Wheat Belly

A friend posted this to FB today. I wonder what you guys would say about it:

http://www.lifetime-weightloss.com/blog/2012/1/12/life-time-weight-loss-interview-dr-william-davis-wheat-belly.html

Let's discuss! :-)
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Replies

  • Ah yes the wheat belly discussion. I have recently come across him and I watched a couple of interviews that he was in. I see his point and I agree with it to an extent. Personally, I feel our SAD (Standard American Diet) is too high in carbohydrates, especially refined carbs. I did find it interesting that "wheat bread" has the same or slightly different glycemic index as does white bread.

    What I like to call typical carbs, breads, pastas, fast digesting carbs, are too high in our diet. We need more complex carbs in the diet, focusing more on whole foods; fruits, veggies, legumes, some long grain brown rice.

    Bottom line, I think we need to remember to eat more whole foods, eat foods that man kind hasn't altered or messed with. Keep it simple, cook more, eat unprocessed foods, stay away from refined carbs, and eat foods high in fiber.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    I threw away my slices of wheat bread today and got two snickers since they are lower GI and therefore better than the wheat bread
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Ah yes the wheat belly discussion. I have recently come across him and I watched a couple of interviews that he was in. I see his point and I agree with it to an extent. Personally, I feel our SAD (Standard American Diet) is too high in carbohydrates, especially refined carbs. I did find it interesting that "wheat bread" has the same or slightly different glycemic index as does white bread.

    What I like to call typical carbs, breads, pastas, fast digesting carbs, are too high in our diet. We need more complex carbs in the diet, focusing more on whole foods; fruits, veggies, legumes, some long grain brown rice.

    Bottom line, I think we need to remember to eat more whole foods, eat foods that man kind hasn't altered or messed with. Keep it simple, cook more, eat unprocessed foods, stay away from refined carbs, and eat foods high in fiber.

    You get your complex carbs from fruit?
  • sin485
    sin485 Posts: 125 Member
    I threw away my slices of wheat bread today and got two snickers since they are lower GI and therefore better than the wheat bread

    lol
  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326
    Dr. Davis distorts research study findings and is still fat, carrying most of his weight in his belly. Save your money and your brain, and go eat some delicious bread.
  • LeidaPrimal
    LeidaPrimal Posts: 198 Member
    Davis is given to sensationalism, but he is right on the money that grain makes you gain. I think absolutely everyone should try to go clean-food only, grain-less and legume-less for 6 weeks and see the difference for themselves.

    His recipes are stupid though. He tries hard to sub grain products with some false nut based crap. To do it right, no faking is required. Real veggies + meat + good fats = life's wonderful and good.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    Dr. Davis distorts research study findings and is still fat, carrying most of his weight in his belly. Save your money and your brain, and go eat some delicious bread.

    Give us a cuddle. :flowerforyou:
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Davis is given to sensationalism, but he is right on the money that grain makes you gain. I think absolutely everyone should try to go clean-food only, grain-less and legume-less for 6 weeks and see the difference for themselves.

    o-rly.jpg
  • tat2dmrsgrimm
    tat2dmrsgrimm Posts: 226 Member
    Davis is given to sensationalism, but he is right on the money that grain makes you gain. I think absolutely everyone should try to go clean-food only, grain-less and legume-less for 6 weeks and see the difference for themselves.

    His recipes are stupid though. He tries hard to sub grain products with some false nut based crap. To do it right, no faking is required. Real veggies + meat + good fats = life's wonderful and good.

    You must be joking. I eat toast EVERY morning. I eat sandwiches and wraps, and I wouldn't know clean food if it danced around in front of me. I have lost 45 pounds eating everything in MODERATION. Hell, I had a Wild Grape Smirnoff Ice last night, just cause I wanted it and I had the calories. (granted yesterday was a REALLY bad day). Most days I get in fruits and veggies and lean meats and BALANCE. So grain makes you gain is NOT true for everyone.
  • AMHouse85
    AMHouse85 Posts: 285 Member
    I read his book. I cut out all the wheat to give it a try. I felt so much better, the fat around my mid section seemed to melt away. I've added wheat back(Husband brought home Michigan Apple Cinnamon Bread and I couldn't say no) and I have been achy, tired and my mid-squish seems to be coming back. I kept looking at the calories in bread too and was like dang if I eat that bread then I can't afford to have x later. On that note is was easy, I would rather have a few extra slices of bacon and my blt wrapped with lettuce. Just my personal take on it. Give it a shot what do you have to loose?
  • geraint125
    geraint125 Posts: 20 Member
    Dr. Davis distorts research study findings and is still fat, carrying most of his weight in his belly. Save your money and your brain, and go eat some delicious bread.

