Who has lost weight without restricting carbs?

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  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    There are many reputable doctors and studies that speak of the "dangers" of low carb diets.

    The "dangers" of low carb diets. Can you site any of the studies or provide links to articles from doctors saying that low carb is dangerous.

    I don't eat low carb (or high carb) and I've lost weight so I absolutely know that it can be done. But I've worked in health care for nearly 30 years and I've never seen any study or article written by a physician that said eating low carb is 'dangerous'. The only negative I've ever read about low carb are the studies showing that many people gain the weight back because they fail to maintain the diet long term. But that true of any diet.

    Cite them?

    This cochrane review is at best lukewarm about these diets, in particular suggesting that the benefits of them need to be balanced against the risk:

    http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/166/3/285

    ...
    But the reality is, in the absence of rather more substantial longitudinal data, the jury is kind of out on this subject. If I had a choice of what kind of evidence to 'rely' on, given the positive reporting bias in published research, I'm most inclined to stake my future on the cochrane review (which uses grey and other data), and say we don't really know the full effects of low carb diets, and consequently, I'm just going to do what seems sensible.

    That study is 5 years old. There is less "preliminary" data available.
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
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    I can't tolerate low carb nonsense, my body just does't function without a baseline of carbs. I lose weight and maintain about 1g carbs per pound of bodyweight daily, usually a little more.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Just curious. My trainer at my gym is pushing low-carbs for weigh loss, he swears by it. I'm going to try it but part of me is skeptical about whether I can keep it up long term. Any thoughts?

    <--- I didn't have a ton to lose to begin with, but my body composition has substantially improved and I'm down about 20lbs from last year. I do not low carb. EDIT: I also don't monitor sugar, and I eat lots of food right before bed. Just throwing that in there :)
  • pnieuw
    pnieuw Posts: 473
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    I average 250 to 300g of carbs a day on a 2,000 - 2,500 calorie diet. I dropped 30 pounds over the summer, and maintain now.

    I lost weight by reducing my calories from all groups, and eating healthy, balanced meals.

    Carb counting works for some, but I've never cared what my carb count was.
  • juleseybaby
    juleseybaby Posts: 712 Member
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    Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Bread. Oh how I love bread.

    Carbs have not been low for me since I started I don't think and the ticker keeps going down baby!!
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
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    Just curious. My trainer at my gym is pushing low-carbs for weigh loss, he swears by it. I'm going to try it but part of me is skeptical about whether I can keep it up long term. Any thoughts?

    <--- I didn't have a ton to lose to begin with, but my body composition has substantially improved and I'm down about 20lbs from last year. I do not low carb. EDIT: I also don't monitor sugar, and I eat lots of food right before bed. Just throwing that in there :)

    You just became my new favorite person :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,693 Member
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    Just curious. My trainer at my gym is pushing low-carbs for weigh loss, he swears by it. I'm going to try it but part of me is skeptical about whether I can keep it up long term. Any thoughts?
    Lower carbs force the body to find alternatives for energy. But your don't have to low carb all the time. Cycle it 3 days on and 1 day off.
    You can lose weight on any calorie deficit, but low carbing short term has been shown effective for fat loss.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    5 years for a systematic review such as the cochrane is hardly dated. And this is the most recent cochrane on the subject.

    I'm not sure what you mean by 'preliminary data' - unpublished material still in the publication cycle? Because that's not really the kind of grey data that make cochranes so useful in looking at health risks and benefits (though such studies are included). Rather it's the focus on research where for example alternate hypotheses were rejected (or null hypotheses were supported, if you prefer that framing) that makes the cochrane particularly useful in this kind of area.

    And my point about robust longitudinal studies stands. We don't know what the long term health risks and benefits are. Pretty much *all* the meta reviews and systematic reviews in this area suggest that data beyond one year follow up is desperately needed to draw robust conclusions about low-carbing and long term health.

    What we do know is that low carbing is as effective as calorie restriction without low carbing for weight reduction. As I said the jury's still out on other health outcomes, with positives and negatives clearly in evidence.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    What we do know is that low carbing is as effective as calorie restriction without low carbing for weight reduction.

    I'd argue this point for bodybuilders that want to compete and are trying to get sub 10% bodyfat levels.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Me too. No carb restriction here.

