It seems almost everything these days revolves around the low-carb craze. Businesses have attempted to stay afloat by creating Atkins-friendly products to meet the needs of a society obsessed with quick weight loss schemes. Beside the general pressure of society to be thin and beautiful-as if that isn't enough-it is almost impossible to ignore the subtle yet constant hints from restaurants, grocery stores, commercials and advertisements that make this diet seem like the norm, rather than an option.
Could it be that diets like Atkins and South Beach are doing more harm than good? Americans remain ignorant about what the human body is truly capable of handling in order to achieve perfection. These diets are successful only at face value as they force the body to drop water weight and contribute to a dramatic loss in lean muscle, both of which are extremely dangerous for long- term health and account for the inability of dieters to keep off the weight. The diets remain geared toward those whose lifestyles are not conducive to an \eat less, exercise more"" routine, but rather on skipping out on important nutrients and engaging in little physical activity which hardly seems the right answer.
Many practitioners of the diet are aware of the consequences that go along with a high fat and nutrient-deficient diet. However, few are aware of added elements of stress. Recent research shows those who deprive their bodies of necessary, energy-filled carbohydrates are more susceptible to sluggish, low-performance behavior.
The continued ignorance of such behavioral threats can be attributed in most part to America's get-thin-quick attitude and lack of tolerance for curvy, healthy bodies. The demand for beauty is high and the low-carb lifestyle shows almost immediate results. It's very easy to deny the damage being done to one's body when the reward of acceptance is so close at hand.
Acceptance, after all, remains in the sights of so many Americans, many of whom will go to extremes to achieve it. For those who cannot hack a healthy eating regiment or the fast-acting Atkins/South Beach programs, plastic surgery has become yet another possibility. Society has even encouraged such expensive and painful measures by broadcasting its results through televisions shows such as last season's ""The Swan"" or the ever-popular ""Extreme Makeover."" The low-carb obsession remains a significant contributor to the money and dignity many are willing to give up in the promise of success.
Perhaps the wistful attitude about the cost of perfection is produced by our inability to escape the reminders. Many of our favorite foods, vitamin supplements and alcoholic beverages now have low-carb alternatives, providing us with an unwanted serving of guilt if we choose to maintain our normal diet. Many restaurants have inserted a low-carb section into their menus that is impossible to ignore, certain vitamins are intended to provide the nutrients lost with such eating patterns, and for those of us who indulge in alcohol to take our mind off society's pressures, we are now faced with the challenge to ""drink healthier.""
After allowing ourselves to become so immersed in the low-carb hype, it's difficult to believe we will ever completely return to traditional methods of weight loss. It is true, these methods often do not achieve a fast initial success rate, but they are often easier to maintain and have lasting results. In fact, a recent study in the Annals of Medicine found that after a year, both the low-carb and low-fat groups had lost about the same amount of weight, information that has been ignored by mainstream media. I admit to my own weakness in weight loss, implementing almost all the promise-filled diets of recent years. Nevertheless, I have never seen more lasting and positive results than those of simple, moderate eating and exercise.
For those of us who simply can't hack the traditional smart eating, dieticians and weight-loss programs provide the necessary tools and mentors to encourage and maintain the goals of the dieter. So to all of you low-carb worshipers out there, don't be so quick to give up the pastas, breads and dairy you crave. Take it from someone who knows; this craze shall pass.
