Low Carb?

MikMont

Um first of all - food is for nourishment, not enjoyment. So there shouldn't be any joy in it in the first place.

Low carb lifestyles are just fine. Because usually, healthy eaters and eating fruits and veggies which have enough carbs in them to keep up your energy levels. The reason people get headaches is because our bodies get used to that constant intake of too many carbs.

IMO - Saying low carb lifestyles are bad for you because you body feels weak at first is akin to saying alcoholics should continue drinking heavily because its too painful to stop.

Marll

I generally eat very low carb simply because I don't eat bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc. Not for any weight loss reason, but because when I eat those things (even the gluten free varieties) I simply do not feel good. My digestion is thrown off, I feel like my head is cloudy, I'm tired and lethargic.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. I first tried the low carb lifestyle for weightloss reasons but now I do it because I generally function better when I keep my carbs low. If I go over 100 carbs a day, I feel the need to take a nap right at my desk at work no matter how much caffeine I put in my system. I am more alert, quicker in movement, and even my memory is better when I stay away from sugar and starches.

This exactly. I get a very heavy feeling after eating something I shouldn't and all I want to do is sleep or sit and eat more of the forbidden food.

My wife and son are also gluten intolerant and have immediate side effects when they eat wheat, so we have to stay off of that for medical purposes anyway, but we all feel better eating like this.

Marll

Um first of all - food is for nourishment, not enjoyment. So there shouldn't be any joy in it in the first place.

Low carb lifestyles are just fine. Because usually, healthy eaters and eating fruits and veggies which have enough carbs in them to keep up your energy levels. The reason people get headaches is because our bodies get used to that constant intake of too many carbs.

IMO - Saying low carb lifestyles are bad for you because you body feels weak at first is akin to saying alcoholics should continue drinking heavily because its too painful to stop.

HA, so true.

I'm willing to bet that 99% of the naysayers on MFP have never actually tried the way of eating, or if they did, they didn't fully commit and give it an honest chance. Where as most low carbers have tried everything else under the sun at some point and found that limiting carbs makes them feel better, operate better and reshapes their body with less effort.

carriempls

I just transitioned off a low carb, low cal diet. It was not for me and I'll never do that again. I made it, no cheating at all, for 2 months and I was miserable. Exhausted and hungry all of the time. Of course induction was horrible but things never really got much better. I never returned to my fitness levels previous to starting. About a month before I started I went on a casual 20 mile bike ride with no issues, 7 weeks into low carb/cal I could barely do 5-6 miles on my bike and it was hard work the whole way.

Within days of returning fruits & whole grains to my diet and adding 300 calories to my daily intake I felt awesome. Went on an 8 mile bike ride and barely broke a sweat.

I know some folks do very well on low carb, but I am most certainly not one of those people.

carld256

I'm willing to bet that 99% of the naysayers on MFP have never actually tried the way of eating, or if they did, they didn't fully commit and give it an honest chance.

Like 99% of all assumptions, I'm 99% sure that your assumption is wrong.

carriempls

Um first of all - food is for nourishment, not enjoyment. So there shouldn't be any joy in it in the first place.

For me, food is most certainly to be enjoyed! Nutrition is important absolutely, but that doesn’t have to take the pleasure out of it. Sharing and enjoying meals together is one of our species longest held and dearest traditions.

Food is my most favorite creative outlet. It was getting healthier and studying nutrition that got me into cooking so much. Nothing relaxes or satisfies me more than making a meal for myself or friends, spending time in the kitchen, creating new recipes and then enjoying the spoils of my efforts.

Maybe you don’t want to “enjoy” food, but that doesn’t mean no one should. Yikes.

Marll

I just transitioned off a low carb, low cal diet. It was not for me and I'll never do that again. I made it, no cheating at all, for 2 months and I was miserable. Exhausted and hungry all of the time. Of course induction was horrible but things never really got much better. I never returned to my fitness levels previous to starting. About a month before I started I went on a casual 20 mile bike ride with no issues, 7 weeks into low carb/cal I could barely do 5-6 miles on my bike and it was hard work the whole way.

Within days of returning fruits & whole grains to my diet and adding 300 calories to my daily intake I felt awesome. Went on an 8 mile bike ride and barely broke a sweat.

I know some folks do very well on low carb, but I am most certainly not one of those people.

