New diet: Gimme the burger, hold the bun

Low-carb diets have taken the country and campus by storm, but critics say the proof is in the pudding. It sounds more like a fraternity brother's feast than a diet. But some Penn students are claiming that consuming scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast, greasy hot dogs for lunch and juicy steaks for dinner has been their ticket to losing the "Freshman 15." "I did it as a joke in the beginning since I didn't think it would work," said College sophomore Richard Wong, who began the diet in late August. "But I tried it and I lost 15 pounds in the first month and eight pounds in the first two weeks." "It was extremely easy," he added. "I like meat so it was a good diet for me. I didn't have to starve and I was never hungry." College freshman Laura Gross said she lost about five pounds on the plan last spring. "I did it for a little while and I did lose weight pretty fast," she said, although she gave up after two weeks when she became bored with eating protein all the time. Wong and Gross are joining a growing number of Penn students who have tried the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets -- often known as Atkin's diets -- attracting nationwide media hype and criticism. Millions of Americans -- including celebrities like Friends star Jennifer Aniston and Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell -- have credited their success in losing weight to these diets. Several books -- ranging from Dr. Atkin's New Diet Revolution and Protein Power to The Zone and Sugar Busters --have also stressed low-carbohydrate diets and are regulars on bestseller lists. The weight-loss programs are based on the idea that people gain weight by eating too much sugar and carbohydrates, which raise the body's insulin level and cause fat storage. Limiting carbohydrates, therefore, causes the body to partially break down body fat, producing organic compounds -- ketones -- as fuel. But Nutrition Professor Ellen Fung said the science behind the low-carbohydrate diets makes little sense. "It's a fad," she said. "It is successful but not a healthy way to lose weight." Though Fung agreed that people generally lose weight rapidly when they first start the diets, she explained that most weight loss occurs because dieters are consuming less food overall -- and not just carbohydrates. "[Dieters] lose the weight because it is low in calories," Fung said, pointing out that most snack foods and desserts are eliminated from their diets. "You don't have the breads, croissants, crackers and chips to munch on. And almost every dessert is high in carbs." One drawback of the diet, according to Fung, is that dieters tend to gain weight as soon as they resume eating carbohydrates. "The women I knew from work who were on it lost a massive amount of weight, but they have gained it all back," College sophomore Anne Kim said. And Penn Dining nutritionist Emily Sherr pointed out that the high-protein diet is also associated with long-term health risks. Eating a high-protein diet may lead to an increased risk of heart disease, some cancers, osteoporosis and kidney problems, she said. Wong noted that he read thoroughly about the diet and consulted his physician before trying the program, and now pays close attention to his cholesterol in addition to his weight. Despite the numerous success stories that students hear from friends, family and co-workers, most Penn students remain skeptical of the high-protein plan. Nursing sophomore Kim Colopinto, for one, said she wouldn't even consider going on the diet. "Your brain needs carbohydrates to function," she said. "To starve my brain is something I'd rather not do." "Carbs are a necessary factor of your diet," College freshman Fred Bergerx added. "The key is moderation. Both Fung and Sherr agreed. The key to losing weight, they said, is to eat a balanced diet, learn healthy eating habits and exercise frequently. Said Fung: "In the long term, you need to learn to eat in our food-toxic society, to go to the fraternity party and know what food to choose and how much to drink."