    I have had trouble with my weight for decades but have managed to lose the odd pound or two. I have now reached (and passed) my target weight as in June I gave up eating anything linked to wheat. Such as Bread, Pasta etc... I am not saying this would be the same for everybody but it certainly is for me. I used to feel terribly bloated after eating bread and it would take several days for my weight to return to normal.

    As an additional point... Some years ago I had to have a full body X-Ray and the Radiologist said to me "ah! I see you've had your appendix removed". I told him that I had never had my appendix removed, as I never have (no tell tale scar even). He didn't believe me but simply said "well you haven't got one". I'm left wondering if this could be part of my problem as it's a redundant organ for eating grass. Food for thought
  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326
    I read his book. I cut out all the wheat to give it a try. I felt so much better, the fat around my mid section seemed to melt away. I've added wheat back(Husband brought home Michigan Apple Cinnamon Bread and I couldn't say no) and I have been achy, tired and my mid-squish seems to be coming back. I kept looking at the calories in bread too and was like dang if I eat that bread then I can't afford to have x later. On that note is was easy, I would rather have a few extra slices of bacon and my blt wrapped with lettuce. Just my personal take on it. Give it a shot what do you have to loose?

    I don't disagree that some people have a sensitivity, intolerance, or full on allergy to some foods, including wheat. Hell, I've developed mild lactose intolerance over the years and getting rid of dairy obviously made me feel better. However, to make claims about the evilness of wheat with very little evidence or a distortion of the facts bothers me. It bothers me that these types of diets are filling the pockets of doctors who have no education in nutrition. Dr. Davis is on the same level as Dr. Oz for me.

    And what do I have to lose? Well, bread. And I like bread. And it doesn't make me feel like *kitten* when I eat it. And I don't believe there is any evidence (that I've seen) that would make me believe it's unhealthy.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    Ah yes the wheat belly discussion. I have recently come across him and I watched a couple of interviews that he was in. I see his point and I agree with it to an extent. Personally, I feel our SAD (Standard American Diet) is too high in carbohydrates, especially refined carbs. I did find it interesting that "wheat bread" has the same or slightly different glycemic index as does white bread.

    What I like to call typical carbs, breads, pastas, fast digesting carbs, are too high in our diet. We need more complex carbs in the diet, focusing more on whole foods; fruits, veggies, legumes, some long grain brown rice.

    Bottom line, I think we need to remember to eat more whole foods, eat foods that man kind hasn't altered or messed with. Keep it simple, cook more, eat unprocessed foods, stay away from refined carbs, and eat foods high in fiber.
    grains are complex carbs, fruits are simple carbs. A cupcake would be complex, an apple would be simple.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    As long as a person stays under their TDEE then a person will loss weight PERIOD. But fat associated with the apple shape is driven by over-indulgence of sugars/carbs. The key here is over-indulgence. If you eat more carbs before your body has burned/utilized the carbs that were already in your muscle/organs then the excess is stored as fat. The fact is, a person living a mostly sedentary life shouldn't indulge in carbs; but a person who is exercising or has a labor intensive job would benefit from carbs.

    My position on Wheat is this: 1 in 133 people have Celiac Disease. An even greater number of people have a sensitivity to gluten that is NOT a result of Celiac (non-celiac gluten sensitivity). While a person is eating foods that they have a sensitivity, allergy, or disorder to, the body can't absorb the nutrients properly and you will have intestinal inflammation. Micronutrient deficiencies can cause weight loss or gain and intestinal inflammation will result in "soothe food" consumption (read: sugar/carbs) which will result in metabolic syndrome. So while wheat is NOT what's making us fat, it's what wheat is doing to our bodies and the chain reaction of events that takes place that causes us to gain weight.

