Update: Weight up, cholesterol up for man who lost 27 pounds on Twinkie diet
August 30th, 2011
04:00 PM ET

Update: Weight up, cholesterol up for man who lost 27 pounds on Twinkie diet

Nutrition professor Mark Haub, who lost 27 pounds eating mainly Twinkies, powdered donuts and Oreo cookies, is back to an average American diet.

Since ending his junk food experiment in November, he has gained 2 pounds and his cholesterol has also increased a little bit, he said. He also has gained a new insight into the debate over healthy eating.

"People have a hatred towards (processed) foods," he said. "I like them. I eat them. It's amazing how people believe if it's processed, it's not food."

What also caught Haub by surprise was "how vitriolic people can be when they take a stance, whether it's low-carb or paleo diet. It's like politics. Those discussions can get heated. It's the same thing with religion, I'm right. You're wrong."

Last fall, Haub shed 13% of his weight over two months restricting his diet to 1,600 calories while eating "junk food." Surprisingly, his cholesterol readings improved and his level of triglycerides, which are a form of fat, decreased. This could have been explained by the decreased consumption of calories.

November 8, 2010: Twinkie diet helps nutrition professor lose 27 pounds

Today he eats three meals a day, consuming about 2,200 calories with food choices like turkey sandwiches, peanut butter, and snacking on pears.

"The main thing I did was reduce portion size," he said about what he learned from the diet. "It's that concept of mindfulness or mindful eating - I eat relatively the same. I just eat less."

And he still munches on an occasional Twinkie or snack cake.

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Filed under: Food • Health • Nutrition
soundoff (283 Responses)
  1. Jazzzzzzzz

    @ Lee...It's been raining here all day, but I never check the weather. I just peek out side and grab what ever I need for the day.
    I miss ELEPHANT NUTTS

    August 9, 2011 at 9:00 pm | Report abuse |
    • t.h.e. cat

      elephant nuts????

      August 10, 2011 at 1:42 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Jazzzzzzzz

    I'm pregnant. I don't know who the father is.

    August 9, 2011 at 9:08 pm | Report abuse |
    • Mmmmm

      solution: elevate the ankles and spin the bottle.

      August 10, 2011 at 5:08 am | Report abuse |
  3. Jazzzzzzzz

    You poor pathetic TROLL, I know better than to feed you but I'm actually in the mood!

    August 9, 2011 at 9:12 pm | Report abuse |
  4. justathought

    @ Mmmmm It's not the potatos, it's what you put on them–you knew that! It's not the food in processed foods, that harmful, it's the c___p that is put in the food that is not healthy.

    August 9, 2011 at 9:12 pm | Report abuse |
    • Mmmmm

      I agree. Just saying, I don't eat toes!

      August 10, 2011 at 5:11 am | Report abuse |
  5. Jazzzzzzzz

    @ Justathought ...how would you lose weight , tell me.

    August 9, 2011 at 9:16 pm | Report abuse |
  6. drap

    The good news is..he now has a 99yr shelf life... .

    August 9, 2011 at 9:44 pm | Report abuse |
  7. ajd041

    A twinkie diet? I guess it works...

    August 9, 2011 at 10:35 pm | Report abuse |
  8. justathought

    @ Jazzzzzz: Well I used to weigh 187 and I'm now 150 and for being 5' 10" that's ok. I've held this weight for 4 years. I did it with a change of diet–not one of the lose weight diets, but my choice of foods. I cut out a lot of red meat, (use skinless chicdken, dont fry it, and broiled fish) ate more fresh fruits and vegetables, I cut way down on sugar sweets so much I hardly even eat them any more. I've added vegetables that I use to not eat, like brussel sprouts, no more iceberg letuce for me. use the better ones. I guess I could go on and on, bascly eat better and cut out the empty carbs and sweets. USE ONLY WHOLE GRAIN breads and pastas otherwise you are only getting starchy fats. as for potatoes, use the whole potatoe or take off as little of the skin as possible. Most of the vitamins are within the first 1/8" of the skin. The middle of the potatoe is mostly empty carbs. Got'a quit here.

    August 9, 2011 at 11:10 pm | Report abuse |
  9. justathought

    @ Jazzzzz I posed on another page how I lost weight.

    August 9, 2011 at 11:13 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Jazzzzzzzz

    ok, thanks and i'm done for the night so i'll have to eread tomorrow, as you can see Iphysically and emotionally drained for goofd ...nithgt

    August 9, 2011 at 11:44 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Fitness Guru

    This weight loss is deceiving. There is very little protein in those snack cakes and when he started back on his normal diet he was probably taking in more grams of protein. Since November he has only added 2 lbs which is probably water or muscle. This diet is a bad idea and I don't know how CNN can post it as a reasonable alternative. Lol

    August 9, 2011 at 11:53 pm | Report abuse |
    • Ozzi

      CNN didn't posted it as a reasonable alternative. CNN posted it as an experiment with unusual results. The article was a filler in science and tech.

      The interesting thing was the calorie count.

      August 10, 2011 at 2:09 pm | Report abuse |
  12. jamiereno09

    If you are looking for freebies like myself the best place online to get is "123 Samples" You can qualify easily with out credit card.

    August 10, 2011 at 3:02 am | Report abuse |
  13. Ozzi

    I lost weight by counting and cutting calories. I lost more weight by tweaking some eating habits, Then I added more intensive exercise and lost more. So far I have lost 52lbs.

    I love the Adkins diet.

    August 10, 2011 at 2:12 pm | Report abuse |
  14. meee!!!

    Jazzz likes twinkies she is used to creme filled things in her mouth

    August 10, 2011 at 10:01 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Husky Blog

    The reason his cholesterol went up despite the fact he lost weight, was because Twinkies are nothing but High Carbs and Sugar. Mass media medicine has suckered people into thinking that the main cause for high Cholesterol and triglycerides is high fatty diet i.e from hamburger, Steak Eggs Cheese Bacon ect. These foods do contribute but the Liver is the creator of carbs and triglycerides. It is much easier for the Liver to convert carbohydrates and sugar into cholesterol than it is to directly turn fat into into this. This is why a person on the Atkins Diet can eat 7 Cheeseburgers a day and watch his cholesterol drop Even most of these so called "healthy whole Wheat Breads," are loaded with Fructose read the labels. People when they eat at places like McDonalds are not getting there main source of Cholesterol from the Cheeseburgers or the Chicken, but rather from the French Fries HIGH IN CARBS,. sugary drinks, and the high carb coatings on the chicken made mostly of Flour. Remember that Pasta Bread Potato Pop added Corn syrup, Fructose to foods are the main culprit.

    August 17, 2011 at 3:56 pm | Report abuse |
    • Alix

      You obviously didn't read the article. His cholesterol went DOWN while on the junk food diet. When he stopped the diet and began to eat normal his cholesterol went up. "Since ending his junk food experiment in November, he has gained 2 pounds and his cholesterol has also increased a little bit".

      August 30, 2011 at 8:02 pm | Report abuse |
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