Low Carb Lifestyle?? Yay? Or Nay?? Did you have success?

ShelbyLB

Happy Thursday friends!! I hope your day is fabulous and filled with sunshine (its super cloudy here..so SOMEONE might as well be enjoying sunshine)

So...for the heck of it, I'm researching different eating lifestyles and wonder if anyone out there has tried or fully jumped into the LOW CARB lifestyle??

If so...what were the results? Did you stick with it? DId you lose weight? Did you physically feel good?

Thanks for the input everyone...and have a SPLENDID afternoon!

TonyaJ83

I just have to say that you are too darned sweet!
Thanks for the smile & I look forward to the answers!
Have a great day also!

atomdraco

I eat a well balanced diet (50% carb, 30% protein, 20% fat). Fruits and vegetable contains carb, if you go low carb, you are cutting all those great stuffs. I don't want to be a person kept eating meat (little meat-head) and it's just not healthy. Good luck

laurenlivesfit

As a student majoring in nutrition, I say nay. Low carb diets are very unhealthy for the body. Diets such as the Atkins diet are so low in carbohydrates that your body will go into a state of ketosis.

You can read more detail about it here: http://women.webmd.com/guide/high-protein-low-carbohydrate-diets

Although low carb diets are tempting due to the quick results, they are not healthy in the long run. If your looking to be fit and health, feed your body with the nutrients it needs and consume a balanced diet. The key to loosing weight is simple, expend more calories than you consume. You will have success and feel great

Hope this helps!

PS- Carbohydrate restricted diets are beneficial for people suffering from insulin resistance issues such as diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

ShrinkingNinja

I'm following the Rosedale Diet by Ron Rosedale. It is a low carb lifestyle. I started in April of 2010. I lost 76 of my 96lbs with it.

I feel great! No more daily miagraines, tones of energy and I actually feel like I eat more now than I ever had. Although I still follow the diet for the most part, I have added more fruits back in to make it more balanced... but I would say that I'm 95% still on plan, if that makes sense.

DahnaLane

Hiya!

I am a Low Carb Lifestyle peep. It is not for everyone, but is sure works best for my body. After returning to my low carb living, I have dropped 25 pounds in three months.

When I say that it is not for everyone, I mean this is a lifestyle for me. When I eat carbs/sugar, my body reacts almost in a hypoglycemic fashion. My levels spike/drop fast, I can't eat enough, I gain weight. By eating low carb, I actually get hunger pangs because my blood sugar levels are very steady / controlled.

If you want to peek at how I eat, feel free to friend me & browse through my diary. I completely welcome it.

Good luck on what ever path you choose for healthy living!
And what ever that path... find others who do the same. That is the BEST way to get support, suggestions and share recipes to keep you on track. :drinker:

Cheers!
Dahna

EDIT ****** to answer your original questions

Yes, I stick with it... because it is a lifestyle - not a diet. I simply don't eat processed sugar or highly starchy foods.
I eat lots of different vegetables & fruit (mostly berries, higher in antioxidants anyway). So contrary to popular belief, low carb does not have to equate eating meat only. The key to any eating lifestyle is to have a variety of choices. You would just have to research the lower carb options.

How do I feel? Great, after kicking my sugar addiction (happens in the first 3 days of low carb eating). I don't feel deprived either.. I have developed my own low carb versions of comfort foods & treats to keep me happy. :happy:

And like I said before, it is not for everyone.
AND this is a HOT TOPIC on MFP... as you can very well see already in your comments. :flowerforyou:

kittyloo123

i tried the low carb thing a few years back, and yes, you will see quick results. But, who wants to live always craving what you can't have? My friend has been low carbing for years, (she cheats alot) haven't seen any real loss, and she is always sick.
I will stick with the calorie thing. It works for me, and i wouldn't want it any other way.

Eirhren

I've tried with limited success. I lost the weight, but felt awful, then gained the weight back. However, I have a friend who loves it, is able to maintain it and has lost and kept off 40 pounds.
Good Luck!

Ladywindchaser

Yes, I have been on a Low Carb Diet for years. Not because I want to, but, because I HAVE to. I am a Diabetic and it is the only I can live without taking a ton of drugs. I was very opposed to it when my Dr's. said they wanted to change my lifestyle to a low carb diet. At first it seemed like I would not be able to eat anything. But to the contray. As I got into it more and more it became very clear to me that it is a very healty way to eat/live. I did lose a lot of weight and have not put it back on. However, it is because just like anything else it MUST be a lifestyle not just a diet. Here today and gone tomorrow, it will not work. I eat a ton of veggies, lean meats and I do have to limit my fruit or my Blood Sugar spikes.

