Low Carb or No Carb … pros and cons of either?

Trechechus

Pros:

Cons: Straining cellular respiration leading to loss of energy

rachelamedley5

I think it's a fair question and it really depends on your long term goal. I have type 2 diabetes and for me watching carbs is a way of life. Yes it does work but you need to watch the calories too. If you eat veggies and good food and ditch the junk. I allow one meal a week off plan and it's really about feeling better. It also depends on your commitment. Give up bread for a month and see how you feel.

pinkraynedropjacki

so Instead of ridiculing me with pointless a meme why not share some info that may be beneficial? I'm on this forum because I'm trying to learn if you have some advice you would like to share I'm ready to listen. I don't have the time for condescending remarks, comments or memes

Ignore the nasties. They are literally everywhere here & will suck the very soul from your dead body.


I'm not joking.... avoid.

Mirror.

Proof

albertabeefy

The first comment I'd like to make is please don't ever choose "No Carb".

I'm a Type I diabetic (meaning I produce no insulin naturally) who controls with diet and basal insulin only. What this means is I don't inject insulin to counteract the carbohydrate in my meals - so I *must* keep careful watch of carbohydrate intake - and even I don't eat "No Carb".

There's great nutrition, fiber, antioxidants, etc. in vegetables, so I try to enjoy a reasonable amount of them. I limit my fruit, simply because it's higher in carbohydrate overall than vegetables, and veggies have the same nutrients available.

And while it's true that there is technically no dietary requirement for carbohydrate - if you're going to do any serious exercise (especially if you're going to do strength-training or high-intensity interval training) you'll want some dietary carbohydrate to fuel that effort. I usually time my carbohydrate intake to be just-before exercise to ensure I can fuel my anaerobic efforts and also keep my glucose levels in-check.

Unless you have a medical reason to choose low-carb (morbid obesity, diabetes of either Type, insulin-resistance due to metabolic syndrome / PCOS / Hashimoto's thyroiditis, etc.) there's no good reason to do so - unless you really enjoy eating this way and can make it a lifelong lifestyle.

If you don't fall into any of the above classifications, you'll find just as much success and overall health by eating a modest deficit and getting proper overall nutrition.

LolBroScience

so Instead of ridiculing me with pointless a meme why not share some info that may be beneficial? I'm on this forum because I'm trying to learn if you have some advice you would like to share I'm ready to listen. I don't have the time for condescending remarks, comments or memes

Ignore the nasties. They are literally everywhere here & will suck the very soul from your dead body.


I'm not joking.... avoid.

Mirror.

Proof

I recall you being the 2nd poster in a very lengthy thread not too long ago with a rude remark to the OP. Shortly thereafter, nearly every single person called you out as being a generally unpleasant person.

I may be blunt, but I'd be willing to wager I've had more of a positive impact than you. Perhaps you're just overly sensitive.

yarwell

I'm really trying to turn my diet around and I know the basics stay away from processed foods and sugars, candy,soda but I really want to know if cutting out carbs all together would harm or help me or I'm looking for any diet tips anyone may have that has worked for them thanks!!

Zero carb is probably unachievable (depending on your labelling regime) and I don't see anyone advocating it. Dr Westman uses 20 grams/day of total carbs in his "no sugar no starch" clinic diet. Atkins induction starts at 20 grams of net carbs, 12-15g of which from vegetables. That's quite a lot more but still ketogenic. I did the latter.

yarwell

I'm 5'7" and weigh 246 I'm looking to get down to 180 would a 2,000 calorie diet be right on target in terms of caloric intake I need to shoot for?

sounds too high to me. I'm a bit taller than that and ate / drank about 1500 to start with.

Firehawk734

They both work, and you'll plateau eventually on no carb or low carb. I personally find it easier to stay on a no carb diet (like a keto diet) once my body adjusts to the changeover. But, that's my personality. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy.

yarwell

Yum, I wonder why Asians have such a slim population

mckat08

Well I'm on here asking for help if you have some knowledge you would like to share please enlighten me. I'm all ears
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I am doing Atkins, induction phase. I limit my carb intake to 20-25 per day, mostly from veggies and am finally seeing some results. Good luck, and ignore the haters. :happy:

Edmond_Dantes

There are a lot of different ways to skin a cat. Anyone who tells you that a low carb diet is not an ok diet is completely full of BS.

Just because it doesn't work for them and they have to advertise all the ice cream and chocolate they eat, doesn't mean it can't work for you. Try it out and see how you do.

Fit_Chef_NE

Some people have health reasons that prompt them to go low carb. I was one of these people. My addiction to simple carbohydrates was making me sick. It seems some people on these forums care more about weight loss than general health. If you really want to consider cutting out an entire food group, talking to a nutritionist or even better, a dietitian is probably a much better idea than strangers on the internet.

If you want to get healthier, you should eat less refined sugar (Really are people saying sugar is just fine?) A diet of pizza, bagels, ice cream etc. if eaten in low enough quantities will certainly work for weight loss, but you won't be any healthier. Of course people don't care much for their health until they don't have it so I know that caring about health falls on deaf ears. This is why I rarely post here. I get chewed up for suggesting that you might not drop dead from eating low carb.

