start and stopping low carb eating unhealthy?

Timon0201

I have a career where i go through 2 month periods where i'm working non-stop and any control on food is thrown out the window. i tend to do low carb eating after each busy work schedule to make up for the weight i gained.

does anyone have links to articles about the health risks, if any, of going in and out of low carb diets?

GaleHawkins

I am interested in the same info. I take it you do not get into nutritional ketosis because that would be awesome for a person working non-stop based on my experience.

shadesofidaho

This is an article I read because I am a long term second time around. About 30 years later for round two. I do not know if the article is right or wrong just posting the link. There are two parts to the article.

proteinpower.com/drmike/low-carb-diets/why-is-low-carb-harder-the-second-time-around/://

I am finding ways to eat out and maintain my low carb WOE. I think you would just need to plan ahead and maybe make it your personal challenge to stick to it during work times.

lulalacroix

I also have a hard time eating properly in regards to my job. I usually end up not eating at all instead of "cheating." I don't have the info that you asked for, but for me I'm just gonna try to plan better.

shadesofidaho

How about packing some salami and cheese with mayo in a packet. Maybe some pork skins to munch on for a quick portable meal? Cheese sticks. If you have to eat out pull the meat out of the burger and eat that with cheese. If you are eating a salad buy some portable dressing packets or make some up. Or ask for oil and vinegar. If you know eating out is a problem for you take your foods with you if you really want to do this. There are some very IN Designer lunch boxes now a days.

icrushit

No links, but just by virtue of the fact that we have systems to burn both carbs and fat as primary fuel sources (I know fat seems to be the better way to go), and also in the past we did not have such control over food (ie no supermarkets, just what was available and eatable), I would not imagine it's unhealthy.

That said, I've seen all the stuff that say health markers improve on low carb - high fat, so I would imagine those markers that changed on low-carb would reverse themselves slowly. I'm not sure how quickly that happens, but I would imagine it's over weeks and months, as opposed to much quicker changes.

Just on a sidenote, re: your 2 month non-stop periods, I would say low carb is probably even more important then, just to help ensure you're adequately fuelled/ protected from stresses better. Easier said than done I know, but as shadesofidaho mentions, there are some ways in which to help yourself if possible

icrushit

lulalacroix wrote: »

I also have a hard time eating properly in regards to my job. I usually end up not eating at all instead of "cheating." I don't have the info that you asked for, but for me I'm just gonna try to plan better.

What worked for me in the past when watching what I ate, was bring a collection of suitable snacks to the office, and either eating them all together in place of lunch, or spread through the day if you're more a snacker (1 middle meal rarely tended to work for me).

Also, depending on how low carb you are, you could consider something like a sandwich on one of those new slim-type rolls, which are generally about 100 calories & in/ around 20g carbs I think. When I eat a sandwich like this, I tend to go heavy on the meat and cheese, and low carb fibrous veg, even a nice slather of mayo, and find it all quite filling. Easy enough to really eat something hefty to fill a gap, even in such a small package

deansdad101

Timon0201 wrote: »

I have a career where i go through 2 month periods where i'm working non-stop and any control on food is thrown out the window. i tend to do low carb eating after each busy work schedule to make up for the weight i gained.

does anyone have links to articles about the health risks, if any, of going in and out of low carb diets?

Tim;

Welcome to the LCD group and thank you for raising a thought provoking question that hasn't already been asked and answered a thousand times before.

I'm not aware of any reliable studies that would either support or dispute any "health risks...of going in and out of LC".

BUT......that certainly doesn't mean they might not exist, just that I'm not aware of any.

My guess though, is that if you what mean by "...low carb diets" (which by itself is almost a meaningless term since it means different things to different people), as opposed to a LCHF eating plan (aka "diet") which has actually produced Fat Adaptation (defined as blood ketone levels >0.5mmol), I'm fairly confident that none exist.

Simple overall carb reduction, say from the 350-500g/day many SAD "dieteers" consider "normal" - to the 100-150g range many would consider lowER carbs (but not "low" by most "low carbers") has, almost without exception shown nothing but positive health benefits.

So if those two month dietary "free for alls" result in a return to "uncontrolled", elevated carb levels, then yes, there IS an elevated risk of long term negative health risks ("elevated" from the relative risk levels one has achieved while on low, or even just "lowER" levels).

Likewise, I would argue, might be the "risk" level effect of going "in and out" of Nutritional Ketosis and/or Fat Adaptation.

The act itself (going "in/out") isn't the risk - the effect of it however DOES change the relative risk level, long term and not for the better.

My question though would be more on the "two month periods...."

While I do agree that external pressures, schedules, and job related circumstances certainly do make it more difficult to "stick to" any given dietary plan, in most cases "more difficult" doesn't have to mean "impossible".

Not knowing the details of your particular case, maybe it really is "impossible" but if not, I'd suggest focusing your efforts on doing the best you can under the circumstances (even if NK/FA isn't possible or isn't your goal), during the two month periods since ANY reduction in carbs/sugars/grains/starches and processed foods is better than none.

GaleHawkins

iloseityes wrote: »

lulalacroix wrote: »

I also have a hard time eating properly in regards to my job. I usually end up not eating at all instead of "cheating." I don't have the info that you asked for, but for me I'm just gonna try to plan better.

What worked for me in the past when watching what I ate, was bring a collection of suitable snacks to the office, and either eating them all together in place of lunch, or spread through the day if you're more a snacker (1 middle meal rarely tended to work for me).

Also, depending on how low carb you are, you could consider something like a sandwich on one of those new slim-type rolls, which are generally about 100 calories & in/ around 20g carbs I think. When I eat a sandwich like this, I tend to go heavy on the meat and cheese, and low carb fibrous veg, even a nice slather of mayo, and find it all quite filling. Easy enough to really eat something hefty to fill a gap, even in such a small package

Good thoughts. We still keep the high carb snacks and soda in the break room at the office and I do not make an issue about it. If people are carb burners I want their brains working and not having sugar crashes.

After I went very low carb they were taken back that a box of 12 Ding Dongs (chocolate creme filled round cakes in the USA) could last a month vs one day. I think them seeing me leave the junk untouched has cut the eating of it or they may just be bringing their own to fake me out. I do not preach others should do low carb but do push for them to have their Vit D3 levels checked at their next physical.

At all times I keep coconut oil and green tea at the office so I can have a 250-500 calorie Fat snack on demand. This is important if I have an event at the end of the day especially where there will be food since I can show up and not be hungry and stuff my face with junk if that is all there is to eat.