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A comment on The Microbes in Your Gut May Be Making You Fat (2013). Parent comment

Re:The Microbes in Your Gut May Be Making You Fat (2013) by CuriouslyC on Friday December 04, 2015 @03:11PM (#10678811)
I don't even know where to begin with all the pseudo-science half truths and ignorance in this post. For starters, basically all the blue zone diets are high carb with low to moderate fat, lots of vegetables and fairly limited animal products. Elite athletes prefer high carb diets by an overwhelming majority. Multiple studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of carbohydrate intake on the gut microbiota. Just about the only population where low carb, high fat makes sense is sedentary people who are morbidly obese and highly insulin resistant.

By the way, congrats on finding a lifestyle that works __for you__. Don't go around preaching like it's the one true path. Nobody likes a zealot.

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Re:The Microbes in Your Gut May Be Making You Fat (2013) by DrScump on Friday December 04, 2015 @06:04PM (#10679810) 

  Elite athletes prefer high carb diets by an overwhelming majority.
Really? Your (modern) data for this is... ?

Elite athletes pay more attention to nutrition now than ever; can you name any with a 60%+ carb intake? The days of the "carb loading for endurance" myth are long past.

Hunter Pence is one famous Paleo eater.

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Re:The Microbes in Your Gut May Be Making You Fat (2013) by CuriouslyC on Friday December 04, 2015 @06:38PM (#10679982)
A pre-competition glycogen depletion training block, where a significant amount of medium intensity training is logged in a fasted/glycogen depleted state, followed by a glycogen load immediately prior to competition is the gold standard in terms of competition preparation for sports that need a mix of aerobic and anaerobic endurance.

As for athletes that get the majority of their surplus calories from carbs rather than fat, look up various world champions and google their diet:

* Sprinters * Rowers * In-season bodybuilders * Powerlifters cutting weight for competition * Mixed martial artists

There is a bit of movement towards paleo eating in the MMA community (though oats, potatoes, rice and dairy are still typically consumed) and offseason bodybuilders/powerlifters will frequently eat a balanced mix of carbs and fat. Almost nobody at the top levels does low carb/high fat though.

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