Fat or Carbs: Which Is Worse?

ashort33 - 2010-07-06 1:20 PM

Meh...  ounce for ounce, fats have over twice the calories as carbs, so if you are talking obesity then eating a diet that is high in fat will drive the calorie count up faster and lead to more weight gain.   As for the HFCS, sucrose, etc as mentioned in the article, there are studies on both sides of that matter...  The chronic obesity problem is one of lack of calorie consciousness and inactivity...

Batlou - 2010-07-06 3:00 PM

While I would agree that the calorie rich fats can be lead to weight gain.  A diet rich in carbohydrates can cause instability in blood sugar which explains the hunger shortly after a high carb meal.  These spikes in blood sugar often lead to diabetes which further destablizes the blood sugar.  Diets high in protein and fat work not only because of how the body reacts to this type of diet through gluconeogenisis. They also work because a diet high in fat and protein have a natural appetite suppression. 

and yes, not all fats are created equal. 

ashort33 - 2010-07-06 3:19 PM

On the flip side, I do think the food pyramid is bunch of hogwash though - influenced by the powerful corn/wheat/potato/rice and associated refiners of same lobby... (and I'm generally not a conspiracy guy...)

JorgeM - 2010-07-08 8:49 AM There is a lot of opinion/anecdotal evidence though not much science (at least cited) on the articles above. 

JorgeM - 2010-07-08 8:49 AM There is a lot of opinion/anecdotal evidence though not much science (at least cited) on the articles above. That said, both articles mentioned the difference responses on insulin blood levels depending on the type of carbohydrate consumed. Still, I wonder if any of those around here also avoid these "evil" refined sugars when training and racing?

Also, for what I can gather while skimming the articles pretty fast is that those are not directed to active people/athletes but to the general population. I personally don't think this articles applies to a big number of athletes around, specially those going long. A common sense approach which a healthy whole food balanced diet is wise to follow but still, carbs are very important for endurance athletes, particularly those concerned with performance.

Tri Take Me Away - 2010-07-08 11:02 AM

A couple of points: just because something is geared toward the average person doesn't mean it can be ignored by athletes. Yes, athletes need LOTS more carbs than the average person, but that does not mean that long term there may no be consequences as far as overall health and longevity to that very high carb diet for the athlete. We don't have the answer to those questions yet, but it is important to point out that sports performance and health/longevity are NOT the same and what maximizes one usually takes away from the other.  So yes, athletes that want to maximize performance must eat a higher amount of carbs (depending on where they are in the season), but with the understanding that changes to the diet do not occur in a bubble and just because it maximizes performance doesn't mean it's GOOD or OPTIMAL for your overall health.
If I was training for an IM, I would eat a lot of carbs (right before, during, and right after working out). But I would know that it was a temporary situation, and as soon as I was done with that event, I would return to a diet that maximized my health and longevity. Which I personally believe to be natural foods that are fit for human consumption in their most basic form. That includes meat, fish, fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds, and some raw dairy. If it has to be processed first, I eat it in limited amounts (cheese, grains, vegetable oils, and most food that comes in a package with a list of ingredients on it). So like Jorge said, a healthy, well balanced diet. With modifications for sports performance as needed, and then a return to that well balanced diet when training is not high. IMO, a sports performance diet is not a well balanced diet. It is a targeted diet meant to produce something beyond the benefits of a well-balanced, average joe/jane diet for health.
Jessica

Tri Take Me Away - 2010-07-08 9:29 AM Love this thread! When I need to lsoe weight, I PERSONALLY get my carbs below 50g a day and make my fat intake up to about 70% of daily calories. Saturated fat and polyunsaturated fat (Omega 3), mostly.
There are NO diseases related to carbohydrate restriction, but there are diseases related to fat and protein restriction. Of course, I agree with the others that said fruit and veggie carbs are much better than processed grain carbs, and I eat plenty of veggies. As athletes, we need more carbs but we can still do our best to get them from the most nutrient-dense source - veggies.

Bioteknik - 2010-07-21 2:04 PM Neither..   eating too many calories in general is the culprit.

tzcoaching - 2010-07-23 9:31 PM It's NOT the excess of calories that is the culprit.  It's the type of calories you eat and controlling the insulin response by reducing sugars and refined carbohydrates.

Eat 500 calories a day of twinkies for a month, then 500 calories of fruits / vegies the next month.  Let me know which month you gain more weight in... there both the same caloric intake right???

tzcoaching - 2010-07-24 6:33 PM No worries, not harsh at all.  Any debate is good debate and hopefully it brings out the real answers!

However, watch this video (I know, silly video but it explains it well).  Take away, "its not about what goes in your mouth, its about what your cells consume", which is controlled by the insulin response...

So in my example, believe me there would be a difference in weight gain in that month.  Don't believe me?  Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

Becca4277 - 2010-07-27 3:27 PM I have lost 35 lbs since Feb by cutting carbs.  For four years prior I had lost and gained the same 8 lbs with eating a low fat diet.  My Dr. said that some people are just very "carb sensitive".