Low Carb: Backed by research and recommended

2

Replies

  • llstacy
    llstacy Posts: 91 Member
    Yeah, because it always makes sense not to change one's lifestyle until AFTER they have full blown Type 2 diabetes. I changed to a ketogenic Paleo lifestyle when I was still in the extremely obese/pre-diabetes phase. Silly me, why the heck would I stop eating sugar and processed grain products before I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes? Especially since all of my health problems were only because I lacked willpower and ate too much. I needed to learn "moderation" and "portion control" not ever change WHAT I eat.

    I'd laugh if it weren't so sad that there are a number of people on MFP doing their best to sabotage people who desperately need help, and who are sick and dying, made worse by going on extreme low calorie/low fat diets because that's the way to lose weight and get healthy; right? Wrong.
    Exactly!
  • born2drum
    born2drum Posts: 731 Member
    Aint nobody got time for keto. Keto works but not sustainable. IMO
  • born2drum
    born2drum Posts: 731 Member
    Sorry, i like my 400g of carbs a day
    DAYUM. I wish lol
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Thanks for the article I will read it carefully when I have time....and diabetes.

    (Isn't this old information from like a decade ago? Isn't this just what Dr.'s tell you when you get diagnosed? Where's my tattoo pen?).
    What an insensitive post.

    It's great that diabetes and heart disease aren't a concern for you or your loved ones but for those who aren't as fortunate these sorts of articles matter. Low carb isn't the standard recommendation -- here's your medication, be sure to eat lots of healthy whole grains, fruit & vegetables and protein at each meal and stay away from artery clogging saturated fat is the recommendation -- we'll discuss insulin injections when the time comes (because for a lot of people that diet is going to guarantee the progression of their disease).

    The references cited are from 2007 - 2011 so, no, not from like a decade ago.

    References
    1. American Diabetes Association, Bantle JP, Wylie-Rosett J, et al. Nutrition recommendations and interventions for diabetes: a position statement of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2008;31 Suppl 1:S61-S78.

    2. Westman EC, Yancy WS Jr, Mavropoulos JC, Marquart M, McDuffie JR. The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2008;5:36.

    3. Lindeberg S, Jönsson T, Granfeldt Y, et al. A Palaeolithic diet improves glucose tolerance more than a Mediterranean-like diet in individuals with ischaemic heart disease. Diabetologia. 2007;50(9):1795-1807.

    4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Fact Sheet: National Estimates and General Information on Diabetes and Prediabetes in the United States, 2011. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2011.

    5. Nielsen JV, Joensson EA. Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes: stable improvements of bodyweight and glycemic control during 44 months follow-up. Nutr Metab. 2008;5:14-19.

    Calm down. Why does everybody always get their feelings hurt by posts on online forums. How was that post insensitive? I too am a little annoyed at the information presented because of the title presented. The title is extremely misleading and makes you think this post is going to explain how low carb is better for everybody and backed by science, instead, it just explained how low carb is better if you're diabetic, which to be honest, if you have done ANY research on nutrition, should be completely obvious and a no brainer. The other poster was just referring to the fact that she came to this post expecting it to be advice for everyone, not just diabetics, but like I said, the title was misleading.
    Oh please! You troll low carb posts like it was your job, you were opening this thread no matter what. Was it really that much of a strain for you to read the first sentence and move on? You have NOTHING of merit to add to these threads... ever.

    Not sure you understand what trolling is...Anyway, I do check out low carb advocacy posts and lay down some facts and open up an intelligent debate, sure. Trolling would be stirring up *kitten* without any backing or research just to upset people and then leaving. As for me having nothing of merit to add to low carb threads, I routinely link to scientific publications on low carb dieting so people can go read them and decide for themselves and I routinely tell people that if you want to do low carb or you want to do keto because you prefer it or because it keeps you from being constantly hungry, or you don't need the carbs for athletic performance, then sure go for it, but it is not "healthier" in any way to do keto vs a balanced diet if you do not have a pre existing condition like PCOS, or diabetes, or insulin resistance. When it comes to weight loss, a calorie is a calorie. When it comes to how different macronutrients affect your appetite, or their functions in your body, yes there are obvious differences, but they each play important roles, and going to extremes and practically eliminating an entire macronutrient from your diet if you do not have a medical reason to do so is unnecessary. If you would like to have a civil debate on it, I'm open to that, but I doubt that's going to happen because you seem to already be riled up...
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Thanks for the article I will read it carefully when I have time....and diabetes.

