Fat lazy Americans

Of which I'm clearly one. Like most of us, I know what I need to do, I just find reasons not to do it.

I've been arguing the (apparently) losing side against fad diets (including the Atkins Diet) for years. I have been telling anyone who would listen to me (and many who wouldn't) that wierd diets aren't necessary for most people to lose weight. You do not have to jettison entire food groups from your diet, whether it's fats or carbs.

It's really very simple: to lose weight, burn more calories than you eat. This translates into an overall weight loss strategy of eat less and exercise more.

Yes, yes... carbohydrate metabolism is different from fat metabolism which is different from protein metabolism. The body is very complicated and all that. Yada, yada, blah blah. I am not saying fad diets don't work, that the Adkins diet won't result in weight loss. What I'm saying is that I do not believe low carb diets are the best solution for the average person who is otherwise healthy, but would like to lose 20 pounds.

If, on average, you require 2000 calories per 24 hrs to maintain body mass, then averaging 3000 calories per day over some period of time will have only one result. You will gain weight. If you average fewer than 2000 calories per day over some period of time, you will lose weight. Yes, this is an oversimplification, but it's an adequate enough axiom for most of us. Unless you are an athlete in training or a body builder, or suffer from a medical condition, keeping track of your food intake to that level of detail is simply unnecessary. Keep rough track of the calories you've eaten, and the calories you've burned, and go from there.

Obviously, if you drink 4 sodas a day, you've already consumed 1000 calories without eating a bite. This will make it much more difficult to limit your calories to 2000 per day. Beyond the oversimplification of reducing all foods to their caloric content, 1000 calories per day of mostly pure sugar has other consequences.

From the perspective of weight loss/gain, a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. It is a unit of energy. Which is not to say carbs, fats and proteins are all equal in terms of calories per unit mass.

I think fad diets catch on because we are all looking for a way to lose weight without doing either of the things I recommend. People don't want to eat less, and they don't want to exercise. They want to lose weight without doing much of anything. If they can lose weight by eating nothing but hamburger patties and bacon, they'll sure as hell try. Instead, they should be eating a smaller hamburger, perhaps a salad instead of french fries, and either water or at worst a regular-size soda.

What I know about diet programs like Weight Watchers supports my position, I think. Values or points are assigned to various foods reflecting their caloric equivalents. What Weight Watchers does is provide a framework for you to keep track of what you eat, perhaps even allow you to justify a milkshake now and then (but you are accountable for the calories!), and even more importantly, a support group to help you not eat as much.

But, again, this is too hard. Nobody wants to keep track of what they eat. Nobody wants to eat peach slices with flaxseed instead of french fries. We expect to be able to eat 4000 calories of crap per day, not exercise, and still lose weight.

But, hey... it's not just my opinion...Looks like the Feds agree with me.