MFP Smarty Pants'

watcheronthewall

Just wondering......

Does anyone, who is knowledgable in such things as many of you are, know if there are actually any benefits at all to following low carb diets and the like? I know people sometimes post on here about faddy diets and generally get shot down in flames.

I guess what I'm asking is, is it worth restricting in such a way, or is it simply better to just eat a good range without counting the levels but aim to eat majority clean, whole foods? Then let the weight adjust itself slowly over time.

I'm seeing people on here talking about fasting etc and I'm wondering what the point of putting oneself through such regimes is?

melsinct

You will find the MFP know-it-alls citing this study or that study to justify whatever they are doing (fasting, low carb, etc.). In all honesty, no one knows with 100% certainty since every body is different. Some people seem to be more carb sensitive than others, whereas for me it is the all over calorie picture that makes the difference and my body doesn't care if I eat oatmeal or toast for breakfast or a pile of eggs.

Personally, I subscribe to the school of thought that you wrote above and don't deny myself any entire food group:

"eat a good range...aim to eat majority clean, whole foods"

FitFabFlirty92

A lot of people think they have to go to extremes to lose weight. And it does work, at first -- you lose a lot of weight very quickly when you fast or have a very restricted diet that eliminates food groups. The problem is that it's not sustainable long term, and there is a very good chance that when you inevitably start eating the foods you've eliminated, you will gain all the weight back, plus a little extra.

I believe in eating what you want in moderation, and trying to make sure that the majority of your food choices are healthy, whole foods. I'm strongly against taking one food group (for a long time it was fat, now it's carbs) and calling it "the enemy" and eliminating it from your diet. However, I have read that it is possible that many of us have gluten allergies that we're not aware of, which explains why carbs can make a person feel bloated and sluggish. It's worth a try to cut down on them just to see if you feel any better/different. But in terms of weight loss, if you're eating the right amount of calories and getting in more clean food than you were before, you're doing fine. Anything more drastic is an attempt to lose too much too quickly and usually winds up failing.

EccentricDad

Just wondering......

Does anyone, who is knowledgable in such things as many of you are, know if there are actually any benefits at all to following low carb diets and the like? I know people sometimes post on here about faddy diets and generally get shot down in flames.

I guess what I'm asking is, is it worth restricting in such a way, or is it simply better to just eat a good range without counting the levels but aim to eat majority clean, whole foods? Then let the weight adjust itself slowly over time.

I'm seeing people on here talking about fasting etc and I'm wondering what the point of putting oneself through such regimes is?

I follow a grain free diet due to digestive and cognitive issues. If you are having health issues, most of them stem from diet. If you want to try to follow a low carb diet, I think that you should set some realistic goals for yourself on how you are going to get your carbs so your body doesn't starve. For me, fruits and veggies and rice/quinoa are great ways to get my carbs; for you it might be different depending on what kind of time you have to spend on your health. Good luck

DivaTendencies86

Eating healthy within your daily calorie limit should suffice. To sustain ones body, different types of food groups need to consumed to keep it healthy and strong. Once you start limiting and denying your body what it needs, it tends to rebel against you at some point.

Quick fixes are just that, quick! You'll gain the weight back just a quick because the body is afraid that it will not have what it needs and therefore tends to save up for a rainy day, to the detriment of your health.

McBully4

After seeing your avatar I could only think to reply

Winter is Coming

watcheronthewall

After seeing your avatar I could only think to reply

Winter is Coming

Lol Yaas. Unfortunately I have sufficiant fat stores to see me through