    (Isn't this old information from like a decade ago? Isn't this just what Dr.'s tell you when you get diagnosed? Where's my tattoo pen?).
    What an insensitive post.

    It's great that diabetes and heart disease aren't a concern for you or your loved ones but for those who aren't as fortunate these sorts of articles matter. Low carb isn't the standard recommendation -- here's your medication, be sure to eat lots of healthy whole grains, fruit & vegetables and protein at each meal and stay away from artery clogging saturated fat is the recommendation -- we'll discuss insulin injections when the time comes (because for a lot of people that diet is going to guarantee the progression of their disease).

    The references cited are from 2007 - 2011 so, no, not from like a decade ago.

    References
    1. American Diabetes Association, Bantle JP, Wylie-Rosett J, et al. Nutrition recommendations and interventions for diabetes: a position statement of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2008;31 Suppl 1:S61-S78.

    2. Westman EC, Yancy WS Jr, Mavropoulos JC, Marquart M, McDuffie JR. The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2008;5:36.

    3. Lindeberg S, Jönsson T, Granfeldt Y, et al. A Palaeolithic diet improves glucose tolerance more than a Mediterranean-like diet in individuals with ischaemic heart disease. Diabetologia. 2007;50(9):1795-1807.

    4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Fact Sheet: National Estimates and General Information on Diabetes and Prediabetes in the United States, 2011. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2011.

    5. Nielsen JV, Joensson EA. Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes: stable improvements of bodyweight and glycemic control during 44 months follow-up. Nutr Metab. 2008;5:14-19.

    Calm down. Why does everybody always get their feelings hurt by posts on online forums. How was that post insensitive? I too am a little annoyed at the information presented because of the title presented. The title is extremely misleading and makes you think this post is going to explain how low carb is better for everybody and backed by science, instead, it just explained how low carb is better if you're diabetic, which to be honest, if you have done ANY research on nutrition, should be completely obvious and a no brainer. The other poster was just referring to the fact that she came to this post expecting it to be advice for everyone, not just diabetics, but like I said, the title was misleading.

    ^^^This!!! I was coming in here to say that no low carb is NOT for everyone and then I saw the OP put for diabetes...That really should have been in your title. I'm not attacking you, but there are tons who believe, are new and not necessarily educated about weight loss and believe that low carb is the only way, then they lose the weight, try to go back to eating carbs and gain it all back because they didn't realize for that fad to work it has to be forever.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Oh please! You troll low carb posts like it was your job, you were opening this thread no matter what. Was it really that much of a strain for you to read the first sentence and move on? You have NOTHING of merit to add to these threads... ever.

    I know this wasn't directed at me...but I thought this was a PUBLIC forum where anyone could post? Hmmmm...:ohwell:
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Yeah, because it always makes sense not to change one's lifestyle until AFTER they have full blown Type 2 diabetes. I changed to a ketogenic Paleo lifestyle when I was still in the extremely obese/pre-diabetes phase. Silly me, why the heck would I stop eating sugar and processed grain products before I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes? Especially since all of my health problems were only because I lacked willpower and ate too much. I needed to learn "moderation" and "portion control" not ever change WHAT I eat.

    I'd laugh if it weren't so sad that there are a number of people on MFP doing their best to sabotage people who desperately need help, and who are sick and dying, made worse by going on extreme low calorie/low fat diets because that's the way to lose weight and get healthy; right? Wrong.

