Mark’s Daily Apple

10 Outrageous Diet Scams13

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Here at Mark’s Daily Apple we know that the key to reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is a healthy lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet and plenty of physical activity. Tough? Sure. Effective? Absolutely.

But what if someone told you that you could ditch the exercise and the healthy eating and still fit in your favorite jeans? You know by now that it’s not going to work, but for millions of Americans it sounds like a solution worth signing up for!

And so, with no further adieu, the top 10 diet scams:

Fat and Carb Blocking Pills:

Feel like splurging on a plate of Fettuccini Alfredo? All you have to do is pop a pill and you can enjoy it completely guilt free! Or at least that’s what the makers behind fat and carbohydrate blocking pills would love for you to believe. The latest on the market is the heavily promoted Alli, which promises to block fat absorption by giving you stomach cramps, severe gas, chronic diarrhea, and an oily anal discharge (trust us – it’s even in the marketing material, where they also recommend that you wear dark clothes or bring a change of outfits until your body “adjusts” to the chemicals in the pill). Another bad side effect? None of these fat or carbohydrate blocking pills have ever actually been proven to aid in substantial weight loss.

Kimkins:

It started out sounding like a pretty decent diet…almost sensible even. Based on the popular Atkins diet, this one advocated reducing carbohydrate intake, but then also reducing fat, calories, and fiber. So what are you left with? Uhh…well, basically a diet that is dangerously low in calories, fatty acids and nutrients – think a meal plan topping out at about 600 calories – which, by today’s standards, is very much considered to be borderline starvation. Adding a further aura of shadiness to the concept of the whole diet, the website that included information on the diet was run by a woman who allegedly refused to identify herself, had no credentials as a health professional or nutritionist, and who encouraged people who exhibited signs of disordered eating to stick with the diet and continue restricting foods. The icing on the no-fat, low-cal, carb-free cake? The “success” stories posted on the website were illustrated with photos of Russian mail-order brides!

Stackers:

Need a weight loss drug? How about 3? Meet stackers, which generally include some combination of the ECA Formula (ephedra, caffeine and aspirin) to boost metabolism and help aid in weight loss. When they first hit the market, the combination was thought to increase circulating norepinephrine (a factor that was prolonged thanks to the aspirin), increase thermogenesis, and boost metabolism (you can thank the caffeine for that) to help boost weight loss. Unfortunately, however, stackers frequently caused headaches, dizzy spells, jitters, and heart palpitations – and therefore have fallen out of favor with dieters the world over.

Herbal Weight Loss Teas:

They claim that drinking a few teas a day will magically lose weight, and maybe it will…temporarily at least. You see, the thing about tea is that it contains caffeine, one of natures most powerful diuretics, so while the numbers on the scale might go down, they’ll creep back up the moment you have a big glass of water. The only time when they can help with weight loss? If you (well, no, not you…but some people) use the tea as a substitute for high calorie, sugar-laden beverages.

Diet Patches:

Tobacco patches? Relatively effective. Diet patches? Not so much. What you’re typically getting in these patches is the same thing you would get in a pill, only there really is no evidence that these chemicals can penetrate the skin. But that patch sure does look snazzy!

Magnetic Jewelry and other Body Adornments:

Ahh… weight loss jewelry. Whether its leveraging magnets to re-channel your chi or pumping your body full of mineral elements designed to maximize weight loss, the bottom line is that the only type of metal accessory that can help spur weight loss is having your mouth wired shut… which is generally effective…at least until you get a food processor.

Body Wraps and Sauna Suits:

Some people will do anything to maximize their workout…even dressing in possibly the ugliest sweat suit in the world. However, the reality is the only thing that is being maximized is their fluid loss. The same goes for lying in a treatment room in a fancy spa – you might feel slimmer for a few hours, but the second you put a little water back into your body, you’ll be right back at square one.

Super Slippers and Insoles:

Whether it’s the potential of reflexology, acupressure or just a play on gravity, there are a number of orthotics on the market that claim they can aid weight loss. The downside? They will not help you lose weight. Need a silver lining? Maybe they’ll save you from a blister or two!

