WelcometotheLoCarbDiner!
Understanding the Ideal Protein Diet

Lose weight by burning fat,
not muscle

As most low carbohydrate dieters already know, our bodies burn carbohydrates first for energy. When there are no carbohydrates left to burn, our bodies turn to our “reserves”—our fat and muscle mass. We do want to burn the fat, but we don’t want to damage our muscles in the process!

The Ideal Protein Diet protects our muscles by assuring that we have enough protein in our diets while we are working to lose weight.

The Ideal Protein line of protein diet products has been developed by Dr. Tran Tien Chanh, a general practitioner and a doctor of nutrition, sports medicine and biology in Paris, France. Dr. Chanh has focused his career and research on nutrition, with a particular emphasis on the treatment of obesity and excessive weight. He has based much of his work on the protein diet set out in the 1970s by Dr. Blackburn, a professor at Harvard University.

“Losing weight means burning off your fat reserves. When you lose weight, you lose fat and muscle. Ideal Protein, combined with proper nutrition and vitamin, mineral salt and fiber supplements, reduces body fat while maintaining that precious muscle mass,” explains Dr. Tran Tien Chanh.

Having good muscle mass also helps to burn calories and fat. When we lose muscle mass, we lose one of our body’s important weight control mechanisms. Loss of muscle mass damages our metabolism, too!

Many folks who have regained weight after dieting have learned that the weight is much harder to lose the next time around. Why? Because we usually put it back on as fat instead of muscle!

The volume of fat in our excess poundage tends to be higher with each round of dieting and will then take longer to lose— creating the “Yo-Yo” dieting effect. Protecting muscle mass is key to healthy dieting.

Rest and rehabilitate
your pancreas

By reducing carbohydrates, we also give our pancreas a rest. The pancreas has a chance to heal and function better to control insulin production in the future.

Whatever the reasons for weight gain, it’s now known that there is always a common denominator: insulin dysfunction and pancreatic dysfunction. In other words, our pancreas which is responsible for making insulin to process sugars is struggling keeping up with the load.

Low carbohydrate dieters know that most carbohydrates turn to sugars in our bodies. The carbohydrates in breads, rice, potatoes, and sweet vegetables such as corn and carrots all convert to sugar. All of these, plus the fructose in fruit and fruit juices—and all the sweets we love to eat—place a heavy load on the pancreas.

Insulin has two roles in the body:

• Insulin decreases the blood sugar level (glycemia), and
• Insulin promotes fat storage by converting the sugar and fat we eat into fat that is stored in cells.

When an individual who does not have a weight problem eats sugar, their pancreas will produce exactly the right amount of insulin needed to bring their blood sugar to a normal level, and no fat will be stored.

However, if an overweight individual eats sugar, their pancreas will produce more insulin than necessary. As a consequence, the individual’s blood sugar level will fall too low, and he or she will tend to be “hypoglycemic” and crave more sugar.

The overweight person’s pancreas is functioning like
an overheated motor. When a motor overheats, it needs to be shut off so that it can cool down. Then, when it is restarted, it will be more efficient again.

Dr. Tran Tien Chanh suggests that we do exactly the same thing with our pancreases:
“If you give your pancreas a break, it’ll recover and your body will be able to regenerate.”