LOW CARB ~or~ NO CARB?

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bstrength85
bstrength85 Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Maybe I am out of the loop on this conversation. Perhaps I am a bit uneducated in my understanding of dieting and eating healthy.

I am just curious if on an overall health level, is no carb really the best method for weight-loss?

I've lost substantial weight on low carb, but curious as to what you folks would consider "low" and your thoughts on the "no carb" ideology (popularized primarily by Atkins).

Thanks!

:glasses:

Replies

  • BrentGetsFit
    BrentGetsFit Posts: 878 Member
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    I did no carb for a few months some years ago. I lost almost 20 pounds but was tired, cranky and felt like crap. Overall I didn't find it to be a sustainable way of life.
  • javamom
    javamom Posts: 309
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    I have had some gallbladder issues my doctor attributes to a previous low carb diet. I am all about BALANCE these days.
  • emmerrs
    emmerrs Posts: 158 Member
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    I don't like no carb/atkins for two reasons

    1) I don't think its a diet anyone could sustain for the long term, its a DIET rather than a lifestyle change, which means 9 times out of 10 you'll end up gaining some weight back once you go back to carbs.

    2) You (can, not always) end up eating way too much fat from the incredible amount of protein that you need to eat for that type of diet.

    But that's just my opinion
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
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    I did no carb for a few months some years ago. I lost almost 20 pounds but was tired, cranky and felt like crap. Overall I didn't find it to be a sustainable way of life.

    Me too! It's a crazy solution to losing weight fast. It's not able to be obtained throughout life and what a person needs is a life style that allows one to eat healthy and exercise without excluding important supplements such as carbs. Try the calorie intake the MFP gives you with exercise and I promise you'll see results. I have a bad metabolism and take medications that make it hard to lose weight, and yet a month later I have lost a little over 9 pounds. YOU CAN DO IT!! And feel healthy too! =)
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
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    Make sure the carbs you do consume are from whole foods, it's the processed / refined stuff that is causing the problems. HFCS amongst all its various names, I was taking water flavouring sticks until I saw the corn dextrin in the ingredients. More of a problem for me than the aspartame since I already get aspartame from diet soda.

    Skip the processed foods, check the ingredient lists if it's got more than 5 or so ingredients and it's not something like a chili then why?

    Get whole-foods, it'll help
  • carlamorris
    carlamorris Posts: 29 Member
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    i did the low carb 5 years ago and lost 45 pounds . although i kept it off for 2 years i have now gained it all back plus 10 more pounds
  • leslielove
    leslielove Posts: 251 Member
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    The big thing that a lot of people don't consider is the fact that there is serious carbohydrate content in fruits, vegetables, and even many dairy products. Cutting out processed carbohydrates is not only doable, its really freaking good for you. You just need to make up your mind that you're going to do it and don't *****. Yeah, that's harsh and I don't care. Anything is sustainable if you want it badly enough. Who says you have to go back to carbs if you leave them?
  • dragonbug300
    dragonbug300 Posts: 760 Member
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    My AP Bio teacher used to say "A french fry is happiness."
    The brain uses carbs primarily for fuel. If you deprive it of that fuel, you'll wind up miserable and probably compensate later when you allow yourself to have carbs again. Also, mental and physical performance will degrade, putting your workouts, job, and personal relationships at risk.

    Atkins got one thing right: sugar is overdone in the average diet. It's easier to overeat on sugar than on meat. However, 1 gram of carbs = 4 calories, whereas 1 gram of fat = 9 calories. So, replacing carbs with fatty meats doesn't make sense mathematically.

    Low carb is decent, as long as you're filling in those carbs with good whole grains, and replacing the starches in meals with veggies rather than fatty meat. It sounds like it's working for you! Congrats!

    Hope that clears stuff up...
  • bstrength85
    bstrength85 Posts: 23 Member
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    Wow! Thanks for all the advice!

    (*leslie, you weren't harsh)
  • hchristine
    hchristine Posts: 63
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    For me low carb has worked great. I only felt tired for maybe the first week, but feel great now. I do my own version of Atkins now...but for me it was the only way. I am an all or nothing kind of person...and it has helped me completely eliminate refined sugars. Before going low carb that's pretty much all I ate was carbs (and not the good for you kind). I don't crave bad food anymore. A lot of people think it's not good, but it's working for me :) It's the only "diet" I have been on that I truly believe I can stay on long term.
  • NicolaGoodyear
    NicolaGoodyear Posts: 55
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    ive done no carb a few years back got fast quick results,tried it again recently i felt awfull!!..i just think healthy eating and regular excersize is the best way xxxx
  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
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    i did the low carb 5 years ago and lost 45 pounds . although i kept it off for 2 years i have now gained it all back plus 10 more pounds

    did you gain the weight back by not eating low-carb any longer?
  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
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    i did the low carb 5 years ago and lost 45 pounds . although i kept it off for 2 years i have now gained it all back plus 10 more pounds

    did you gain the weight back by not eating low-carb any longer?

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