Study: Counting calories, protein intake key to losing weight

[r2473]

New JAMA study recommends counting calories and lowering protein intake. Increasing exercise.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/307/1/47.short

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=18728994

"No matter how healthy our diet is, if our calories that we're taking in are greater than the calories we're using, we're still going to gain weight," said Kary Woodruff, a TOSH Sports Medicine dietitian.

In fact, researchers overfed 25 men and women by about 1,000 calories a day. Those who ate a high-protein diet gained 12 to 15 more pounds than those who ate a regular diet.

"Protein is a very inefficient energy source. We really want our energy to be coming from fat and from carbohydrate, so protein, if it's taken in excess and above that 20 to 30 grams, it's either used for energy, which again isn't very effective, or it gets stored as fat," Woodruff explained.

She also says your daily nutrition should be a balance of:
•45 percent to 65 percent carbs (fruits and vegetables, milk and yogurt, whole grains)
•20 percent to 35 percent healthy fats (avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish)
•10 percent to 35 percent lean proteins (fish, poultry, lean beef, legumes, soy, lowfat dairy, eggs)

 

[Bartelby]

On the other hand, protein has been shown to make you feel fuller for longer, so a small meal with protein will satiate hunger whereas one without may not.

 

[OTMPut]

25 people over what 3 months of eating? apparently they made sure these guys ate every bite of the food that were provided.

Did they also measure their sh*t? Are they sure some did not go to toilet and vomitted later on? Were some of the guys knew that they were part of an experiment about over eating and their brains freaked out and did some harmonal alteration? Did some guys secretly eat cookies hidden under mattresses? May be some smoke secretly as well?

 

[Limpinhitter]

New JAMA study recommends counting calories and lowering protein intake. Increasing exercise.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/307/1/47.short

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=18728994

"No matter how healthy our diet is, if our calories that we're taking in are greater than the calories we're using, we're still going to gain weight," said Kary Woodruff, a TOSH Sports Medicine dietitian.

In fact, researchers overfed 25 men and women by about 1,000 calories a day. Those who ate a high-protein diet gained 12 to 15 more pounds than those who ate a regular diet.

"Protein is a very inefficient energy source. We really want our energy to be coming from fat and from carbohydrate, so protein, if it's taken in excess and above that 20 to 30 grams, it's either used for energy, which again isn't very effective, or it gets stored as fat," Woodruff explained.

She also says your daily nutrition should be a balance of:
•45 percent to 65 percent carbs (fruits and vegetables, milk and yogurt, whole grains)
•20 percent to 35 percent healthy fats (avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish)
•10 percent to 35 percent lean proteins (fish, poultry, lean beef, legumes, soy, lowfat dairy, eggs)

Low glycemic index, whole, foods (basically no, no starch and no processed or packaged food with a list of ingredients), is what worked for me. When I reached my goal, I added a little rice, pasta, potato, bread back in to my meals and continue to regulate my weight with the amount of starchy foods I allow myself.

PS: http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods.htm

 

[Soul]

I think the low carb studies often do well when tested against other diets. Recall seeing this low carb study on Dr. Eenfeldt's sight the other week about weight loss and lowering cancer risk.

"Low Carb Wins Yet Another Study"

http://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb-wins-yet-another-study

 

[spacediver]

Here is a good four part series on weight loss as it relates to set-point.

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2009/12/body-fat-setpoint.html

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2010/01/body-fat-setpoint-part-ii-mechanisms-of.html

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2010/01/body-fat-setpoint-part-iii-dietary.html

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2010/01/body-fat-setpoint-part-iv-changing.html

 

[Pitmiksovic]

New JAMA study recommends counting calories and lowering protein intake. Increasing exercise.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/307/1/47.short

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=18728994

"No matter how healthy our diet is, if our calories that we're taking in are greater than the calories we're using, we're still going to gain weight," said Kary Woodruff, a TOSH Sports Medicine dietitian.

In fact, researchers overfed 25 men and women by about 1,000 calories a day. Those who ate a high-protein diet gained 12 to 15 more pounds than those who ate a regular diet.

"Protein is a very inefficient energy source. We really want our energy to be coming from fat and from carbohydrate, so protein, if it's taken in excess and above that 20 to 30 grams, it's either used for energy, which again isn't very effective, or it gets stored as fat," Woodruff explained.

She also says your daily nutrition should be a balance of:
•45 percent to 65 percent carbs (fruits and vegetables, milk and yogurt, whole grains)
•20 percent to 35 percent healthy fats (avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish)
•10 percent to 35 percent lean proteins (fish, poultry, lean beef, legumes, soy, lowfat dairy, eggs)

I don't think Ms. Kary Woodruff read thru the study very thouroughly. I couldn't find a full text of the study but I found a good analysis with all the pertinent info.

http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_m1_2/protein-diet-calories.html

While those who ate a high protein diet gained more weight, they actually gained less fat and more LBM than the low protein group. Here's some #s -

normal protein (NP) group got 15/40/45 % of protein/CHO/fat
High protein (HP) group got 25/40/35
low protein (LP) group got 5/40/55

Weight gain was : LP 7 lbs, NP 13 lbs, HP 14 lbs
LBM gain was : LP -1.5 lbs (yes, they lost 1.5 lbs LBM), NP 6 lbs, HP 7 lbs

Fat gain : LP 8.5 lbs, NP 7 lbs, HP 7lbs

In the LP group 90% of excess cals went to fat storage, In the NP and HP group only 50% of excess cals went to fat storage.

The LP group consumed 47-48 g of protein/day which is pretty much the "recommended" amount yet that amount was not enough to maintain LBM even under conditions of overfeeding. 78 g of protein/day was what was needed to maintain LBM. The NP group got abut 140 g of protein/day, the HP group got about 230 g protein/day and both groups gained LBM.

So the study does not show that higher protein intakes lead to more fat gain but just the opposite actually. And it definitely shows that insufficient protein leads to muscle loss. I think if we apply this to a calorie deficit diet instead of a surplus it would make sense to consume higher levels of protein to maintain LBM while dieting which is really just what we already knew anyway.

 

[OTMPut]

I think it is not yet robust enough to draw any useful conclusion on food intake for ME.

 

[Avles]

The study looked different types of overeating and and measured levels of weight gain. It didn't focus on weight loss at all. I wouldn't assume that a diet which results in less weight gain when overeating will necessarily help you lose more weight when not overeating.

The KSL news article seems to misstate the study's focus and conclusions with both its headline, and its statement that the study "shows success is found in counting calories and monitoring protein intake," unless by success they mean minimizing your weight gain from overeating.

It's also misleading to say that the study recommends counting calories and lowering protein intake. The study said no such thing.

 

[GuyClinch]

Yes people seem intent on misinterpreting the study and trying to further their own agenda. Food is very agenda driven right now..