Why in the world would you do a low carb, low calorie diet? That is not recommended by any low carb source? Low carb diets are generally relatively higher on the calorie intake than most "diets", heck I've taken in over 800 calories of chicken just before 9am this morning....

The biggest problem I see is that people do low carb all wrong. They combine it with low fat (a HUGE no-no), low calorie, or try to do it without eating meat and then pass judgment such that it didn't work and then spread that misinformation around.

I have a very good friend that did just that. He "tried" Atkins years ago, but only at processed low carb foods and never any vegtables. He felt like crap, he was very opposed to it and said that it didn't work and he felt ill all the time. Fast forward many years and after all other diets failed him, he turned back to low carb/paleo and this time actually READ how to do it properly and he's a changed man. More energy, better mood, better complexion, and has lost over 60lbs.

Marll

I'm willing to bet that 99% of the naysayers on MFP have never actually tried the way of eating, or if they did, they didn't fully commit and give it an honest chance.

Like 99% of all assumptions, I'm 99% sure that your assumption is wrong.

Adding a % number to anything is folly I suppose, however based on observations on these forums and the outright hostility that most people appear to have for low carb, and their unwillingness to even consider that it can and does work long term for many people colors my comments. I've gotten in debates with many people over the subject and many freely admit to never trying it and never will, but feel free to bash the s**t out of it. The same type of treatment never seems to happen to an equally (read MORE) restrictive diet in veganism, which is generally applauded as a wise choice.

ShilohMaier

Low carb takes the joy out of life. And low carb means limiting fruit. Fruit is good for you. And IMO, a diet is not successful if it "worked" for someone. If it is successful, it is "still working" for someone. Anyone can lose weight, not many can keep it off. Try something that works for you. Usually people get tired of low carb, go back to eating normal and gain all the weight back. What a headache. If you go low carb, try limiting yourself to 150 grams per day. Not the super strict 20. Good luck!

Well, let me think... would I rather give up a nice fatty ribeye steak, or a bowl of plain white rice? Hmmm... not too tough of a decision for me there. It's ultimately knowing yourself that is going to dictate the success you have with any lifestyle choice. I cannot tolerate a low-cal diet. I cannot fathom a life filled with foods that aren't really filling. There are plenty of people that live a low carb lifestyle successfully and joyfully. For most that try it and gain it back, as the above post says "go back to eating normal"... realize what "normal" is. That means returning to the way of eating that caused you to be fat in the first place. It would happen to anyone that did that, regardless of the eating plan they lost the weight with.

carld256

Adding a % number to anything is folly I suppose, however based on observations on these forums and the outright hostility that most people appear to have for low carb, and their unwillingness to even consider that it can and does work long term for many people colors my comments. I've gotten in debates with many people over the subject and many freely admit to never trying it and never will, but feel free to bash the s**t out of it. The same type of treatment never seems to happen to an equally (read MORE) restrictive diet in veganism, which is generally applauded as a wise choice.

I first tried a low-carb diet back in the early 70s, which was even pre-Atkins, so I've had plenty of personal experience with the idea. My guess is that many, if not most, other people have tried it at some time in their life.

As far as who gets the most grief here, there was a multi-page thread of mainly vegan/vegetarian abuse locked in the Food and Nutrition forum just the other day. People love to label veganism as an eating disorder or otherexia, but no one bats an eye at someone living on almost no carbs at all.

ShilohMaier

Just cutting carbs doesn't work very long. You still have to watch calories. Your father started at a very high weight, it falls off faster at that weight and it falls off faster for men usually then women.

With that said, I low(er) carb and it works great but I am very strict on my carbs and my calories are very controlled. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If you just low carb without calorie control or increase in exercise you wont get very far.

I got pretty far... 140 pounds off without counting a single calorie in 8 months. Oh and KEPT it off until I got pregnant. Then I ate whatever the heck I wanted- which was usually carbs. So now- lot's of "baby weight" to lose. The carb addiction cycle is horrible, and I'm glad to be off it and getting healthy again. Keeping in mind that in my case, I am insulin resistant and I was so addicted (yes, I will use the word addicted, though some say it's not a true addiction) I would get migraine headaches and nausea if I wasn't eating something sugary. My carb withdrawal this time around was sheer torture, but I'm glad I stuck with it.

Someone on here posted something I feel is pretty brilliant:

"Eating protein does not make me want to eat more protein.
Eating fat does not make me want to eat more fat.
Eating carbs... makes me want to eat more carbs."