Apple Cider Vinegar:

Is there much of a difference between apple cider vinegar and the regular vinegar you put on your salads? Well, if the manufacturers are to be believed, the apple-based vinegar can help banish your body of toxins, boost your metabolism and significantly reduce your diet. The reality? Vinegar is a lovely condiment, but it’s probably not worth counting on it to aid in your weight loss.

Pyruvate:

Those with a chem or biology background would probably instantly identify pyruvate as an intermediary compound in the metabolism of glucose, so it seems only normal – sensible even – to think that pyruvate might help in weight loss. Unfortunately, however, there is absolutely no scientific evidence that supplementing your diet with pyruvate will help spur weight loss.

Turtblu, Pete Ashton, pireus+, s.o.f.t., cambiodefractal, josefuteimu, felishumanus, e-magic Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

More Tuesday 10 Posts

10 Great Alli Leaks, Ooops, Links

Men’s Health: Alli - A Jagged Little Pill

Technorati Tags: diet scams, Alli, weight loss bracelet, pyruvate, diet patches, magnetic jewelry, weight loss tea

Posted: Humor, Hype, The Tuesday 10, Weight loss

When It Comes to Sleep, Average is Best15

You may want to rethink “sleeping like a baby.”

Sleeping too little – or too much – can increase your risk for future weight gain, according to a study published in the April 1 issue of the journal Sleep.

For the study, researchers from the Laval University in Quebec, Canada evaluated the sleep habits and body composition of 276 adults between the ages of 21 and 64.

After adjusting for age, gender and baseline body mass index (BMI) the researchers determined that across the six year study period, those who slept for five to six hours per night gained 1.98 kg (4.36 lbs) more than “average duration” sleepers who slept between seven and eight hours per night. Those who slept between nine and 10 hours per night, meanwhile, gained 1.58 kg (3.48 lbs) more than average duration sleepers. In addition, the researchers report that the risk of becoming obese was elevated for both short and long duration sleepers, with short duration sleepers experiencing a 27% increased obesity risk and long duration sleepers experiencing a 21% increased risk compared to average duration sleepers.

Commenting on the findings, the study’s lead author notes that it “provides evidence that both short and long sleeping times predict an increased risk of future body weight and fat gain in adults,” adding that the data “emphasize the need to add sleep duration to the list of environmental factors that are prevalent in our society and that contribute to weight gain and obesity.” Ultimately, he recommends that sleep habits be included alongside healthy eating and physical activity in discussions about how to manage the current obesity epidemic.

It seems that when we’re talking about sleep, we’re almost always focusing on the fact that we just can’t get enough! However, this study shows that too much of a “good” thing might not be all that good for you, with people who are snoozing away the better part of the day (college co-eds come to mind here!) perhaps actually doing themselves a disservice.

All in, it would seem that this study proves that sleeping is (yet another) item that should be added to the “everything in moderation” list of life!

bitzcelt, Nick Wilkes Flickr Photos (CC)

Further Reading:

Frequent Sleep Disruption Increases Risk of Kidney, Heart Disease

7 Tips to Get Out of Bed

How to Avoid Jet Lag

Posted: Health, Personal Improvement, Prevention, Weight loss

Your Belly Bone’s Connected to Your Brain Bone6

We’re not impressed.

A study published online in this month’s Neurology suggests that people whose waistline expands once they hit age 40 are more likely to develop dementia in their 70s than their slimmer peers.

For the study, researchers measured the abdominal fat of 6,583 people between the ages of 40 and 45 living in Northern California. After an average of 36 years, 16% of participants had developed dementia.

Based on this data, the researchers determined that those with the highest abdominal fat measurements were roughly three times more likely to develop dementia than those with the lowest levels of abdominal fat. These findings held true regardless of whether the individual was of normal weight overall, overweight or obese, although the researchers note that future dementia risk was highest among obese individuals with high abdominal fat measurements. According to researchers, women were more likely than men to have high abdominal fat levels, along with non-whites, those with less than a high school level of education, smokers, and people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.

Commenting on the findings, one study author notes that “considering that 50% of adults in this country have an unhealthy amount of abdominal fat, this is a disturbing finding.” Speculating on the mechanism behind the link, she cites previous studies suggesting that high abdominal fat in elderly adults results in greater deterioration of the brain, adding that “these findings imply that the dangerous effects of abdominal obesity on the brain may start long before the signs of dementia appear.”

