Call me convinced: I'm going low carb

AlabasterVerve

The first time I ever heard about a low carb diet was about 20 years ago when I was at the WaWa with friend getting breakfast before class. I grabbed my coffee loaded with sugar and flavored creamer along with a banana and she grabbed two sausage and cheese biscuits and started pulling them apart to throw away the bread in the car--I thought she lost her mind when she told me about the Atkins diet. I even remember telling my mom about it later and laughing at the crazy stuff people will do to lose weight. And ever since I've heard anyone mention a low carb diet I remember that and dismiss it as a fad diet (my friend didn't stay with the diet for long which reinforced that impression). So I stuck to eating "right" and exercising and counting calories to lose weight. After all it works. I know it works, I've been doing it for twenty years.

But in the last 4 years my weight has spiraled out of control which isn't surprising considering the massive amount of soda and food I was eating, probably 3 to 5 thousand calories a day. So in January my husband and I made up our minds to do something about it and change the way we were living. We've eliminated all of the soda and junk food, are keeping the processed foods to a minimum and are eating a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, brown rice and whole wheat bread and counting our calories of course. And we're happy with our progress so far, I've lost 42 pounds and my husband has lost over 60.

So why change if it's working? Well, after all of the "Is fruit bad?" type of threads I decided that I'd like a little more information on it considering I eat a ton of fruit everyday. And after getting information on diet and nutrition from the "official" sources I inevitably came across the fringe groups like the paleo, Atkins and diabetic communities who are following a low or lower carb diet which got me thinking there was more to this than I thought. Which lead to reading Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes which goes into great detail explaining just how we got to the point where everyone knows fat (especially saturated fat) is bad and whole grains are good. It is absolutely shocking and infuriating that these guidelines and recommendations aren't backed by solid science.

If you're at all concerned about obesity, diabetes and heart disease here are some videos I think are well worth the time to watch:

Authors@Google: Gary Taubes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6vpFV6Wkl4

How Bad Science and Big Business Created the Obesity Epidemic David Diamond, Ph.D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vr-c8GeT34

Enjoy Eating Saturated Fats: They're Good for You Donald W. Miller, Jr., M.D.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRe9z32NZHY&feature=related

Sugar: The Bitter Truth Dr. Robert Lustig
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

Sugar 101 - How harmful is sugar? Petter Attia, M.D.
(Blog post in response to the Lustig video)
http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/sugar-101-how-harmful-is-sugar-part-i

TED Talk: Dr. Terry Wahls - Minding Your Mitochondria
(Interesting to note what she doesn't eat)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLjgBLwH3Wc

We've cut down a ton on the carbs already compared to what we were eating just because you have to when you're counting calories but I'm absolutely going to do my best to eliminate the sugar, pasta, rice and grains...including the whole wheat bread we're eating which has a glycemic index higher than table sugar! (http://www.glycemicindex.com/) And the fruit which started this all? I'll be limiting that by the number of carbs in my diet instead of by calories which means I'll be eating a lot less fruit and replacing it with more vegetables.

I'm not convinced a ketogentic diet (which is carbs under 50 I think?) is worth the effort or offers any health benefits beyond what you'd get by eliminating the sugar, starches and grains though so for right now I'm just aiming to keep my carbs under a 100 and see how that goes (I changed my macros to 30% Carbs, 25% Protein and 45% Fat). This has to be something I can live with for the rest of my life after all--that hasn't changed--and those numbers seem reasonable for right now.

So where do you stand on the whole carb thing?

RayRay1500

I love it. I also did counting calories and did not feel well. I was getting dizzy. I did lose weight,, but you could not really tell. When I started low carb, I had researched it a long time ago and more recently, I felt great. I even look better in my clothes because I am losing inches. I have read all of the studies on the doctors who did low carb on their hypertensive and diabetic patients and how all of their numbers went down along with their weight!!

AlabasterVerve

I have read all of the studies on the doctors who did low carb on their hypertensive and diabetic patients and how all of their numbers went down along with their weight!!

Yeah, one of the things in particular that convinced me after considering it a fad diet all of these years are the people using a low carb diet to not only treat but reverse their type II diabetes. If all of these diseases are linked together--which ALL doctors are telling us they are now--and a low carb diet can reverse one? That's awfully persuasive.

