With most traditional diets, weight loss is achieved by reducing the number of calories and restricting the fat intake over a period of time. This sometimes leads to feelings of hunger by causing the body to go into a starvation mode. The body tries to hold onto its fat and will in some cases start to burn muscle to get the energy it needs to survive. This is a natural defense mechanism and there is not much we can do about it. When carbohydrates are gone, the body will burn protein instead.
Another consideration is that traditional diets feature low-fat foods that are often more expensive and may contain more chemicals or be more highly processed.
The Anabolic Diet, developed by Dr. Mauro DiPasquale, goes against just about every generally accepted rule about dieting and nutrition. Unlike a high carbohydrate diet, the Anabolic Diet shifts the body's metabolism from that of a sugar burning, fat producing machine to that of a fat burning machine and does it naturally. With the body toning the muscles and with the body simultaneously burning both dietary and stored body fat, the dieter finds himself twice blessed.
The Anabolic Diet stresses a high fat/high protein/low carbohydrate approach to nutrition, but many people will dismiss it immediately, citing the popular belief that fat is a prime component in heart disease, cancer and obesity. While this may a consideration, dietary fat, when used properly, as in the Anabolic Diet, can be the key to successful weight loss.
And while some will see the Anabolic Diet as a new, revolutionary, even dangerous approach to nutrition, its basics actually originated with the dawning of mankind by naturally causing the body to build muscle and burn fat.
According to Dr. DiPasquale, the goals of an Anabolic Diet is to:
• shift the body's metabolism from that of a sugar-burning, fat-producing machine to that of a fat-burning machine
• decrease catabolic activity in the body
• increase strength and endurance
• help you avoid health problems and stay in shape year round
• increase energy and decrease mood swings
• decrease problem area fat
Anabolic diets are not a traditional low fat diet and as with any diet, a complete physical should be obtained to make sure there are no underlying medical conditions that should be taken into consideration before the diet is started.
The anabolic diet works by providing a plentiful supply of fat. This causes the metabolism to shift from primarily burning carbohydrates to primarily burning fats. Despite popular belief, we can operate pretty well without eating a lot of carbs (Eskimos have proved this forever).
What are the benefits of this type of diet?
1. It helps Increased lean body mass without the use of illegal substances or supplements that can have undesired side effects by maximizing the effects of your own naturally produced hormones.
2. It can help increase energy levels compared to some other low-fat diets.
3. Most importantly, it helps decrease body fat without increasing lean mass.
4. Increases the metabolism by burning more fat.
5. Gives the body a plentiful supply of protein.
On the downside, this is not a traditional diet and if you do not keep your fat intake somewhat balanced, (that is, not exclusively saturated fats), your cholesterol level could go up. This reason alone makes getting a physical and testing your cholesterol level before you start an important part of your weight loss program.