This study is interesting, really it is, but the bottom line is, how many times do we have to hear about the dangers of being overweight before someone steps in and does something? Already, we know that carting around excess pounds ups the risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis, some cancers – and now dementia – and yet the majority of Americans stand by and don’t do anything about it! However, when a study comes out even suggesting that some drug, food compound or heck, even lifestyle choice, in some way influences cancer risk, people clamor to comply with the new rules. Perhaps it is because when someone dies from a disease such as cancer, their death is attributed to the cancer itself, whereas when it comes as a result obesity, the death is typically chalked up by family members – and even medical examiners – as a heart attack, or coronary artery disease or whatever was the final “nail in the coffin” if you will, for the overweight person in question.

Perhaps it’s time for researchers in their studies to explicitly state the link between obesity and mortality risk – yes, it seems obvious to many, but to the millions of Americans who continue to indulge in unhealthy food and not equate it to actual health risks, perhaps the additional explanation is necessary.

Tim Zim Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

Study Suggest Carbohydrate-Rich Diet, Obesity Linked to Esophageal Cancer

Physical Inactivity Linked to Prostate Cancer

Higher Cancer Risk if You’re Fat

Posted: Aging, Health, Personal Improvement, Prevention, Weight loss

A New Future for Foodie Culture?5

Batali is looking svelte…

When you hear the words “foodie culture,” what comes to mind? Connoisseurs of all things delectable? Elaborate multi-course meals? Diabetes, obesity, and heart disease? Turns out an increasing number in the upper echelon of foodie culture are changing their indulgent ways and shaking up the foodie landscape. A New York Times article this week follows the story of eGullet forum founder and current blog author for “OffTheBroiler.” Mr. Perlow tipped the scale at 400 pounds and had a watershed moment in the doctor’s office when a physician told him he’d be dead in five years.

If 1960s Las Vegas had its Rat Pack and 1980s cinema its Brat Pack, early 21st century food has its Fat Pack. Mr. Perlow was a charter member. Now, like some of his fellow travelers, he is learning what happens when the Fat Pack’s philosophy of excess meets the body’s limits of endurance. The journalists, bloggers, chefs and others who make up the Fat Pack combine an epicure’s appreciation for skillful cooking with a glutton’s bottomless-pit approach. Cramming more than three meals into a day, once the last resort of a food critic on deadline, has become a way of life.

via New York Times

In giving up the “excessive” approach of their former foodie approach, Mr. Perlow and others now find themselves blogging about vegetables and tofu (O.K., so there’s still room for improvement.) as well as ways to strike a balance between eating healthily and enjoying truly good food. We’d take issue with much of what the group still supports as “good food” (e.g. pastries, etc.), but it seems even basic moderation is a step in the right direction for many of these folks. Perlow comments on his own transition and that of the foodie culture by saying, “I think you can still keep the food very interesting, but do it in moderation. That’s what the food community of the future is going to have to be.”

Still, many in the old order are still holding out. As the Times article explains, “Among a certain slice of the food-possessed, to suggest that indulgence might put one’s health in peril is to invite ridicule.” Mr. Shaw, the current blogger for eGullet and one such stalwart, refuses to give up “the cause” of unrestrained gluttony. At 5’ 10” and 270 pounds and with a father who died of heart disease, “he believes the genetic component of weight and health matter more than moderation and exercise.” He also says that “the state of medical knowledge on the relationship of diet to health changes so frequently that it can’t be trusted.” (Although he might have a point about the inconsistency, it’s clearly an easy and flimsy excuse.) Finally, he doesn’t believe in the diabetes epidemic, instead insisting it’s “overdiagnosed.”

It’s unfortunate that some people, including those with public and influential voices, persist in deluding themselves this way. The longer we put off taking control of our choices, the less time we give ourselves to live life to the fullest. Short term gluttony, while it may seem satisfying at the time, endangers our future health. Yet it also hinders us from enjoying other elements of life in the here and now: more daily energy, better sleep, increased mental clarity, better emotional balance, even an inspiring sense of self-empowerment. We believe it’s worth a few momentary sacrifices.