DebbieMc3

Until very recently, I was against the LC thing.
Well, 6 weeks ago, I decided to see for myself what it was all about. I have an autoimmune disease that is carb sensitive.
In the last 6 weeks, I've lost 15 lbs and feel better then I have in a very long time. My inflamation is way down too.
I don't think it's for everyone but for me, so far, so good.
Debbie

cckellympls

Personally i have changed my eatiing to higher protein and lower carbs. I am not counting carbs at all. Just trying to eat foods that are higher in protein and contain a 10 to 1 ratio with calories. Than the carbs just fall in line and i don't have to worry abt them. I try to eat very little processed anything. Mostly lean protein, greek yogert and good cheese and lots of veggies and fruit. i don't eat bananas though. My guide for fruit is this: I will eat it if it is colorful, crunchy and juicy. And, i try to eat more green veggies than fruit anyway. I don't really eat any bread, pasta and if i eat rice it is very little an brown or wild rice. I will eat a flat out type of bread if it is high in protein and low in cal and high in fiber. Fast food and candy are not even on my mind and never in my mouth. If i eat out i usually have a salad with lots of veggies and a chicken breast. i have lost almost 50 pounds since Jan 18 this year. Works for me!!!

ericablu

I love low carb - it's the best thing I've ever done. I feel fantastic, I'm not hungry, I don't crave carbs, and I'm losing weight. (And I aim for less than 20g of carbs a day!)

llstacy

I want to go low carb too but I don't know how to start. Which diet are you going to do?

BR3ANDA

I'm on a 30/40/30, Some days my carbs go over, some days they dont, and unless its a cheat meal, then I only eat good carbs, whole grains, veggies, etc. I tried a really low carb once, 26g a day, didnt work out for me, but my sister lives by it! Try different macros every month or so, see what works best for YOU.

serdesto

I've been on a faithful (I say faithful because i tried for two weeks prior to that and didn't do so well) keto diet for two weeks now. I've lost some weight (about 9 llbs) but I'm not sure how much of it is water weight.

It was tough at first but now I think (and hope) its more of a lifestyle. I've learned how to make a whole bunch of meals low carb. I learned how to deal with my cravings and how to satisfy them in a healthy way. During these last two weeks I was able to successfully go out to eat with friends and make smart choices. I feel great! I try to keep my macros at 10% carbs (Aiming to get no more than 20g of carbs) 60% fat and 30% protein. I also try to have abt 2 cups of veggies every meal (for fiber) but I don't count them in mfp. Still losing weight

Tomorrow is my carb day and I'm not counting the hours. I'm not all excited to get my oatmeal, sweet potato, etc tomorrow. Bacon sounds better haha!

The only thing I still haven't figured out is how to get my chocolate low carb... I love chocolate haha.

epcooper

I strongly recommend looking into the South Beach Diet. It's based on sound scientific studies, and although it doesn't cut carbs completely out, it does work to break the carb addiction (physical and psychological) that many of us suffer from.

nibbynoo

i've been so tempted to do this as i keep halting after losing about a stone then abandoning for a year and trying again!
i've set my goals to 30/40/30 and will aim to lower even more in the future

paulwgun

I strongly recommend looking into the South Beach Diet.

This ^^ But also check out the Dukan Diet

I lost 16lb in 10 days on the attack phase of the Dukan Diet and have kept it off plus lost more but due to the extreme low carb did not have the energy to run or work out so ive modified it somewhat to suit me

Im now on a lower carb diet, replace the whites with wholegrain but do occasionally eat white pasta/rice
i suppose i look at it as healthier eating rather than a diet, with the occasional cheat which i put in the extra calorie burn to compensate

Cheshire_Kat

bump, i reammy want to finish reading this when i am not at work.

Sneakypeek1972

Ive been thinking about lowering my carbs aswell due to finding out that its one of the causes of feeling tired alot of the time, didnt know eating alot fruit was considered bad though lol

fteale

I have started thinking about this. I know I can't do proper Atkins style low carb as a) I run a lot and b) I am vegetarian, but I do need to find a way of eating which doesn't leave me permanently hungry.

PercivalHackworth

This ^^ But also check out the Dukan Diet

One of the worth diet ever imo

I strongly recommend looking into the South Beach Diet. It's based on sound scientific studies, and although it doesn't cut carbs completely out, it does work to break the carb addiction (physical and psychological) that many of us suffer from.

You can't really remove carbs from your diet ad vitam eternam

Ive been thinking about lowering my carbs aswell due to finding out that its one of the causes of feeling tired alot of the time, didnt know eating alot fruit was considered bad though lol

That feeling is only related to the regulation of the glucose within the bloodstream. It is proportional to the amount of circulating levels. By chosing food with low glycemic index, you would avoid that feeling of hypoglycemia.
Fruits are bad ? Really ?

athensguy

The way I see it, low CHO diets only make sense if you are very sedentary or have certain medical problems.

toriaenator

Im sick of all this bashing of macronutrients. Low fat, low carb... Human bodies were created to utilize all three macronutrients so I don't see the point in trying to limit one so much... I Personally take pleasure in my occasional fatty bowl of pasta and it hasn't killed me >< and as for saying fruit is bad, that's just rediculous considering the nutrients and fiber they pack in.

