Does Exercise Counteract McDonalds?... Do I Stay On Weight Loss Drugs Indefinitely?... Is the Vegan Trend Actually… Legit?
The saying exists for a reason: “You can’t out-train a poor diet.” CNN debunks the misconception that intense workouts can offset poor nutrition. First, it is unsustainable to attempt to burn all the extra calories necessary to counteract the ones consumed from high-calorie, fatty foods. Second, diets that aren’t nutrient rich prevent exercisers from having the stamina and endurance to perform the workouts necessary to burn these calories, or for their muscles to recover properly.
Are there individuals who exercise but still maintain a diet of fast food or take out and appear to be healthy? Enter the concept of "skinny fat," where individuals may appear thin but high levels of visceral fat. Surrounding internal organs, visceral fat is highly dangerous. Associated with consuming processed foods high in sugar, salt, and carbohydrates, risks of visceral fat include arterial hardening and increased mortality rates.
In order to promote balance, the article advocates for a perspective on nutrition based around moderation. Instead of categorizing foods as “good” or “bad,” food should be viewed as fuel.
The article discusses a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association -JAMA on tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the weight loss drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound. The study split participants into two groups: those who took the medication for a year and continued to do so versus participants who took the medication for a year and then received a placebo.
Both patient groups initially lost approximately 20% of their excess weight over the course of a year. Participants who were moved to a placebo regained nearly half of the lost weight within a year. In contrast, participants who continued tirzepatide treatment saw additional weight loss averaging 5% excess body weight. The contrasting results from either continuing or stopping the tirzepatide treatment highlights the significant challenge overcoming obesity presents.
Originally approved for type 2 diabetes treatment, tirzepatide, also showed promise for weight loss. The drug gained FDA approval under the name Zepbound for individuals with a BMI over 30 or with a BMI of 27 and weight related diseases. The drug operates on brain pathways that regulate weight and food intake, contributing to significant metabolic improvements.
The findings suggest potential long-term benefits of tirzepatide in managing obesity-related health risks like diabetes, hypertension, or even yo-yo dieting, all of which can lead to premature death. Further research is essential to mitigate these risks and determine the drug's viability as a lasting solution for obesity treatment and its associated health risks.
In the study titled "Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs Vegan Diets in Identical Twins: A Randomized Clinical Trial," participants were randomly assigned to either a omnivorous or vegan diet over an 8-week period. The study was conducted to explore a healthy vegan versus a healthy omnivorous diet on cardiometabolic health, key findings favored the vegan diet.
The catch: the participants were pairs of identical twins. Dr. Gardner, who conducted the study, highlighted the study's success in controlling variables through identical twins. This enabled researchers to evaluate the dietary impacts without the variables found across the general human spectrum.
Results:
Participants on the vegan diet experienced significant improvements compared to those on the omnivorous diet. Specifically, they showed a notable decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels (mean reduction of 13.9 mg/dL), fasting insulin levels (mean reduction of 2.9 μIU/mL), and body weight (mean reduction of 1.9 kg). These outcomes suggest a protective effect of the vegan diet against cardiometabolic risk factors.
However, limitations included the short duration of the intervention (8 weeks) and the relatively small sample size, which may limit generalizability.
For more information on weight loss procedures and non-surgical options, contact Dr. Korman’s office: 310-5779-5540 or contact us today.
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