Is there anyone who still believes in low carb dieting?

FitnessTim

I have been waiting for the low carb fad diet to go away but for some reason it is just lingering and people are still preaching its praises. I have dismissed it from the start and have no plans on ever going on a low carb diet. So far, eating a balanced diet has worked for me.

Is there any new information about low carb dieting that is keeping it alive?

fitnessGETZeasy

That's a great question. I keep hearing everyone sing the praises of the book "The New Rules of Lifting" so I picked it up at my library. It also preaches a low carb diet, which I found to be extremely disappointing. It seems to me there should be a good variety in everyone's diet. I try to eat healthy most days, but I can't imagine giving up ANYTHING for the long haul.

ashlee954

Personally I do not follow it but I have before. I did South Beach. It works great for many people. I think it has proven to be no fad. What works for some doesn't work for all, however. I love my chips too much. Low cal works best for me!

azlady7

i dont know really other than starchy foods turn to sugar in your blood stream. i used to do atkins, found it impossible for me since i am a carbivor myself lol. BUT in the last few years i have cut out most white and bleached carbs

tiptoe6

I did South Beach a few years ago. I had to change everything I loved to eat around so much, that I fell off of the wagon rather quickly. Moreso than with MFP, and Weight Watchers. However, I did lose a lot of weight, and fast! The only bad thing was, when I wanted to try to introduce some carb-ful foods back in, I gained it back just as fast. I think it works, but not for the long haul.

pattyisinaz

I tend to stay away from starchy food for the most part because I don't feel so great after I eat it.

AdamATGATT

I don't know. Atkins worked for me back in 2003. I lost 50 pounds over the summer and felt great. I didn't really do any strength training during that time. Mostly cardio, with a lot of running...back in the day when I could run three miles pretty easily. I gained all that weight back over the next 6 years as I slid off the diet and started to eat more carbs again.

I just can't handle a diet that cuts one specific thing from my intake. It's not sustainable. I've found it much easier, and healthier in the long run, to moderate everything. It wasn't carbs that got me...it was too many calories, fats, carbs, sugars, etc. In my opinion, it's a lot better to eat a little less of those and maintain that for the rest of my life than it is to cut carbs out forever. Just won't work for me in the long haul.

knittygirl52

I think a modified low carb diet is probably good for many. Atkins was way too over the top. But South Beach isn't bad. It doesn't eliminate carbs, but encourages you to watch the kinds of carbs you eat--get rid of the processed sugar and white flour--not bad advice.

I confess, however, that my son and his wife are doing crazy low-carb stuff. Imagine making a pizza with a cream cheese and cheddar crust! They said it was delicious. I'm not so sure. They look great, but I don't think it's something one can maintain over the long haul, and I'm concerned about the negative effects of high fat-high cholesterol protein sources. My husband had a heart attack at 45, so high cholesterol is not something my son can afford to ignore!

KcFitCoach

I have done both Atkins and South Beach in the past. The pounds fall off like crazy and FAST, but I always felt lethargic and dizzy and I had bad breath. As soon as I started reintroducing carbs in my diet the weight piled back on (plus more).

That being said, I definitely think there is merit in reducing/eliminating processed foods and 'white' carbs. These foods quickly spike blood sugar and most people's bodies over-respond with lots of insulin. Vicious cycle.

LaurieEReid

I agree. I can't cut out carbs; I love them too much! But I try for whole grains and complex carbohydrates as much as possible. And fewer sweets.

Shawna_831

I love my carbs! I always go way over my carb count everyday and I don't care because I love my carbs! :laugh:
Working out, drinking lots and lots of water seem to work just fine for me.:drinker:

rybo

Before I ever paid much attention to the big "fad" diets or serious nutrition, I just happened to never be a big fan of bread, rice or pasta. Yes I ate them, but not that much and certainly never went out of my way to do so. I lifted a lot of weights and ate tons of protein. I was able to maintain a very healthy weight with eating relatively low amounts of carbs.

Even now, I am much more of a runner than a lifter, but I still prefer to eat meat and veggies & fruits over bread/rice/pasta.
I will eat whole wheat bread on a snadwich for lunch. And its hit or miss maybe 1-2 days a week I will have a small side of rice or pasta for dinner, otherwise its fish/chicken/meat & veggies. I have leaned up very nicely on this diet and feel great.

lutzsher

Everything in moderation! I eat carbs every day, but only complex carbs. I have not consumed any "white" ones for almost 2 years. I tend to have the best results eating a well balanced diet and not denying myself. That is something I can live with for life!

reneeot

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY LOW CARB?