So, in answer to your question it is a good and healty way to live. All these people that have negative comments about a low carb diet really do not know that it is the recommended diet for most Diabetics. So it should be clear that it is a healty way to live but not a quick fixt.

LauraMarie37

Personally, I've tried a low-carb diet where I was cutting out as many non fruit/veggie carbs as possible (and I don't eat a lot of fruit, so that really meant my main carbs were coming from veggies and the smaller amounts of carbs in things like greek yogurt, cheese, fish, maybe a sprinkling of granola...etc). I found it really, really hard to stick to. I also found it hard to make sure I had enough salt and was getting dizzy a lot.

Right now, I'm trying to have one low carb meal per day and keep the other two filled with high-fiber carbs. It seems to be working about equally as well as only counting calories did in terms of weight loss. I've noticed better muscle definition. But I've also been craving more carbs - ie, when I was just counting calories, my "cheat days" were more of a healthy protein/fat/carb mix, now my cheat days are much more carb heavy.

I'm not entirely convinced it's all that it's cracked up to be, or maybe just my body doesn't respond well to it.

SusanRN2b

A resounding YAY. The rest of the diet and nutrition world seem to be catching on. Has anyone noticed that Weight Watchers, and Dr. Oz have both jumped on the low-carb wagon? Just saying...

pattyproulx

Big Yay from me as well.

I went from the Eat Clean Diet (pretty much the gold standard of conventional wisdom) to a Primal/Paleo diet (essentially low carb) and there's been a huge difference.

I've done each for over a year, so it's not like I just tried it for a week or month.

I lost some weight with calorie- and fat-restriction on the Eat-Clean. But I plateau'd at about 215-220 (I'm 6'2).

After switching to low-carb, I've dropped to 200. I've got more energy, I enjoy my food, and I love that I'm not always flipping hungry. Only reason I'm tracking my foods through MFP is to make myself accountable to not eating junk. I don't care about my caloric intake. Only thing I watch is that I don't go over 100g of carbs.

Funny thing is that under higher carb, I would have to stop myself from eating to stay under my calorie goals. On low-carb, my body knows when to stop eating. I couldn't overeat if I tried - and that's at eating about 50-60% of my calories from fat (for those who are concerned that high fat will sabotage their calorie goals).

pattyproulx

i tried the low carb thing a few years back, and yes, you will see quick results. But, who wants to live always craving what you can't have? My friend has been low carbing for years, (she cheats alot) haven't seen any real loss, and she is always sick.
I will stick with the calorie thing. It works for me, and i wouldn't want it any other way.

Who wants to always be craving what you can't have? Would you tell that to a smoker or alcoholic?

Just because people might be addicted to sugar and grains and would crave it if they dropped it, doesn't mean they should continue eating them regularly or that the cravings would necessarily persist.

I would much rather eat my steak and bacon, and olive oil and veggies and be satisfied until my next meal.
Who wants to always be concerned about counting calories and always being hungry for fear they might go over?

aholtz1

I am currently following a reduced carb lifestyle...I have had a genetic test done a few weeks ago and it states based on my results, a reduced carb lifestyle is best for my body to help me lose the weight I have...with a high intensity exercise on a weekly basis...
I don't have specific results yet, since I literally started this on 7/11/11...but I will be posting my results on my page weekly so feel free to friend me!!!

stormieweather

My carbs are set at 40% (as opposed to the default setting of 55%). I find it manageable at that level. I can't eat a lot of pasta, bread, rice or cereal (1 small servign per day basically). The rest comes from my veggies and fruit. I tried a 20g per day carb diet and it was not for me. I was raised a vegatarian and simply must have my veggies. I could care less about meat except for it's protein contribution. So I was frakkin miserable on 20g a day and all that fat. Ugh yuck barf. I'd rather have a nice rounded nutrient set up that I can maintain permanently.

beccarockslife

A resounding YAY. The rest of the diet and nutrition world seem to be catching on. Has anyone noticed that Weight Watchers, and Dr. Oz have both jumped on the low-carb wagon? Just saying...

What people that want to make money are jumping on a popular bandwagon?! Well I never.

beccarockslife

i tried the low carb thing a few years back, and yes, you will see quick results. But, who wants to live always craving what you can't have? My friend has been low carbing for years, (she cheats alot) haven't seen any real loss, and she is always sick.
I will stick with the calorie thing. It works for me, and i wouldn't want it any other way.

