What is with the low carb fad?

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  • Joannie30
    Joannie30 Posts: 415 Member
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    For some of us, its not a fad, its a necessity. I have PCOS and have to limit my carbs, not for vanity or anything else like that, but because I have to for my health.
  • Vegetablearian
    Vegetablearian Posts: 148 Member
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    I am not a low carb at all going by your stats on here but I eat usually between 1/3 and 3/4 of my carb goal that MFP sets me , mainly from my oats for breakfast, and a potato or two during the day and a few times a week I have white bread for lunch.

    But I meet my protein daily and that is important to me and I feel better for meeting that than when I eat tonnes of carbs and miss the protein out
  • DreamersWifey
    DreamersWifey Posts: 181 Member
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    My mom eats about 22 carbs a day 0_0
    She's dosent count calories only carbs!
    she's been doing it since jan 1st and is down like 75 pounds
  • Chipmaniac
    Chipmaniac Posts: 642 Member
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    The anti-carb fad is largely due to the fact that foods high in carbs often have a high caloric density. For example, bread has a lot of calories for the volume of food. Pasta, on the other hand, has a pretty low caloric density. All carbs are not the same.

    Some enterprising person came up with the bright idea that if they had people cut down on carbs, people would lose weight simply by virtue of the lower caloric density of their diet. A fad was born.

    Personally, I simply moderate count calories and don't worry about carbs. I do avoid simple sugars as they are just empty calories, but I still eat pasta and potatoes often but avoid bread not because it has "evil carbs" but because they have too many calories for what you get. There are better choices that don't run up your calorie total as quickly.
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
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    I believe only YOU get you fat, not carbs, fat, or protein. Excess amounts of anything (calories) will get you overweight and eventually sick.

    Please stop blaming macro nutrients instead of your hands and mouth!

    ding ding ding! we have a winner!

    Hear hear
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    Being that carbs are the only none essential food type, I would argue that why the carb fad? We aren't designed to eat carbs (and certainly the type of carbs we do) in the amounts we do.
  • LilyGrey
    LilyGrey Posts: 18
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    I personally avoid eating a lot of carbs because they make me feel so ill afterwards. This isn't just after I eat fatty things such as chips (fries to you Americans etc.!) but also after eating things like baked potatoes, wholegrain rice, etc. Even sweet potatoes leave me feeling clogged up, bloated and extremely ill.

    Low carb. to me isn't really much of a choice; unless you consider it a choice between feeling awful and not feeling awful.
  • Hoosier_born
    Hoosier_born Posts: 127
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    I have a strong family history of Diabetes. My gramma and her mom both ended up having their legs amputated because of Diabetes. My uncle who is barely older than me was recently diagnosed. My sister was diagnosed. During a couple of pregnancies I was diagnosed with gestational Diabetes.

    I don't want to lose my legs.

    Low carb and the treadmill are tools I use to keep them.

    I am not on a low carb diet, but I understand why some people are, this is one reason, and the other reason is due to PCOS. I would never, ever question a person''s ability to lose weight, nor how they lose it.
  • stephen_jones
    stephen_jones Posts: 13
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    i just have low carbs(150 g) for 3 days then eat more carbs for 1 day(300 g)then get back on track,definately works
  • traceyjayne64
    traceyjayne64 Posts: 262
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    I do low carb (Atkins), been doing it for 7 weeks and easily lost 22lbs. I dont count calories, much to everyone elses dismay...i keep getting told off for my low calorie intake so i have stopped filling in my food diary.
    I eat very well, im never hungry, and i feel great. :smile:
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    I'm just wondering what people's reasons are for doing low carb on here? Carbs are the body's preferred source of energy.. I understand it in prepping for competitions and the carb cycling with leaning out after building muscle but I can't understand why the average person would. Everybody I have known who did the whole 'low carb' diet for a while lost weight but it was just put back on later because it isn't a lifestyle you can stick to.. Just seems like a quick fix for some that is hard to maintain in the long run. Not trying to be rude or insult any who are doing it. I'm just curious about your reason's behind choosing it.

    Its not a fad. There are hundreds of doctors I work for that recommend low carbohydrate intakes for patients with obesity, diabetes, PCOS, high blood pressure, etc....

    Anyone can stick to a proper low carbohydrate lifestyle.

    For me, Im medically required. I have a metabolic disorder they cant even pin a name to it... imagine being a guinea pig for research purposes because they dont know what to call it! LOL!!!!

    Thanks to a low carbohydrate intake (all fresh foods, no junk, no processed, no potatoes, rice, corn, pasta, breads, flours, etc), Ive dropped weight, my A1C in just under 6 months time went from 11 down to 5.2 all from eliminating these foods. My overall cholesterol count went from 252 down to 117 - thats all with the food elimination list and always eating real foods.