Marll

Adding a % number to anything is folly I suppose, however based on observations on these forums and the outright hostility that most people appear to have for low carb, and their unwillingness to even consider that it can and does work long term for many people colors my comments. I've gotten in debates with many people over the subject and many freely admit to never trying it and never will, but feel free to bash the s**t out of it. The same type of treatment never seems to happen to an equally (read MORE) restrictive diet in veganism, which is generally applauded as a wise choice.

I first tried a low-carb diet back in the early 70s, which was even pre-Atkins, so I've had plenty of personal experience with the idea. My guess is that many, if not most, other people have tried it at some time in their life.

As far as who gets the most grief here, there was a multi-page thread of mainly vegan/vegetarian abuse locked in the Food and Nutrition forum just the other day. People love to label veganism as an eating disorder or otherexia, but no one bats an eye at someone living on almost no carbs at all.

I would vengture to guess that most people have not tried a low carb diet at some point, though just about everyone has heard of it and all the falsehoods that go along with it.

I don't agree with specficially bashing a way of eating, I just don't agree with some of them. The problem that I have with vegans in particular (and my sister was a vegitarian/vegan for 15 years and recently converted to paleo, and my mom is a vegan now) is that they tend to act like zealots and veganism is almost like a cult IMO.

Marll

Low carb takes the joy out of life. And low carb means limiting fruit. Fruit is good for you. And IMO, a diet is not successful if it "worked" for someone. If it is successful, it is "still working" for someone. Anyone can lose weight, not many can keep it off. Try something that works for you. Usually people get tired of low carb, go back to eating normal and gain all the weight back. What a headache. If you go low carb, try limiting yourself to 150 grams per day. Not the super strict 20. Good luck!

Well, let me think... would I rather give up a nice fatty ribeye steak, or a bowl of plain white rice? Hmmm... not too tough of a decision for me there. It's ultimately knowing yourself that is going to dictate the success you have with any lifestyle choice. I cannot tolerate a low-cal diet. I cannot fathom a life filled with foods that aren't really filling. There are plenty of people that live a low carb lifestyle successfully and joyfully. For most that try it and gain it back, as the above post says "go back to eating normal"... realize what "normal" is. That means returning to the way of eating that caused you to be fat in the first place. It would happen to anyone that did that, regardless of the eating plan they lost the weight with.

That's the thing that always mystifies me. Low carb gets bashed because we "give up food groups" but hardly anyone bats and eye when others do the same, as long as they are cutting out meat and fat.

I'd MUCH rather have that nice fat steak, slathered in herb butter with a side of grilled asparagus, a genuine ceasar salad (I replace the crutons with marcona almonds) with full fat dressing, some bacon wrapped scallops sauteed in butter and maybe some lobster drowned in butter (all in the same meal mind you) than some boring low fat no taste foods. Net result is that I have still lost weight, maintained all my muscle and overall feel much better than I ever have even when in GREAT shape on a "normal" diet.

Acg67

The problem that I have with vegans in particular (and my sister was a vegitarian/vegan for 15 years and recently converted to paleo, and my mom is a vegan now) is that they tend to act like zealots and veganism is almost like a cult IMO.

Yup, no zealotry or cultish behavior for Paleo or low carbers

Marll

The problem that I have with vegans in particular (and my sister was a vegitarian/vegan for 15 years and recently converted to paleo, and my mom is a vegan now) is that they tend to act like zealots and veganism is almost like a cult IMO.

Yup, no zealotry or cultish behavior for Paleo or low carbers

Surely it exists in any group, plenty of the calories in vs. calories out folks are pretty combative that it's the only way. Problem with vegans in general (not all of them mind you) is that they want to push that it's the ONLY way to eat, and if you don't you are a horrible person. It's the diet of superiority for those that want to have an air of being morally superior to others.

But whatever, the debate will rage on forever, and there will always be instigators that want to stir the pot in the other camps for debate and fun I suppose.

Acg67

The problem that I have with vegans in particular (and my sister was a vegitarian/vegan for 15 years and recently converted to paleo, and my mom is a vegan now) is that they tend to act like zealots and veganism is almost like a cult IMO.

Yup, no zealotry or cultish behavior for Paleo or low carbers

Surely it exists in any group, plenty of the calories in vs. calories out folks are pretty combative that it's the only way. Problem with vegans in general (not all of them mind you) is that they want to push that it's the ONLY way to eat, and if you don't you are a horrible person. It's the diet of superiority for those that want to have an air of being morally superior to others.

