Low carb vs balanced vs keto

vm007

So not sure what the science is behind this but here is my experience and mistakes.

I used to be a vegetarian (no eggs/meat/seafood) kind of dude and I tried keto. It was very hard to do keto on my regime but I ate same thing every day and went through it.
Then I started eating regular food like carbs (50%) and lbm based protein and rest fat kept doing it.

Now I changed my workout regime and I'm trying low carb diet but this time I'm eating meat and all.

I've noticed changes, so even though I was doing CICO whilst I was a vegetarian and consuming carbs I would always have a stomach protruding outwards, some days abs would be visible some days they won't.

Now I'm on low carb diet (less than 130-150g) compared to (220-300g) before the stomach stays flat. I'm not even 100% strict with CICO but stomach stays in.

I know this is a horrible way to judge anything but for me when let's say I'd eat food with 400-calories with high carbs compared to now with high fat and protein stomach position is so different. Even if I overeat by same level, I don't feel like I'm carrying a 3 month child. (I'm a man)

So I know now (thanks to all of you here) that there is no such thing as good or bad food but what is it in carbs that made my stomach feel like that compared to now? Calories are almost the same level, I may actually be eating more now (sort of relaxed in measuring) .

YES, I agree CICO is KING and supersedes everything, no argument there but is there inherently something in Carbs that make us feel fuller and hungrier? Why do body builder increase carbs the first thing when they go on mass building routine?

What am I missing? I'd like to learn. Once again, I'm not hating on anything this is the first time I'm taking a balanced approach since I'm on maintenance and I would prefer abs to stay visible every day lol. So just want to learn.

ck2d

Could be inflammation.

lemurcat12

Could be bloating/water. I don't know, because I don't get that with 50% carbs, but people are different. More likely it's some reaction you have to the specific carbs you were consuming, and you've cut out whatever it is.

Carbs are so varied that assuming it's "carbs" vs. something specific seems highly unlikely to me. You do tend to lose water weight when low carbing (usually lower than you are now, though), and that isn't sufficient to explain the bloating.

Why do body builders do that? Carbs are good for fueling exercise and fast carbs (not just carbs) make it easier for many people to eat more calories.

inertiastrength

I did a wheat free experiment and it's the wheat in my case. I can have carby sweet potatoes but the same amount of carbs in garlic bread will make me look 4 months pregnant. I'm not bothered enough by it to not eat wheat but definitely noticed the same.

livingleanlivingclean

Carbs can be more voluminous than fat and protein. They hold water. There are many that may cause digestive issues, extra gas etc.
If I eat too much raw broccoli I look 9 months pregnant. I'm in pain. Bread doesn't do that to me.

Bodybuilders generally manipulate carbs to achieve their goals. When I add calories, I generally eat more carbs, keeping protein and fats somewhat constant. Carbs decrease first when I lower calories...

nokanjaijo

When you reduce your carbs, your body will first use up the glycogen stores. Once the glycogen is depleted, that's when you start converting fat to energy. If you reduce your carb intake to the point where you use all the carbs you eat for immediate energy and none is stored as glycogen, you don't have the glycogen stores.

Glycogen holds a lot of water, which is why you have huge changes in water retention when you change your carb intake.

My understanding is that the liver is the main storage for glycogen. The rest is stored in muscle.

That is possibly the difference in belly size you are seeing, from your liver dropping all of its glycogen stores. If it's not obvious, that's a guess. I'm guessing.

yirara

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

I did a wheat free experiment and it's the wheat in my case. I can have carby sweet potatoes but the same amount of carbs in garlic bread will make me look 4 months pregnant. I'm not bothered enough by it to not eat wheat but definitely noticed the same.

Have you tried the garlic bread without the garlic, and presumbly the oil? Sweet potatoes don't have so many calories, but a garlic bread can have tons, and consists of lots of different stuff. Basically you don't know if you react to the bread, garlic, fat, or some artitifical flavourings or other stuff in it.

inertiastrength

yirara wrote: »

mrsnattybulking wrote: »

I did a wheat free experiment and it's the wheat in my case. I can have carby sweet potatoes but the same amount of carbs in garlic bread will make me look 4 months pregnant. I'm not bothered enough by it to not eat wheat but definitely noticed the same.

Have you tried the garlic bread without the garlic, and presumbly the oil? Sweet potatoes don't have so many calories, but a garlic bread can have tons, and consists of lots of different stuff. Basically you don't know if you react to the bread, garlic, fat, or some artitifical flavourings or other stuff in it.

True. My aunt does really badly with garlic too but i'll be honest, you'd have to pry garlic out of my cold, dead fingers LOL I love it and I'll deal with looking pregnant occasionally if I must haha

cwolfman13

vm007 wrote: »

So not sure what the science is behind this but here is my experience and mistakes.

I used to be a vegetarian (no eggs/meat/seafood) kind of dude and I tried keto. It was very hard to do keto on my regime but I ate same thing every day and went through it.
Then I started eating regular food like carbs (50%) and lbm based protein and rest fat kept doing it.

Now I changed my workout regime and I'm trying low carb diet but this time I'm eating meat and all.

I've noticed changes, so even though I was doing CICO whilst I was a vegetarian and consuming carbs I would always have a stomach protruding outwards, some days abs would be visible some days they won't.

Now I'm on low carb diet (less than 130-150g) compared to (220-300g) before the stomach stays flat. I'm not even 100% strict with CICO but stomach stays in.

I know this is a horrible way to judge anything but for me when let's say I'd eat food with 400-calories with high carbs compared to now with high fat and protein stomach position is so different. Even if I overeat by same level, I don't feel like I'm carrying a 3 month child. (I'm a man)

So I know now (thanks to all of you here) that there is no such thing as good or bad food but what is it in carbs that made my stomach feel like that compared to now? Calories are almost the same level, I may actually be eating more now (sort of relaxed in measuring) .

YES, I agree CICO is KING and supersedes everything, no argument there but is there inherently something in Carbs that make us feel fuller and hungrier? Why do body builder increase carbs the first thing when they go on mass building routine?

What am I missing? I'd like to learn. Once again, I'm not hating on anything this is the first time I'm taking a balanced approach since I'm on maintenance and I would prefer abs to stay visible every day lol. So just want to learn.

Probably depends on the carbs...if they are high in fiber they will often cause bloating, particularly if consumed in volume. For me, carbs such as whole grains, legumes, lentils, potatoes, etc..a little goes a long way and if I eat too much I can get bloated and feel full. Carbs that are easier to break down typically don't do that to me.

Carbs are typically also going to be more voluminous than fats and protein...so they're going to take up more space in your gut.

Body builders increase carbs because the insulin response in a surplus is anabolic...the same insulin response that would be responsible for storing fat in a surplus is also responsible for building muscle mass in a surplus for someone who is training.