    Aaaaand there we go with the straw man argument. All I said was that claiming that low carb was better for EVERYBODY was very misleading. No diet is perfect for anybody. That being said, some diets are much better than others for the majority of the population. If you are beginning to develop insulin resistance, or you are pre-diabetic, or diabetic or you have PCOS, then yea probably a pretty good idea to lower carb intake. Did I say that unless you're already fully diagnosed as a diabetic that you should wait to lower carb intake until you are diagnosed diabetic? No. If you are pre diabetic, you should definitely lower your carb intake. Stop taking things I said, taking them to the extreme and making them sound ridiculous. That is a straw man. Just because I say that you don't need to go very low carb or keto, does not mean that I advocate high carb intake. In what way am I sabotaging people?
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Oh please! You troll low carb posts like it was your job, you were opening this thread no matter what. Was it really that much of a strain for you to read the first sentence and move on? You have NOTHING of merit to add to these threads... ever.

    I know this wasn't directed at me...but I thought this was a PUBLIC forum where anyone could post? Hmmmm...:ohwell:

    It was directed at me...
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Oh please! You troll low carb posts like it was your job, you were opening this thread no matter what. Was it really that much of a strain for you to read the first sentence and move on? You have NOTHING of merit to add to these threads... ever.

    I know this wasn't directed at me...but I thought this was a PUBLIC forum where anyone could post? Hmmmm...:ohwell:

    It was directed at me...

    Yeah, I knew it was directed at you. I was just trying to make a point that well, it's a public forum and anyone can comment on any post they want to...

    *kitten* I must be a 1200 calorie post troll then since I comment and try to help those that think eating less is enough, or a newbie post troll...because I post there a lot too...
  • mrmagee3
    mrmagee3 Posts: 518 Member
    ^^^This!!! I was coming in here to say that no low carb is NOT for everyone and then I saw the OP put for diabetes...That really should have been in your title. I'm not attacking you, but there are tons who believe, are new and not necessarily educated about weight loss and believe that low carb is the only way, then they lose the weight, try to go back to eating carbs and gain it all back because they didn't realize for that fad to work it has to be forever.

    If you go back to eating the way you did previously to your diet, on any diet, you'll gain your weight back. That's how you got it in the first place. Low carb, as a method of weight loss, will absolutely work for anyone.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    Thanks for the link, OP.

    Low carb has been pretty important for me, as I've got PCOS and am insulin resistant. For those wondering, a low carb diet is absolutely not the standard recommendation from our doctors, in fact what is recommended is quite the opposite.

    I also want to say that I agree with the person who is being called a "troll" for pointing out that low carb diets are not necessary for weight loss in those who are metabolically healthy. It's not necessary for everyone to restrict their carb intake to that degree, and I don't believe he's "trolling" by pointing that out.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    ^^^This!!! I was coming in here to say that no low carb is NOT for everyone and then I saw the OP put for diabetes...That really should have been in your title. I'm not attacking you, but there are tons who believe, are new and not necessarily educated about weight loss and believe that low carb is the only way, then they lose the weight, try to go back to eating carbs and gain it all back because they didn't realize for that fad to work it has to be forever.

    If you go back to eating the way you did previously to your diet, on any diet, you'll gain your weight back. That's how you got it in the first place. Low carb, as a method of weight loss, will absolutely work for anyone.

    Really? I had no idea... :yawn:...except there are a LOT of new people that don't realize that it has to be a lifestyle change and only do it until they get to their goal.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    ^^^This!!! I was coming in here to say that no low carb is NOT for everyone and then I saw the OP put for diabetes...That really should have been in your title. I'm not attacking you, but there are tons who believe, are new and not necessarily educated about weight loss and believe that low carb is the only way, then they lose the weight, try to go back to eating carbs and gain it all back because they didn't realize for that fad to work it has to be forever.

    If you go back to eating the way you did previously to your diet, on any diet, you'll gain your weight back. That's how you got it in the first place. Low carb, as a method of weight loss, will absolutely work for anyone.