PercivalHackworth

luzmidd

Im on Dukan diet so low carb all the way. Craved carbs for about 3 days when I started out, now not at all! Not feeling as tired as I used to when eating carbs, so I'm convinced low or no carb is the way to go.

Matt_Wild

Lo carbing works but I prefer dieting on moderate carbs and only dropping them at the end of a diet myself and the guys I prep.

orishp

I am on a keto diet, but i banished the ketostix because they ere driving me crazy. I eat no carbs/sugar or dairy and one piece of fruit a day and it has worked for me. I was addicted before, now i dont crave that stuff

I have tons of energy and i fan workout fine, i went on 22 mile bike ride over the weekend

I am almost done with this restrictive phase of my diet and i can start sloy reintroducing these foods on ocassion

Warning: no carb doesnt meat eat all the meat, bacon, sausages you want. This is how some people interpret Atkins. I eat high but good lean protein

Prahasaurus

Sometimes I think this is more a semantic discussion. What do you mean by low carb? Is that your fundamental goal, and the reason the weight is coming off?

Oftentimes people extol the wonders of low carb "dieting" for weight loss, but when you look at their diet they cut out crap, started eating more meat, fish, lots of healthy veggies, fruits in moderation, etc. Now, yes, that's a low carb diet. But it's also a healthy diet. Or a "common sense" diet. You can just as easily say that you are convinced, and now going on a "common sense diet." My guess is that the food will look very similar... :-)

Don't get me wrong, I, too, eat foods that are typically low carb. I just don't think it's necessary to follow some rigid system to meet your dietary goals.

--P

0somuchbetter0

I don't have time to read this whole thread, but I just want to say beware of Gary Taubes. He's been known to distort statistics and misquote people in his articles and books. I always think it's good to approach any new "ideology" with a healthy dose of skepticism and logic.

melsinct

I am in the "whatever works for you" camp. I don't do well on low carbs so I keep my intake moderate and avoid the white flours. However, I know plenty of people on MFP and in real life who do well on a low carb diet. Like anything, what works for some will not work for others. As long as it works for you and you don't get into the militant "My way is the only way when it comes to weight loss" frame of mind, I say go for it.

canelly

I would love to go low carbs!!! I just don't know how it how to start or what to eat!

ahamm002

Sometimes I think this is more a semantic discussion. What do you mean by low carb? Is that your fundamental goal, and the reason the weight is coming off?

Oftentimes people extol the wonders of low carb "dieting" for weight loss, but when you look at their diet they cut out crap, started eating more meat, fish, lots of healthy veggies, fruits in moderation, etc. Now, yes, that's a low carb diet. But it's also a healthy diet. Or a "common sense" diet. You can just as easily say that you are convinced, and now going on a "common sense diet." My guess is that the food will look very similar... :-)

Don't get me wrong, I, too, eat foods that are typically low carb. I just don't think it's necessary to follow some rigid system to meet your dietary goals.

--P

The problem is that for years people were told bread, pasta, rice, and carbs in general were "health food." So a "common sense" diet ended up being horrible, especially with all the low fat processed carbs people ate.

_LilPowerHouse

As a Diabetic I have to admit that cutting carbs DOWN (not out) of my diet has certainly benefited me, I am no longer on medication and I feel great and lost about 30lbs. Now im currently stuck on my current weight and finding it difficult to loose more weight.. Ive been experimenting and im now only eating complex carbs at certain times of the day. Using carbs to loose wieght???.. not sure if it'll work but hey like i said, im experimenting.. here's an article on it timing and carbs.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/pierce1.htm

000WhiteRose000

I don’t think he meant all fruit are bad, but I agree that A LOT of fruit is bad. The problem we have compared to the way it use to be for many years is that all fruit are available all the time whenever we want it and our bodies are not designed to deal with a lot of fructose – the liver can’t process it and turns it into fat. Too much fructose is not good. I eat about 1-2 big portions of fruit a day and lots of veg.
What is fructose?


Fructose is a monosaccharide (simple sugar), which the body can use for energy. Because it does not cause blood sugar rise tremendously (has a low glycemic index), it was once thought that fructose was a good substitute for sucrose (table sugar). However, the American Diabetes Association and nutritional experts have changed their minds about this.
Is fructose bad for me?

A small amount of fructose, such as the amount found in most vegetables and fruits, is not a bad thing. In fact, there is evidence that a little bit may help your body process glucose properly. However, consuming too much fructose at once seems to overwhelm the body's capacity to process it. The diets of our ancestors contained only very small amounts of fructose. These days, estimates are that about 10% of the modern diet comes from fructose.

