Low Carb vs. Low Fat

ResilientWoman

At 352 lbs, I had many more health problems than being morbidly obese. Your mileage may vary but for me, a low (and mindful) carb intake has not only helped me to reduce excess weight but to think more clearly, become more agile and enjoy my life more. Dr. Diana Schwrzbein's book, The Schwarzbein Principle, helped me to understand the 'low fat' fallacy and the chemistry of health and wellness. With her expertise as an endocrinologist, I was able to reverse over a decade of infertility with nutrition alone and have the child of whom I'd spent my life dreaming. My daughter is 5 1/2 now. Recently, I have tightened up my carb intake and reaped amazing results. I eat a lot of protein, lift weights, run and am preparing for a return to college and then onto med school. I am more energetic, dynamic and resilient than ever and I credit it with a VLC Paleo approach to nutrition. This is a lifestyle that my family (myself, a 5 1/2 year old athletic daughter, and a diabetic friend recovering from a stroke) can live with for a lifetime.

BTW, the kicker for me was research on various foods being added/subtracted from cat/dog foods and the results in their health. My elder cat and dog have conquered a host of medical issues and are now thriving due to living grain free, gluten free, moderate protein, healthy fat lives.

Congrats to Pragmatica on shedding 141 lbs. I'm done with 88 lbs and have around 72 more to adios.

jilld76

For those of you that do low carb, do you have any suggestions for high protein foods besides meat?

I really try to push myself to eat more protein and less carbs, but I really don't enjoy meat that much, so it's a constant struggle and it also feels like more work when I have to pack stuff to take with me to work.

Things I eat now are greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein powder, string cheese, chicken, tuna, eggs, that's probably the extent of my current options.

I'm not so much worried about eliminating carbs from my diet, I know I'll still eat some pasta or rice here and there and I eat fruit almost everyday, but I'd just like to really up my protein intake.

mrphil86

http://women.webmd.com/guide/high-protein-low-carbohydrate-diets

Read this, written by a doctor with research from credible institutions .

sarahc001

I agree completely with hsinster.

I would like to add that no matter how you get your body to low calories, you will still gain weight if you eat more calories than you burn and you will lose weight if you eat less calories than you burn.

With that said, I think that it is MUCH more important to consider your "body composition" when losing weight than what the scale says. In other words, get your body fat % down to a level that is good for you and your doctor and you will be healthier than just getting your weight down.

My personal experience is: I counted calories only from Sept 1, 2010 to Jan 7, 2011. I lost 40 pounds and felt great but...I lost 5 inches from my chest and 6.5 inches from my belly and two inches from my neck. My bodyfat went from about 30% to 18%. Very good results to say the least but I was not happy with my appearance.

That's when I discovered the importance of Protein at every meal and lifting weights. (I was already doing cardio.) From that point to now, I lost 3 more inches off my waist, gained two inches on my chest, one inch on my neck. My bodyfat is about 11% and I am never out of energy and rarely hungry. I am a completely transformed person. More successful at work, at home, and with my friends.

My point in all that is I truly believe that the most important things to watch for in your diet are in this order: #1 Calories, #2 Protein, #3 Carbs, #4 Fat. I eat at least my bodyweight worth of Protein grams and get lots of complex carbs and essential fats. As long as you do that and stay under your calorie goal, the ratios will work themselves out.

I totally agree. Unfortunately more emphasis is placed on the number on the scale than body composition. When I started p90x my body fat scale had me at 29.9% and gave me an "ideal" weight of 108lbs. I have set out to lose the 15, but a funny thing has happened....with only 5lb lost (it has been 6weeks since p90x and just under 4 weeks with MFP) my body fat composition is down to 25.5% and the scale has revised my "goal" to 114. At this point I really wish I had taken before pictures, but I was too embarrassed by my appearance to do so. I have made a doctor's appointment for Monday to discuss this, but it's kind of interesting. I am always way under on fat, over on protein, and slightly under on carbs every day. The protein helps keep me full and allows me to repair muscle after exercise, and the carbs (mainly complex, plus lots of fiber) give me energy for my workouts. I'd probably call the plan "high protein-high fiber-moderate carb-low fat."

kmal2t

obvious answer...do both?

Eat lean low fat meats and proteins and cut back carbs and eat whole grain carbs...