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

ladymiseryali

There is no safe diet that is NO carb. However, there are some safe low carb diets out there. Keto is one of them and paleo is another. Research them and then make an informed choice. I personally do keto and although I do have a semi-cheat day on Saturdays, I stick to it pretty well in general. I love eating full fat foods and I'm rarely hungry. Keto helped me shed 30 unwanted lbs.

ladymiseryali

A low carb diet is not the way to go. Carbohydrates is your primary source of energy if you have low carbs or no carbs, your energy levels will be low therefore it will make it extremely hard for you to work out. Even though this method is effective, it is not effective for the long run. This means by going a carb diet you will be able to sustain the diet for a short amount of time, however soon you will start to crave food and go on a binge causing you to put the weight you lost right back on. I am currently on my weight loss journey being 18 and have so far lost 8 pounds in about a month and bit. As long and you eat right and work out you will lose weight low carb or no carb diets are not the way forward!

No offence, but that is a load of hogwash. I have more energy now, than when I was eating a bunch of carbs and very little fat. When you eat low carb, you have to eat high fat because that is what your body will start burning for energy. And I have yet to put the 30 lbs I lost on keto back on. even after having some cheat days here and there. I had the cheat days not because I needed to eat carbs, but because it was the holidays and I WANTED to enjoy myself a bit, OR it's the weekend and I've had a hard work week and WANT a little candy. Please don't give out misinformation. That's not polite nor cool.

tennisdude2004

A low carb diet is not the way to go. Carbohydrates is your primary source of energy if you have low carbs or no carbs, your energy levels will be low therefore it will make it extremely hard for you to work out. Even though this method is effective, it is not effective for the long run. This means by going a carb diet you will be able to sustain the diet for a short amount of time, however soon you will start to crave food and go on a binge causing you to put the weight you lost right back on. I am currently on my weight loss journey being 18 and have so far lost 8 pounds in about a month and bit. As long and you eat right and work out you will lose weight low carb or no carb diets are not the way forward!

kikityme

You might also look into a diabetic diet. I keep my carbs at an even level throughout the day, generally 20-30 grams per meal. I'm losing weight, and I have more energy now than ever before.

This isn't always the most supportive place, well, it is supportive if people believe what you're doing is right (read: they agree with you) so don't sweat it. Low/no carb reallllllllly seems to upset the "no food left behind" people.

vvancol_rose

Thanks to the people that are still replying but I have corrected myself many times when I said no/ low carb I meant slashing my simple carb in take in half or getting rid of it all together I know carbs are found in fruits and vegetables etc…. I meant eliminating this like white bread, white flour, white pasta……. and to the people that are telling me I could still lose weight and have the foods I want in moderation I'm just not at that point I do not have the self discipline to just eat the serving sizes of those kinds of foods( pizza, cookies, chips) and quite honestly would rather just clean up my diet in general like many people said my goals is to lose weight but also be healthy and I know that eating those types of foods will harm me in the long run because not only do I go overboard when I do try and eat them but I just also don't WANT to anymore I'm just tired of feeling like I need food like pizza pasta chips and cookies to feel satisfied so YES I do want to cut them out.

fatcity66

Not really, though. I mean, the whole point isn't just to lose weight, but to do so in a sustainable way so that you're not fat again in a year or five or ten. Do you plan to ALWAYS cut sugar and other simple carbs? Your whole life? Or would you rather learn to make peace with sugar and eat sugary treats in reasonable moderation within your caloric budget?

THIS.
I have tried the low carb diet and and yes, you lose a lot of weight initially (at least 5 lbs of water) and may even see more results for a while, but you WILL plateau, and the thing is, are you going to be able stick to it for the rest of your life? The best diet plan is one that requires as little change as possible and provides long term consistency. For me, that is eating healthy, filling, high fiber foods 90% of the time, with the occasional treat, cheat meal, or even a whole day, but only OCCASIONALLY. You have to get right back on track by the next day. Tracking my calories and eating at a deficit, plus regular exercise, daily if possible, is a reasonable long-term plan for me, and it's working! Don't try to lose faster by trying fads. Accept that it will take time, maybe a year or more, and celebrate small goals along the way. Commit to be in it for the long haul, and eventually it will become second nature. And once you are at your goal, you can eat a bit more or exercise less, and maintain fairly easily. But you can never go back to your "old ways," the ones that caused you to be overweight in the first place.

