05-30-2004, 06:02 AM
My brother (closing in on age 40) runs local 5k, 10k, and triathlon races. He carbo-loads (and has since childhood really... he used to eat his breakfast cereal out of a mixing bowl). Ironically, his wife has used the low carb, high protein diet. It seems like they've both been happy with the results of this little Jack Sprat exercise.
I certainly have no expertise in the dietary field. Personally, I can't fathom the low carb diet. To me it just seems plain wrong. To me it seems to be saying "We know you are too lazy to get off your butt and exercise, ever again, so there is really no point in filling your tummy with carbs." But perhaps that is the reality of the situation, that the carbs simply aren't needed because the people on the diet are neither bluecollar workers nor recreational athletes.
Here is my observation about diets: the rules *always* change but one rule stays the same. That's the one you seem to go by; that if you eat a balanced diet in moderate portions and get plenty of exercise it tends to work out. I think that one is the safe bet, and is the only dietary advice I'd feel confident giving other than "Go see a doctor."
There is one more safe bet. Much like my brother, all the health advice in the world wouldn't be enough to keep me away from bread, pasta, and donuts. Mind you, a nice high-protein steak isn't something I'd pass up either!
I certainly have no expertise in the dietary field. Personally, I can't fathom the low carb diet. To me it just seems plain wrong. To me it seems to be saying "We know you are too lazy to get off your butt and exercise, ever again, so there is really no point in filling your tummy with carbs." But perhaps that is the reality of the situation, that the carbs simply aren't needed because the people on the diet are neither bluecollar workers nor recreational athletes.
Here is my observation about diets: the rules *always* change but one rule stays the same. That's the one you seem to go by; that if you eat a balanced diet in moderate portions and get plenty of exercise it tends to work out. I think that one is the safe bet, and is the only dietary advice I'd feel confident giving other than "Go see a doctor."
There is one more safe bet. Much like my brother, all the health advice in the world wouldn't be enough to keep me away from bread, pasta, and donuts. Mind you, a nice high-protein steak isn't something I'd pass up either!