Low carb... Is it a diet fad?
Replies
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What you're looking for is called "Ketogenics", low-carb high-fat. It's a lifestyle and a complete change to mainstream eating misconceptions.
Carbohydrates are just sugars, sugars which need insulin to be processed, insulin which spikes when you eat carbs and stops the fat burning process.
Do the research, learn about the benefits of eliminating sugar from your diet, eliminating carbs from your diet, and adding filling and delicious fats and proteins to it.
Is it fact? Yes, Ketogenics is studied pretty extensively, with many scientific books written about it. The studies done around low-carb diets are incredibly telling.
Is it long-term sustainable? Absolutely, becoming "Keto-adapted" transforms how your body processes carbs and fats, and changes your metabolism significantly for the better.
Is it a fad? Nope, the traction Ketogenics is gaining for weight loss, as well as athletic performance, is tremendous. I think it will be the dominant eating diet in the next 10 years, and low-fat high-sugar high-carb will be considered one of the most harmful in human diet eating history.
What do I think? Everyone should give Ketogenics at least a legitimate 3 month shot. No carbs for 3 months. It's a challenge a lot of people can't accomplish. Why? It separates those who are dedicated to changing their body, and those who buy Fitbits then eat pancakes, burgers, and drink beer all weekend long.
Some of the cons: Bread is gone, that's tragic for a bread lover like myself. Lettuce is a poor sandwich substitute for real bread. Another con is how obsessed with carb counting you become, and even things with moderate amounts of carbs (20g) becomes entirely too much i.e. Fruit, yogurt, rice cakes
If you can overcome the first month of hurdles, change your mindset and outlook on what food is and what it means in your life, Ketogenics will absolutely lead to weight loss, fitness love, and eventually massive physical athletic benefits.
Thank you! Couldn't have said it better myself. I've been on and off low carb for about 2 years and I've found that my body loves low carb even if I want to have a dessert or something like that every now and then, which I do on designated days. I tried to go back to low-fat and regular American diet and I quickly became lethargic, foggy mind and could not understand why I felt so bad. I had no energy. I never felt bad on the low-carb way of eating. Everything you said is completely accurate, factual. My energy is amazing, it's so much more easy to eat at the deficit I require to lose fat and I've come to enjoy all of my different vegetable dishes I make every day. I enjoy butter, coconut oil and have a wide variety of foods that satisfy me. I'm never hungry. In fact, I have to make sure I eat enough because this way of eating takes your appetite away. I am training quite a bit and I supplement with Green Magma which gives me a ton of vitamins and energy to prevent myself from becoming fatigued after my workout. I'm happy with the diet, my body has decided for me that this is the way to go as a lifestyle and I eat carbs when I want to on designated days which is more than enough to satisfy me (once a week). Also, I've notice that I on those days, I just am not as enthusiastic as I use to be for my carb days. The main problem with carbs is the poor wheat has been genetically modified and is making people sick. (research it, google Wheat Brain or Wheat Belly). All kinds of things disappeared I noticed when I didn't eat carbs. Inflammation, unbelievable cravings. My mind is not foggy and I have tons of energy. Why wouldn't anyone want to feel this way. Because they want carbs? I guess that's a good reason. But like you said, this will most likely become convention, eating low carb; eventually the government will have to change the pyramid but they're going to have to go back to growing wheat the way nature intended it because this modified wheat is really a synthetic product but it does taste good.
Actually what you quote was highly unfactual. In fact, I pointed out the majority of it's flaws around page 8. Additionally, Wheat Belly and Wheat brain have been highly debunked based on cherry picked science. Books, especially ones dedicated to sell a lifestyle do NOT give you a foundation of good knowledge.
I suspect when you went off your low carb diet and went back to a higher carb diet, than included a lot of junk food, which is why you were probably craving a lot of food and not satiated. Because a large portion of us on the forums have found very easy ways to feel full on high carb diets. And when have done comparisons with many other members what I found is: 1. their veggie intake is very low, 2. fruit intake very low, 3. fat cuts of meat instead of lean. Essentially, the two categories with the highest satiety ratings (protein and fiber) where low.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Really. I wouldn't have thought that given the energy you expend on low carb posts. Cheers mate.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I have never said, nor have I seen, anyone say that LCHF is not a WOE that one can choose to utilize as a weight loss strategy. However, what we are saying is that LCHF will not make you lose weight faster, is not healthier, and is not some magical cure all for every known disease known to man.
To your last point, LCHF is totally unnecessary for weight loss or health, and people can achieve the same affects through diet, exercise, and hitting their micros and macros, without LCHF.
