Low Carb diet

chickentunashake

I just recently starting seeing a dietician and she told me I wasn't losing weight because my carbs were to low. I was eating around 60 a day. I should be having between 150-180 carbs a day. But they needed to be healthy carbs such as fruits (she said no bananas or raisins) and whole grains. She said that carbs are what burns fat. The only other limit she gave me was 60+ grams of protein, and to choose foods with less than 7 grams of fat.

Hope that helps some. I'm just getting started so I hope it works.

You might want to find a new dietician. That information is completely wrong. Carbs do NOT burn fat.

Exactly, carbs DO NOT burn fat.

chickentunashake

I'm on low carb diet. My max on carbs a day is 100 g, but most of the time I'm around 50 g. It is good for me and it worked. I'm even able to workout a lot. But, everybody is different, and there are people they don't like low carb diets. If you are losing weight and you like this diet, there is no reason for you to change

_stephanie0

i didnt quote that livestrong site to say that carbs burn fat.... i simply put it there to help show that carbs play a vital role in your bodies all around health.... if you are doing any intense activty you SHOULD be eating carbs....

BUT that being say... "low carb" is different to a lot of people... if you're used to eating junk all day your carbs could be around 400 easily per day... i get 40/40/20 and my carbs end up around 140-190 /day which is low to some people....

i think a healthy range but still "low" is 100-150, at least then you can still get good carbs from fruits and veggies and some oats or rice or something.

vytamindi

i didnt quote that livestrong site to say that carbs burn fat.... i simply put it there to help show that carbs play a vital role in your bodies all around health.... if you are doing any intense activty you SHOULD be eating carbs....

This is true. There are variations of low carb dieting that are better for different lifestyles such as CKD and TKD. Just like your car: If you're going to drive across the country, you need to fuel yourself properly.

BUT that being say... "low carb" is different to a lot of people... if you're used to eating junk all day your carbs could be around 400 easily per day... i get 40/40/20 and my carbs end up around 140-190 /day which is low to some people....

Mmhmm! There are many different ranges that people can use. Ketosis (20g or under a day), also known as Atkin's Induction, is where many people begin to rapidly lose the weight. But hey, ANY lowering from 400g a day has gotta be better for anybody!

i think a healthy range but still "low" is 100-150, at least then you can still get good carbs from fruits and veggies and some oats or rice or something.

Exactly. Once I get closer to my goal, I will eventually raise my carb intake to around 100g. Of course, I'll play with that number to suit my body's needs.

Jazziemay

thanks for the reply, I know a lot of people don't stay under 20 carbs and I have to say it's hard for me, I only do it for two weeks then go up to 25 but I leave potatoes, bread, rice, and pasta out of my diet for those two weeks. What kind of carbs do you eat and stay under 20 and keep cholestrol down

Jazziemay

Thanks to everyone for you opinions, It seems to be working right now for me to stay at 20 a day, still have another week and the rest of this one to go then add a few more carbs so I will see. Been walking 3 miles a day plus aerobic exercise and feel good so I will go from there. Thanks again

raystark

I just recently starting seeing a dietician and she told me I wasn't losing weight because my carbs were to low. I was eating around 60 a day. I should be having between 150-180 carbs a day. But they needed to be healthy carbs such as fruits (she said no bananas or raisins) and whole grains. She said that carbs are what burns fat. The only other limit she gave me was 60+ grams of protein, and to choose foods with less than 7 grams of fat.

Hope that helps some. I'm just getting started so I hope it works.

You might want to find a new dietician. That information is completely wrong. Carbs do NOT burn fat.

