Why does everybody detest low carb diets? They are the only thing that works for me

Cyndi10612
Cyndi10612 Posts: 30 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I feel like people freak out when you tell them you are on an extremely low calorie diet, Atkins, etc. I catch the wrath from friends and family, and even online communities, that low carb diets are so bad for you but honestly it's the only thing that works for me and I feel better so why not!
«134567

Replies

  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    My boss has great success with it. I couldn't and wouldn't even try it. I hate the fact I couldn't eat what I liked. I do worry about her micro levels though as she doesn't eat offal type meats and only green vegetables.
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    Cutting carbs in favor of protein can be more satiating and help you attain your deficit. But cutting carbs to the extreme and putting your body in a ketogenic state is not long-term sustainable if you want to be healthy so as a result you aren't really building up the habits that will help you to maintain your health for the remainder of your life. Better to just cut carbs a little than to go to extremes in my opinion. Add some protein, cut some carbs, but don't avoid carbs like they are the enemy...they aren't.

    Do you have any, but any peer reviewed evidence to back this up?

    I've been on a ketogenic diet for well over a year now, training hard for ultra cycling.

    I've read your other post about exercise vs diet as being the prime determinant for weight loss. that was quite funny.

  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    The hate is not for the diet itself, but for the ridiculous claims around it. Different people thrive on different diets and that's a fact. For some, that's low carb, and that's great. The hate is for the widespread misinformation around it, like you have to go low carb to lose weight, that it's better than some other diet for everyone, that it somehow defies the laws of physics, cures all ailments, that everyone who isn't eating low carb is always hungry, that the results aren't as good on other diets for everyone...etc.

    You will find other diets that circulate similarly ridiculous claims get the same amount of criticism like Paleo, vegan, gluten free, restricting certain foods...etc even though they work brilliantly for some people. It's more in the vein of "it's not necessary" than "you shouldn't do it". If you are doing well on it and liking it, that's completely different than deeming that level of restriction necessary for everyone.

    People are generally encouraged to experiment with various approaches and macro balances and find what works for them, which may as well be low carb for some.

    I'm seeing a parade of straw men...
  • billglitch
    billglitch Posts: 538 Member
    3dogsrunning wrote: »
    To be fair, when you say it's the only thing that works for you, it is a little different because you do have a medical condition that low carb eating is recommended for.

    where does it say that anyone has a medical condition? did i miss something?
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    billglitch wrote: »
    3dogsrunning wrote: »
    To be fair, when you say it's the only thing that works for you, it is a little different because you do have a medical condition that low carb eating is recommended for.

    where does it say that anyone has a medical condition? did i miss something?

    Previous posts by OP.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    I detest any kind of diet that restricts food groups. That said, everyone is different and reacts differently to different diets. What works for you wouldn't necessarily work for me. And what works for me is eating foods I love, like bread and pasta. I just do so within my goals.

    Technically, by the numbers, I eat low carb most days, between 110-130g. I don't consider myself low carb because it's unintentional at best. I eat what I want/planned, doesn't matter what it is as long as it fits my calorie goal. Last night I had pizza and pancakes (not together) and actually hit my 40% carb macro, which I usually don't. I do always hit my protein and fat goals (30% each).
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    capaul42 wrote: »
    I detest any kind of diet that restricts food groups. That said, everyone is different and reacts differently to different diets. What works for you wouldn't necessarily work for me. And what works for me is eating foods I love, like bread and pasta. I just do so within my goals.

    Technically, by the numbers, I eat low carb most days, between 110-130g. I don't consider myself low carb because it's unintentional at best. I eat what I want/planned, doesn't matter what it is as long as it fits my calorie goal. Last night I had pizza and pancakes (not together) and actually hit my 40% carb macro, which I usually don't. I do always hit my protein and fat goals (30% each).

    I don't call myself low carb either, but 110-130 is considered low carb. Props for fitting pizza and pancakes into that goal. I usually get a few treats in myself.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    edited August 2016
    Moderately low carb, high protein works well for me. I aim for less than 70 grams of carbs a day, and 90-110 grams of protein. I fill in the calories with fat, because I need energy, and because my doctor suggested cutting back on carbs, for my cholesterol. It worked. The higher fat diet lowered my LDL, and raised my HDL, a lot.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    billglitch wrote: »
    I am doing low carb high fat and have lost over 90 pounds since the end of January. I have thought about it logically and here is what i think. The high fat part keeps you from feeling hungry and makes it easy to reduce calories.

    I think this is one reason why it works for some. It wouldn't work for me for that reason (it might for other reasons, but ways I prefer to eat also work fine for me), since I don't find fat satiating at all. (Apparently this is more common than not, and so the way that low carbers assume that fat is inherently extra satiating is one of the things I find slightly grating. For some, yes; for all or even most, no.) I think why low carb works for many is because they get motivated by the quick drop and because they cut out (as "carbs") many foods that aren't particularly satiating but happen to be half fat or in some cases stuff like soda (not satiating, lots of calories) or because they really enjoy their diets (all the foods they've been told weren't diet foods, like bacon, steak, cheese)--a good thing that too few dieters realize is important--and aren't cutting out more nutrient-dense or satiating carbs because their prior diet was perhaps already lacking in those.

    Anyway, like I said, I think it definitely can work and can be healthful. I just don't think it's superior in general or is the right choice for everyone.
    My question is if the way "they" say to eat is so good why are so many people fat?

    The number of Americans who eat like nutrition-expert types recommend or like the Dietary Guidelines or My Plate or the Harvard revised My Plate is pretty low. And those who do tend to be fat in much lower percentages than the US average. (To be fair, the recommendations focus on nutrition--you can eat a nutritious diet and be fat. Those who also eat appropriate calories aren't fat, but that's basically a truism.)
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    I generally don't tell people what my specific methods are, because I cannot provide them with months of reading and research and results in 30 seconds. If somebody asks me what I did / am doing to lose weight, I just tell them that I am making sure that the calories I consume are less than the calories I burn. This is enough for casual conversation. I might add '...while getting adequate protein, fiber, and fat' depending on the person. If the person asking is really looking for help, I will go into detail.

Categories