| (WebMD) People who drink diet soft drinks don't lose weight. In fact, they gain weight, a new study shows. The findings come from eight years of data collected by Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, and colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Fowler reported the data at this week's annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego. "What didn't surprise us was that total soft drink use was linked to overweight and obesity," Fowler tells WebMD. "What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher." In fact, when the researchers took a closer look at their data, they found that nearly all the obesity risk from soft drinks came from diet sodas. "There was a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day," Fowler says. More Diet Drinks, More Weight Gain Fowler's team looked at seven to eight years of data on 1,550 Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white Americans aged 25 to 64. Of the 622 study participants who were of normal weight at the beginning of the study, about a third became overweight or obese. For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was: 26 percent for up to 1/2 can each day 30.4 percent for 1/2 to one can each day 32.8 percent for 1 to 2 cans each day 47.2 percent for more than 2 cans each day. For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was: 36.5 percent for up to 1/2 can each day 37.5 percent for 1/2 to one can each day 54.5 percent for 1 to 2 cans each day 57.1 percent for more than 2 cans each day. For each can of diet soft drink consumed each day, a person's risk of obesity went up 41 percent. She remembers being struck by the scene in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in which Alice is offended because she is offered tea but is given none — even though she hadn't asked for tea in the first place. So she helps herself to tea and bread and butter. That may be just what happens when we offer our bodies the sweet taste of diet drinks, but give them no calories. Fowler points to a recent study in which feeding artificial sweeteners to rat pups made them crave more calories than animals fed real sugar. "If you offer your body something that tastes like a lot of calories, but it isn't there, your body is alerted to the possibility that there is something there and it will search for the calories promised but not delivered," Fowler says. Perhaps, Bonci says, our bodies are smarter than we think. "People think they can just fool the body. But maybe the body isn't fooled," she says. "If you are not giving your body those calories you promised it, maybe your body will retaliate by wanting more calories. Some soft drink studies do suggest that diet drinks stimulate appetite." Sources: Fowler, S.P. 65th Annual Scientific Sessions, American Diabetes Association, San Diego, June 10-14, 2005; Abstract 1058-P. Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, University of Texas Health Science Center School of Medicine, San Antonio. Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, director, sports nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. WebMD News: "Artificial Sweeteners May Damage Diet Efforts." Davidson, T.L. International Journal of Obesity, July 2004; vol 28: pp 933-955 |
There are many different products and supplements on the market that promise weight-loss. Some of them have fantastic results, and some have unbelievable results, some work and some don't. Some of the products work for one group of people and not for the other. So what is the best way to lose that extra weight in the form of fat? Fitness and subsequently fat-loss has three side to it, weight training, aerobics and nutrition. One is not more important than the other. One alone is not the answer. You have to be careful about the amount of carbohydrates you consume in your diet. Most people do not realize that too much carbohydrate intake can inhibit the metabolization of fats for energy. This is caused by the excess production of insulin to metabolize the sugars. Excess insulin also will inhibits the production of the growth hormone and the metabolization of fats for energy. So, fat-free or not, it may still get stored as fat. Without getting too much into nutrition here, just be advised that excess sugars are not the answer to weight loss. Weight training requires energy to perform the actions. What you don't burn, gets stored. Increases in muscle mass raise the basal metabolic rate (BMR) by about 50 calories per pound of muscle. So, fat burning occurs all day long even after the weight training session is over. Remember, muscle doesn't build in the gym, it builds when you rest and mostly when you sleep during the muscle repair cycle. This type of exercise is anaerobic, meaning that oxygen is not utilized during the energy production cycle, therefore, fat is not burned since oxygen is required for fat burning. Circuit Training is somewhat aerobic. Aerobics are also an important part of weight loss both directly and indirectly. During approximately the first 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, the body burns simple sugars and carbohydrates stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. After the stores are depleted, then the fat stores are tapped for energy. This trains the body to utilize fat for energy. This type of exercise, as the name implies, is aerobic and requires oxygen to metabolize the fat for energy. Remember, what the body doesn't do often, the body losses it's ability to do efficiently. No aerobic exercise means the body's ability to metabolize fat and it's ability to supply oxygen to the muscles for work diminishes. The easy way out that many people take is to reduce eating. This can be a bad move because the body will reduce the metabolic rate to conserve fat stores. This will cause, naturally, weight gain. Read the supplement and weight-loss labels. Some contain mild herbal laxatives (fennel seeds, licorice root, etc.) Laxatives can be addictive in that they cause peristalsis (bowel activity) to slow down. This can be chronic and cause long lasting damage. So, what's the best way to lose weight? Watch the calories, weight train, do aerobics at least three times a week. Studies show that the ideal heart range for fat burning is around 50% to 60% of your maximum not 80% to 90% as most people believe. Running is a good form of aerobic exercise but can debilitate the joints.However, walking at a brisk pace 3.5 to 4.5 miles per hour will bring the heart rate to about 50% to 60% of maximum and without the high impact damage. On a per mile basis, walking burns 80% of the calories that running does. You can also walk for longer periods and greater frequencies without risking joint damage.Another low impact fat burning exercise is paddle boating. Hard to believe but you are using large muscle groups for a period of at least an hour or more. The benefit is that it is no impact and fun. Stationary bicycles with a set tension provide the same benefit but without the same fun element. Outdoor biking is fun but half the time you may be coasting. You might want to substitue one for the other so your workout doesn't get boring.The best type of aerobic exercise is naturally the one that you like to do best as they say. However, the exercise that you do least is the one that will burn the most fat because your body is not efficient at that particular exercise. Unless you're in competition, you really don't want to become efficient at any type of exercise if the goal is weight loss and cardiovascular training. This is true of any activity whether it be biking, swimming, etc. Our bodies are unlike any other machines that become less efficient due to wear and tear. We can wear out our bodies mechanically from overuse but energy production will become more efficient. Remember, keep the body guessing. |
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