I've biked. I've walked. I've jogged. I've done freeweights and machines at gyms. I've done swimming and dancing and aerobics and every other goddamn thing someone could drag me to. To me, all exercise seems like punishment. I've never found a way to shake that attitude. You can imagine the success I've had with workout routines of any sort.
I know I'm an extreme example, but a lot of other overweight geeks are in the same boat.
Don't just say "Do the thing you will do." If there was a thing I would do, I'd be doing it and there wouldn't be an issue.
-- I wanna decide who lives and who dies - Crow T. Robot, MST3K
I agree with all of your points... it rarely works to try some boring exercise plan that requires labourious and repetitive tasks... people generally just won't stick to it (some love it... yeay for them)... the only way is either make it fun, like you did, or just make it part of the day.
When my wife and I were looking for a house one of the 'nice to haves' was a place that wasn't too close to a train station that I got no exercise walking to it but not so far away that I couldn't be bothered walking... we found a place around 1.5ks (around a mile) away, and so now I walk that distance twice a day... it's excellent to wake you up both in the morning and for the evening at home (makes me less tired), and keeps me in shape more than driving into work every day would.
Yeay to you.
This guy (and any other who asks for advice on how to stay in shape) won't bike ride to work, because he's looking for an easy solution.
There isn't one. Excercise (outside the office of course, you'll never get in shape running up and down the stairs once a day), or change your diet, or both. It's a simple choice - do it or don't do it. Not having time is not an excuse. Make time.
Whoa, cowboy. Last I heard, the "conventional wisdom" has been that eating cholesterol and saturated fats raise your LDL, and that causes heart attacks and strokes. Now that studies are debunking that idea--and showing that dietary cholesterol does not equate to serum cholesterol--you're trying to skip straight from sat fats to strokes?
:) I'm a very active individual and I hit up the gym between 2-6 hours a day depending on the day and my schedule with only 2 days off a week. Its likely my HDL level is very comfortable :) Thanks for the concern, though :)
Plant-based proteins, like those found in soy, lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (good) cholesterol. This prevents the buildup of arterial plaque which leads to hardening of the arteries and heart disease, thus reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. The amount and type of protein in your diet also has an important impact on calcium absorption and excretion. Vegetable-protein diets enhance calcium retention in the body. This reduces the risk of osteoporosis and kidney problems. Interestingly, kidney disease is far less common in people who eat a vegetable-based diet than it is in people who eat an animal-based diet. By replacing animal protein with vegetable protein and replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat, like that found in olive and canola oils, you can avoid the pitfalls of the typical high-protein diet.
However, this type of protein and fat combination is not the healthiest. Animal proteins are loaded with cholesterol and saturated fat. Many people on these diets also experience an elevation in their LDL (bad) cholesterol when they remain on the diet for long periods. High levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood clog arteries and is the chief culprit in heart disease, particularly heart attack and stroke. So while you may lose weight in the short run, you are putting your cardiovascular health in jeopardy in the long run.
Another reason weight loss is achieved on these high-protein diets, at least temporarily, is actually due to water loss. The increase in the amount of protein consumed, especially from meat and dairy products, raises the levels of uric acid and urea in the blood. These are toxic by-products of protein breakdown and metabolism. The body eliminates this uric acid and urea by pumping lots of water into the kidneys and urinary tract to help it flush out. However, a detrimental side effect of this diuretic response is the loss of essential minerals from the body, including calcium. The high intake of protein leaches calcium from the bones, which leads to osteoporosis.
The Atkins diet increases HDL, which protects against heart disease. My HDL's 65, what's yours?
Couldn't tell you. Never taken a test, myself. I can tell you my body fat has been cosisntantly 7-8% for the last 6 months though
Read Atkins' book. Atkins dieters eat plenty of fiber, vegetables, and some fruits (I'm a raspberry fan myself). The donuts, white-flour bagels, and sugar bombs that are "prohibited" are not exactly health food, y'know
How about healthy cereals? Like Fiber One, 100% Bran, All-Bran, Raisin Bran etc? How about Rices, Wheat bread? I'm not super familiar with the vegetables and legumes allowed but i'm not sure if lentils and peas and lima, kidney, and baked beans would be allowed, or even refried beans. Broccoli ( which has thousands of health benefits along with spinach ) carrots, corn, lettuce... all that stuff... Over 65 million americans each year have digestive problems due to lack of proper fiber intake. I'm not saying its impossible to get proper fiber intake through the Atkins diet... just unlikely.
You're not supposed to go off the diet and start eating a bunch of sugar and flour again. You're supposed to add in moderate quantities of high-quality carbohydrate to find a maintenance level that you can sustain indefinitely. If you just drop Atkins and start in on the Cap'n Crunch, of course t