Who wants to always be craving what you can't have? Would you tell that to a smoker or alcoholic?

Just because people might be addicted to sugar and grains and would crave it if they dropped it, doesn't mean they should continue eating them regularly or that the cravings would necessarily persist.

I would much rather eat my steak and bacon, and olive oil and veggies and be satisfied until my next meal.
Who wants to always be concerned about counting calories and always being hungry for fear they might go over?

Are you saying the carbs, a natural substance that fuels the body is the same as cigarettes?! Really?!

ninerbuff

Nothing like low carb for quick weight loss. But IMO, it takes a lot of discipline to make it a lifestyle. Personally I use it short term (1 month) if I need to drop a few after a vacation or holidays.

arlingtonangel

I followed a low carb diet a few years ago. I basically cut out all carbs with the exception of fruits and veggies. I would occassionally have whole wheat bread, or whole grain pasta. I lost 70lbs and I lost it pretty quickly, but once I started re-introducing those items to my diet, all the weight came back on so I am not a fan of the low carb diet. I believe a balanced diet with whole grain is the best way to go. I now love brown rice and wheat pasta. HTH

circusmom

I eat a well balanced diet (50% carb, 30% protein, 20% fat). Fruits and vegetable contains carb, if you go low carb, you are cutting all those great stuffs. I don't want to be a person kept eating meat (little meat-head) and it's just not healthy. Good luck

I have my carbs set at 40%, and I eat my veggies, lots of veggies, some fruit almost everyday, and I eat whole grain bread. The only thing I have cut almost completely out of my diet is rice and pasta ( I substitute spaghetti squash for pasta), and this is a way of eating that is maintainable.

You can look at my diary if you'd like, last night I had a sweet potato, with cinnamon, sugar free caramel and marshmallows, and I didn't go over 40% carbs for the day.

I typically don't respond to the low carb posts because of the arguments that come up, but I'm feeling a bit frisky today. For those who think that you don't eat veggies on a lower carb diet you are wrong, I eat plenty of veggies, everyday!! Not eating pasta or rice is not unhealthy.

mynameisnutz

As a student majoring in nutrition, I say nay. Low carb diets are very unhealthy for the body. Diets such as the Atkins diet are so low in carbohydrates that your body will go into a state of ketosis.

You can read more detail about it here: http://women.webmd.com/guide/high-protein-low-carbohydrate-diets

Although low carb diets are tempting due to the quick results, they are not healthy in the long run. If your looking to be fit and health, feed your body with the nutrients it needs and consume a balanced diet. The key to loosing weight is simple, expend more calories than you consume. You will have success and feel great

Hope this helps!

PS- Carbohydrate restricted diets are beneficial for people suffering from insulin resistance issues such as diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

As a student majoring in nutrition, you should know that Atkins is high fat, not high protein.

melaniecheeks

Define "low carb"?

I kick stared my weight loss by halving the carbs I was usually consuming - much more feasible than going cold turkey (very bad pun, sorry). I could still have potaotes with my dinner - but one as opposed to 2 or 3. A small spoon of rice, etc. instead of half teh plate.

Now, I try to stick to around 100g carbs a day, no more than 150. I don't know if that's classically "low carb" - it's certainly not Atkins or Dukan, but its a balance that my body responds well to, and is easy to live with.

beccarockslife

As a student majoring in nutrition, I say nay. Low carb diets are very unhealthy for the body. Diets such as the Atkins diet are so low in carbohydrates that your body will go into a state of ketosis.

You can read more detail about it here: http://women.webmd.com/guide/high-protein-low-carbohydrate-diets

Although low carb diets are tempting due to the quick results, they are not healthy in the long run. If your looking to be fit and health, feed your body with the nutrients it needs and consume a balanced diet. The key to loosing weight is simple, expend more calories than you consume. You will have success and feel great

Hope this helps!

PS- Carbohydrate restricted diets are beneficial for people suffering from insulin resistance issues such as diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

As a student majoring in nutrition, you should know that Atkins is high fat, not high protein.

Still ends with the same result. It stops your body functioning as it should and forces it to protect its major organs by putting you in ketosis.

TheBraveryLover

I'm not sure if I'd be considered low carb but I try to keep my carb intake at 100 grams and under. On a good week, it's usually between 60-90. I like it. I have energy and I feel less bloated than I did when I didn't watch my carbs.