    I think low carb is just the latest fad, like low-fat was. Look how well low-fat eating worked out!
  • heather_elise85
    heather_elise85 Posts: 69 Member
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    I have tried everything and I think its different for every person. I think this is a great site because you can calculate every number of what you are eating and see where you are usually going over. Readjust and see where that goes. Personally, if I stay "low portion" I lose weight... and if I work out every other day or more I lose even more! I don't think its very smart to go no carb or very low carb unless you plan on doing that forever. You may lose a quick 10 or whatever but gain right back as soon as you up your carbs again.
  • Silvergamma
    Silvergamma Posts: 102 Member
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    I've been loosing weight for heart health -> I only really monitor total calories, sodium and cholesterol. Down 44 pounds so far, and goal weight is in site :).
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    What we do know is that low carbing is as effective as calorie restriction without low carbing for weight reduction.

    I'd argue this point for bodybuilders that want to compete and are trying to get sub 10% bodyfat levels.

    Sure. But the literature I'm referring to is largely based on anxieties around the obesity epidemic - so a rather different kind of population.
  • Kassielin13
    Kassielin13 Posts: 263
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    After being diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrom), I am supposed to do lower carbs but not cut them out completely. I continue to lose weight no matter how many carbs I eat. In the beginning, I consumed 200g daily and now I try to stay around 100g daily (25% carbs). But I have tried low carb (20g) and although I was still losing I didn't feel great.
    Basically as everyone else has stated, it is about finding something that really works for you!
    Best of luck :wink:
  • ronda_gettinghealthy
    ronda_gettinghealthy Posts: 777 Member
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    me...I just calorie restrict.... and moderation.....try to eat non processed...drink water....50pounds down
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    Cite them?

    This cochrane review is at best lukewarm about these diets, in particular suggesting that the benefits of them need to be balanced against the risk:

    http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/166/3/285

    "Low-carbohydrate, non–energy-restricted diets appear to be at least as effective as low-fat, energy-restricted diets in inducing weight loss for up to 1 year. However, potential favorable changes in triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol values should be weighed against potential unfavorable changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol values when low-carbohydrate diets to induce weight loss are considered."
    I haven't looked up the study, but did you quote that accurately? It seems as though they are comparing completely different things: low-carb NON-calorie-restricted diets with low-fat calorie-restricted diets. It seems like a rather big confound to me if you restrict calories in one population but not in another.

    Yes, I quoted it correctly. It's comparing the 'I can eat what I want as long as I don't eat carbs' approach to a more traditional calorie restricted one.

    And yes, you're right, this whole area of study is awash with confounds. (Though I don't think what you've identified here is strictly a confound, it's merely about the original terms of reference of the study).
    But that's why claims that there is 'proof' one way or the other are a bit problemmatic. There is conflicting evidence. And controls in such studies are difficult to establish.

    Anyway, knackered now and broken on antibiotics, so going to quite before I become even more incoherent. Night all.
  • aimeelouwhite
    aimeelouwhite Posts: 181 Member
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    I haven't changed my carbs... I figure if you go for low carbs... what happens when you do start eating them again????
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I haven't changed my carbs... I figure if you go for low carbs... what happens when you do start eating them again????

    You smile a sigh of relief. A rainbow appears as the clouds separate, and a unicorn runs accross your lawn.






    Sorry I just had pot roast, it makes me snarky!
  • re08scue
    re08scue Posts: 71 Member
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    I did the 'low carb' thing a number of years ago. I did lose weight, but had problems with constipation. I'm not a big fruit eater, but I sure craved it! And weight didn't stay off - I put all the weight back on. If your trainer is recommending it, you might want to try it for the short term and just see if you like it. Some people really like it. It just wasn't for me.

    Oh, and good for you for going to the gym!
    Good luck!
  • jpamplin28
    jpamplin28 Posts: 76 Member
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    Just curious. My trainer at my gym is pushing low-carbs for weigh loss, he swears by it. I'm going to try it but part of me is skeptical about whether I can keep it up long term. Any thoughts?
    Lower carbs force the body to find alternatives for energy. But your don't have to low carb all the time. Cycle it 3 days on and 1 day off.
    You can lose weight on any calorie deficit, but low carbing short term has been shown effective for fat loss.

    This is kind of what I do. I carb cycle. It works for me. I will say that you have to find what works for you.

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