    She was referring to the fact that low carb diets deplete glycogen stores and therefore result in quick initial weight loss due to water loss, but going back to a standard diet with the same caloric intake will cause weight gain due to glycogen replenishment. This isn't the case with other diets assuming caloric intake remains the same.
  • mrmagee3
    mrmagee3 Posts: 518 Member
    ^^^This!!! I was coming in here to say that no low carb is NOT for everyone and then I saw the OP put for diabetes...That really should have been in your title. I'm not attacking you, but there are tons who believe, are new and not necessarily educated about weight loss and believe that low carb is the only way, then they lose the weight, try to go back to eating carbs and gain it all back because they didn't realize for that fad to work it has to be forever.

    If you go back to eating the way you did previously to your diet, on any diet, you'll gain your weight back. That's how you got it in the first place. Low carb, as a method of weight loss, will absolutely work for anyone.

    She was referring to the fact that low carb diets deplete glycogen stores and therefore result in quick initial weight loss due to water loss, but going back to a standard diet with the same caloric intake will cause weight gain due to glycogen replenishment. This isn't the case with other diets assuming caloric intake remains the same.

    No, she wasn't referring to that at all. She said that you will gain it "all" back, because for it to work, it has to be forever.

    That's absolutely not the case.
  • mrmagee3
    mrmagee3 Posts: 518 Member
    ^^^This!!! I was coming in here to say that no low carb is NOT for everyone and then I saw the OP put for diabetes...That really should have been in your title. I'm not attacking you, but there are tons who believe, are new and not necessarily educated about weight loss and believe that low carb is the only way, then they lose the weight, try to go back to eating carbs and gain it all back because they didn't realize for that fad to work it has to be forever.

    If you go back to eating the way you did previously to your diet, on any diet, you'll gain your weight back. That's how you got it in the first place. Low carb, as a method of weight loss, will absolutely work for anyone.

    Really? I had no idea... :yawn:...except there are a LOT of new people that don't realize that it has to be a lifestyle change and only do it until they get to their goal.

    It doesn't have to be a lifestyle change, either. You absolutely can do it until you hit your goal.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    There was a nice article in this months Today's Dietitian that recommends a low carb diet for diabetes. Here's a snippet from the article about weight loss:

    Weight Loss
    Many studies indicate that low-carb diets can be beneficial for weight loss, especially in individuals with type 2 diabetes suffering from insulin resistance and blood sugar dysregulation, as previously acknowledged by the ADA. For example, a study conducted at Duke University Medical Center compared a low-carb ketogenic diet (fewer than 20 g of carbs daily) and a low-glycemic diet (restricting calories by 500 per day) in obese subjects with type 2 diabetes.2 At the end of the 24 weeks, the low-carb group lost an average of 24.5 lbs compared with 15.2 lbs in the low-glycemic group.

    What’s noteworthy about this study is that only the low-glycemic group members were instructed to restrict their calories, while the low-carb group had to limit only their daily carb intake but could eat fats and animal foods to satiety.

    Another study published in the January 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition using an ad libitum crossover design confirmed this hypothesis. The researchers showed that subjects who were obese felt more satiated and spontaneously decreased their calorie intake when fed meals providing fewer carbs and more protein and fat (4% carbs and 66% fat on the low-carb diet vs. 35% carbs and 35% fat on the moderate-carb diet). These findings could be the missing link to help individuals with type 2 diabetes reduce their calorie intake and lose weight without hunger.

    Low-Carb Diets — Research Shows They May Be More Beneficial Than Other Dietary Patterns
    By Aglaée Jacob, MS, RD, CDE
    Today’s Dietitian
    Vol. 15 No. 8 P. 12

    http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/080113p12.shtml
    Good article and study. Now what about the advantage for non obese, non diabetic subjects? It doesn't HAVE to come down to that extreme, but if one chooses to pursue that type of lifestyle, then more power to them.

    All I know is that ketogenic diets inhibit muscle growth due to now IGF-1 and mTOR are affected and isn't something I'd pursue personally.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    ^^^This!!! I was coming in here to say that no low carb is NOT for everyone and then I saw the OP put for diabetes...That really should have been in your title. I'm not attacking you, but there are tons who believe, are new and not necessarily educated about weight loss and believe that low carb is the only way, then they lose the weight, try to go back to eating carbs and gain it all back because they didn't realize for that fad to work it has to be forever.