If you mean eating under 100 carbs, I'm a low carber!!! MY MFP limit is 165 but I never eat that much, I think because I only eat 1 serving of each carb food at a time. If I have bread and rice in a meal I eat only 1 serving of each.

I'm not a Atkins Dieter but I have read its info. As well as many others.

ATKINS:
PHASE 1 - 20 carbs from leafy greens and veggies - 2 WEEKS ONLY
PHASE 2 - Gradually increase carbs each week as long as body continues to lose weight. 25/35/45 and etc as high as 80 carbs.
PHASE 3 - 10 lbs from goal - reintroduce whole grain foods. And continue increasing carbs gradually as long as losing weight.
PHASE 4 - After the several months of eating right and developed new eating habits, you maintain it.

I believe Atkins gets its negativety because of people not following the plan correctly. They stay in phase 1 to continue losing large amounts of weight and thus losing weight too fast and never going into the 2nd phase where they are gradually changing what they eat.

krystonite

I'm doing it now because the sugars in fruits have been crushing my weight loss goals.

emb1

I don't eat carbs and love it. I feel much more lean. Sugar and I don't get along well.

edorice

I don't do low carb, but I do high protein. LOL i recognize that my body desires protein more and gets leaner because if it. i'm a fast oxidizer.

The Fast Oxidizer

Recognizing the Fast Oxidizer:

1. The fast oxidizer breaks down carbohydrates very rapidly.

2. There is an increased amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood stream.

3. Fast oxidizers generally needs a high protein diet. Proteins take longer to break down and hence a high protein diet controls hunger. A pure fast oxidizer may well be a complete carnivore.

4. All foods are oxidized or burned up fairly rapidly, therefore may be hungry often during the day. The fast oxidizer generally must eat at least three meals a day and sometimes even more.

5. The ash created by the burning of protein is acidic and therefore the blood becomes more acidic, that is, the pH of the blood decreases. At its extreme a metabolic acidosis may be created.

6. The Parasympathetic nervous system is more dominant in fast oxidizers. Stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system causes increase hydrochloric acid production, increased motility of the digestive system and release of pepsin and other digestive enzymes into the stomach to aid in digestion.

7. The fast oxidizer is more likely to suffer from problems where there is lack of stimulation of one or another gland or organ. Conditions such as: a low thyroid, calcium imbalance, allergic asthma, stomach ulcers, hay fever, excess mucous production, slower heart rate, low blood pressure and reactive hypoglycemia. These problems are also related to the speed of metabolism and the hyperglycemic action of adrenaline.

8. The fast oxidizer is more likely to suffer from diarrhea then constipation.

9. May be prone to fainting or episodes of dizziness.

10. The fast oxidizer may be more prone to osteoporosis and inflammations of the joints such as traumatic arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

11. There is an increased potential of addiction to sugar and therefore to weight gain and even binge eating.

12. The fast oxidizer may experience increase intestinal motility, acidic stomach, acid indigestion or gastric reflux.

http://www.yourpersonalwebmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=106&Itemid=118

reneeot

I'm doing it now because the sugars in fruits have been crushing my weight loss goals.

I had to reduce fruits dramatically!!! Here are my results after 2 months of limited sugar, but that does not mean carbs. I ate the same carb amounts. Kept my sugars under MFP limits.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/140762-belly-fat-progress-pics-9-20-12-10

Mindful_Trent

I dont' do "low carb" or any specific diet, but I believe many people eat WAY more carbs than we need. MFP defaults to 55% carbs, but I feel much better and have more energy, and are less hungry when I eat more protein. I aim for 40-45% carbs, 25-30% protein and 30% fat.

On top of that, I feel that the carbs I do eat (which is still usually 150-200g per day) need to be healthy, non-processed carbs. I try to get most of my carbs from vegetables, fruits and non or very lightly processed foods like quinoa, steel cut oats, beans, etc. I also try to limit my sugar to 10% of daily calories (25% or less of my carb total), which comes out to about 38g of sugar per day. I try to get almost all of this from natural sugar - fruit, vegetables and dairy - I'm trying to cut added sugars out almost completely (except for the occasional treat). I try to stick to buying products without added sugars (ex. no-sugar added applesauce, yogurt without added sugar, peanut butter without added sugar, etc.).

