Hi There!

kira000

Hello, I'm new here (2 weeks) and wanted to introduce myself. I have about 40 lbs to lose (still unsure of my exact goal weight) and I am trying to eat low carb/primally. No flour, no added sugar.

I see most of the posts here advocate low fat with huge amounts of carbs. I've tried it and it just doesn't work for me.

Any support or suggestions would be appreciated.

missyyclaire

Well, those of us that are either 'trying' Paleo or are fully committed would probably say it's not about low fat here. In fact, from what I read, we need to eat fat to burn it. We don't NEED carbs as too much of them promotes a surge in insulin. Once insulin is coursing through our veins, it's impossible to lose weight. In fact, once it's running around inside us, it actually helps our bodies store fat. Ugh!

I've found from eating very low carb, high fat that my weight finally started to come off. Finally! This is after 2 months on a plateau. Even this week, in four days of eating eggs, bacon, ribeye steak (3), pot roast, pork ribs and veggies, berries and coconut milk, I've dropped another pound. I'm sticking with this and hope you'll take a look into it, see if it's right for you and give it a try if it is.

CRody44

I follow the Primal Blueprint and try to eat 60% fat, 11% carbs and 29% protein. I've never heard of Paleo/Primal being low fat high carb, just to the contrary of that.

monkeydharma

I follow the Primal Blueprint and try to eat 60% fat, 11% carbs and 29% protein. I've never heard of Paleo/Primal being low fat high carb, just to the contrary of that.

I think that by 'here' she meant MFP in general, not the primal/paleo support group....

33runnergirl

Found this artical today. Makes a pretty good case for low carb/higher fat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/what-if-it-s-all-been-a-big-fat-lie.html

missyyclaire

runnergirl, that was a great article. I read every word. The author mentioned a study which found similar info...low carb dieting does work. Here's a link if you're interested: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/05/030522083022.htm

But then there's this huge study which separates low carb diets into two camps...one high in meat, the other more veggie based...here's the link for that: http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/642824.html

I'd love to hear opinions.

hpsnickers1

runnergirl, that was a great article. I read every word. The author mentioned a study which found similar info...low carb dieting does work. Here's a link if you're interested: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/05/030522083022.htm

But then there's this huge study which separates low carb diets into two camps...one high in meat, the other more veggie based...here's the link for that: http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/642824.html

I'd love to hear opinions.

"For their part, Atkins Nutritionals, Inc., issued a statement Tuesday saying that "the so-called 'low-carb' diet referenced in [this] research is not representative of Atkins."

The company pointed to a journal editorial comment on the study, written by experts at Duke University Medical Center. In their editorial, the researchers noted that "the participants in the highest decile [tenth] of low-carbohydrate diet score (that is, those eating the least amount of carbohydrate) actually had a moderately high carbohydrate intake.""

"Overall, the participants in the studies had a relatively low-carb intake compared to the carb-crazy U.S. population as a whole."

"An accompanying editorial pointed out that the design of the study may not have taken into account other variables, such as smoking and education levels, indicating the need for a large-scale clinical trial."

What I would like to see is the percentage of carbs in each of the diets. It seems to me the low-carb diet they used was most likely still a high-carb diet, just low compared to the SAD.

And I still can't understand how anyone can think that animal fat and protein raise the risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a dysfunction of how the body metabolizes carbohydrates. Fat and protein do not raise blood sugar to toxic levels. Fat has NO EFFECT on blood sugar.

I'm also curious about the quality of the meat they used. How much was processed? Was it conventional meat which is very high in O-6 which is highly inflammatory. Typical bacon and sausage are very highly processed.

Too many variables. You just can't do controlled studies on nutrition. The evidence is too soft.

monkeydharma

But then there's this huge study which separates low carb diets into two camps...one high in meat, the other more veggie based...here's the link for that: http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/642824.html

I'd love to hear opinions.

The diet I follow*, while basically primal/paleo, is one that is 'more veggie based'. One of the basic 'paleo' underpinnings to this diet is that our closest genetic cousins (the great apes) have a diet that is mostly plant-based, with only about 6% of it being protein. You've seen the size of gorillas, so it obviously can be done.

While protein and saturated fats are not an issue on a grain-free/sugar-free diet (unlike 'low carb' like South Beach), anything can become an issue if you eat too much of it. The reality of a hunter/gatherer diet (as opposed to our romantic notions) is that most food was foraged, and the tribe was lucky if the hunters brought back a kill a couple times per week. That implies a more plant-based diet, instead of the meat-centric one that modern man (especially Americans) like to indulge in. I love a 16 oz ribeye as much as anyone, but my daily aim is to keep protein intake at any meal to be the size of my palm (approx 4-6 oz). I can then fill up on as many plants as I desire.

* "Diet Evolution" by Dr. Steven Gundry