Here's my chapter-by-chapter review of this book.A little long, but should give you a good idea of what the book contains.
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Chapter 1: The History and Origins of Low-Carb Diets
This was a fun chapter. Jonny Bowden talks about the history of low-carbohydrate diets, from William Banting and Dr. William Harvey all the way to Dr. Barry Sears (The Zone). We find low-carb diets did not start with Dr. Robert Atkins in 1972, but actually with Mr. Banting's publication of Letter on Corpulence in 1864. So low-carb has been around much longer than the low fat dogma that has only been popular the last 30 years. The concept of the calorie wasn't even discovered until between 1890 and 1900 by a man with the name of Wilbur Atwater.
Mr. Bowden goes through all this and more, touching on each of the major players in diet from 1864 onward. Many of the people named I had never heard of before. There's so much more to this low-carb lifestyle than one man in New York in the 70s!
Very good chapter and I highly recommend it.
Chapter 2: Why Low-Carb Diets Work
Jonny Bowden gets somewhat technical in this chapter, and I admit parts were over my head. It talks about how our bodily system work, with a focus on insulin since it is a key reason low fat/high carb diets don't work. It talks about blood sugar, cholesterol (both HDL and LDL), and triglycerides. It explains why a diet high in carbohydrates has an adverse impact on all of these.
He spends extra time on insulin, insulin resistance, and diabetes. He talks about insulin as the "fat-storage hormone" and most importantly, what goes on in the body to cause this. The chapter can be summed up best in one sentence: "Controlling insulin is the number one priority of all low-carb diets" (page 64).
As I said, parts are quite technical, but most of the chapter was understandable. It left me thinking, "Why would I ever want to put so many carbs in my body when they do such horrible things?
This is the chapter to read if you want to know the scientific reasons a low carb diet works and what goes on in your body when you are on a traditional low fat diet.
Chapter 3: The Diets
In chapter 3, Jonny Bowden takes pains to list the positives and negatives of all the diet plans he profiles. With those that get a low rating, such as Lindora, he mentions what is good about the program. And with the highest rated, such as Atkins, he mentions the faults he sees. So far from being overly biased, he does his best to highlight the whole story behind all the diets - good and bad.
Here's all the diets and how they rated, from top rated down to lowest rated. When more than one program has the same rating they are in alphabetical order. If you want to know Mr. Bowden's reasoning behind these ratings, you'll have to get the book! :) Below each diet I will put my comments.
The Atkins Diet - 5 stars
I am, of course, biased toward this program because it is my plan. :) Atkins is high-fat, low-carb, consisting of four phases, each one less restrictive than the last.
Favorite quotes:
"But you have to realize that in 1972, banning these foods [high carbohydrate foods] for even two weeks was the nutrition equivalent of suggesting that every school and office in the country burn the American flag. These foods were the holy grail of low-fat religion" (pg. 68).
"Atkins has been one of the most misunderstood diet authors and has been the target of more attacks than any other low-carb proponent, probably because his was the first and the most commercially successful of the plans and also, to the constant chagrin of the establishment, because he simply wouldn't go away" (pg. 72).
The Fat Flush Plan - 5 stars
A good basic plan. There really isn't anything bad to say about it. It restricts wheat, dairy, and sugar, which some people are sensitive to in which case these foods would cause bloating.
The Hamptons Diet - 5 stars
Favorite quote:
"Dr. Pescatore points to the fact that the American Heart Association diet - which recommends limiting total dietary fat to less than 30 percent of the diet and saturated fat to less than 10 percent - fails to lower triglycerides and actually lowers HDL (good cholesterol). In addition, the AHA diet has never consistently shown long-term improvement in any heart disease outcome" (pg. 107).
Protein Power - 5 stars
Not much to say. It's a very good, well-balanced low carb diet.
Interesting feature of the diet:
It has three levels, representing your level of commitment. The higher the level, the more healthy you will be. You'll have to get the book for the full explanation, but here's the name of the levels.
Purist - very restrictive
Dilettante - a little less restrictive, but still bans certain foods; the authors themselves are on this level
Hedonist - the least restrictive; anything goes as long as you stay within your allotted carbs and get the amount of required protein
If I had to go on this diet I would most certainly be a hedonist!
Interestingly enough, I recently stumbled upon Dr. Michael Eades' blog and have been reading it.
The South Beach Diet - 5 stars
Consisting of three phases and a good carbs/good fats approach (after the initial low-carb approach of Phase 1), the diet's true genius was that Dr. Agatston managed to get accepted by the mainstream. This is probably do to his demonization of saturated fats, which Mr. Bowden feels is dead wrong. However, if it can get people eating less carbs, that's a good thing.
I can't find fault in this diet. It encourages people to eat carbs in the amount their individual bodies can handle them, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Best (if not favorite) quote:
"The genius of Agatston is that he has taken this information and make it extremely user-friendly and accessible, and has done so while making sure not to alienate his more conservative colleagues in the medical profession. This makes it much more likely that his important message will be heard" (pgs. 155-156).