    If you go back to eating the way you did previously to your diet, on any diet, you'll gain your weight back. That's how you got it in the first place. Low carb, as a method of weight loss, will absolutely work for anyone.

    She was referring to the fact that low carb diets deplete glycogen stores and therefore result in quick initial weight loss due to water loss, but going back to a standard diet with the same caloric intake will cause weight gain due to glycogen replenishment. This isn't the case with other diets assuming caloric intake remains the same.

    No, she wasn't referring to that at all. She said that you will gain it "all" back, because for it to work, it has to be forever.

    That's absolutely not the case.

    Well that can also be the case. Going from keto or low carb to standard diet at the same caloric intake can cause increased hunger leasing to higher calorie intake and weight gain
  • mrmagee3
    mrmagee3 Posts: 518 Member
    Well that can also be the case. Going from keto or low carb to standard diet at the same caloric intake can cause increased hunger leasing to higher calorie intake and weight gain

    So, like I said, going back to the caloric level that you ate previously will cause you to regain weight. Simply coming off of a low carb diet will not cause you to gain "all" of your weight back.

    If low carb is a "fad", like her post, by her reasoning that you will gain "all" of your weight back (even if you accept your reasoning above), then every diet is a fad and the word has no meaning.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Well that can also be the case. Going from keto or low carb to standard diet at the same caloric intake can cause increased hunger leasing to higher calorie intake and weight gain

    So, like I said, going back to the caloric level that you ate previously will cause you to regain weight. Simply coming off of a low carb diet will not cause you to gain "all" of your weight back.

    If low carb is a "fad", like her post, by her reasoning that you will gain "all" of your weight back (even if you accept your reasoning above), then every diet is a fad and the word has no meaning.

    The main point is that you shouldn't adopt a diet to lose weight with the intention of going off that diet once you hit your ideal weight. If you think low carb is better personally for you as a lifestyle choice and you think you can stay that way the rest of your life, then that is a good option for you. I prefer to go with a balanced diet with calorie restriction to lose weight because the only change required once you hit your goal weight is a slight calorie increase to maintain your weight, but if you chose a low carb or keto diet solely to lose weight, shifting off that diet can throw you off the wagon and once carbs are reintroduced, there is a big likelihood of bingeing.
  • mrmagee3
    mrmagee3 Posts: 518 Member
    The main point is that you shouldn't adopt a diet to lose weight with the intention of going off that diet once you hit your ideal weight. If you think low carb is better personally for you as a lifestyle choice and you think you can stay that way the rest of your life, then that is a good option for you. I prefer to go with a balanced diet with calorie restriction to lose weight because the only change required once you hit your goal weight is a slight calorie increase to maintain your weight, but if you chose a low carb or keto diet solely to lose weight, shifting off that diet can throw you off the wagon and once carbs are reintroduced, there is a big likelihood of bingeing.

    People have a given goal at a given time, and should work out the best way to achieve their goal. Eventually, their goal may change, and their diet should change with it. No diet has to be forever. For instance, it's perfectly acceptable to say you want to low carb down 50 pounds, then switch to a more conventional bulking diet in order to build muscle.

    You might find it easier to simply add some more calories in for maintenance, as might the other poster. But that's a far cry from telling people they shouldn't do low carb because it's a "fad" and that coming off of it will cause you to gain "all" your weight back.

    Nothing either of us is saying is wrong. What that poster said was. You shouldn't feel the need to reflexively defend it.
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
    I get annoyed at peole knocking low carb diets because se people need to at least attempt the process to see if it works when simple calorie counting doesn't. It seems that one has to justify this choice with insulin resistance or PCOS or diabetes. It's not always the case that people know they have these conditions. I began experimenting with low carb because I'd seen research on insulin resistance. I'd never been tested. To this day I don't know if that was the case for me. Further research nearly 3 years later, I find out that a skin condition I have by extension affects the absorption of nutrients in my stomach (still looking at this). I was lucky that I decided to follow the path I did. It's not that high carb is wrong or bad. I understand that for some people it's not an issue but I get ticked off that the potential for someone to explore this avenue gets stomped on by the overly simplistic calories in calories out line when no one even asks for further information as to the persons current health state (apart from the usual pcos etc). Something as simple as a skin condition can have further consequences than anybody can know especially if research is slow in that area.