What happens if I consume too much fructose?
Most of the carbohydrates we eat are made up of chains of glucose. When glucose enters the bloodstream, the body releases insulin to help regulate it. Fructose, on the other hand, is processed in the liver. To greatly simplify the situation: When too much fructose enters the liver, the liver can't process it all fast enough for the body to use as sugar. Instead, it starts making fats from the fructose and sending them off into the bloodstream as triglycerides.

Why is this bad?
This is potentially bad for at least three reasons:
• High blood triglycerides are a risk factor for heart disease.
• Fructose ends up circumventing the normal appetite signaling system, so appetite-regulating hormones aren't triggered--and you're left feeling unsatisfied. This is probably at least part of the reason why excess fructose consumption is associated with weight gain.
• There is growing evidence that excess fructose consumption may facilitate insulin resistance, and eventually type 2 diabetes. However, some of this effect may be from chemicals in soda which reacts with the high fructose corn syrup.

What are the major sources of fructose?
Fruits and vegetables have relatively small, "normal" amounts of fructose that most bodies can handle quite well. The problem comes with added sugars in the modern diet, the volume of which has grown rapidly in recent decades. The blame has often been pinned to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is made up of 55% fructose and 45% glucose. However, sucrose is half fructose and half glucose. So, HFCS actually doesn't have a whole lot more fructose than "regular" sugar, gram for gram.
High fructose corn syrup has become incredibly inexpensive and abundant, partially due to corn subsidies in the United States. So, really, the problem is more that it has become so cheap that it has crept its way into a great number of the foods we eat every day.

Is corn syrup fructose different than fructose found in other foods?
No, all fructose works the same in the body, whether it comes from corn syrup, cane sugar, beet sugar, strawberries, onions, or tomatoes. Only the amounts are different. For example, a cup of chopped tomatoes has 2.5 grams of fructose, a can of regular (non-diet) soda supplies 23 grams, and a super-size soda has about 62 grams.
Which foods have high fructose corn syrup and other sugars?
Today, almost all packaged foods have sugar added in some form, which almost always includes a lot of fructose. Honey has about the same fructose/glucose ratio as high fructose corn syrup. Fruit juice concentrates, sometimes used as "healthy sweeteners," usually have quite a lot of fructose (never mind that the processing of these concentrates strips away most of their nutritional value). Look at the ingredients on packaged food labels and you will probably see sources of fructose. See my article, Sugar's Many Disguises, to learn what to look for.


10 reasons to limit fructose consumption
1. Fructose can only be metabolized by the liver and can’t be used for energy by your body’s cells. It’s therefore not only completely useless for the body, but is also a toxin in high enough amount because the job of the liver is to get rid of it, mainly by transforming it into fat and sending that fat to our fat cells.
2. Excess fructose damages the liver and leads to insulin resistance in the liver as well as fatty liver disease. In fact, fructose has the same effects on the liver as alcohol (ethanol), which is already well known as a liver toxin.
3. Fructose reacts with proteins and polyunsaturated fats in our bodies 7 times more than glucose. This reaction creates AGEs (Advanced glycation end-products), which are compounds that create oxidative damage in our cells and ultimately lead or contribute to inflammation and a host of chronic diseases.
4. Fructose increases uric acid production, which, in excess, can cause gout, kidney stones and precipitate or aggravate hypertension.
5. While most of your body’s cells can’t use fructose as a source of energy, the bacteria in your gut can and excess fructose can create gut flora imbalances, promote bacterial overgrowth and promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
6. In part because of the damage done to the liver, chronic excess fructose causes dyslipidemia, which means that your blood lipid markers tend to shift towards numbers that indicate a risk for heart disease.
7. Fructose rapidly causes leptin resistance. Leptin is an hormone that controls appetite and metabolism to maintain a normal weight. Leptin resistant people tend to gain fat and become obese really easily.
8. Excess fructose alone can cause all the problems associated with the metabolic syndrome (diabetes, obesity, heart disease, …).
9. Cancer cells thrive and proliferate very well with fructose as their energy source.
10. Excess fructose also affects brain functioning, especially as it relates to appetite regulation. It has also been shown to impair memory in rats.

fbmandy55

Low carbs will work/not work depending on your body chemisty. I have PCOS and along with that insulin resistance. I only have success in weight loss if I watch my carbs. I always have them in fruit but substitute my bread/pasta for whole wheat or whole grain. I even buy wheat burger/hotdog buns. I have to limit my fruit to one serving a day, especially because the fruits I love are high in carbs..Bananas, Apples, etc..

If I ate carbs at the rate of the average person, I wouldn't have lost what I have at this point.

Biggipooh

Rather than going low carb I go "low glycemic index". Fruit have low glycemic index, so they are fine.