The Zone - 5 stars
Consists of 40% carbs/30% protein/30% fat.
Mr. Bowden then takes time to explode some basic myths about the diet.
1) "The Zone is not a high-protein diet" (pg. 161). It includes about 112g of protein a day.
2) "The Zone is also not a low-carb diet" (pg. 162). It includes about 150g of carbohydrates. (Yikes! Way too high for me. Any more than about 90g a day and I get the most horrible cravings.)
3) "The Zone was never meant solely as a weight loss diet. It was designed to reduce heart disease through the control of inflammation" (pg. 162).
In this section Mr. Bowden touches on the topic of eicosanoids. Very interesting stuff. Don't skip it.
He says that Dr. Sears has "almost singlehandedly forced the dietary establishment to reevaluate the prohibition on fats" (pg. 165), and that 40/30/30 beats the USDA food pyramid any day of the week. He says the Zone is a good place to begin, even if you later move on the a different program.
The 7 Day Low-Carb Rescue and Recovery Plan - 4 stars
By the same authors as the The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet. This is a week-long program and not a lifestyle. It's meant to transition you slowly into the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet. (See below for more on this.)
The GO Diet - 4 stars
Favorite quote:
"Fruits today are definitely not the same fruits out ancestors ate. Our fruits have been bred and engineered for far more sweetness than the bitter little things that our Paleolithic ancestors gathered" (pg. 102).
The Schwarzbein Principle - 4 stars
Mr. Bowden says that every low-carber should have the original Schwarzbein Principle in their library. He also says that if you aren't familiar with the case against a low-fat diet that this book is a good place to start.
The Schwarzbein Principle focuses on both insulin (as all low-carb diets do), but also on having healthy adrenal glands. This is what sets it apart from all other low-carb diets.
Why does it get only 4 stars? Because it's not really a weight loss plan. "As an overall plan for health, this is five-star material. But as a weight loss diet - which it was never intended to be - it may not be the ideal entry-level plan, as it requires a good deal of patience and lots of commitment" (pg. 146).
The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet - 3 stars
Two "on plan" meals a day consisting of mostly protein and vegetables and one reward meal, but that meal must be eaten in one hour. No snacks.
I could do a LOT of damage in one hour. This program would never work for me.
Neanderthin - 3 stars
Notable quote:
"Until the advent of agriculture, grains, beans, potatoes, milk, and refined sugar were not part of the human diet" (pg. 119).
This is SO true! Agriculture has only been around for 10,000 years. Our digestive tracts don't change that quickly. Our bodies are much better suited for a hunter/gatherer diet - low carbohydrate, high protein and fat.
Interesting feature of this diet:
"You...shouldn't drink alcohol, though he [the diet's author] says that if you must, you can do damage control by drinking fruit-based alcohol such as wine or champagne" (pg. 121).
No quibble here. I'm a wine girl all the way!
Favorite quote:
"A vegetarian diet, says Audette, is about as natural to humans as a diet of Cheerios to a lion" (pg. 122).
I...Read more ›
Product DescriptionThe first and only book that combines history, science, tips, facts and resources in a concise yet comprehensive review of all the low-carb programs, so that dieters can choose the right one.The low-carb revolution is changing lives, and ordinary bodiesinto beauties. But the sheer volume of information on the subject can be overwhelming. This comprehensive guide cuts through the confusion, showing dieters how to choose and customize an effective low-carb plan for their own metabolisms and lifestyles. In straightforward language, weight-loss coach Jonny Bowden rates and discusses the differences between the top-selling low-carb diets-from Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution to The South Beach Diet to Sugarbusters and more-providing readers with the facts they need to make informed choices. There's also an explanation of the science at work behind low-carb dieting, and hundreds of practical food tips and insider secrets to make the lifestyle work.
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Living the Low Carb Life: Controlled Carbohydrate Eating for Long-Term Weight Loss (Paperback)
I've looked at a lot of these books including the "famous" best seller which is a complete con job. This book, however, is the real deal. I've read Dr. Bowden before and he doesn't disappoint. The book is witty, easy to read, fascinating, not too technical, but at the same time loaded with real scientific references explaining exactly what works, why, how and what to expect. It's not the kind of junky book that claims to cure cancer with a pill. Rather, it takes a reasoned approach to how to use natural medicine and everyday remedies to improve health, symptoms, and in some cases even get rid of the problem. It doesn't over promise but it definitely over-delivers. I was blown away by the endorsements and raves by other medical and nutritional professionals in "integrative" medicine- everyone from Dr. Oz (the guy on Oprah) to Christiane Northrup to even Mark Victor Hansen! After reading this book I know why they said what they said. By the way- highly recommended- if you read nothing else, at least read his brilliant INTRO which is a great essay on the state of American medicine, why your doctor doesn't know about this stuff, and how to take care of your health
