Maybe my memory is failing me, but in my college nutrition class I was taught that your body looks for energy in the following order
-carbohydrates
-fat
-protein

It moves on to the next source after the first is depleted.

An aerobics instructor I had years ago used to say the same thing. She would also say that you had to exercise past the 20 minute mark to go from burning carbs to burning your fat stores.

I would venture to guess that if you were burning muscle, your body has some other health problem, or you are too skinny to supply your own body's energy needs. I agree that a diet that includes a good supply of protein as well as lots of veggies would not pose the "muscle burning problem."

Maybe some extremists on the Atkins plan who go for long periods of time eating no more than 15g of carbs a day (before subtracting fiber) are at a risk. But that's probably because they end up with other nutritional deficiencies as well.

I don't think we can single out one component of diet and nutrition and point a finger to it as a single, solitary cause of health problems. The body needs such a diversity of foods to help it function properly. Even on Atkins, as you decreased your carb intake, you increased your protein and veggie intake. I'm eatiing more fresh veggies each day than I have in a long, long time.


So go ahead! Eat that protein! Burn that fat! Listen to your body!

Do we really need a study on looking both ways before crossing the street to know it's dangerous not too!? Then why do we have to have years of research to know that this WOE is right for us? Besides, years of research say that a high carb, low fat diet is the way to go, and look at the fat people dropping dead like flies.

Amy Mc