+1

shequick

I find that I tend to do better with low carbs, but it does help to monitor what you eat. My nutritionist said that all things in moderation because you don't want to make it so you don't have something and then crave it until you get it. The problem with me seems to be over indulgence, I originally lost over 20 pounds and gained 10 of it back and the 10 was gradual so that I really didn't notice it but I remember those carbs that I was eating. It was nothing for me to have two burgers with the bun during the week, a couple slices of pizza, pasta dishes, etc. Carbs are in lots of things we eat so depending on how your body does with them can dictate how you eat, unfortunately bread and past tip the scale for me but that may not be your issue. Keep up the good work you are doing good.:happy:

raystark

Prime example why people not trained in the medical field should not be giving medical advice.

Yup.

And to correct the folk who have been saying "don't avoid carbs, avoid sugar..."

During digestion your body turns ALL the carbs you eat into glucose, i.e. sugar.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/517313-does-the-body-turn-carbs-into-sugar/

cobaltis

I have eaten low carbs for the most part the last few years, I don't suffer from energy problems, and I have kept all the weight off. The difference is I made a lifestyle change to eat mostly lean meats and veggies, and I don't plan to ever return to a high carb diet.

I do occasionally eat junk, eat out, enjoy at a party etc, but I have managed to change my lifestyle and keep the weight off for 2 years without a problem so far...

bethbournias

I have been one of those people who did great with Adkins and I could take it off quick. I think the longest I stayed on was about 3 months, eating 20g or less a day. My sister is a physician, and she told me that on a diet that has so much protein, you have to be careful with your kidneys because it could cause problems later on. I never had any problems. Right now I'm just trying to lose about 15 pounds, but have found that since I have gotten a little older, it doesn't come off as quickly as it used to (or like I would like it too!!)

HerbieSue

Thanks to everyone for you opinions, It seems to be working right now for me to stay at 20 a day, still have another week and the rest of this one to go then add a few more carbs so I will see. Been walking 3 miles a day plus aerobic exercise and feel good so I will go from there. Thanks again

You look great, keep up the good work!

caraiselite

What kind of carbs do you eat and stay under 20 and keep cholestrol down

cholesterol and food don't really have much to do with each other apparently, but i am not an expert in this.

for carbs, i eat vegetables, nuts and some dairy, like cream, cheese, sour cream. no milk.

ravenraquel83

Clinical chemist here...

In the body carbs are broken down into simple sugars in order to enter the Kreb's cycle and make energy for your cells. BUT after you eat more than you need for energy, the alternative pathways are to form fat AND cholesterol. Yes sugar and carbs can turn to cholesterol in the body. Fat and protein are also broken down and also enter the Kreb's cycle but at a different entry point.

Carbs you eat should be plant source. Mostly eat green leaves because you need the fiber and the leaves of plants hold the least sugar; followed by the flowers of plants which have only slightly more sugar (flowers include things like caulifower); followed by fruit which is anything with SEEDS because these have the most sugars that are needed to feed the new plants made by the fruits (banana, tomato, apple).

The reason to eat plant based and complex carbs instead of simple sugars is because of insulin. Insulin is the only hormone in the body that causes glucose to be taken into cells. If you drink down a can of soda, that sugar is ready to go as soon as it is absorbed, and your body releases large amounts of insulin to deal with that large amount of stuff that needs to immediately be taken into cells. Plant based and complex carbs require an enzyme to break them apart first (so they can fit into the cell through the cell wall) thus you don't have the insulin surge because there is no sudden influx of many sugar molecules.

Meh to the kidney problems... that result only happens in people who are diabetic or have other exisiting health issues and go into acidosis. Normal people have enough acid-base balancers to buffer the acidic change caused by acetone and other acid products of fat metabolism. Just make sure you drink enough water to keep all your waste products moving smoothly through the kidney, but that advice isn't because of this diet that is just a good healthy practice.

I did atkins 10 years ago and lost 100 lbs and didn't put any of it back on and didn't have any adverse health affects.

As far as cholesterol, it is by far (90%) a hereditary thing and the only way to make your body change what it is doing as far as making LDL and HDL cholesterol is to exercise daily ...regardless of what you eat.