    Point is. Some people need this diet, even if they don't have the complete self understanding to justify this choice. They simply don't know why it works. There's an underlying reason that potentially they are yet to uncover themselves.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    People have a given goal at a given time, and should work out the best way to achieve their goal. Eventually, their goal may change, and their diet should change with it. No diet has to be forever. For instance, it's perfectly acceptable to say you want to low carb down 50 pounds, then switch to a more conventional bulking diet in order to build muscle.

    You might find it easier to simply add some more calories in for maintenance, as might the other poster. But that's a far cry from telling people they shouldn't do low carb because it's a "fad" and that coming off of it will cause you to gain "all" your weight back.

    Nothing either of us is saying is wrong. What that poster said was. You shouldn't feel the need to reflexively defend it.

    I'd agree with that, it mostly comes down to personal preference. There's a difference between saying low carb may be preferable for some people based on their goals and saying that low carb is better than a standard diet, or has advantages over a standard diet for weight loss or for health, that I can't agree with. I never said that anybody shouldn't do low carb or that going off low carb will cause you to gain all of your weight back, so I won't speak to that.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    This study which found “diets differing substantially in glycemic load induce comparable long-term weight loss.”- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17413101
  • jenifr818
    jenifr818 Posts: 805 Member
    Lower carb diets may be better for those with insulin issues (PCOS, diabeties, etc) for sure however it doesn't always mean it's best for simply weight loss if you have no insulin issues. Weight is simply done with a calorie deficit... going low carb may help control calories as higher carb items can be higher in calories and a diet filled with good fats and protein will keep you fuller for longer and therefore not always needing the same amount of calories.
    Yes, but it's nice that dietitians are able to recommend a low carb diet to their patients. If you read the article you'll know that low carb isn't the standard recommendation at all. My mom has diabetes and eats more carbs in one meal than I eat all day because "the doctor said". I think this article is very encouraging.

    It shouldn't comes as a shock to anybody that low carb can be better if you're diabetic. You don't have to be a doctor to understand how insulin works and how carbs, fats, and protein affect the balance of insulin and glucagon. That being said, if you don't have any issues with insulin resistance, a low carb diet isn't any better than a standard diet for weight loss or for your health.

    Disagree with that first sentence. I had no CLUE how insulin worked or how eating a ton of carbs affected insulin until I was diagnosed with insulin resistance. It's not common knowledge for the average person, which is kind of sad because anyone with a family history of diabetes or insulin problems in general needs to know it.
  • jenifr818
    jenifr818 Posts: 805 Member
    I get annoyed at peole knocking low carb diets because se people need to at least attempt the process to see if it works when simple calorie counting doesn't. It seems that one has to justify this choice with insulin resistance or PCOS or diabetes. It's not always the case that people know they have these conditions. I began experimenting with low carb because I'd seen research on insulin resistance. I'd never been tested. To this day I don't know if that was the case for me. Further research nearly 3 years later, I find out that a skin condition I have by extension affects the absorption of nutrients in my stomach (still looking at this). I was lucky that I decided to follow the path I did. It's not that high carb is wrong or bad. I understand that for some people it's not an issue but I get ticked off that the potential for someone to explore this avenue gets stomped on by the overly simplistic calories in calories out line when no one even asks for further information as to the persons current health state (apart from the usual pcos etc). Something as simple as a skin condition can have further consequences than anybody can know especially if research is slow in that area.

    Point is. Some people need this diet, even if they don't have the complete self understanding to justify this choice. They simply don't know why it works. There's an underlying reason that potentially they are yet to uncover themselves.

    Quite freaking true. If a person wants to try it, they shouldn't be discouraged or felt like they need to "justify" anything. They may just find it works for them. If not, oh well. No harm, no foul.
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
    I think nothing exists in isolation.

