December 15, 2006, Newsletter Issue #43: Weight Loss Without Exercise & Negative Calorie Balance

Tip of the Week

Though you know that the best weight loss strategy is combining diet and exercise, sometimes, people need a diet-only plan, for example after a surgery, which can limit their performance. Dr. Atkins stated that on his diet, there's no need to exercise at all. Can it be true?

For a long time, nutritionists warned us against such an approach. However, in Spring of 2005, the Journal of Nutrition and Biochemistry published an article titled "Beneficial effects of intermittent fasting and caloric restriction on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems." The authors concluded that "...cellular and molecular effects of intermittent fasting and calorie restriction on the cardiovascular system and the brain are similar to those of regular physical exercise, suggesting shared mechanisms."

It is thought that one of the shared mechanisms can be that of negative energy balance. So what is this intermittent fasting? In fact, this is a reduced meal frequency diet -- an idea that also goes against the grain of mainstream nutrition. Meanwhile, a couple of health systems employing reduced meal frequency proved very successful over decades.

The bottom line is, you have better chances to be successful without exercise choosing a low carb diet and/or reduced meal frequency diet.

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