    Source: I am gluten sensitive and consuption will give me IBS as well as GERD.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    As long as a person stays under their TDEE then a person will loss weight PERIOD. But fat associated with the apple shape is driven by over-indulgence of sugars/carbs. The key here is over-indulgence. If you eat more carbs before your body has burned/utilized the carbs that were already in your muscle/organs then the excess is stored as fat. The fact is, a person living a mostly sedentary life shouldn't indulge in carbs; but a person who is exercising or has a labor intensive job would benefit from carbs.

    And how common is DNL in humans?
  • LeidaPrimal
    LeidaPrimal Posts: 198 Member
    You must be joking.

    No. All nutritional research is lies, darn lies and more lies until you tried the concept for yourself and saw if it works for you or not.

    When you stop losing weight, try dropping that toast. Everything in moderation doesn't work long term.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    You must be joking.

    No. All nutritional research is lies, darn lies and more lies until you tried the concept for yourself and saw if it works for you or not.

    When you stop losing weight, try dropping that toast. Everything in moderation doesn't work long term.

    So according to you N=1 is greater than all current literature in nutrition?
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    You must be joking.

    No. All nutritional research is lies, darn lies and more lies until you tried the concept for yourself and saw if it works for you or not.

    When you stop losing weight, try dropping that toast. Everything in moderation doesn't work long term.

    Wanna put your results against mine?

    I eat pasta at least twice a week. Delicious, worthless, white pasta. With breaded chicken on top.

    Everything in moderation. Because it's the only thing that works long term.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    You must be joking.

    No. All nutritional research is lies, darn lies and more lies until you tried the concept for yourself and saw if it works for you or not.

    When you stop losing weight, try dropping that toast. Everything in moderation doesn't work long term.

    Wanna put your results against mine?

    I eat pasta at least twice a week. Delicious, worthless, white pasta. With breaded chicken on top.

    Everything in moderation. Because it's the only thing that works long term.

    don't you know everyone in Asia looks like this due to their processed grain consumption?

    Asashoryu-Sumo-Wrestler1.jpg
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    It just always blows my mind that some people would try to blame a certain type of food as opposed to the calorie content. *of course some people have special conditions/intolerances. But not many*

    If you're trying to lose weight be sure to eat your recommended calories. Exercise. Works every time.

    Replacing a slice of bread with a pound of bacon isn't doing you any favors. Plus you can use the bread for a tasty bacon sandwich.
  • LeidaPrimal
    LeidaPrimal Posts: 198 Member
    So according to you N=1 is greater than all current literature in nutrition?

    Yep. The bestest research is worthless for you if it doesn't work for you. Don't trust anyone telling you what to do. Try it. Stick with it for long enough to see if it is beneficial of not. Drop it if you don't like it. Go on if it doesn't.
    Wanna put your results against mine?

    Female, post child-birth. Dropped 30 lbs with high carb-low fat diet and 3+ hours cardio/bootcamps a day post pg. Got sick as heck, including wanting an orange peel from a trash can, unable to stay full on caloric limit; started regaining weight. Dropped processed grains. Felt immediately better. Over the next couple years moved more and more towards nothing but meat, fats and vegetables. Fixed high blood sugar. Stopped being dizzy, disoriented and maddeningly hungry every time I went without food for 2 hrs. Hold weight in low 120's, lifting 4x a week and throwing in HIT 2-3x a week & moving slowly as much as I can. Regained muscular mass in the upper body. Stopped looking like I ran away from a concentration camp on top, while still sporting huge thighs at the bottom. Go sick & gain uncontrollably every time I eat grains or sugars. My calories to get satiated go up by 300-600 cals a day when I eat grains/sugars.

    My N=1 is that no grains/no sugar is the only way I can manage my hunger, my weight, train and not go mad with hunger and deprivation. Grains are not my friend, even the benign rice.

    Because I tried different things, I know what I know.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    So according to you N=1 is greater than all current literature in nutrition?

    Yep. The bestest research is worthless for you if it doesn't work for you. Don't trust anyone telling you what to do. Try it. Stick with it for long enough to see if it is beneficial of not. Drop it if you don't like it. Go on if it doesn't.
    Wanna put your results against mine?

