Advanced weight loss theories: Calorie calculation and Sheoff's carbohydrate restriction therapy

The United States is a leading country in calorie counting, and American women enthusiastically adopt this method. In beverage shops, calorie-free packets of sweeteners are placed alongside regular sugar, and various low-sugar foods are available. Chocolate drinks containing only 900 kcal (the recommended daily intake for a low-calorie diet is 1200 kcal) are also heavily promoted. Furthermore, books specifically introducing low-calorie diets are in high demand. The practice of calorie counting is generally centered around housewives, who meticulously calculate the calories in every dish they prepare daily. The originator of calorie theory can be considered the German Professor Ford, who published in 1881 that "the necessary daily calorie intake for an adult is approximately 3070 kcal."

However, research by others suggests that this figure is only suitable for those engaged in heavy physical labor, while the average person's daily requirement is approximately 2300 calories. However, the above figure is only an approximate standard. The necessary calories are not only related to individual living environment, occupation, physical condition, gender, age, and mental state, but also often vary depending on bowel movements and sweating patterns. The food we absorb not only serves as a source of calories but also forms the basis of new cells and tissues in the body. Therefore, if a "low-calorie diet" is adopted, calculating the necessary amount of physical activity while only consuming fast food, then the substances needed to build tissues will be lacking-this is its weakness. Therefore, this method should appropriately supplement with fiber-rich foods.

Recently, Chinese cuisine has become increasingly popular worldwide, and famous Chinese dishes have received high praise. In his book "The Secrets of Chinese Cuisine," Japanese author Hiroshi Niijiro compared the dietary differences between Chinese and Japanese people living in Hong Kong. The Chinese consume four times the amount of meat as the Japanese, roughly the same amount of fish, about twice the amount of oil, and eat more fruit. As for daily calories, the Chinese consume 2370 calories, while the Japanese consume 2399. Although the Chinese consume more oil and meat than the Japanese, their total calorie intake is lower. This is likely because the Japanese consume twice as much grains, vegetables, and starchy foods as the Chinese. In other words, this is due to differences in how rice is consumed. It is undeniable that Chinese people are elegant and have good figures, especially Chinese women, who are known for their well-proportioned figures and fair skin.

Dr. Sheoff's weight loss method is not very complicated. Its most important aspect is limiting the amount of carbohydrates (rice, noodles, sugar, potatoes, etc.) to a total of only 50 to 80 grams per day. Each meal can include eggs, pork, lamb, beef, chicken, duck, fish, or cheese, as well as vegetables and fruits. Readers may wonder why, while still being able to eat meat, chicken, duck, and fish, weight loss can be achieved simply by reducing carbohydrate intake like rice, noodles, and sugar. In his paper "The Etiology of Obesity," submitted to the American Medical Association and published in the monthly journal "Nutrition Today," Dr. Sheoff succinctly explained his new theory on weight loss. He stated that most doctors treat obesity based on the first law of thermodynamics: "Energy can neither be created nor destroyed."

If the energy absorbed by the body (from food) is greater than the energy expended (from exercise, metabolism, etc.), the body will gain weight; if the energy absorbed is less than the energy expended, weight will decrease. He said, "Doctors who believe in this theory reduce the food on their diet menus to the point of starvation. The flaw in this theory is that it ignores the fact that the body does not process the calories from various foods in the same way. Therefore, when trying to lose weight, the focus should not be on the calories absorbed and expended, but on the factors that produce fat and how the body uses fat." Dr. Sheoff explained that dietary fat ingested by the body is broken down into storable fat by a metabolic product called methylglycerol phosphate, which is then stored in fat cells and used as "fuel" to maintain muscle cell activity as needed.

When stored body fat exceeds the needs of muscle cells, an oversupply occurs, leading to weight gain. All carbohydrates, after digestion and absorption, are converted into blood sugar, which is then broken down into methylglycerol phosphate. Therefore, if a person doesn't eat any carbohydrates, no matter how much dietary fat they consume, it cannot be converted into body fat. This is the basis of Dr. Sheoff's weight loss theory. He believed that consuming 50 to 80 grams of carbohydrates daily was sufficient for nutritional balance. Exceeding this amount would only lead to weight gain. He believed that reducing carbohydrate intake, so that the body fat converted from dietary fat is insufficient to maintain muscle cell activity, forces the body to "burn" excess fat, thus resulting in weight loss.

His menu, regarding carbohydrates, limited each meal to half a slice of bread, with only half a teaspoon of sugar allowed in his breakfast coffee, and prohibited potatoes and similar foods. The Chinese-style menu adapted from his menu primarily consisted of a level bowl of porridge for breakfast, half a bowl for lunch and dinner, and the rest of the food eaten until full. The best approach is to address the root causes of snacking and eliminate the habit of overeating one by one. First, identify the emotions that trigger your snacking, and then respond appropriately. Guilt, shame, boredom, anxiety, frustration, and regret are the most common reasons for snacking. When you experience these emotions, don't snack; instead, write a letter or call a friend. Soon, these new activities will replace snacking as the response to these emotions.