Low carb diet/lifestyle

Belle_Fille

What is considered a "low carb" diet/lifestyle? Does that mean you (general you-whoever follows the low carb diet) eat as little carbs as possible or does our bodies need a certain amount of carbs?

flyinmomof3

All I know is that you should eat about 60-65% of your diet being carbs. Weather it's veggies, fruit, pasta, rice or whatever kind of carb. I'm guessing anything under 60g or 55 grams of carbs a day would be low carb. I did the Atkins diet, back in the day and got really sick. I followed it to the "T" though. I don't recommend any low carb dieting. Just switch your carb sources. It's very important to eat carbs, because it not only fuels or body with energy, but it also helps in the obsorption of other nutrients. It's really all about making wise food choices and keeping your calories in check. It's really about calories and calories out. Just follow what MFP recommends and you will loose weight the right way, for life.

Newfiedan

carbs are not the enemy, refined carbs and saturated fats are, so learn about slow releasing carbs and good fats like omega 3s, olive oil, nuts, etc. You need proper carb intake to fuel the muscles, so low carb is fine provided you are getting enough for energy. high protein should never exceed 1 g for every pound of bodyweight. Here is a great site with a list of slow carbs that will keep you full and fuel the body right. http://fourhourbodysupplements.com/2010/02/slow-carb-diet/list-of-slow-carb-foods/

Ral263

The "true" Aktins Low Carb diet I think recommends something like, 30g of carbs a day, which is totally ridiculous.

Like everyone said above, carbs are NOT the "enemy." Carbs are in everything nutritious from fruit, vegetables, whole grains, etc. Your body needs them to function, they are essential to pretty much all body processes. I think I try to stick around 60% carbs (feel free to check out my diary).

Instead of shunning carbs, aim to eliminate WHITE carbs and processed foods and sugars-- these are the "empty" calories that don't provide your body with any nutritional value/ energy/ etc.

dmvbnoslo

Atkins is based on net carbs- so basically fiber grams are deducted from total carbs to get the lower net-carb number. This allows you to eat more vegetables and still keep in the lower numbers for carb consumption. The newest version of Atkins promotes eating salads at basically every meal. Starchy veggies are the ones to steer clear of- things like potatoes and corn. This version is actually more balanced than past versions have been.

Glucocorticoid

Carbs are not an essential nutrient. If you eat less than 100g/carbs per day, you are generally considered to be in a state of ketosis, to some degree.