| Eat less fat. Eat more fat. Carbs are bad. Carbs | | | | Just like high quality fuel is better for your car |
| are good. | | | | than the cheap stuff, some calories are better for |
| Nutrition advice changes so often, no wonder so | | | | our metabolism than others. That idea flies in the |
| many people are confused. | | | | face of conventional diet wisdom, but it's true-and |
| But when it comes it calories, the advice to | | | | science backs it up. |
| consume fewer of them seems set in stone. | | | | For example, recent studies show that high-carb |
| After all, "a calorie is a calorie"-Right? | | | | diets can boost insulin and blood sugar levels. The |
| Wrong. | | | | result? Weight gain (not to mention high |
| For years, we've been told that if we "eat less | | | | cholesterol and triglycerides). On the other hand, |
| and exercise more," we'll lose weight. That | | | | people who eat a healthy low-carb diet that's rich |
| recommendation is based on the belief that we | | | | in vegetables, whole grains, beans, and lean animal |
| need burn more calories than we take in. But this | | | | protein-but consume more calories than low-fat |
| doesn't tell the whole story. | | | | dieters-actually lose more weight! |
| As it turns out, it isn't the amount of calories you | | | | As you can see, the kinds of calories you |
| consume that really affects your weight and your | | | | consume can have a big impact on weight gain, |
| health. It's the type of calorie. | | | | because different foods are metabolized in |
| It's true-the calories you eat are actually absorbed | | | | different ways. Food "talks" to your genes, giving |
| at different rates. And the different amounts of | | | | your metabolism specific instructions-whether to |
| fiber, carbohydrates, protein, fat, and nutrients in | | | | lose weight or gain weight, speed up or slow |
| these calories can have very different effects on | | | | down the aging process, increase or decrease |
| your metabolism. There's no difference between | | | | your cholesterol level, and produce molecules that |
| a thousand calories of kidney beans and a | | | | increase or decrease your appetite. |
| thousand calories of a low-fat muffin-until they're | | | | No wonder you can feel like you're doing |
| metabolized. | | | | everything right and still not lose weight! |
| As you can see, food isn't just a source of | | | | The Whole Truth |
| energy-it's a source of operating instructions for | | | | If you want to lose weight and be healthy, you |
| your body. | | | | have to send your body the right messages. That |
| Calories 101 | | | | means living in harmony with your genes. |
| So what is a calorie anyway? Simply put, a calorie | | | | This means different things for different people. |
| is just a unit of energy. When we eat food, | | | | Depending on our genes, some of us may need |
| chemical processes that make up our metabolism | | | | more carbs, protein, or fat than others. |
| break this food down and turn it into energy. | | | | But there's one basic principle that works of |
| Burning this energy lets us do what we need and | | | | everyone: Base your diet on whole, unprocessed |
| want to do-from breathing to running a marathon. | | | | foods. Foods that are in their natural state talk to |
| It's like your car: You have to put fuel in it to | | | | your genes the most effectively-and were |
| make it run. For people, food is our fuel. Calories | | | | designed by nature to keep you at a healthy |
| are what help us "run." | | | | weight. |
| The Dieting Myth | | | | |