So it's just a semantics game where appearing in any discussion of low carbing to say it is "totally unnecessary" is somehow OK as long as you don't say "it isn't a WOE that one can choose".
You won't get the triglyceride / HDL ratio of LCHF on high carbs, to name but one, so your health claims are dubious at best.
I am saying there is nothing magical about it and it is not superior to any other WOE.
and please provide citation for your claim...
my blood panels come back perfect every year and I get about 50% of my calories from carbs....
Do you believe it's inferior to other WOEs?
no
I think it is fine for a WOE for some...my main contention is that it is not superior, more healthy, and that carbs, by themselves, are not bad/unhealthy.
Again, I find this surprising, given your posts on "how do I" rather than "should I" threads, but thanks for the reply!0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Really. I wouldn't have thought that given the energy you expend on low carb posts. Cheers mate.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I have never said, nor have I seen, anyone say that LCHF is not a WOE that one can choose to utilize as a weight loss strategy. However, what we are saying is that LCHF will not make you lose weight faster, is not healthier, and is not some magical cure all for every known disease known to man.
To your last point, LCHF is totally unnecessary for weight loss or health, and people can achieve the same affects through diet, exercise, and hitting their micros and macros, without LCHF.
So it's just a semantics game where appearing in any discussion of low carbing to say it is "totally unnecessary" is somehow OK as long as you don't say "it isn't a WOE that one can choose".
You won't get the triglyceride / HDL ratio of LCHF on high carbs, to name but one, so your health claims are dubious at best.
I am saying there is nothing magical about it and it is not superior to any other WOE.
and please provide citation for your claim...
my blood panels come back perfect every year and I get about 50% of my calories from carbs....
Do you believe it's inferior to other WOEs?
no
I think it is fine for a WOE for some...my main contention is that it is not superior, more healthy, and that carbs, by themselves, are not bad/unhealthy.
Again, I find this surprising, given your posts on "how do I" rather than "should I" threads, but thanks for the reply!
Many "How do I" threads have OPs stating "It's so hard, I keep going over my set carb amounts..." so telling them "you know, you don't have to do it if you can't sustain it" is a perfectly normal and reasonable post to make, even if low carbers don't tend to see it that way.0 -
Low carb didn't work for me. I was able to do it for about a year and a half but found it to be unmaintainable in the long run. Cons for me:
1. My family wasn't doing it. This meant I had to make my own special food every day, every meal which translated to a lot of missed family dinners and eating alone.
2. Birthdays and parties were always a problem. It's just awkward to have to bring your own food with you and I could see the disappointment in people's face when I didn't try the dishes they spent time specially making.
3. Restaurant are a nightmare. About 95% of the menu is off limits. It's not fun to always be "that guy" who has to bargain with the wait staff over substitutions and putting things on the side
4. Grocery shopping is monotonous. About 85% of what's in there is off limits, including most new items. It's essentially the same old same old spread over a few weeks.
5. Italian food? Fuggedaboutit!
6. The penalties for slipping up are severe. I did Atkins and if I went over, I was sent back to the dungeon of the Induction Phase which meant two weeks straight of 20g of carbs or less each day.
7. I swear if I ate one more egg I was going to start sprouting feathers and begin clucking.
Personally I find CICO to be far far simpler. Eat what want, just less than before and track everything to stay on target. No off limit foods and a high degree of flexibility. If I'm going to eat a big lunch, I have smaller breakfast. If I go over on Tuesday, I can make it up with a deficit on Wednesday or even spread it over two days if necessary. In fact, I plan to do exactly that sort of thing for the Super Bowl so I have much less anxiety about what I might be eating during the game.0 -
peter56765 wrote: »Low carb didn't work for me. I was able to do it for about a year and a half but found it to be unmaintainable in the long run. Cons for me:
1. My family wasn't doing it. This meant I had to make my own special food every day, every meal which translated to a lot of missed family dinners and eating alone.
2. Birthdays and parties were always a problem. It's just awkward to have to bring your own food with you and I could see the disappointment in people's face when I didn't try the dishes they spent time specially making.
3. Restaurant are a nightmare. About 95% of the menu is off limits. It's not fun to always be "that guy" who has to bargain with the wait staff over substitutions and putting things on the side
4. Grocery shopping is monotonous. About 85% of what's in there is off limits, including most new items. It's essentially the same old same old spread over a few weeks.
5. Italian food? Fuggedaboutit!
6. The penalties for slipping up are severe. I did Atkins and if I went over, I was sent back to the dungeon of the Induction Phase which meant two weeks straight of 20g of carbs or less each day.
