How many of you feel that a low carb diet

RussianLynx

Sorry, I got off topic.

I try to not have a carb-centric meal or snack at the end of the day. If I'm going to have a bowl of fruit as a snack, I just try not to make it the very last thing I eat before bedtime.

Grokette

....helped you lose weight better? I did the Atkins diet a few years ago and I lost weight but was miserable the whole time, and I gained it right back after I began eating whole grains again. I've been eating healthy carbs, exercising and have been losing weight slow and steady, but to all you out there that eat some carbs but not everyday or everymeal; do you see a any difference in losing weight verses eating healthy carbs everyday and with every meal? Just curious!

Well I can tell you that adding back in Grains is all a part of the Atkins Plan if you climbed the carb ladder in order. You would not have gained the weight back, therefore you can not say it was Atkins - it was the failure of NOT following the plan as it is laid out in the book, through all 4 phases and climbing the carb ladder CORRECTLY!!

Grokette

The thing that always bothered me about Atkins was the uncontrolled fat intake. Promoting the need for protein with lean meats is one thing, but a diet that let's you eat a pound of bacon at every meal? That's messed up.

I never trust any diet that won't let me eat fruit. Fruit might be the most perfect food ever invented.

I don't eat much sugar at all and I avoid things made with white flour. A low carb diet makes me unbelievably miserable and it's not sustainable (for me) over any length of time. I just try to make sure that when I do eat carbs, they're from a whole grain or fruits and veggies.

The way you have it explained is NOT Atkins.

You eat plenty of fruit with Atkins, it is just added back in, in a controlled manner.

javamom

Coming from a South Beach mentality, it was initially hard for me to see carbs in my diary. I eat carbs in moderation, try to pick the healthier ones often, and NEVER go over my carbs in my diary. Calories are the number one key to weight loss for me, but carbs are a close second!

JennLifts

The lowest you should ever consume in a day is 130g of carbs.

Grokette

The lowest you should ever consume in a day is 130g of carbs.

This is not a true statement for any one person. Maybe for you 130 grams or more of carbs works for you, but for me and many others like me would be gaining weight with that many grams of carbs, mostly due to water retention from the inflammation.

nakkinakks

I did low carb diet. I could lose only 5 lbs. Anyhow, I love carbs!
so now I eat rice with meal like cooked vegetables & meat every meal.
I eat bread or noodles sometimes whenever I feel like.
Of course, I do exercise! I just started working out with J. Michaels' DVD!

radwan_masri

The first two weeks since I started I was on low carb "or no carb" diet; I lost so much weight too fast that I realized I needed to change my routine, I am now incorporating carbs but very limited and I am still loosing weight but slowly and steadily. I do not believe in extreme diets, balance and common sense always rules; you are smart enough to weigh that one out.

Oishii

For me the key has to be sustainability, and a no carb life would be no life for me!

kadye

I like to plan my calories for the day. Usually at night I go into the next day and put in all my "protein foods" and once I have logged the amount of protein I want I fill in the rest. I am trying for 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fats. I can usually get pretty close. If I have some calories left over in a day and haven't met my protein goal, I eat some protein. This has really helped me get my weight loss going again. I could never go low carb and usually have carbs with every meal, but I do place a priority on protein.

SheldaKay

I tried to lose weight several times via Atkins diet. I lost weight the first month, usually around 7 pounds then it just stopped. I think I just lost water and after I went off the diet I gained it all back really fast. I lost 40 pounds last year by counting calories, eating from all the food groups and a lot of walking a little running and floor exercises but not many. At noon I had an iced latte with no syrup but with whole milk. It gave me the boost I needed to exercise. I don't lose weight cutting out all carbs or fats. I feel great now. On the Atkins diet I felt tired all the time.

kwardklinck

I do better when I eat fewer carbs (bread, pasta, rice), but I will never cut them out completely. I know a woman who did the no carb thing. When she started eating normal again, she gained 40 pounds over 6 months. It's not worth it.

jknops2

Ok, my opinion.

The only thing that matters for weight loss is CALORIES EATEN and CALORIES LOST. If you want to lose weight eat less and/or exercise more. The only reason that any of these diets work, is because they restrict how much you eat.

Most studies that I have seen show that if you have certain genetic makeup, being overweight strongly increases your risk for Diabetes type 2 and a number of other metabolic problems. Losing weight is the main factor that you can control that will lower your risk. 1/3 of all people are overweight, or obese in the US, and this is a major health problem.

Next, most of these diets like, Paleo, HCG, Atkins, are not healthy. None of them have any evidence that supports them. Again, they only work, because they restrict your calorie intake. Secondly, all of them are promoted by companies/individuals who are making money of you, by trying to convince you that they have the answer that solves your weight. If they help you lose weight, use them, BUT you do not need them. Using a website like this and figure out how many calories that you eat and how many that you lose, is all you need and can save you a lot of money and less health risk by following these diets.

Reading through some post and websites, it seems to me that these diets start with a tiny fact, and then they build this pyramid on that. Facts, like paleo people eat only meat, babies only drink milk, pregnant woman have hormones, are used and distorted. Like this: babies drink milk with lots of cholesterol and saturated fat, thus this is good and essential for babies, thus eating lots of saturated fat and cholesterol is good for all of us, etc. Let me make two up: some people drawn in water, hence too much water kills, hence any water will kill you, thus do not drink any water. Most cats are not overweight, hence drinking cat pee will make you lose weight and gain a normal weight.

Note that they all argue they have it figured out and try to convince you that they have the only key fact that’s important. However, the bottom line is test it, and none of them have ever been tested. Again, they restrict eating, and if this restricts calorie intake you will lose weight, nothing magical about it. And they are promoted, because people/companies make money of you by doing this.


My opinion, eat in moderation, control your weight and ignore all this blabber. There are some things that we do have good evidence for. Trans fat are bad, avoid them. Fiber is good, hence any way you get more fiber, like whole foods, fruits and vegetables is good for you. Too much saturated fat is not healthy, also for people with a normal weight. Eat saturated fat them in moderation, or avoid them. Fish oil is good for your health, eat more fish. But research these facts yourself from reputable sources, not websites or posts her by people/companies that are making money of you. Go to the USDA, Cancer society, Diebetis society, Mayo clinic, etc. And I am impressed with Wikipedia, almost all their information is a good summary of each topic.

Some people who follow these diets seem like reborn religious converts to me. It does not matter what you say their mind is made up, and they are fervent in trying to convert you to their faith/diet. Often they claim that there is a government/industry/Monsanto conspiracy out there that has brainwashed all of us, and that they have found a leader/diet that has lead them out of this wilderness. Well if it helps them lose weight, good for them, but remember you do not need this. CALORIES IN versus CALORIES OUT, eat less or exercise more that’s the only thing that matters for weight loss.