I'm not great at sticking to this all the time, but I want to because I feel so much healthier when I do.

kimber607

ME!
I have a horrible sweet tooth and sugar craving and going low carb...NO refined or processed foods either
Is the only thing that keeps my weight down and on track
I wouldnt' rec for everyone but it works for ME
I do pretty intense low carb that probably everyone wouldn't agree with...splurge on Holidays etc...

Kim

lisafrancis629

I'm doing it now because the sugars in fruits have been crushing my weight loss goals.

I have to be very careful with fruit because the sugar can trigger me to crave more sugar in the not so healthy form. I can't eat any type of fruit for breakfast because then I'm fighting the sugar craving the rest of the day. I save my fruit for the latter part of the day.

Mindful_Trent

BTW - to the Original Poster, who asked about current/recent information - here are some intelligent links, one to a study and one to a scientific explanation that support a lower-carb lifestyle. I really like this guy's site - I don't necessarily follow every bit of advice, but I think it's solid and he's well educated/read.

http://graemethomasonline.com/carbohydrate-restriction-the-numbers-dont-lie/

http://graemethomasonline.com/carbohydrates-a-question-of-need/

FitnessTim

Maybe before low-carb dieting people were overdoing it with carb and not getting enough fat and protein in their diets. By going low carb that forces you to eat more protein and fat. In addtion, low carb diets frown on pure sugar so again the success people were seeing may have to do with avoiding sweet foods that had a high calorie density.

At the end of the day, eat less than you burn and you will lose weight.

I've always argued that I've not jumped on the low-carb bandwagon yet my current level of body fat is extremely low and I have been able to drop weight at will. On the other hand, I may have a low-carb lifestyle. I don't like sweets and I'm big on protein and vegetables. I don't drink juice of any kind as I'd rather not drink my calories. I'm also not afraid to have a little fat in my diet.

Atkins and the others may have been able to capitalize on the fact that most people were on high-carb diets. By advocating low-carb dieting all of sudden we started to hear about people losing pounds like crazy.

But then it went a little crazy. It got to the point where I couldn't have a sandwich with bread without some low-carb nut job sentencing me to a life of obesity and poor health for my sin.

Some people said it best here: you find what works for you and go with it. When it stops working, try something else.

reneeot

At the end of the day, eat less than you burn and you will lose weight.

True but sometimes there are factors that can slow the process. I was averaging 1 lb a week, now almost 1lb a week because of modifying sugar intake from fruit. Eating the same caloric intake with the same activity. Its not always tied up in a pretty weight loss bow of eat less than you burn. !!!:flowerforyou:

Pragmatica

Low carb has been proven time and time again that it is not a "fad" diet. Americans eat way too many carbs in their diets, and even our own government and "experts" know it. There are tons of articles out there about how the current food pyramid needs to be adjusted to around 100-150 carbs a day. People also need to be re-educated about sodium, cholesterol, fat and protein. Pick up "Good Calories Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes. It explains the science behind why low carb works and why we should all watch our carbs to become healthy.

Http://www.fathead.com - another excellent site that proves we've been lied to about nutrition
Http://www.garytaubes.com - author i mentioned above

LowCarbAmanda

For me, refined carbs had to go! I used MFP back at he beginning of 2010, before trying anything special to lose weight, just out of curiosity's sake (and I was a new iPhone user, with an app addiction - LOL!). I entered my info, MFP showed my recommended calorie intake (which was a 500 cal defect from my BMR), and I started tracking - not aiming for targets, and in now way adjusting what I ate. I was consistently coming in below my recommended calories, and at the recommended carb level, but still gaining weight. In September I started a modified Atkins for my epilepsy (and because I HOPED I could drop some weight too, and it's like magic.

I eat a tonne of veggies on Atkins. Just not root-vegetables. My doctor said my bloodwork is perfect - no vitamin deficiencies or high cholesterol. Low carb does not mean all-you-can-eat steak and cheese! I DO eat balanced meals. I've just accepted the fact that I'll not be eating white bread or white pasta again, and I'm fine with that.