Good luck!

raewest

This article I read recently, in its entirety, is definitely interesting. And it may answer a WHOLE LOT of questions about carb/sugar, fat, and "trigger"-type foods. I hope it helps...


One twin gave up sugar, the other gave up fat. Their experiment could change YOUR life
Twins Alexander and Chris Van Tulleken set out to find out which is worse
They were allowed to eat as much as they wanted and exercised the same
Alexander couldn't have carbs and Chris was allowed only a tiny bit of fat

(Last part of the article..)

"What we discovered is that the real reason we're all getting fatter isn't fat or sugar.
Furthermore, sugar alone isn't very addictive - only horses snack on sugar cubes and very few people gorge on boiled sweets or dry toast.
And fat isn't really addictive either: when did you last sneak a spoonful of butter from the fridge late at night?
The modern processed food industry knows this and that's why you're rarely sold the two separately - what is addictive is the combination.
We interviewed some amazing scientists who showed us that a combination of fat and sugar (such as in milk chocolate or ice cream) has a similar effect on your brain to cocaine.
Remove either and your tub of ice cream will be a lot less appetising and a lot less addictive. It'll have fewer calories, too.
What we relish is fat/sugar combinations - chocolate, ice cream, French fries. To see the effect of these combinations on the brain - and why they might be addictive like cocaine - after the diet part of our experiment finished, I had an eye scan done by Jennifer Nasser, a nutrition professor at Drexel University in the U.S.
This scan effectively detects dopamine, a neurotransmitter that activates the reward centres of the brain. I was scanned while I ate fatty, sugary foods: sure enough a huge surge of dopamine.
So, what were our conclusions? If you want to lose weight it will be much easier if you avoid processed foods made with sugar and fat. These foods affect your brain in a completely different way from natural foods and it's hard for anyone to resist eating too much.
And any diet that eliminates fat or sugar will be unpalatable, hard to sustain and probably be bad for your health, too."


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2546975/One-twin-gave-sugar-gave-fat-Their-experiment-change-YOUR-life.html#ixzz31LiDeW2A
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fatcity66

Thanks to the people that are still replying but I have corrected myself many times when I said no/ low carb I meant slashing my simple carb in take in half or getting rid of it all together I know carbs are found in fruits and vegetables etc…. I meant eliminating this like white bread, white flour, white pasta……. and to the people that are telling me I could still lose weight and have the foods I want in moderation I'm just not at that point I do not have the self discipline to just eat the serving sizes of those kinds of foods( pizza, cookies, chips) and quite honestly would rather just clean up my diet in general like many people said my goals is to lose weight but also be healthy and I know that eating those types of foods will harm me in the long run because not only do I go overboard when I do try and eat them but I just also don't WANT to anymore I'm just tired of feeling like I need food like pizza pasta chips and cookies to feel satisfied so YES I do want to cut them out.

Switch to mostly high-fiber carbs and add more fruits and veggies, and you will likely be satisfied eating much less. Also, measure and weigh EVERY thing, for at least the first couple of weeks, especially starchy carbs and higher fat foods. Once you get an idea of a true serving size, you don't have to weigh every time. But if you reach a plateau, and your calories seem to be in check, I'd suggest going back to weighing again for a while, to make sure your portion sizes haven't gotten out of whack. I also find it helpful to measure out single serving meals ahead of time, so I can just grab it and go. For me, it is also important to eat organic as much as humanly possible. Added chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics cause MY hormones to go out of balance, and hinder my body from burning fat.