    Because I tried different things, I know what I know.

    You were able to control for all potential confounders?
  • yspen42
    yspen42 Posts: 285 Member
    I have heard alot about this book and I have it on hold at the library...I was told there is a lot of information in it that is stopping us from losing the fat that is in our belly area.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    So according to you N=1 is greater than all current literature in nutrition?

    Yep. The bestest research is worthless for you if it doesn't work for you. Don't trust anyone telling you what to do. Try it. Stick with it for long enough to see if it is beneficial of not. Drop it if you don't like it. Go on if it doesn't.
    Wanna put your results against mine?

    Female, post child-birth. Dropped 30 lbs with high carb-low fat diet and 3+ hours cardio/bootcamps a day post pg. Got sick as heck, including wanting an orange peel from a trash can. Dropped processed grains. Felt immediately better. Over the next couple years moved more and more towards nothing but meat, fats and vegetables. Fixed high blood sugar. Stopped being dizzy, disoriented and maddeningly hungry every time I went without food for 2 hrs. Hold weight in low 120's, lifting 4x a week and throwing in HIT 2-3x a week & moving slowly as much as I can. Go sick & gain uncontrollably every time I eat grains or sugars.

    My N=1 is that no grains/no sugar is the only way I can manage my hunger, my weight, train and not go mad with hunger and deprivation. Grains are not my friend, even the benign rice.

    Because I tried different things, I know what I know.

    But, and I only say this based on what you yourself have said, that's all meaningless because it worked for you. No one should trust what you're telling them.

    And I would have suggested that instead of low-fat, high carb with 3+ hours of intense cardio every single day to the point where you were ill and starving I'd simply:

    Eat the calories recommended to a person by MFP, exercise 30 minutes a day 4-5 times a week. Period.

    Sounds to me like you followed a bad plan with a slightly more reasonable one and now you're pretending it's the only thing that works.

    You should have tried moderation.

    Disclaimer because you always have to in this debate: If you have a special condition that requires this type of diet by all means it is the best thing for you. That does not mean a person without that condition needs to eliminate entire food groups also.
  • LeidaPrimal
    LeidaPrimal Posts: 198 Member
    You were able to control for all potential confounders?

    No. But hunger increase when eating sugar/grains is so significant, minor deviations do not impact the results.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Davis is given to sensationalism, but he is right on the money that grain makes you gain. I think absolutely everyone should try to go clean-food only, grain-less and legume-less for 6 weeks and see the difference for themselves.

    I eat grains and legumes (lots and lots of legumes). I feel fine, I look fine, my doctor says I'm fine, and I have no disease risk factors that are within my control. Why would I want to see a difference?
  • LeidaPrimal
    LeidaPrimal Posts: 198 Member
    And I would have suggested that instead of low-fat, high carb with 3+ hours of intense cardio every single day to the point where you were ill and starving I'd simply:

    Eat the calories recommended to a person by MFP, exercise 30 minutes a day 4-5 times a week. Period.

    Sounds to me like you followed a bad plan with a slightly more reasonable one and now you're pretending it's the only thing that works.

    You should have tried moderation.

    Did that. Moderation = slowly regaining to the weight right back to the over-weight line where I started after pg. I did not want to be overweight. I am much more comfortable here. Now I hold the same weight I had to go sick on grain-based diet without much problems and my body comp is better. It is not easy. It is never easy, but it is much better. I can be reasonable without grain. I have to be unreasonable with it.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    This comes up pretty regularly on the forums and I gotta say, I think this guy is full of it, which is usually the case with people who claim some unique scientific discovery. That said... wheat is highly calorie-dense like all the other staple foods.
  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
    I'm a coeliac no gluten/wheat for me at all but I've still managed to put on over 7 stone. Cutting out what may work for some people but its not the golden answer.
  • LeidaPrimal
    LeidaPrimal Posts: 198 Member
    I eat grains and legumes (lots and lots of legumes). I feel fine, I look fine, my doctor says I'm fine, and I have no disease risk factors that are within my control. Why would I want to see a difference?

    I did not intend this statement for those experiencing perfect contentment with their health and aesthetics when I made this statement. I stand corrected.