So what is your ultimate goal? Just to look thinner and more healthy or to actually BE more healthy? If you want to improve your health, pay more attention to the nutrition you are getting from your food. You will find that many simple carbs are nutrient sparse in comparison to the carbs you will get from fruits and veggies. I eat somewhat low carb but not very low. I still love me some potatoes (nutrient dense, carb rich and delicious) and white rice. I have a gluten intolerance so I avoid a lot of the "whole grains". If you can eat them without a problem, there is no reason not to incorporate them into your daily calories. But you will find yourself VERY hungry if all you eat is pasta and bread. For a restricted calorie diet, it just won't be as much food most of the time.

(Before I get the eyerolls, YES, I have been diagnosed as gluten intolerant. I also had high blood pressure before cutting out many of the carbs and sugar. Those problems are gone now. My energy is higher than ever and I find myself more full on healthy fats and proteins with lots and lots of veggies. This is my advice. You can be VERY healthy without those things in your diet although without being properly educated on how to adjust for the change, you won't do very well for very long.)

gaelicstorm26

Listen to your own body.

I make a conscious choice to stay away from as much processed food as I can. I don't avoid it completely. I still eat things that are processed and that contain added sugars, but I try to minimize those in my diet because it doesn't make my body feel as good (and because it eats up those calories quite quickly). Everyone is different.

And yes, calories in versus calories out IS important, but some people find that limiting carbs helps them achieve their goals. It is truly about what works for you and is sustainable. Sustainable is the key here. If white rice is something you really LOVE, then I wouldn't advise giving it up--because that isn't sustainable. Think about weight loss as a real lifestyle change. You are in this for life, so the choices you make now need to last that long.

Best of luck!

Disclaimer: I have Type II diabetes and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis so watching carbs is critical to my overall health.

LoupGarouTFTs

I have Type II diabetes, so I need to limit my carbs. I still plan to include them in my diet, just at different levels that I've enjoyed them at previously. I don't see any value in eliminated the vast majority of foods that I enjoy from what I eat--as long as I can lose the weight and get off the metformin eventually, I am a happy camper.

Everburg16

I would definitely not do no-carb, simply because you're missing out on veggies/fruits that have nutrients you need.

I do a lower-carb than most people because I have insulin resistance, and I am hoping to reverse it. I try to do under 100 carbs a day (subtracting fiber), which is working really well for me. I can have fruit and lots of veggies and even have some bread and pasta, or this would not have worked for me. I've found that 200 carbs, even at a calorie deficit, make me maintain, and 300 carbs at a deficit make me gain. My insulin resistance makes it so that my body holds on to carbs by storing it as fat around my mid-section.

My sister, who doesn't have insulin resistance, has done low-carb a LOT, and she always gains it back as soon as she stops eating only about 40 carbs a day. You have to find what works for your body.

sugarandspice27

For some people, like myself, carbs are a trigger food. So anyone saying, eat whatever you want in moderation, may be over simplifying and also invalidating the plight of those with carb and food addictions. Bread, pasta, sugar, I CAN NOT BE TRUSTED. Those types of food trigger binges so I relate to the all or nothing people. I've lost and gained a large amount of weight a few times and here I am, starting my weight loss over again and I'll be working on veggie+fish low carb ketosis to try to manage my binge eating.

LoupGarouTFTs

*ugh*

"Trigger food."

NO.

sugarandspice27

*ugh*

"Trigger food."

NO.

You're lucky you don't have to deal with it. How nice for you!

bellesouth18

Thanks for the feedback I appreciate it everyone hahaha probably should have mentioned maybe I meant the simple carbs I should be cutting out all together right? ( white bread, white rice,pasta etc.)

I have reduced my carb intake to 125g daily due to medical reasons. But I still have these foods in moderation--as long as they fit within the 125g limit.

Sometimes I go over (like last night). It happens, but I don't freak out about it. I get back on my plan asap. And I have not eliminated entire food groups. I eat what I like as long as I have the macros available (carbs, fat, protein). For me, if I say I can't have any pasta ever again, that's all I'm going to think about until I have some because I love pasta. I just don't eat gobs of it like I used to. I cannot eat like that any more. Same with cheese. I have cheese still, but not anywhere near the quantities I used to eat.

I had a breakfast sandwich on light wheat bread today (like I do almost every day). Last night, I had Red Beans, Rice, and Sausage. I only ate 1/4 cup of rice and 1 cup of beans. I have pasta, too, in some Italian dishes I prepare. Use the recipe builder in your food section. It's wonderful!

If you don't have a food scale, get one. It's priceless. Weigh your food, both for recipe building and general eating. I prepare my recipe, weight the whole thing, and divide by how many servings I need to get the macros for each recipe.

Everything in moderation, including moderation. Good luck!

Edit: I do have some things that cannot be in the same house with me. These are the only things I avoid--pizza, doughnuts, pie, chocolate candy bars. Once I start, I can't stop.

My point is, if you like rice and pasta, eat it in small amounts. Eat what you like, experiment with foods to see how they affect your weight loss, you are human. I have a couple of friends who are doing the no-carb diet like Atkins. I can't follow that plan personally, but I cheer them on daily.

LoupGarouTFTs

*ugh*

"Trigger food."

NO.

You're lucky you don't have to deal with it. How nice for you!

"Trigger food" = giving yourself an excuse for losing control. I have many foods that tempt me. "Trigger foods?" The word "trigger" is just a new bit of psychobabble people use to rationalize their behavior and feel better about themselves.