    What kind of carbs?

    And, a limited study is a limited study.

    How long was weight loss sustained?

    And, while weight loss is linked to health, weight loss isn't the only criterion for health.

    On a low carb diet what are insulin levels over time, cholesterol, and all that other stuff..
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Lower carb diets may be better for those with insulin issues (PCOS, diabeties, etc) for sure however it doesn't always mean it's best for simply weight loss if you have no insulin issues. Weight is simply done with a calorie deficit... going low carb may help control calories as higher carb items can be higher in calories and a diet filled with good fats and protein will keep you fuller for longer and therefore not always needing the same amount of calories.

    Almost all obese women are leptin-resistant. (It is not well known that women have 2 to 3 times the amount of leptin as a man at the same body fat level.) Leptin-resistance precedes and predicts insulin-resistance. In addition, estrogen causes women to run higher blood sugar numbers (especially during pregnancy when the growing brain of the fetus is being nourished by high blood sugar). It only makes sense for women to curb their carb intake (unless pregnant)--especially as they age because we tend to lose our ability to burn off carbohydrates efficiently, as we age. Women athletes and very, very active women are the only ones who can afford to eat the high carbohydrate diet that is recommended in various governmental food guides.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    From the article:

    "The American Diabetes Association (ADA) encourages individuals with diabetes to learn basic carbohydrate counting skills and aim for 45 to 60 g of carbohydrates per meal." ...

    Hmmm... 45-60 g of carb PER MEAL is considered to be low carb? There are 43g of carbs in a serving of pasta. That doesn't seem like a low-carb recommendation to me. It sounds more like they are recommending carbs in moderation. Some of the comments here make it sound like the ADA is supporting keto diets. Not sure extremely low carb diets are sustainable for most people. Sure, most people could probably stand to eat far fewer carbs than they currently do, but cutting them out or down drastically seems like a crash and burn scenario. :ohwell:

    ETA: Gonna go read the article now so I'm not just going off of quotes from the thread. :laugh:

    ETA#2: Ok, I've read the article. Yay for learning something new! Now I finally have some definitions to go by. So low carb is around or under 135 g a day and ketogenic is under 20 g a day. I will now amend my earlier statements to say that I believe that a low carb lifestyle would be sustainable long term for many people, but I still think a keto diet would be unsustainable long-term for most people. Low carb seems like an OK way to go, as long as you keep a long-term commitment and don't go so low that you freak out and binge. Otherwise, like any other "diet" you'll probably fail when you quit. Go low-carbers! :drinker:

    (As an athletic person who needs carbs for fuel, I couldn't and wouldn't want to go low carb myself, but I DO limit my refined carbs and junk sugars. I don't need that extra sweet crap in my body.)
  • ronrstaats
    ronrstaats Posts: 294 Member
    atkins-cartoon.jpg
  • ninnyfurr74
    ninnyfurr74 Posts: 111 Member
    Yep, I've read all the research, I've also read South Beach and Atkins. However I want to point out the down sides to a ketogenic diet.

    1. The cravings are horrible!
    2. Not everyone will magically lose 30 lbs the first month. (It took me 3 months at under 20gm of carb before I lost even 1lb).
    3. See # 1
    4. It is expensive, to cut carbs you are eating mostly protein and some veg. Guess what costs more at the store!?
    5. See # 1
    6. Some people, not all mind you, have seen there cholesterol sky rocket on this diet. You really need to be under a doctor's care for it!


    I did it. I lost 55lbs using atkins. It took me 6 months. Then my husband and I separated and I was a single mom with two kids on foods stamps and had to eat like a normal person again. The weight came back and then some. This is my personal experience with it. It wasn't pleasant, it wasn't sustainable, and it didn't stay off.
    My father on the other hand has been completely successful with it. So I guess I'm saying it's just not for everyone. I am low carb, 80-100gm a day is what I aim for. So far I've lost 21lbs with no cravings! If I want to eat it and I have the room in my macro's I do! So much happier this way!