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| How Far Would You Go to Be Thin? |
Tracy Rose, used to be the Topic Editor at Suite101 for the Weight-Loss Section. When Suite101 still existed, she posted a link on Facebook to her latest diet article. This article dealt with a trendy diet being marketed to brides:
The K-E Diet.
(NOT to be confused with the K/E Diet, known as Kimmer's Experiment.)
Low-carb diets are not new.
When followed correctly, even protein-sparing modified-fasts are not dangerous.
If you are relatively free from additional food sensitivities, allergies, and health issues, low-carb programs are easy to implement and many varieties offer a luxurious living style.
Low-carb diets are not new.
When followed correctly, even protein-sparing modified-fasts are not dangerous.
The latest fad diet (the K-E method) casts a dark shadow over both low carb and PSMF diets because the authors of the diet are using comparisons that might cause the public to think that low carb, PSMF, and K-E are all cut from the same cloth.
They aren't, of course, but low-carb diets are already considered dangerous by a majority of the public.
It's almost impossible to get the low-carb message out to those who need it when crazy diets, like this one, insist they are better.
The K-E Diet is being marketed to brides-to be. It involves inserting a feeding tube through your nose and into your stomach.
Yep.
You read that right.
This feeding tube delivers a protein solution that totals about 800 calories per day, so in essence, the diet scheme is a low-carbohydrate protein-sparing modified-fast.
You don’t eat while you have the feeding tube in there. You just take in the solution that consists of protein and fat for 10 days. Magically, you can shed 20 pounds before the big day.
Okay –
So K-E is a high-priced crash-diet scheme to help women fit into a smaller wedding dress before their wedding day. They must be overseen by a physician, but that doesn't make it any more logical or sane.
These women understand everything involved going into the program. There are no surprises.
They know this is a temporary fix, and that they have to take their feeding tube with them everywhere they go throughout those 10 days. They know their eating habits haven’t changed, so they might realistically regain that excess body fat.
Ketosis isn’t starvation, although people who insist on not eating adequate protein do have the potential to go into starvation, especially those who have very little body fat for the liver to use.
Ketosis doesn’t create kidney or liver problems unless you already have kidney or liver issues before you go on a low-carb diet plan.
Ketosis is an alternative metabolic pathway to glucose metabolism, and it occurs naturally as a life survival mechanism. It keeps blood glucose levels steady and does what it needs to do to keep the brain alive and functioning.
The body turns to its stored body fat for fuel even on standard low-calorie diets whenever glucose or calories are in short supply.
What do you think?
They aren't, of course, but low-carb diets are already considered dangerous by a majority of the public.
It's almost impossible to get the low-carb message out to those who need it when crazy diets, like this one, insist they are better.
What is the K-E Diet?
The K-E Diet is being marketed to brides-to be. It involves inserting a feeding tube through your nose and into your stomach.
Yep.
You read that right.
This feeding tube delivers a protein solution that totals about 800 calories per day, so in essence, the diet scheme is a low-carbohydrate protein-sparing modified-fast.
You don’t eat while you have the feeding tube in there. You just take in the solution that consists of protein and fat for 10 days. Magically, you can shed 20 pounds before the big day.
Why Don’t Dieters Just Drink the Solution?
The creators of the K-E plan believe that a continuous infusion of the protein-and-fat solution, throughout the day, will prevent the hunger you would have were you to take the feeding orally.
They also believe that tube feedings will cause the body to break down more fat stores and protect more muscle tissue.
They claim that their diet plan has been shown to be more effective than a liquid PSMF Diet, and because the solution contains no carbohydrates, it works faster than Atkins or South Beach.
They also believe that tube feedings will cause the body to break down more fat stores and protect more muscle tissue.
They claim that their diet plan has been shown to be more effective than a liquid PSMF Diet, and because the solution contains no carbohydrates, it works faster than Atkins or South Beach.
What's the Harm in This?
Okay –
So K-E is a high-priced crash-diet scheme to help women fit into a smaller wedding dress before their wedding day. They must be overseen by a physician, but that doesn't make it any more logical or sane.
These women understand everything involved going into the program. There are no surprises.
They know this is a temporary fix, and that they have to take their feeding tube with them everywhere they go throughout those 10 days. They know their eating habits haven’t changed, so they might realistically regain that excess body fat.
What’s the problem?
It puts these women into ketosis.
While in ketosis, the feeding allows them to drop excess body fat, and it gives them peace of mind that they will be able to fit into their wedding dress.
(Do women really buy wedding dresses that don't fit?)
The program only lasts for 10 days, and since we know that ketosis isn’t dangerous, what’s the harm?
It puts these women into ketosis.
While in ketosis, the feeding allows them to drop excess body fat, and it gives them peace of mind that they will be able to fit into their wedding dress.
(Do women really buy wedding dresses that don't fit?)
The program only lasts for 10 days, and since we know that ketosis isn’t dangerous, what’s the harm?
Oddly enough, the K-E scam isn't being ridiculed for the diet itself. Nor, is it the diet that is casting a shadow over low-carb programs, although it certainly is a drastic way to go. I can't imagine being that desperate to drop the weight.
No, the problem for low-carb diet plans is those who oppose the K-E diet.
The opposition is playing into the myths surrounding dietary ketosis that the low-carb community has been trying to correct ever since Dr. Atkins published his very first low-carb diet book in the early 70s.
No, the problem for low-carb diet plans is those who oppose the K-E diet.
The opposition is playing into the myths surrounding dietary ketosis that the low-carb community has been trying to correct ever since Dr. Atkins published his very first low-carb diet book in the early 70s.
Those who oppose this K-E dieting style are justifying their position by claiming that:
Ketosis is unhealthy and dangerous.
Most of these opponents are pointing to:
Ketosis is unhealthy and dangerous.
Most of these opponents are pointing to:
- potential kidney and liver problems
- potential side effects
- secondary conditions that come from wearing a feeding tube
- the dangers of losing weight too quickly
Ketosis is Not Starvation
Ketosis isn’t starvation, although people who insist on not eating adequate protein do have the potential to go into starvation, especially those who have very little body fat for the liver to use.
Ketosis doesn’t create kidney or liver problems unless you already have kidney or liver issues before you go on a low-carb diet plan.
Ketosis is an alternative metabolic pathway to glucose metabolism, and it occurs naturally as a life survival mechanism. It keeps blood glucose levels steady and does what it needs to do to keep the brain alive and functioning.
The body turns to its stored body fat for fuel even on standard low-calorie diets whenever glucose or calories are in short supply.
But as the warnings against this latest diet fad grows, and we know they will, so will the misconceptions surrounding standard or slightly tweaked low-carb diets.
Everything we have fought so hard to overcome has the potential to be reversed, due to the crazy methods people come up with just to be thin.
I can’t help but wonder how far back this is going to push us now.
Everything we have fought so hard to overcome has the potential to be reversed, due to the crazy methods people come up with just to be thin.
I can’t help but wonder how far back this is going to push us now.
I just did this diet and it was STUPID. I was starving! Starving! Why not just drink this stuff? I thought the tube would help my hunger, because I always have a hard time with the first three days of low carb... This was alful.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU SO MUCH for your comment. I really appreciate it! Obviously, these docs say you won't be hungry because they haven't done it themselves!
ReplyDeleteI have a hard time the first week when doing low carb too. What I've ended up doing was completely forgetting about how much I was eating. I just ate until my body made the switch to Ketosis. At least, that's how I handled it back when my body did switch.
I haven't been able to get it to make the switch the last couple of times I've tried anymore. I'm beginning to think that it's tired and telling me NO!
Thanks again.