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Perhaps don’t take dietary advice from an undertaker. That’s what William Banting was—an English coffin maker and undertaker. He was also the guy who invented low-carb dieting. And while the eating strategy has its uses, it’s become more culty than Star Trek, and far less logical.
--On This Day in History, Shit Went Down: March 16, 1878--
Today in history is when he died. March 16, 1878, is when Mr. Eat Meat Fruit is Bad the Coffin Will Be Ready on Thursday kicked the bread basket at the age of around 81. But let’s talk about how he got slim and then wrote a book and now we have Dr. Fucking Mark Hyman hitting #1 on the New York Times bestseller list ten books in a row even though they’re all the same fucking book that says sugar is bad.
In his 30s, Banting began to put on excess weight during an age when that was mostly a rich people thing. He consulted a doctor who told him to exercise so he did and the exercise made him ravenous so he ate and ah shit exercise is bullshit now I’m fatter than ever. He tried every quacktacular weight loss scam there was.
By the age of 65 he was experiencing a number of ailments that likely were related to type 2 diabetes. A doctor analyzed his diet and said all those carbs are bad you need bacon and mutton and deer and fish. So he said what the fuck okay and did that and he lost a bunch of weight and shortly thereafter did the typical “It worked for me!” thing and published a Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public. It was the first low-carb diet book. Restricting carbs became known as “Banting.”
Time for a flex. Prior to switching to history, I was a fitness and weight loss author of some renown. I know this stuff and if you don’t believe what I’m about to write I don’t give a shit.
I’m not saying low-carb dieting is bad. I’m saying that since the age of Banting, many have spread lies about how it works and that it’s best for everyone and carbs are toxic blah fucking blah. Low-carb diets do not invalidate the need to restrict calories. Changing dietary macronutrient (carbs, protein, fat) composition doesn’t do shit for weight loss UNLESS it leads to restricting calories. Get it? Low carb “works” because for some they cut problem foods like donuts and pastries and eight slices of bread with butter. It has major rule simplicity—no carbs—which makes it easy to follow. By drilling into your head that carbs are to be avoided, you de facto end up taking in fewer calories and lose weight.
Howeverthefuck, studies show long-term sustainability of low carb isn’t much better than other diets. Also, carbs aren’t toxic sugar isn’t addictive people get way too uptight about their diets you probably weren’t actually in ketosis and it would be bad if you were.
If you’re struggling, consult a qualified professional.
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I think I've mentioned in the past that I had to cut back on refined carbs because I had become pre-diabetic. I've lost a shit load of weight even though I eat like a pig. I eat a lot of meat and dairy as well as veggies and those foods, not the veggies, are full of calories. I don't get it.