Is cutting carbs an effective weight loss strategy?

FitnessTim

I used to think that cutting carbs was not a good strategy for losing weight and keeping it off.

community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/141788/is-there-anyone-who-still-believes-in-low-carb-dieting#latest

There were experts on both sides of the low-carb diet argument so I was stuck with just trying things out for myself and seeing what worked.

Since then, I've experimented with varying percentage of carb intakes and I'm come to the conclusion that, for me, cutting carbs is effective.

For most of my life, I've had a very carb-rich diet. As an adult, I now know that I can't maintain my weight and continue to have a high carb diet. I also know that extremely low carb diets is next to impossible for me - I may get there someday but right now I find it very difficult to stay away from certain carb-rich foods.

I know I'm going to slip up and eat carb-rich foods so to counter that tendency I try to eliminate carbs whenever I can. In this way I don't totally ruin my diet when I have a sandwich with bread or a bag of chips.

In the past, I was really negative about low-carb dieting. I still fight the urge to roll my eyes when someone talks about cutting carbs. I was wrong.

One positive to take away from this is that we need to remember to keep our minds open to different approaches. Maybe we'll find out that it really has been gluten all along that caused the rise in obesity. (I don't believe that ... yet).

ajnb88

IMO you can cut carbs, just as long as you adjust your other macros and activities to compensate. Obviously they're the preferred source of energy, but the body can use pretty much anything when pushed to, so as long as you can keep your energy levels up it's a good strategy.

Doesn't really work for gaining muscle though.

Kalikel

I think you answered your own question.

If you learn enough about anything, you'll find out there are things you were certain about that aren't as clear once you know more. You know what they say about a little bit of knowledge!!

prattiger65

Not for me.

ninerbuff

Weight loss yes. As for a livable lifestyle, not for me.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

tennisdude2004

Weight loss yes - as for a livable lifestyle - absolutely! for me it beats calorie counting hands down.

But everyone is different - try it and if it works for you great stick with, if it doesn't feel comfortable then switch it up for something else.

ndj1979

if it is the only way to get yourself into a calorie deficit then go for it…however, you will have the same results if you just put yourself in a 500 calorie per day deficit.

If you think you can eat low carb for the rest of your life go for it…if I did that I would be cranky you know what ….

tennisdude2004

ndj1979 wrote: »

if it is the only way to get yourself into a calorie deficit then go for it…however, you will have the same results if you just put yourself in a 500 calorie per day deficit.

If you think you can eat low carb for the rest of your life go for it…if I did that I would be cranky you know what ….

You're cranky on the diet you're on!!!

That was a joke by the - not sure it's down to your diet - just everyone elses.

loulamb7

I tried the low-carb method over 10 years ago. Did it work for losing weight? Yes, but it wasn't a maintainable lifestyle for me. This time I just used a calorie deficit. It's work and it's maintainable because I didn't need to eliminate or restrict anything that I enjoy.

cwolfman13

effective...sure...you're cutting out an entire macro and thus reducing your calorie intake (so long as those calories aren't replaced elsewhere). Personally, my performance and recovery suffers when my carbs are too low and by no means is cutting carbs necessary to lose weight...which is seems is what a lot of people think. And, carbs aren't the devil...also something that a lot of people seem to think.

My carbs are my rocket fuel.

SuggaD

Do what works for you and what you can stick to. I'm still learning 2 years later. And counting doesn't work for me well. Eating sensibly does. Don't know why but it's true so just going to stick with what works.

TimothyFish

I don't think that carbs are what is causing obesity. I do think we're encouraging people to eat a lot of easy calories while also encouraging them to sit around doing nothing.

FitnessTim

"Not for me" is a great response. It implies that while it may work for some people it doesn't work for everyone.

Thanks

williams969

ninerbuff wrote: »

Weight loss yes. As for a livable lifestyle, not for me.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Same for me. Also, "cutting carbs" does not only mean low/ very low carb. It can be a modest cut. For me, that meant 100-150g carbs daily during my 1lb/week cut. I'm at ~200g now, and as I move closer to maintenance, it will be more like 250-300g carbs, as I see no need nor have desire to pound more protein down my gullet (which is already sufficiently high).

slprz

I cut out carbs mostly because it's my weakness. Sugar and bread are the biggest so I just stay away. It's amazing how much it takes from my total calorie count also. It's not "easy" but it's the easiest way for me. I know if I've stayed away from those two things in particular that I'm probably doing good for the day. Once I'm to the weight I want to maintain then it's on and I'll just head to the gym to burn those calories off when I decide to have a pizza and ice cream kind of night...oh and wine.

