Comments On Popular Diets

[Dreamliner]

Not rating them, mind you, just various comments:

Mediterranean Diet: I'm leading with this one because we hear that no one diet has been studied more and with more positive outcomes. And no doubt most Americans would be healthier if on this diet. But is it the diet or the lifestyle ? Here's where it gets murky. And are some components of the diet more significant that others ? Indeed, studies suggest that no single component of the diet is as important as alcohol consumption. Studies consistently show a correlation between alcohol use and health and longevity. Want to live forever ? Take up drinking!

The Eat Right For Your Blood-Type Diet: Basically a load of horse****.

The 17-Day Diet: I know a man who lost 42 lbs. in 90 days on this diet. It does work ... but not for the reasons claimed. One such claim is the necessity of alternating higher-calorie and lower-calorie days to 'confuse the metabolism.' Nonsense. You can't confuse the metabolism. Just another crass marketing ploy. Yes, alternating calories may appeal to the psychological need for variety. But the diet works, like Atkins works, insofar as it establishes a calorie deficit.

Paleo: Undoubtedly most Americans would be healthier if their diet consisted of mostly meat and vegetables. And one good reason to love it is because the government hates it. But I find the cult-like devotion to the diet annoying. And I doubt that there is as much to learn from our primal ancestors as we think. And this notion of 'bringing out the genotype' sounds like broscience. Bodybuilders, powerlifters and the vast majority of competitive athletes get their grains and are decidedly not frail. Grains aren't killing people. Eating too much food is killing people.

Atkins Diet: Works insofar as it establishes a calorie deficit. There, I said it. Insulin is not the primary driver of fat storage. Moreover, restrict calories, regardless of foods chosen, and your insulin will likely go down. Besides, who wants to have a body like Robert Atkins did ?

Choose To Lose Diet: Predicated on the notion that fat is making us fat. This is what the government started thirty years ago. Where did that get us ? Besides, the French consume 60% more fat than we do and have a 30% lower rate of obesity and heart disease.

The Abs Diet: Also immensely popular. I like it because it doesn't demonize carbs in general and grains in particular. However, unless it has been edited since it first came out, urging people to eat five to six times a day and giving them license to eat unlimited amounts of designated 'healthy foods' is a recipe for disaster.

Ornish Diet: Tried it, several years ago, for a few months. My total cholesterol dropped to 170. My HDL dropped to 32! So, I started eating fat again. Also, I ditched the running, in favor of strength training ... and my total cholesterol went up again ... but my HDL nearly doubled! Besides, who wants to have a body like Dean Ornish ?