    Its perfectly healthy - but like any other style, its up to the person to be dedicated. The style didnt fail the person... the person failed the person. Thats what people keep forgetting... its a person's choice if they decide to fall off the wagon. They need to hold theirself accountable for the choices and actions they chose for theirself.

    Low carb is not a fad... never has been and never will be. Ive seen some of my own patients come back with AMAZING results - and its because they chose to remain dedicated... and the end result is that they are much healthier.
  • Siannah
    Siannah Posts: 456 Member
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    There appear to be a lot of these threads lately and to be honest, I find it all very confusing.

    As far as I know, the food pyramid is still the recommended way to eat, but correct me if I'm wrong. I have two young children at home and our family meals would be based on the food pyramid. Sure, we need carbs for our energy?
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    There appear to be a lot of these threads lately and to be honest, I find it all very confusing.

    As far as I know, the food pyramid is still the recommended way to eat, but correct me if I'm wrong. I have two young children at home and our family meals would be based on the food pyramid. Sure, we need carbs for our energy?

    You're body can make carbs from protein if required. Lower carbs are not a problem at all. What is low, varies person to person however.
  • Siannah
    Siannah Posts: 456 Member
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    There appear to be a lot of these threads lately and to be honest, I find it all very confusing.

    As far as I know, the food pyramid is still the recommended way to eat, but correct me if I'm wrong. I have two young children at home and our family meals would be based on the food pyramid. Sure, we need carbs for our energy?

    You're body can make carbs from protein if required. Lower carbs are not a problem at all. What is low, varies person to person however.

    I just can't imagine dropping all potatoes/rice/bread/paste - especially bearing in mind I have children to feed as well. (we're not overweight by the way, but merely interested in this subject)
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    There appear to be a lot of these threads lately and to be honest, I find it all very confusing.

    As far as I know, the food pyramid is still the recommended way to eat, but correct me if I'm wrong. I have two young children at home and our family meals would be based on the food pyramid. Sure, we need carbs for our energy?

    You're body can make carbs from protein if required. Lower carbs are not a problem at all. What is low, varies person to person however.

    I just can't imagine dropping all potatoes/rice/bread/paste - especially bearing in mind I have children to feed as well. (we're not overweight by the way, but merely interested in this subject)

    No-one said about entirely dropping them in every case. I'd personally consider low carb for myself somewhere around 200g a day and for the average person 100g or so.

    Of course there is naturally very low carb diets that work well and keep you from feeling hungry as well.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    [For me - I have no choice... medically they were making me extremely sick!
  • sweetie1980
    sweetie1980 Posts: 10
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    I dont think there is anything wrong with carbs. I mean as long as you dont overdue it. I just never have a carb after 6, they will stick with you all night and the next morning. So a big thing of pasta is not good for you right before bed for example.

    I don't think that is true about eating late in the evening. I've lost 18 lbs so far since I started dieting and exercising. I'm deployed right now and I dont get off work until 7pm. I come home change for the gym and I am working out by 7:30 for an hour. I come back get get my shower stuff together and Im back in room between 9 and 9:30. I eat my LATE dinner while talking to my husband and Im asleep by 10:30. If eating carbs or dinner so late was bad, then why am I still losing weight?? Like I said, carbs and eating late is not a problem unless you are a couch potato
  • umachanxo
    umachanxo Posts: 926 Member
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    From my own research, low carb seems to be something that can be unhealthy if done long term. Low carb tends to mean high fat and high cholesterol.

    For me, having lost 23 lbs and nearly to my ideal weight, it's much more difficult to lose those last few lbs. Right now I am alternating with 2 days of low carb and 5 days just regular balanced eating at a calorie deficit. This was suggested to me as a way to break my plateau. I am trying it and not finding it difficult.

    My wedding is in 4 weeks, and so I really want to break this plateau before then.

    Hope that helps!
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    From my own research, low carb seems to be something that can be unhealthy if done long term. Low carb tends to mean high fat and high cholesterol.

    For me, having lost 23 lbs and nearly to my ideal weight, it's much more difficult to lose those last few lbs. Right now I am alternating with 2 days of low carb and 5 days just regular balanced eating at a calorie deficit. This was suggested to me as a way to break my plateau. I am trying it and not finding it difficult.

    My wedding is in 4 weeks, and so I really want to break this plateau before then.

    Hope that helps!

    No - that is a misconception. It is not a high fat/high cholesterol approach. If the person is making appropriate choices with a low carb intake, its extremely healthy. My total CHO is 117 and Ive been doing this for almost a year. So, sorry, youre wrong.
  • gidgeclev
    gidgeclev Posts: 103 Member
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    It works... it is the only diet regime that does work for me, (53 and way post menopause), Belive me I have tried everything and a 'healthy diet' of 1500 calories of carbs veg, fruit and protein will cause me to gain weight. So don't knock it...you may find that when you get old it will be the only way for you too.

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