Christine_72

What if you lowered your carbs one day, but ate your rda the next? Or had a few low carb days per week. This is kinda what I do, as I try to stay low carb as much as I can, but find it too hard to stick to 7 days a week. Am I wasting my time just low carbing 3-4 days a week?

PeachyCarol

I keep mine moderate because that's what works best for me, but not for weight loss... just in general for how I feel and for my digestive health (I have some issues with that). I don't really keep anything out of my diet (except gluten since I have celiac disease), but I do eat some things very, very infrequently. I've eaten this way for quite some time, but I wasn't losing weight because of it... because I was eating too many calories. It always comes down to calories consumed no matter what you're restricting from your diet.

This is a sustainable, sensible approach for me. I tried very low carbing. I lost weight to a point, but I was hungry and ate too much fat so that I would feel sated and because of that, the calorie restriction was only limited to a certain point. It was not a sustainable way of eating for me. Allowing myself to incorporate all foods into my diet in moderation is.

Oi_Sunshine

If cutting the carbs helps you eat at a deficit, yes. If you are diabetic or borderline, it's recommended in order to lower blood sugar levels. If you have thyroid issues like I do, (Hashimoto's/hypothyroid) there is some suggestion that low carb/keto helps with weight loss. I'm trying it now, and am finding it helpful.

I had been eating mostly gluten free at 1400 calories per day and not losing weight. Going low carb (35-50g) at 1400 calories per day has helped me lose a pound in ten days.

If you don't have any underlying conditions, carbs are an important part of a balanced diet.

FitnessTim

christinev297 wrote: »

What if you lowered your carbs one day, but ate your rda the next? Or had a few low carb days per week. This is kinda what I do, as I try to stay low carb as much as I can, but find it too hard to stick to 7 days a week. Am I wasting my time just low carbing 3-4 days a week?

You are talking about carb-cycling. I tried that for a few weeks but it was a lot of work getting the numbers right. Chris Powell has a good book that covers that approach. I may give it a try again if I get stuck.

Whatever approach a person uses, it sure is a lot of work. I don't need a fitness coach - I need an accountant.

lemurcat12

williams969 wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

Weight loss yes. As for a livable lifestyle, not for me.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Same for me. Also, "cutting carbs" does not only mean low/ very low carb. It can be a modest cut. For me, that meant 100-150g carbs daily during my 1lb/week cut. I'm at ~200g now, and as I move closer to maintenance, it will be more like 250-300g carbs, as I see no need nor have desire to pound more protein down my gullet (which is already sufficiently high).

This. I don't see cutting carbs as meaning a low carb diet, necessarily, or being contrary to watching calories. For me the most effective (easiest, more consistent with the foods I care about) way to reduce calories was to cut carbs to about 100. They are now around 150 (sometimes lower--they've been kind of low lately without me planning it) and I am happy with the balance of macros I'm eating. I may kick them up when I start doing more long distance exercise again and certainly when I get to maintenance, for the reasons you mention.

lemurcat12

TimothyFish wrote: »

I don't think that carbs are what is causing obesity. I do think we're encouraging people to eat a lot of easy calories while also encouraging them to sit around doing nothing.

This is true, and it just happens that lots of the easy calories that people like are high in carbs, but there are obviously exceptions--I don't think people would stop overeating if we focused more on high fat snack foods and meals (and it's not like there's a real deficit of fat in the SAD).

I do think that one thing that has gone on is that the traditional human diets tend to be focused on carbs that mostly served to make sure that we got adequate cheap energy (bread and potatoes in the west, rice in much of Asia, etc.), and that as we move to a society where excess calories are more of an issue and people are less active, the focus on those sorts of calories as a significant staple or percentage of the diet may be no longer a good idea.

Just a personal theory, however.

FitnessTim

Lemur raise a good point. I should have considered the difference between cutting carbs and low carb diets.

For me, what most people consider low carb diets are unsustainable in the long term.

I never really considered myself a big fan of carbs until I tried reducing them from my diet.

