Mark Haub, professor at the University of Kansas, exceptionally clearly illustrated in his students, what determines the weight change.
To demonstrate that the weight loss primarily depends on the number of calories consumed, he spent 10 weeks eating mostly junk food: cookies, chips, sugar cereals, chocolates, and other “non-dietary” food.
Choosing such a “diet”, Dr. Haub limitув their consumption to 1800 calories with required in the body of 2600. At the beginning of the diet it BMI was 28.8 (overweight), and at the end, he came to 24,9 (normal). Also, many of the health indicators had significantly improved, in particular:
- Total cholesterol decreased by 14% (from 214 to 184)
- 20% decrease in “bad” cholesterol (LDL) (from 153 to 123)
- 25% increased “good” cholesterol (HDL) (37 to 46)
- 39% decrease in triglyceride levels in the blood (TC/HDL 5.8 to 4.0)
- Glucose decreased from 5.19 to 4.14
- The body fat percentage has decreased by a quarter (from 33.4% to 24.9%)
- The total change in weight from 90 kg to 78 kg
Two-thirds (1200 kcal), his power was popular snacks: cakes, chips, cereals, chocolates. However, the remaining third (600 Kcal) the Professor left under the greens, vegetables, protein shake, canned beans, etc. food, which he ate with his family, as he writes, including, “to give the child a bad example”. He also took a daily multivitamin.
Due to the undoubted success of the experiment, the Professor recommends that all directly repeated this experience. He just says that it is an excellent reminder that in the first place calories determine the dynamics of body weight and related health outcomes. He says: “I did this, ate healthier food, healthier, however, did not become. Because I was eating more than is required for health”.
Also, the Professor suggested that a huge number of people consume similar food as the main, and even if we imagine that it entirely would be replaced with beneficial to the health food, it would be necessary to calculate calorie as well and to understand that this is unrealistic. But to begin with reducing the portions would be a very healthy choise, and, thus, easy to implement.
Video of the Professor about the experiment on YouTube (English).
Mark Haub's Snack Food Diet
Well, if the Professor of “botany” for you is not the final argument in favor of what meals need to be healthy and beautiful, then ask yourself how a person can look who eats at McDonald’s two cheeseburgers, a large fries, and a large glass of sprite?
Yes, it looks like Dwight Howard was eating at McDonalds. In this example, of course, even more important is the standard warning “don’t try it again.” Professional athlete’s daily energy consumption can be 2-3 times higher than that of most people and snack on 1500 calories most ordinary city dwellers, after all, to put it mildly, big.
So, while consuming “non-dietary” food, remember, first, that chocolate plus sweet drinks can contain a third of your daily allowance of calories, and for foods containing vital nutrients for you may just not be enough “space” within an adequate caloric intake. Also, remember that sweets, consumed in large quantities do not increase satiety, but on the contrary, increased appetite and overeating.
Now, apparently, even if you’ve doubted the primacy of counting calories for proper weight management, you have no doubt that the energy balance determines your progress of weight loss or weight gain. And detailed studies show that a calorie, regardless of the percentage of proteins, fats and carbohydrates are important for weight loss.
However, in the long term to maintain health is absolutely not enough only to count calories, but totally needs an adequate intake of protein and micronutrients. Dr. Haub treated protein shake and a vitamin complex, but certainly more pleasant way is to get all essential nutrients from real food. Modern programs such as MWR, give the chance to find good nutrition even with a low-calorie diet that in the books 80-ies was considered unrealistic. Compose your favorite menu in the right calorie range, and your weight will change accordingly to the energy balance.
And now you can not be afraid of junk food if you are sure that it takes you beyond the required calorie and “displaces” essential vitamins and minerals from the diet. Lose weight comfortably!