Yet, we talk a lot about plateaus – in weight loss, muscle development, dietary shift, etc. In some small regard, maybe these foodies have something to teach us after all: that in the pursuit of health there’s no reason to let enjoyment stagnate either. Call it a plateau of culinary delight – a dearth in kitchen creativity. When we start to view food as just fuel, perhaps we lose sight of something not necessarily crucial but still fundamental.

We definitely support the ideal of “eat to live, not live to eat.” That’s the key difference between our thinking and that of most popular foodies. Yet, we love food, and the countless recipes we serve up attest to that. Although we believe it’s healthy to steer clear of the unwholesome, the non-nutrient-rich, the detrimental, we think that still leaves a whole lot of incredible food to appreciate. (Mr. Perlow notes that, since adopting his new lifestyle, his “pleasure receptors are better attuned to the joys of vegetables.” So true.) And while the Primal Blueprint surely defines an ideal, it doesn’t “disallow” compromises – both of reason and personal enjoyment. These will mean different things, of course, to each of us.

If you feel you’ve hit a food plateau lately, here’s a challenge. Shake things up, and bring back the fun. Add some novelty. Browse the bookstore for a new cookbook, join a CSA for an element of surprise and chef’s challenge in each week’s basket, throw a dinner party (look for recipe ideas this week), or simply kick back with a glass of red wine, a scrumptious MDA appetizer and Babette’s Feast (the ultimate classic in foodie films). Bon Appétit, apples!

What are your thoughts? What do you do when the routine gets ho-hum? Ideas? Resource suggestions?

100five, eekim Flickr Photo (CC)

Further Reading:

Healthy Tastes Great! Recipes

Slashfood: Foodie Lifestyle on a Budget

Posted: Diet, Health, Weight loss

Primal Blueprint Success Story7

I got this message from a reader who has been following our site for some time and decided to incorporate my Primal Blueprint ® lifestyle tactics into his life. Photos, results and advice follow…

Hello Mark,

I have been following your blog for quite a while now, and am very grateful for all the information you share over here. I have changed my lifestyle significantly over the last 8 months or so, under the influence of the information on this site, and based on the Evolutionary Fitness ideas of Arthur de Vany (through whom I heard of you).

I have a question about gene expression and the ribbed look. I will get to in just a moment, but first I need to share a bit about the context I am coming from.

Over the last 8 months, I have made gradual changes to my lifestyle. Nowadays, I have by-and-large cut out the empty calories from my diet. On most days, I eat eggs and fruit for breakfast, a big salad for lunch (inspired by you!), and light meats and vegetables for dinner. My snacks comprise of nuts and berries. I also occasionally skip a meal, based on the Art de Vany’s Intermittent Fasting idea.

I workout three times a week, doing mainly Art de Vany’s Hierarchical Sets. I also play soccer and cricket for around 3-4 hours over the weekends, and on other days I keep active by walking around the neighborhood, or sprinting up flights of stairs, or cleaning out the house, etc.

Of course, my lifestyle is not ‘primal perfect’, and I do have the occasional dessert or cookie. And sometimes I treat myself to a little sugar in my coffee. But the volume of these things is orders of magnitude less than it was a year ago. Also, I live in India, and this is a very grain based society. So a lot of the seafood and other sources of good proteins are simply not available here or are prohibitively expensive. So I do the best I can with what is available. And that is but an approximation to your daily diet.

The results, nonetheless, have been extremely encouraging. I now really need a whole new wardrobe: my old jeans just slip right off! I have had to get two extra notches on my belt. And I am also much stronger and quicker on the soccer field: I now regularly win the ’strength battles’ which are common on a soccer field, while I use to regularly lose them earlier. I am also much healthier than I was before: my body now responds exceptionally well to the inevitable occasional external stresses (late nights, hectic days, etc.) that are a part of life. I have pictures of myself over the year that speak for themselves. Unfortunately this forum does not enable me to attach them.

After that elaborate preface, I finally come to my question. As I mentioned, I have lost a lot of weight. I am now around 6′ tall, weigh around 140lbs, and my waist size is a tad less than 32″ (it used to be 36″ at one point). As you can imagine, I look quite thin. The muscle I can feel (based on the tightness of my shirt sleeves and chest) does not really show. And above all, I still have a thin layer of flab around my belly and the back of my arms. While this flab has reduced dramatically over the months, it has been quite stable for a while now. I simply don’t have that ‘ribbed’ look that I would really like.