Mr_Knight

I'm pretty sure that vast majority of people who want to create a caloric deficit are going to have to cut carbs.

Christine_72

Mr_Knight wrote: »

I'm pretty sure that vast majority of people who want to create a caloric deficit are going to have to cut carbs.

True that. All the yummy carby stuff I like is high calorie and just leaves me wanting more and therefore go over my tdee.

Kalikel

Mr_Knight wrote: »

I'm pretty sure that vast majority of people who want to create a caloric deficit are going to have to cut carbs.

Agreed.

Iwishyouwell

Extremely effective for some people.

It was for me. If it wasn't for my massive sweet tooth, low carbing would be my natural way of eating at this point; doing it off and on for years literally killed my cravings for almost all high carb foods. I have never gained weight while low carbing, and that's without counting calories. I have maintained and stalled though. It's extreme satiating.

And for the person who stated you can't build muscle while low carbing? Yeah, my body disagrees.

lulalacroix

It's been effective for me. I've replaced my carbs with fat and kept my protein about the same. The additional fat has given me energy I haven't seen since my teens. I love having energy again!

LAWoman72

I control my carbs as too many set my appetite zooming, but am by no means low-carb. I try to eat around 100g/day, spaced throughout the day (100g in one meal or even 60 or 70g in one meal would have me face-down in a tub of Doritos in no time).

However, this doesn't make me lose weight faster or anything. I do feel I retain less water this way (when I have a very high-carb day, my face and fingers puff up pretty drastically). But without controlling my calories as well, I don't lose weight just from controlling my carbs. Nor do I gain from a few more carbs on any given day.

I did low-carb off and on for years, always thinking it would be my Holy Grail of being able to eat tons of food yet get my weight down, but after the initial "woosh" in the beginning (water), my weight stopped, unless I was controlling my calories too.

Since it came down to CICO, I made the decision to just eat what, for me, would be a reasonably controlled amount of carbs to keep my appetite in check, but not to low-carb anymore. It is just not sustainable for me. I miss my more carb-y foods terribly and always fall off the wagon doing low-carb.

I do know there are people who do beautifully low-carbing. There is a low carb board that's quite famous and does have "lifetime" low-carbers. Google Low Carb Forum and it will probably be your first result. The description next to the name will say "Active Low-Carber Forums," I think.

Like you, I was very, very high-carb for most of my life, but because I was constantly on a diet (been on diets since 1978), and did control my calories for the majority of that time, my total carbs for the day probably weren't much different from the Standard American Diet carbs allotment. However, I'd eat, say, a Pop Tart for breakfast, one Cup O'Noodles for lunch, and for dinner, some rice, and maybe a piece of protein, but maybe a piece of bread instead. If I had room calories-wise, I'd have a dessert...a little piece of cake...something wheat-y. I was seriously all about carbs, carbs, carbs. I was starving that entire time...for years and years and years. About 11 years ago I snapped and could no longer seem to control my calories, and got fat.

So I came upon low-carbing in a desperate search for how to control my appetite, but after a few years of doing that, then falling off the wagon, then doing it again...later, rinse, repeat...and winding up VERY overweight, I have now found my happy medium for macros and am controlling my calories. Hope the same happens for you, with your own happy medium.

ChrisRabon_26

I've recently dropped mine between 145-155. With my calories at 1600. Not factoring in working out..i/e..cardio, weight training. I'll notice that i'm hungrier, but not hungry enough to where i feel like i'm suffering. I've noticed how i've been able to drop a few lbs & i am by no means obese, but i believe it works. Is it something i would do for months? No. But some people it will work for & some people it won't. I personally don't see how, if anyone can keep their carb intake to around the 50ish range, i'd feel bad & be in a irritable mood.

tennisdude2004

lulalacroix wrote: »

It's been effective for me. I've replaced my carbs with fat and kept my protein about the same. The additional fat has given me energy I haven't seen since my teens. I love having energy again!

^^^^ I experienced this too - I was able to do 8 mile hikes on Sunday mornings and not need to have my food of the day till about 1pm in the afternoon (I did still have my morning BIG mug of black coffee).

moto450

Just eat healthy and stay at or below goal if you are trying to lose weight. I suggest using the goals MFP sets for you. It's just my opinion. I do my best to eliminate processed foods and stay within goals. It works for me. Not a fan of the low carb stuff. I think I would die without my carbs!