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The Convenient Store Diet?
Health | June 23, 2015
Strange as it sounds, not only did someone actually attempt to go on a diet that consisted of mainly Twinkies, Oreos and Doritos, it actually worked! Okay, well sort of. In 2010 Mark Haub, a professor of nutrition out of Kansas State University, committed to this convenient store diet to demonstrate that, ultimately, weight loss is about limiting one’s caloric intake. Not that caloric intake is the only factor that matters in weight loss, but that it’s the main one.
Haub measured his Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) to be about 2600 calories and then limited himself to only 1800 calories a day in order to lose weight. His experiment lasted roughly two months and, lo and behold, he lost 27lbs! Even crazier than the actual weight loss was the fact that other indicators of health actually improved! He lowered his bad cholesterol as well as his overall body fat.
However, Haub did tell CNN in an interview that he had to supplement his diet with a multi-vitamin, a protein shake and an assortment of vegetables. Nonetheless, the majority of his calories (more than two-thirds according to Haub) came from cupcakes, donuts, chips and whatever else he could find in convenient stores. In the same interview, Haub was strangely surprised by the results of his convenient store diet. He said:
“I wish I could say the outcomes are unhealthy. I wish I could say it’s healthy. I’m not confident enough in doing that. That frustrates a lot of people. One side says it’s irresponsible. It is unhealthy, but the data doesn’t say that.”
This, of course, is not an invitation for any of us to start snacking on junk food like a bunch of rabid chipmunks in the hopes of losing weight. And certainly Professor Haub doesn’t recommend his dietary experiments, he is simply trying to prove an essential and very simply point that is often lost at sea in the world of weight loss and fitness. For better or for worse, calories count and we need to have a good awareness of how much or how little we are consuming to reach our fitness and weight loss goals. It’s also important to note that had Haub continued this diet long-term as many people currently do there is always the very real risk of developing a whole host of health risks including diabetes.
What crazy diets have you heard about or even tried?
Private Member |
ky, usa
Sounds like my kind of diet! Lol ( just kidding) I do find it soooooo easy to go for foods already made. I am a “grazer”, I constantly want to snack on a little something throughout the day. I try to go for nuts or cheeses but they are high in calories when you keep coming back for a few more. Any ideas?? And please don’t say broccoli of carrots! 🙂
Private Member |
uk
Have you tried smoking? Kills the appetite and speeds up metabolism. Just kidding:) Doesn’t snacking make you actually more hungry? For me the best is to have a proper main meal and no snacking at all. Or just something little between lunch and dinner. What about fruit? Thats lower in calories.
Private Member |
holland, pa
I wish you could have seen my face when I started reading your comment! Haha! Anyway, just to chime in, I also snack through the day. I eat portioned out cheese, seeds, fruit, veg/hummus, or avocado. I love food so I have to have snacks through the day!!
Private Member |
michigan, usa
LOL. my face was probably priceless when reading that first line.
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
haha 🙂 did you get excited? Finally!! I new it couldn’t be that bad when it tastes so good! 🙂
Private Member |
nürnberg, germany
What about vegetable Broth? Or Coffe, Tea? Hot things to drink are helping me…But I do also snack a lot on cabbage turnip…I like it if I have something to bite…:D
Private Member |
ky, usa
Lol! You just made me laugh out loud with smoking 🙂 I really do try to limit my snacking, and my “go to” seems to be an Apple these days. At night though before bed I REALLY want something sweet with almond milk. I’ve just been fighting it off but I wish I had that ONE perfect treat that I could enjoy with almond milk without the carbs or the guilt….Doesn’t everybody? Sigh….a girl can dream.
Private Member |
But there are diets (like keto), that it is supposed not to matter the calorie intake.. And there are many people who have tried that and it worked -they say. That s quite contradicting, doesn’t it?
Private Member |
nürnberg, germany
I guess that this is for example because of the fact you can’t eat too much fat without feeling sick..And I guess it is also because different foods are differently handled by your body…You need for example about one third of the calories of protein to digest it…I guess this is the point..One calorie doesn’t seem to be one calorie
Private Member |
holland, pa
I feel like I’ve tried so much, nothing crazy, but enough to know none of it works long term (for me). I’ve gone gluten free, not just for weight but bc I was hoping it would also help with my migraines, I’ve tried paleo, veg, vegan, no carb…so many. I’ve found moderation is what works for me. During the week now I try to focus on whole foods and low carb. One meal a week a have what I want.
Private Member |
I have tried them all! One of my most funniest ones I’ve done is the “eat only grapefruit” diet…..What was I thinking! That one lasted about four days. I believe all these fad diets are too extreme in one direction or the other. I find myself, in my journey to health and wellness, that balance and moderation is what my body response to the best. These diets always gave me the same results. I see some weight loss and benefits at first, but the long term results are always failure and weight gain.
Private Member |
uk
Calories matter obviously , Im not surprised he lost weight but I assume it was his first time dieting/calorie restricting? When you try it first time it works like a charm. Especially when you are young. When I was 20 something nothing was easier than losing weight. Now that I’m 30 something its a whole different story. The body remembers the calorie restriction and each time you try it again it gets smarter. And you can only take the hunger for so long before body makes you eat more. Losing the weight is not the problem. How to keep it off that;s when it gets complicated. This professor did it only short term to prove a point and I bet once he went back to normal eating he gained it all back. I would love to see him staying on 1800 calories indefinitely. Personally Im done with calorie restriction and I eat to my appetite when I feel physical hunger. The only long term solution.
Private Member |
I did the WW point system…. with just points. You could eat anything (even lots of peppermint patties and pepsi) as long as you stayed within your points. I lost tons of weight. It is tempting to go back to since eating higher good fat along with healthy fruits, veggies is taking considerable more time to lose the weight but obviously it isn’t healthy. What would you suggest to lose some pounds at the same time being healthy, toned and fit. I know that Zuzka does the low carb, higher fat thing… but she is already at her goal to just maintain. What is you were trying to lose lets say 10-15 pounds on top of that?
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
It’s really simple. If you’re already eating whole foods, which is healthy, then all you have to do is to cut down on calories and exercise daily to speed up the process.
Private Member |
It would be super simple… if I weren’t’ such a sugar addict that dislikes veggies. But thanks to some of your recipes I have found good food that I will actually eat.
Private Member |
Yes, this is the real long term, enduring answer! No guess work here, just consistency.
Private Member |
Interesting study. I can see how he might lose weight, but I’m sure he didn’t feel well at all after eating all of that junk. Probably pretty sluggish. I would much rather eat healthy fats and feel good about what I’m putting into my body than just count calories no matter the type of food.
Private Member |
One time in college I tried an oatmeal cookie diet (my favorite food ever) and same results. It totally worked. But of course I gained the weight right back once I started introducing a larger variety of foods back into my body. And I don’t do it now because I think it’s crazy and not loving to my body, knowing how damaging large amounts of sugar can be. But I do think it helps me not to obsess so much if I don’t demonize certain foods. (The forbidden fruit syndrome.)
Private Member |
toronto, canada
mmmm….oreos. Damnit! We need a new WEM fast haha