But whatever, the debate will rage on forever, and there will always be instigators that want to stir the pot in the other camps for debate and fun I suppose.

Cals in vs cals out is the only way, unless you know of a magical way of eating in a surplus and losing fat

KINGoftheBUFF

I have had great success following a low carb/paleo diet. Remember it is a lifestyle change! I am a competitve bodybuilder and personal trainer, I work out 7 - 10 times a week, and on a high carb diet, I could lose no weight, even though I was burning hundreds of extra calories a day. When I switched to a low carb/paleo eating plan, I shedded the fat at an incredible rate while maintaining most of my lean muscle mass.

Keep in mind, with any program, I believe exercise is the key and needs to come first. Why? Because it keeps you accountable and on track. Yes its true nutrition is the trump card...However its needs to be 100% Workout and 100% Nutrition.

Karenab1505

I have lived a semi low carb, high fat life for many years. This is because the sugar substitutes found in so many low fat, low calories products not only play havoc with my stomach, but also leave a horrible after taste, as well as leaving you wanting more. In my fridge you will find high fat milk, butter and cheese, in my cupbaords, all my carb foods have proper sugar, (although as time goes on this products with normal sugar are getting harder to find), and I am not a big fan of bread or potatoes.

This month I discovered I had put on some weight, which I now want to lose, and therefore started researching and trying various food plans. For me low carb, high fat works for my lifestyle, and incorporates all the food I really like. The carbs that I liked before, I have zeroed my intake, whilst my body adjusts to using sugar and fat for energy to just fat. Becasue I feel fuller, for longer, I don't have the old sugar cravings for snacks and after meals. I would suggest everyone try it, for at least a few months, to give their body time to adjust, but at the end of the day each to their own.

The most important thing, is not to just find a solution that helps you lose weight, but to make a lifestyle change that you will enjoy for the rest of your life.

My diary is public, and you will see a marked difference when I tried calorie control last week, and felt starving all the time. This week I started Low Carb, High Fat, and I've lost 3 lbs, I'm loving my food, and more importantly, I feel fuller for longer, I have no sugar cravings, and so I am not tempted to snack on all the sugary things I did before, including some high sugar fruits.

Defintely try it, and it it works for you, do some research, about making it a lifestyle choice.

GOOD LUCK

PicNic00

Um first of all - food is for nourishment, not enjoyment. So there shouldn't be any joy in it in the first place.

Low carb lifestyles are just fine. Because usually, healthy eaters and eating fruits and veggies which have enough carbs in them to keep up your energy levels. The reason people get headaches is because our bodies get used to that constant intake of too many carbs.

IMO - Saying low carb lifestyles are bad for you because you body feels weak at first is akin to saying alcoholics should continue drinking heavily because its too painful to stop.

VERY WELL PUT!!! I agree 110%

Marll

The problem that I have with vegans in particular (and my sister was a vegitarian/vegan for 15 years and recently converted to paleo, and my mom is a vegan now) is that they tend to act like zealots and veganism is almost like a cult IMO.

Yup, no zealotry or cultish behavior for Paleo or low carbers

Surely it exists in any group, plenty of the calories in vs. calories out folks are pretty combative that it's the only way. Problem with vegans in general (not all of them mind you) is that they want to push that it's the ONLY way to eat, and if you don't you are a horrible person. It's the diet of superiority for those that want to have an air of being morally superior to others.

But whatever, the debate will rage on forever, and there will always be instigators that want to stir the pot in the other camps for debate and fun I suppose.

Cals in vs cals out is the only way, unless you know of a magical way of eating in a surplus and losing fat

Sure, it's low carb for me. Only way to explain that I lost most of the weight I have in the last year not counting calories, not exercising as much as I should and taking in generally 1000+ cals a day more than MFP recommends. Oh yeah I commute 2+ hours a day and sit at a desk job as an IT Manager. The only time I get up and out of the office for the most part is to eat lunch, which consists of low carb, high fat foods.

Years ago I lost with low carb too working full time, going to school full time, sitting and playing computer and video games and rarely sleeping more than 4 hours a day. My activity level consisted of sitting or lying down 24 hours a day more or less and yet while not burning many calories through activity, still loosing 105lbs in about 9 months, and yes I was pretty much constantly snacking on meat, eggs and cheese, there is no way I created a caloric defecit enough to offset my sedendary lifestyle at that time.