7. I swear if I ate one more egg I was going to start sprouting feathers and begin clucking.
Personally I find CICO to be far far simpler. Eat what want, just less than before and track everything to stay on target. No off limit foods and a high degree of flexibility. If I'm going to eat a big lunch, I have smaller breakfast. If I go over on Tuesday, I can make it up with a deficit on Wednesday or even spread it over two days if necessary. In fact, I plan to do exactly that sort of thing for the Super Bowl so I have much less anxiety about what I might be eating during the game.
One point to make, CICO isn't a diet, it's an energy balance equation. You are following flexible dieting, if you want to put a name to it.0 -
stevencloser wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
Really. I wouldn't have thought that given the energy you expend on low carb posts. Cheers mate.Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I have never said, nor have I seen, anyone say that LCHF is not a WOE that one can choose to utilize as a weight loss strategy. However, what we are saying is that LCHF will not make you lose weight faster, is not healthier, and is not some magical cure all for every known disease known to man.
To your last point, LCHF is totally unnecessary for weight loss or health, and people can achieve the same affects through diet, exercise, and hitting their micros and macros, without LCHF.
So it's just a semantics game where appearing in any discussion of low carbing to say it is "totally unnecessary" is somehow OK as long as you don't say "it isn't a WOE that one can choose".
You won't get the triglyceride / HDL ratio of LCHF on high carbs, to name but one, so your health claims are dubious at best.
I am saying there is nothing magical about it and it is not superior to any other WOE.
and please provide citation for your claim...
my blood panels come back perfect every year and I get about 50% of my calories from carbs....
Do you believe it's inferior to other WOEs?
no
I think it is fine for a WOE for some...my main contention is that it is not superior, more healthy, and that carbs, by themselves, are not bad/unhealthy.
Again, I find this surprising, given your posts on "how do I" rather than "should I" threads, but thanks for the reply!
Many "How do I" threads have OPs stating "It's so hard, I keep going over my set carb amounts..." so telling them "you know, you don't have to do it if you can't sustain it" is a perfectly normal and reasonable post to make, even if low carbers don't tend to see it that way.
And many don't.0 -
peter56765 wrote: »Low carb didn't work for me. I was able to do it for about a year and a half but found it to be unmaintainable in the long run. Cons for me:
1. My family wasn't doing it. This meant I had to make my own special food every day, every meal which translated to a lot of missed family dinners and eating alone.
2. Birthdays and parties were always a problem. It's just awkward to have to bring your own food with you and I could see the disappointment in people's face when I didn't try the dishes they spent time specially making.
3. Restaurant are a nightmare. About 95% of the menu is off limits. It's not fun to always be "that guy" who has to bargain with the wait staff over substitutions and putting things on the side
4. Grocery shopping is monotonous. About 85% of what's in there is off limits, including most new items. It's essentially the same old same old spread over a few weeks.
5. Italian food? Fuggedaboutit!
6. The penalties for slipping up are severe. I did Atkins and if I went over, I was sent back to the dungeon of the Induction Phase which meant two weeks straight of 20g of carbs or less each day.
7. I swear if I ate one more egg I was going to start sprouting feathers and begin clucking.
Personally I find CICO to be far far simpler. Eat what want, just less than before and track everything to stay on target. No off limit foods and a high degree of flexibility. If I'm going to eat a big lunch, I have smaller breakfast. If I go over on Tuesday, I can make it up with a deficit on Wednesday or even spread it over two days if necessary. In fact, I plan to do exactly that sort of thing for the Super Bowl so I have much less anxiety about what I might be eating during the game.
It doesn't work for everyone and that's ok. #1 is especially hard because I really like fruit smoothies, macaroni and cheese, everything my family makes. It's a LOT of food substitutions.
Grocery shopping became much easier as time went on because I quickly learned what was low carb and what wasn't. Unlimited greens (leafy/zucchini), most cheeses were ok, almonds, meats. Stuff that I had to watch out for were condiments.
For Italian food I had a zucchini lasagna (slices of zucchini instead of the pasta) and most of the time I made meatballs. You can also spiral zucchini into noodles if you want spaghetti but yes it's an extra step and more work.
I didn't find restaurants too bad because most of them had heard of Atkins at the very least and were fine lettuce wrapping a burger/unwich/protein style. Red Robin offers broccoli as a side. Chicken wings were fine and almost any place would make up a salad for you with no croutons. The Keg makes a pretty good steak too. The only thing restaurants wouldn't do was make cauliflower mash or cauliflower rice.
I'm not trying to push you into what doesn't work for you, you keep doing what works for you! Just letting others on this diet know that there's some options out there
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