Atkins Diet Physiology: Metabolic or Term Paper

Total Length: 2083 words ( 7 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: -14

Page 1 of 7

For obese individuals on the Atkins diet, a moderate exercise program that allows the body to burn fat rather than glycogen can be beneficial, since they would be able to exercise longer. For trained athletes, a higher level of exercise at a longer duration is possible, since the body's threshold for the change to using glycogen as ATP is higher.

Thus, our results that obese individuals on that Atkins diet who participate in moderate activity are able to exercise for longer periods of time is supported.

In conclusion, our results indicated that weight loss in our subjects was caused from a negative energy balance, rather than metabolic advantage. The Atkins diet works well not because of a lowered carbohydrate intake, but because of a lowered overall food and caloric intake. This lower level of food intake in turn leads to a higher ratio between energy output, and energy intake. These results are further improved with the addition of moderate exercise, since the diet would improve overall exercise performance, and allow the body to burn more fat. Additionally, and for the same reasons, the Atkins diet would also serve highly trained athletes participating in endurance training.

Bibliography

Cecil, J.E., Francis, J., & Read, N.W. (1999, August). Comparison of the effects of a high-fat and high-carbohydrate soup delivered orally and intragastrically on gastric emptying, appetite, and eating behavior. Physiology and Behavior, 67(2), 299-306.

Freedman, M.R., King, J., & Kennedy, E. (2001, March). Popular diets: a scientific review. Obesity Research, 9(1), 40-47S.

Golay A, Allaz A-F, Morel Y, de Tonnac N, Tankova S, & Reaven G. (1996). Similar weight loss with low- or high-carbohydrate diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 63, 174-8.
Helge, J.W., Richter, E.A., & Kiens, B. (1996). Interaction of training and diet on metabolism and endurance during exercise in man. Journal of Physiology, 492, 293-306.

Holt, S.H., Delargy, H.J., Lawton, C.L., & Blundell, J.E. (1999, January). The effects of high carbohydrate vs. high fat breakfasts on feelings of fullness and alertness, and subsequent food intake. International Journal of Food Science Nutrition, 50(1), 12-28.

Phinney, S.D., Bristrian, B.R., Wolfe, R.R. & Blackburn, G.L. (1983, August). The human metabolic response to chronic ketosis without caloric restriction: physical and biochemical adaptation. Metabolism, 32(8), 757-768.

Pogliaghi, S. & Veicsteinas, A. (1999, January). Influence of low and high dietary fat on physical performance in untrained males. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 31(1), 149-155.

References

1. Greene, L. & Gentile, C. (2002). Effects of low-carbohydrate diets and exercise on body weight and composition: A tutorial for IPHY 3700. University of Colorado-Boulder, unpublished manuscript.

2. McDonald, L. (1996). The ketogenic diet: A complete guide for the dieter and practitioner: Physiology of ketosis chapters. Kearney, Nebraska: Morris Publishing.

3. Samaha et al. (2003). A low-carbohydrate as compared with a low-fat diet in severe obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine, 348, 2074-2081.

4. Helge, J.W., Richter, E.A., & Kiens, B. (1996). Interaction of training and diet on metabolism and endurance during exercise in man. Journal of Physiology, 492, 293-306.

5. Lambert, E.V., Speechly, D.P., Dennis, S.C., & Noakes, T.D. (1994). Enhanced endurance in trained cyclists during moderate intensity exercise following 2 weeks adaptation to a high fat diet. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 69, 287-293.

6. Muoio, D.M., Leddy, J.J., Horvath, P.J., Awad, A.B., & Pendergast, D.R. (1994). Effect of dietary.....

Need Help Writing Your Essay?