I've only been doing it for a couple months so I can't really tell you if it's helped me lose more weight than normally. I've been consistently losing 2 pounds a week since I first began my lifestyle change.

tashjs21

I have been cutting back on my starchy carbs and am noticing results with that. I still eat fruits and vegetables.

I have noticed an increase in energy from cutting back and I feel full longer.

pattyproulx

i tried the low carb thing a few years back, and yes, you will see quick results. But, who wants to live always craving what you can't have? My friend has been low carbing for years, (she cheats alot) haven't seen any real loss, and she is always sick.
I will stick with the calorie thing. It works for me, and i wouldn't want it any other way.

Who wants to always be craving what you can't have? Would you tell that to a smoker or alcoholic?

Just because people might be addicted to sugar and grains and would crave it if they dropped it, doesn't mean they should continue eating them regularly or that the cravings would necessarily persist.

I would much rather eat my steak and bacon, and olive oil and veggies and be satisfied until my next meal.
Who wants to always be concerned about counting calories and always being hungry for fear they might go over?

Are you saying the carbs, a natural substance that fuels the body is the same as cigarettes?! Really?!

I'd argue that our populations unhealthy addiction to sugar probably costs our healthcare more than smoking.

Grains are also unhealthy in that the majority of them contain gluten (which contrary to popular belief affects almost everyone) and a number of anti-nutrients.

I hate the 'everything in moderation' approach. If you know something is crap for your body, why eat it? And what is moderation? Once a day, once a week, once a month?

pattyproulx

As a student majoring in nutrition, I say nay. Low carb diets are very unhealthy for the body. Diets such as the Atkins diet are so low in carbohydrates that your body will go into a state of ketosis.

You can read more detail about it here: http://women.webmd.com/guide/high-protein-low-carbohydrate-diets

Although low carb diets are tempting due to the quick results, they are not healthy in the long run. If your looking to be fit and health, feed your body with the nutrients it needs and consume a balanced diet. The key to loosing weight is simple, expend more calories than you consume. You will have success and feel great

Hope this helps!

PS- Carbohydrate restricted diets are beneficial for people suffering from insulin resistance issues such as diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

I'd recommend doing a bit of your own research on the topic. As a student of nutrition, I'm sure this kind of thing would be of interest to you.

There is nothing wrong with ketosis. It is a natural state for our body.

We've eaten low carbs since the dawn of time and our bodies have evolved doing that.

There is plenty and plenty of science that supports low-carb being healthier in the long-run. Have a read through Robb Wolf's stuff or Dr. Loren Cordain.

Also Gary Taubes' books are great and shows the whole history behind the low-fat vs low-carb debate. Before the 60's, it was common knowledge that carbs made you fat.

Hodar

I've done the Atkins type of diets over and over. You discover new and unique ways to satisfy that sweet-tooth - and still drop pounds. My favorote was Half and Half, and use a handmixter to mix in Sugar-Free Chocolate Fudge pudding. It whips up to a frosting type of consistency - then chill and you have low-carb Chocolate Mousse. Freeze for chocolate ice cream.

So, yes it works. Get those Keto-strips and monitor your ketosis. You can over-do it.

But, I don't support them. Why? Did I lose weight? Yes, I lost 20-50 lbs each and every time I tried it; this is a TEMPORARY lifestyle change. Sooner or later, you are going to have some spaghetti, bread, real ice cream, pancakes - those carbs are going to come back; and you'll resume your old eating habits - and before you know it; you are smack back where you started, plus usually another 10 lbs for good measure.

To get the weight off, and KEEP IT OFF - requires a diet that you can eat, literally anywhere - and some exercise. I'm using MFP to learn to budget my calories. So, light breakfast; and I get Chinese buffet (anything I want) for lunch, and a light supper before bed (probably lightly buttered microwave popcorn and Crystal Light) - and I'll be below my calorie intake for the day - and will STILL manage to lose weight. It's about learning portion control, caloric intake, and budgeting. These are key concepts that the low carb diet does NOT take into acccount.

circusmom

I've done the Atkins type of diets over and over. You discover new and unique ways to satisfy that sweet-tooth - and still drop pounds. My favorote was Half and Half, and use a handmixter to mix in Sugar-Free Chocolate Fudge pudding. It whips up to a frosting type of consistency - then chill and you have low-carb Chocolate Mousse. Freeze for chocolate ice cream.

So, yes it works. Get those Keto-strips and monitor your ketosis. You can over-do it.