vvancol_rose

Thanks to the people that are still replying but I have corrected myself many times when I said no/ low carb I meant slashing my simple carb in take in half or getting rid of it all together I know carbs are found in fruits and vegetables etc…. I meant eliminating this like white bread, white flour, white pasta……. and to the people that are telling me I could still lose weight and have the foods I want in moderation I'm just not at that point I do not have the self discipline to just eat the serving sizes of those kinds of foods( pizza, cookies, chips) and quite honestly would rather just clean up my diet in general like many people said my goals is to lose weight but also be healthy and I know that eating those types of foods will harm me in the long run because not only do I go overboard when I do try and eat them but I just also don't WANT to anymore I'm just tired of feeling like I need food like pizza pasta chips and cookies to feel satisfied so YES I do want to cut them out.

Switch to mostly high-fiber carbs and add more fruits and veggies, and you will likely be satisfied eating much less. Also, measure and weigh EVERY thing, for at least the first couple of weeks, especially starchy carbs and higher fat foods. Once you get an idea of a true serving size, you don't have to weigh every time. But if you reach a plateau, and your calories seem to be in check, I'd suggest going back to weighing again for a while, to make sure your portion sizes haven't gotten out of whack. I also find it helpful to measure out single serving meals ahead of time, so I can just grab it and go. For me, it is also important to eat organic as much as humanly possible.******** Added chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics *********cause MY hormones to go out of balance, and hinder my body from burning fat.

Another great point thanks for this I'm also trying to AVOID unnatural chemicals that aren't meant for the body as much as possible and that means staying away from simple carbs and processed foods IMO

AllOutof_Bubblegum

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haleyc717

Cutting out carbs is not healthy. Cutting down on carbs like white flower, sugar, and processed foods is good, but you need good carbs (whole grains, fruits, veggies, legumes). I just read a book that broke down the definition of "Carbohydrate" as a hydrated carbon, and you need those to fuel your muscles. When people initially lose weight on low/no carb diets, its mostly water weight, and then muscle weight, but its not the most efficient form of fat loss. Keep the good carbs.

mike_ny

Try keeping your carbs under 200 grams for a week or so. That isn't low enough to shock your body or put you into ketosis or anything, but it will let you determine if your body does better losing weight by cutting carbs. If you do better on less carbs, then you can cut them down to 100 grams a day and not go into ketosis while your body still burns excess fat and protein as the main fuel sources. And, it's easier to just count total carbs and not try to separate simple vs complex vs fiber. The numbers are high enough to still eat lots of veggies and some whole grain foods.

I know I definitely see a correlation between my simple carb consumption and weight gain/loss. Too many carbs and I start gaining, cut back and I drop. It's not about carbs being bad or whatever. They're just food, but different people process different foods differently and I do much better on fat and protein for fuel. Since there is definitely a limit to how much protein one should eat, all my excess calories over100-150 grams of carbs and daily protein needs come from fat.

hunnyb17

Glad to see that you've clarified your lowcarb/no carb question. As someone else pointed out, there is a carb in an egg but what most people don't realize is that even meat, plain meat, has trace carbs due to the glycogen stored in muscles. So "no-carb" would actually mean eating your choice of water and rocks.

Personally, low carb does help me control my appetite. Are sugary foods a "trigger" for me? Yep. The spike in blood glucose levels followed by an unavoidable crash results in grumpy-hungries for me. After the first 3-5 days eating a really low carb (for me, definted as less than 30 grams of net carb) I no longer crave the sweets, pasta and bread. Then, I get my carbs from as many vegetables as I want, some fruits (avocados, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries) and seeds/nuts/legumes.

And, I keep my fat high. Really high.

My fitness regime is running 3-4 miles and lifting weights. If I were doing longer distances, I'd consider eating higher carb.

I eat this way without losing weight and feeling great so I'm meeting my goals. Yes you will lose initial water weight and if you are aiming to lose weight you can eat at a calorie deficit. Deficit = weight loss.

