Good Calories, Bad Calories

each_day_stronger

Has anyone here read the book Good Calories Bad Calories? I've been reading a lot about low carb stuff and thinking it might be the way to go for me personally given my family history of diabetes. Anyone have any successes from it? Any thoughts about it? Also tips for new low carbers would be great, I'm really struggling about what to eat! Right now I'm not cutting carbs completely but I'm attempting to get rid of the added sugars and refined **** in my kitchen and keep my carb intake under 150grams.

50ishFoodie

I have not read the book. Going low carb is OK as long as you don't overcompensate by eating too much fat. Concentrate more on the types of carbs you eat. Whole grains digest more slowly - less of a blood sugar spike. More protein and nutrients. Plus, you need carbs for complete nutrition and to fuel your workouts. Not to mention that your brain needs them to function properly. So, 1/2 cup of brown rice or quinoa, or 1 slice of multi-grain bread in a meal is good for you and considered balanced. I have a terrible weakness for refined carbs - particularly chocolate and baked goods. I use them only for rewards - and in small portions.

each_day_stronger

According to the author who is a science journalist it looks like what we knew about fats might not be what we thought. He is against vegetable oil but not animal fats or olive oil. In any case I definitely want to try slowly taking out the super refined crap and for now I'm doing some whole wheat stuff here and there. I was just curious to see if others have had success this way.

Noor13

According to the author who is a science journalist it looks like what we knew about fats might not be what we thought. He is against vegetable oil but not animal fats or olive oil. In any case I definitely want to try slowly taking out the super refined crap and for now I'm doing some whole wheat stuff here and there. I was just curious to see if others have had success this way.
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I am not a low carb eater and never will be. But taking out refined stuff is something we all should do.

each_day_stronger

I imagine for most of the folks here, who are really exercising in huge quantities (which is awesome btw and great inspiration) I think carbs (especially whole grains and such) are really necessary fuel, so not trying to tell others to eat differently

I just have been here for a while and have't had much success so I'm wondering if much of that has to do with eating a few too many carbs and added sugars. I think it's likely that while I don't have diabetes yet, my body is predisposed to react badly to sugar. I don't think I could ever part with pasta and bread entirely, but I could reduce it to be a treat once a week or something. In any case, just curious if others went through a similar thing. Trying to fight off this pre-diabetic condition before I get there if that's possible.

Thanks for your thoughts!

wellbert

After a year plateau, of eating whatever I wanted just less of it I switched to Primal eating (plus peanuts, damnit.) The scale is actually moving again now. Don't know if it's the low carb, don't know if it's just the change of pace. Maybe it's because I cut WHEAT/gluten out of my diet entirely. But things are finally changing.

Before you start low carb, google 'inductance flu.' Mine lasted 3 days and sucked.

I'm pre-diabetic, insulin resistant... high cholesterol... I'm getting another blood test soon to see if it changed.

As far as exercise? I still do weight lifting, muay thai, walk, cycle. I'm not really missing the carbs. The only weird thing is I get an ammonia smell sometimes. I understand this is because the body is breaking down fats/proteins and not just burning pure sugar.



PS- I cook everything in butter now. I can eat SO. MANY. DELICIOUS. ANIMALS. It's awesome.

gjriddle

According to the author who is a science journalist it looks like what we knew about fats might not be what we thought. He is against vegetable oil but not animal fats or olive oil. In any case I definitely want to try slowly taking out the super refined crap and for now I'm doing some whole wheat stuff here and there. I was just curious to see if others have had success this way.

I am not a low carb eater and never will be. But taking out refined stuff is something we all should do.

^^ This! I've never been a low cab eater, mostly because I love them. So much. But, in the past years I've definitely put more focus on whole grains instead of refined carbs. And my trainer/nutritionist that I'm working with on heavy lifting has recommended I eat at least 200 slow carbs every day. Those are the carbs you get from whole grains, veggies, etc.

I'm definitely on board with what your author says about fats though, good fats are GOOD for you. Just not those nasty, modified ones! :-)

each_day_stronger

Hey Wellbert, I've been hearing a lot about primal/paleo/lowish carb stuff and getting pretty into a lot of the ideas behind it. Not sure if it's for everyone, but I think it might be for me. I'm curious to know how did you do it, did you just jump right in or ease into it? Any recommendations?

It's hard to know what it is exactly that works about these diets (although I think sugar is probably the major culprit) but I think that if I gave it a good shot it would probably help me get the scale to start moving. It's gunna be a pretty drastic change for me as I've been a vegetarian for 4 years and I think in doing these diets I would start eating meat again which is pretty crazy to even think about. But I think for my body type it's better off with meat than it is with sugar. Blargh.

Anyone else just dive into this nutritional black hole on the internet where it's like there is a billion different things to read all of which sound relatively compelling but not as well researched as you'd like? I can literally spend hours thinking about this stuff and all the while pretty unsure of what to eat.