But, I don't support them. Why? Did I lose weight? Yes, I lost 20-50 lbs each and every time I tried it; this is a TEMPORARY lifestyle change. Sooner or later, you are going to have some spaghetti, bread, real ice cream, pancakes - those carbs are going to come back; and you'll resume your old eating habits - and before you know it; you are smack back where you started, plus usually another 10 lbs for good measure.

To get the weight off, and KEEP IT OFF - requires a diet that you can eat, literally anywhere - and some exercise. I'm using MFP to learn to budget my calories. So, light breakfast; and I get Chinese buffet (anything I want) for lunch, and a light supper before bed (probably lightly buttered microwave popcorn and Crystal Light) - and I'll be below my calorie intake for the day - and will STILL manage to lose weight. It's about learning portion control, caloric intake, and budgeting. These are key concepts that the low carb diet does NOT take into acccount.

Low carb does not mean you stay in ketosis your whole life. Most low carb diets take away all (almost all) carbs for two weeks, just two weeks, then you begin to add healthy carbs back into your diet til you find the amount that is right for you, anyone who does an Atkins or South Beach diet should know that, if not, they didn't follow the plan properly. (I only said Atkins & South beach since those are the only two I've read)

pattyproulx

I've done the Atkins type of diets over and over. You discover new and unique ways to satisfy that sweet-tooth - and still drop pounds. My favorote was Half and Half, and use a handmixter to mix in Sugar-Free Chocolate Fudge pudding. It whips up to a frosting type of consistency - then chill and you have low-carb Chocolate Mousse. Freeze for chocolate ice cream.

So, yes it works. Get those Keto-strips and monitor your ketosis. You can over-do it.

But, I don't support them. Why? Did I lose weight? Yes, I lost 20-50 lbs each and every time I tried it; this is a TEMPORARY lifestyle change. Sooner or later, you are going to have some spaghetti, bread, real ice cream, pancakes - those carbs are going to come back; and you'll resume your old eating habits - and before you know it; you are smack back where you started, plus usually another 10 lbs for good measure.

To get the weight off, and KEEP IT OFF - requires a diet that you can eat, literally anywhere - and some exercise. I'm using MFP to learn to budget my calories. So, light breakfast; and I get Chinese buffet (anything I want) for lunch, and a light supper before bed (probably lightly buttered microwave popcorn and Crystal Light) - and I'll be below my calorie intake for the day - and will STILL manage to lose weight. It's about learning portion control, caloric intake, and budgeting. These are key concepts that the low carb diet does NOT take into acccount.

Why do you go back to spaghetti? You lose weight and do well going low-carb, and then for some reason go back??

I don't understand this non-sustainable argument.

Why should the "diet" be faulted because people would rather be overweight and feel like crap than go without their spaghetti?

Again, using the smoker argument, that's like a smoker saying "Don't even try quitting smoking. I've done it for a while and felt great, but you just end up falling back into the habit. It's not sustainable."

knittnponder

It's funny how low carb diets are automatically assumed to be extremely low and nothing but meat and butter. I do a lower carb diet that keeps me below about 75 grams a day. Sometimes it's a little higher, sometimes a little lower depending on what my day was like. I have a green smoothie every days and this is where the bulk of my carbs come in. My diet consists of mostly vegetables and meat, eggs, cheese and nuts. Notice the vegetables are first in the list? That's because I eat a lot of them and many of them are nicely low carb.

I feel better eating like this than I ever have before and not only am I losing weight but I've also increased my fitness levels quite a bit. I'm two thirds of the way through my second round of P90X (which is pretty physically demanding) and I do Taekwondo and bike ride along with this program. I do very, very little grains and while I do consume fruit I watch the amounts pretty closely.

I have a friend who is about 10 years older than me who has eaten the "everything in moderation" type of diet for a long time. He's a runner and he's a healthy weight yet last week he underwent a procedure to open a 99.9% blocked artery. His doctor told him he was a massive heart attack waiting to happen and told him to eat pretty much like I already do. Reduce the carbs, lots of vegetables, watch the fruits, plenty of protein and watch the inflammatory fats. He'll be going back in to have another artery checked in a week or so because they think he's got another blockage but they had to take care of the first one immediately because it was so bad.

So I'm feeling comfortable with my diet both from a medical standpoint and a "how I feel" stand point. I'll be starting the "Insanity" workouts as soon as I'm done with P90X. This is pretty amazing since last summer all I could do was sit around and feel like crap.