Carb-free?

BiggestL0s3r

I'm a strict vegetarian (more like a vegan) of 7 years. So, clearly I am going to have loads of carbs in my diet (from all the fruit and veggies) Yes, I get all my protein and vitamins.
Anywho, I'm reading all these posts about how carbs are bad for you and you need to eat less of them to lose weight. My question is, why are carbs so bad for you? Fuits and veggies are about 90% carbs..

derpina88

Carbs aren't bad for you! Any one who tells you all carbs are bad for you is deluded. I think what you are talking about is simple carbs. Here is a link to a good article that will explain the difference.

http://diabetes.about.com/od/carbohydratefaq/f/typesofcarbs.htm

On another note the no carb diets are very effective with weight loss because when you don't eat carbs for about 3 or 4 days you go in to ketosis, which is a when your body thinks its starving so it burns off your fat. You will lose weight on it but I personally didn't like it for a couple of reasons. First off, the way you smell when you are on this diet. I have many friends and family members who have been on it and let me tell you.... Its BAD. They don't even know it but every pore just smells terrible. Second, they say you slowly reintroduce carbs in to your diet and you will maintain the weight loss, but I've never seen it work out that way. I could never give up pasta forever. But thats just me.

I hope this helps! Cheers!

TheVimFuego

derpina88 ...

Ketosis is NOT your body thinking it is 'starving'.

Ketosis is a perfectly natural state where the body is accessing a combination of fat stores, ketones and glucose generated from the liver in preference to getting it's energy from carbohydrate intake that then metabolises down to glucose.

The body does NOT need dietary carbohydrate for fuel, it needs ATP which can be generated by other means. The brain needs some glucose which can be generated by the liver (gluconeogenesis).

I don't know why your pores 'smelt bad' but this is the first I've heard of it. Some people get a 'ketosis breath' effect where the keytones are expelled but I can't say I've experienced it.

To anyone interested in having their Conventionial Wisdom diet preconceptions challenged you may like to read this:

http://www.zoeharcombe.com/the-knowledge/20-diet-myths-busted/

As far as 'carb free' goes, I like my veggies and fruit too much so there is no sense in elminating carbohydrate, in any case this would be practically impossible. I just don't rely on it as a fuel source, I much rather go through my day knowing my body has been set up to munch on my own fat and not rely on regular injections of dietary carbohydrate for energy.

derpina88

Here is a medical dictionarys definition of ketosis:

Ketosis
[kitō′sis]
Etymology: Gk, keton + glykys, sweet + osis, condition
the abnormal accumulation of ketones in the body as a result of excessive breakdown of fats caused by a deficiency or inadequate use of carbohydrates. Fatty acids are metabolized instead, and the end products, ketones, begin to accumulate. This condition is seen in starvation, occasionally in pregnancy if the intake of protein and carbohydrates is inadequate, and most frequently in diabetes mellitus. It is characterized by ketonuria, loss of potassium in the urine, and a fruity odor of acetone on the breath. Untreated, ketosis may progress to ketoacidosis, coma, and death. See also diabetes mellitus, ketoacidosis, starvation. ketotic, adj.

Here are just the first 3 websites i found on ketosis:

http://onlinewellnesssolutions.com/2011/05/10/ketosis-starving-to-lose-fat/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketosis

http://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com/ketosis.html

They all refer to it as a starvation response. I never said it wasn't natural. Did you ever stop to think WHY your body switches in to ketosis? The lesson here? You are too old and misinformed to try to bully people on the internet.

Julietecosse

Thanks again for diecting me to some excellent information. I have just read enjoyed reading Zoe Harcombe's diet myths.
I only started putting on lbs after getting married to a carbohyfrate junky and started eating biscuits, cakes, and chocolates, as the cupboards were always full of this junk. I was always underweight before, as in my home Mum didnt buy junk.
Since joining MFP I have finally lost 16 lbs and am now fully resistant to these carbs. I only have 14 more lbs to lose. Can you advise me of any particular book which would allow me to plan in advance my meals and snacks? I bought online 2 books which turned out to be miniscule and not very comprehensive. Thanks in advance.

Julietecosse

Thanks again for diecting me to some excellent information. I have just read enjoyed reading Zoe Harcombe's diet myths.
I only started putting on lbs after getting married to a carbohyfrate junky and started eating biscuits, cakes, and chocolates, as the cupboards were always full of this junk. I was always underweight before, as in my home Mum didnt buy junk.
Since joining MFP I have finally lost 16 lbs and am now fully resistant to these carbs. I only have 14 more lbs to lose. Can you advise me of any particular book which would allow me to plan in advance my meals and snacks? I bought online 2 books which turned out to be miniscule and not very comprehensive. Thanks in advance.

This message for DeadVim.

suesmoot

Dr. Richard K. Bernstein has written a couple of books on diabetes (types I and II) management, and is the "father" of low carbohydrate diets. I don't recall the names of his books off the top of my head, but one of them is something like THE DIABETES SOLUTION or something like that. He is very informative, and precise. What I like about his approach is that it is more clinical in nature. When he wrote his books, it wasn't to promote a diet or specific products -- it was more as an outreach since he can only see a finite number of patients in a day.