I have read that in order to have the ribbed look, one’s body fat must be less than 10% . I have also read that based on genetic disposition, it could be very hard for some people to get their body fat less than 10% . I know that you firmly hold the position that how we express our genes is a key determinant on our health and fitness, but yet you do concede that genetics do play a factor.

Based on my experience, I am beginning to wonder whether I am reaching the limit of my ‘genetic allowance’ . Is it feasible that some people simply will not look ribbed no matter what they do? Or is it simply a matter of time? If so, what is a realistic amount of time before a once modern-looking (apple shaped, flabby) individual begins to look like a ribbed primal man once the primal lifestyle has been established?

Thanks for the time you take in sharing your wisdom and knowledge. It has made a huge difference to my life, and that of those around me (they can’t help getting inspired ) .

Regards,
Apurva

PS: I am a 24 year old male. After reading through my post, I thought that this might be relevant.

Before we get to Apurva’s photos I want to commend him for all the steps he has made to lead a healthy lifestyle. It sounds like he is on track to getting in shape. As the photos attest, he is doing just that.

Photo 1: This was taken several months before I heard about Primal Health or Evolutionary fitness. I used to eat the usual (Indian) diet of lots of grains, with vegetables, and with minimal protein and fruit. I did not work out, though I used to swim and play soccer. I used to enjoy my sweets, and ate a lot of them at that point.

Photo 2: [This was] taken just this morning. At this point, I think my food pyramid is the close to Mark’s. My activity cycle is also pretty close. The only difference in the diet is that I cannot get as much variety in protein sources over here, so that is a bit less than is perhaps ideal. As I mentioned in the post, these days I eat fruits and eggs for breakfast, a big salad for lunch, and a light dinner of chicken/fish and vegetables.

First off I want to say, congratulations, Apurva! In a matter of months you have gone from chubby to trim by making a few simple lifestyle changes. Many of our readers have had similar experiences. I am always very happy to hear success stories from my blog readers. In fact, anyone out there that would like their results to be featured in a blog post or simply would like personalized advice I’d be glad to help you reach your goals. Just shoot me a line. Back to Apurva…

Luckily for Apurva I’ve already addressed his questions generally in the following posts:

The Secret to Great Abs
How Long Do I Have to Exercise to See Results?
Dear Mark: Hardgainer

But let’s be a little more specific here:

To get the ripped, cut, shredded look you want you will, as you acknowledge, have to lose fat. You have started the process and it will only continue as you stay on the Primal Blueprint program. Your immediate goal is to build more muscle while you burn more body fat. In terms of your diet, I would aim for at least 140-160 grams of protein a day (200 is even better), at least 100 grams of healthy fat, and try to make up the rest of your daily intake with vegetables and a little fruit (berries are best). I would recommend a 45-day commitment to eliminating refined carbs and sugars. I’d also cut back on alcohol. Once you achieve your goal, you can slack off a little with minimal damage. Or you can stick with it and move to the next level.

No matter how hard you work out you may not be genetically predisposed to ever look like Bruce Lee. Then again, his 2% body fat was just too low for good health! For you, 8-10% is well within reach. But to get there sooner, you will probably have to work a little harder and longer than you have been up to now. Again, make a 45-day commitment to training just a little harder in the gym. More compound exercises to stimulate HGH and lift heavier weights with fewer repetitions to total muscle failure in order to build muscle. I’d do three days a week (alternating days) of that. Two days a week, I would do some kind of intense running intervals - see my beach sprints video for more info - but you could also do “stadium steps” where you sprint up several flights of stairs as hard as you can for 10 sets (always after a warm-up). You can still play soccer or cricket on the weekends. On a side note, as an alternative to gym workouts, you can get the best home-workout system around: the P90X designed and hosted by my very good friend Tony Horton. Sort of a CrossFit at home series.

You have been doing a great job. To see further results it will just take some fine tuning to the changes you have already made. As you say, the results have been extremely encouraging. Keep us posted.

Further Reading:

Skinny Fat

Magnificent Muscle

Matt Metzgar: Undermuscled

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Posted: Diet, Fitness, Health, How To, Personal Improvement, Pictures, Primal Health, Weight loss