CoachLadyK84

I would not cut out carbs- I would watch white foods and processed foods but remember there are some good carbs out there! I would focus on macros versus cutting out fat, carbs, any of that. By doing so you are fueling your body with what you need and are more apt to stick to it as well.

nicmatts

I've been low-ish carbing since October. For the first four months I went as low as I could. I got down to fewer than 30g of net carbs a day. And then I started to feel sick. So I went up to around 100-120g net per day. I also started tracking my calories at the same time--I hadn't been before that. I've maintained the same rate of weight loss (about 3 lbs per month). No real plateaus, and I feel great. I ran a 5k last night and set a personal best.

I have tried losing weight many times without success. This has been the easiest it's ever happened for me. I think I have insulin resistance, but also keeping the carbs down to ~20g per meal or snack enforces portion control for me. I still eat pizza sometimes, for example, but it's one small piece instead of two big ones.

It's really about finding what works best for you. Good luck!

albertabeefy

Cutting out carbs is not healthy.

Actually, there is technically no physiological need for dietary carbohydrate. Cutting out nutrients isn't healthy, but if one wanted to eliminate carbs and get nutrients elsewhere (supplementation, etc.), they could with no consequences to health.

When people initially lose weight on low/no carb diets, its mostly water weight,

True ...

and then muscle weight,

** Not true at all ** Every expert in the world agrees that a low-carb ketogenic diet is, by nature, protein/muscle-sparing.

but its not the most efficient form of fat loss.

For overall weight-loss a low-carb diet isn't necessarily superior to any other diet/exercise regime, true. (It seems to have best results with those with certain metabolic conditions.). But for those who cannot exercise - (a small subset of the population, but they do exist ...) - because a low-carb ketogenic diet is protein/muscle-sparing, it is quite likely the most-efficient form of fat loss.

Other diets require some form of exercise to be protein/muscle-sparing ... a majority of studies show that resistance training is the most-effective exercise for sparing protein. This is why so-many bariatric physicians (obesity experts) are starting extremely morbidly obese people (who often cannot exercise) on VLCKD (very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets.).

jodyblanchard

I agree with you completely. Eating very low carb keeps me from having cravings. I eat to live when I curb the carbs. Adding many carbs at all, especially in the form of anything white, will set me off. I liken it to the way an alcoholic "goes off" with only one drink. That's me.

Forty6and2

Considering that most zero carb foods are meat, I would not recommend going that route. You would have a very hard time pooping.

That being said, you don't need to go low carb or no carb to lose weight. I eat 200+ grams of carbs a day and it hasn't slowed my progress at all.

Annie_01

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?

OP...you are starting where I did...5'6" 246lbs. I eat it all...pasta...pizza...burgers...ice cream...crackers...I cut nothing out. There were a few things that I substituted when I could get more bang for my calorie. In 9 months I have lost 67lbs. So it can be done without depriving yourself. You just have to make wise choices and learn to eat reasonable portions....weigh...weigh....weigh your food...log...log...log. I can't say those words enough.

Start exercising at what is reasonable for your body...walk...run...jump...just start moving.

Don't beat yourself up over bad days...and yes...you will have them. Just give yourself a break and start all over again.

I still have 25-35 lbs left to lose...I will eventually get there...in the mean time...I have learned to enjoy the journey....well...except those days I don't!

jodyblanchard

I support you completely. I apologize for the jerks who feel the necessity to be mean. For me, carbs are poison. I stick with carbs in the form of vegetables and berries only. I also eat a few almonds, but they can get out of control for me if I eat too many. So essentially, I eat a lot of wild caught cold water fish, free range chicken, grass fed beef, organic vegetables and eggs. I keep my balance at 10% carbs, 40% protein and 50% fats in the form of cream, butter, olive oil, avacados, and cheese. I hope you will read all the good info on the web. If you have issues with white food like I do, this is your answer. Good luck~!