I do think we don't all operate identically. My husband is 5'10", 124lbs, and does and has always eaten at least 3 times as much as me - and I don't mean celery. He has not cut carbs, nor does he need to. He eats two dozen perogies in one sitting, or a 15" pizza by himself, and hasn't gained a pound (he's pushing 40 years old). But for me, low carb is the answer!

LowCarbAmanda

(Defecit, not defect...)

musclebuilder

I have been waiting for the low carb fad diet to go away but for some reason it is just lingering and people are still preaching its praises. I have dismissed it from the start and have no plans on ever going on a low carb diet. So far, eating a balanced diet has worked for me.

Is there any new information about low carb dieting that is keeping it alive?

They are effective at promoting fat loss. I am with you, I prefer a balanced diet. If you are trying to get extremely lean you will be very low carb as you get leaner and leaner just by the very nature of dieting. But I keep as many carbs in my diet as long as I can. It is not for everybody. But some people prefer low carb diets so it has its place. Is it superior for fat loss compared to a balnced diet. Not realy. Most approaches have their pro's and cons. Personally I think to much is made of it all. Just bust your *kitten* and do what it takes to get lean. That is the approach I find most effective.

musclebuilder

Low carb has been proven time and time again that it is not a "fad" diet. Americans eat way too many carbs in their diets, and even our own government and "experts" know it. There are tons of articles out there about how the current food pyramid needs to be adjusted to around 100-150 carbs a day. People also need to be re-educated about sodium, cholesterol, fat and protein. Pick up "Good Calories Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes. It explains the science behind why low carb works and why we should all watch our carbs to become healthy.

Http://www.fathead.com - another excellent site that proves we've been lied to about nutrition
Http://www.garytaubes.com - author i mentioned above

Americans eat to much garbage and dont do enough exercise. Carbohydrates are not the issue.. I am currently eating over 400g complex carbs a day. I am staying under 10% bf and slowly building lean muscle mass.

PokenStick

Low carb diets are not fads! I would however say people take the basic idea of low carb, and morph it into something that seems crazy like stuffing their faces with fatty steak, bacon and cheese every meal.

It's a fact that if you eat too much starchy carbs, your blood sugar will increase and start the chain reaction of triglycerides causing fat gain. Will you still lose weight if you're watching your calories, yes. Will it be that fastest and healthiest way to do it, no.

I am practicing a low carb diet by limiting my carbs to about 2 servings a day, usually lunch and dinner. It's pretty balanced however because America is such a carb consuming nation, it's still considered "low carb".

Just look at the stereotypical American meals:
Breakfast - Cereal, toast, bagel, etc
Lunch - Sandwiches, hotdogs, chips, fries, etc
Dinner - Pasta, rice, mash potatoes, hamburgers, etc

Before dieting and learning about nutrition, it was common for me to eat 2 or more servings each meal. That would end up 6+ servings of starchy carbs a day which is not natural for our bodies at all. Low carb really means normal carbs in a high carb society.

I know this jumps around a lot, it's way too early on a Friday...I'm basically saying that yes a balanced diet is the way to go...just don't lump all "low carb dieters" in the fad crazy category because low carb is a part of a balanced diet.

Pragmatica

Being 10% bf and at your fitness level is NOT typical of the average American. Your body uses that fuel in different ways, while the rest of us keep stuffing our faces with no end in sight. I wish we could all eat like that, but it's not possibly. On the other hand, you might be interested in cyclic low carb (low carb/high carb cycles) to see more gains in your lifting and bulking.

Low carb has been proven time and time again that it is not a "fad" diet. Americans eat way too many carbs in their diets, and even our own government and "experts" know it. There are tons of articles out there about how the current food pyramid needs to be adjusted to around 100-150 carbs a day. People also need to be re-educated about sodium, cholesterol, fat and protein. Pick up "Good Calories Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes. It explains the science behind why low carb works and why we should all watch our carbs to become healthy.

Http://www.fathead.com - another excellent site that proves we've been lied to about nutrition
Http://www.garytaubes.com - author i mentioned above

Americans eat to much garbage and dont do enough exercise. Carbohydrates are not the issue.. I am currently eating over 400g complex carbs a day. I am staying under 10% bf and slowly building lean muscle mass.