Good luck!

kodakdigitalcamera

Low carb is the only way. Carbohydrates can be evil.

ravenraquel83

By the way, I speak from my own education as a chemist and my own experience on a low carb way of life. I didn't look any of this up on livestrong or any other internet site, nor did i hear it from a doctor (by the way doctors get about 1/10th the education chemists do about metabolism, they learn mainly symptomology and treatment and efficiency)

reneecgc

I just cut way back on things with white flour and I have had a steady weight loss. I still
eat my sweet treats in moderation. I pretty much just cut back on bread, pasta and
rice and stay under my calorie goal. I have lost 56lbs in 5 months.

vytamindi

Clinical chemist here...

In the body carbs are broken down into simple sugars in order to enter the Kreb's cycle and make energy for your cells. BUT after you eat more than you need for energy, the alternative pathways are to form fat AND cholesterol. Yes sugar and carbs can turn to cholesterol in the body. Fat and protein are also broken down and also enter the Kreb's cycle but at a different entry point.

Carbs you eat should be plant source. Mostly eat green leaves because you need the fiber and the leaves of plants hold the least sugar; followed by the flowers of plants which have only slightly more sugar (flowers include things like caulifower); followed by fruit which is anything with SEEDS because these have the most sugars that are needed to feed the new plants made by the fruits (banana, tomato, apple).

The reason to eat plant based and complex carbs instead of simple sugars is because of insulin. Insulin is the only hormone in the body that causes glucose to be taken into cells. If you drink down a can of soda, that sugar is ready to go as soon as it is absorbed, and your body releases large amounts of insulin to deal with that large amount of stuff that needs to immediately be taken into cells. Plant based and complex carbs require an enzyme to break them apart first (so they can fit into the cell through the cell wall) thus you don't have the insulin surge because there is no sudden influx of many sugar molecules.

Meh to the kidney problems... that result only happens in people who are diabetic or have other exisiting health issues and go into acidosis. Normal people have enough acid-base balancers to buffer the acidic change caused by acetone and other acid products of fat metabolism. Just make sure you drink enough water to keep all your waste products moving smoothly through the kidney, but that advice isn't because of this diet that is just a good healthy practice.

I did atkins 10 years ago and lost 100 lbs and didn't put any of it back on and didn't have any adverse health affects.

As far as cholesterol, it is by far (90%) a hereditary thing and the only way to make your body change what it is doing as far as making LDL and HDL cholesterol is to exercise daily ...regardless of what you eat.

Good luck!

Great post!

pichild

I have done the Atkins diet and lost a ton of weight... however having grown up in an Italian household I find I miss the pasta. I always end up gaining back... I do know a lot of people who were more successful than I long term. Bottom line find what works for your body and your lifestyle. There is no 1 diet that works for every person. It is a matter of finding your balance...gpositive luck to you in your weight management.

caraiselite

i do low carb. feel free to add me!

Rhodium1976

Do you think low carb is bad. I mean I did it a couple years ago and lost 33 pounds. I've only gained 10 of them back, but keep losing them again. RIght now I am staying under 20 carbs a day or at least trying to. for two weeks then I will start bringing certain foods back in slowly, but is it bad to make yourself stay under a certain amount for too long. Thanks for input

There is no advantage of a low carb diet over any other diet, but some people prefer it and I don't think it is "bad" just another way of doing it. Keep in mind there is no low carb/keto hocus pocus, the First Law Thermodynamics still applies and you still have to track kcal. If it works for you and you enjoy it, go for. If not, maintain a kcal deficit and you will lose weight. Personally, I get brain fog doing it and I have a cerebral job that requires brain function, I lift weights, and I live in the real world with carbs, so for me eating at a deficit and getting my macros in at about 40/40/20 works best.

super_monty

Could you post a more full list of good carbs to eat please?

sjwinter

Ah, that is very interesting. I also tried Atkins for about 2 weeks. I just can't eat like that. Also, my sugar actually went up instead of down....I don't get it.