Low carb diets?

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  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
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    It seems like you have already formed an opinion on low carb diets, so I'm not sure why you are asking anyone else.

    If you want low carb food ideas or recipes, check out this blog:

    www.peaceloveandlowcarb.com

    I think eating a balanced healthy diet is a better approach than cutting out a single group.
  • angusmike
    angusmike Posts: 97
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    I'm limiting carbs because of a recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. I think exercise and good food portion control are probably more important than limiting any specific food type.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,783 Member
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    I'm low carb and I'm good with it...I go to Zumba 4 times a week. I have more energy now than I did when I started this. For me it's working great. I try to eat less than 100 carbs a day but sometimes I go over
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    I have eaten low carb and slow carb. I must say that I have only been successful in long term weight loss by limiting sugar and simple carbs. The quickest weight loss I ever had was on almost no carb, low fat, 500 cal diet where I lost 22 pounds in 6 weeks. More impressive was I lost 7 inches from my waist. That never happened on any other weight loss program. Of course it is not healthy for anyone to stay on that low cals for long term, but I did see a huge loss of belly fat, instead of the usual loss in the face and extremities first.

    Not condoning this way of eating- just answering the OPs question on my experience with low carb.
  • lisamarie2181
    lisamarie2181 Posts: 560 Member
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    What are your opinions and experiences with them and (about) how many calories are you eating on them?

    thanks!

    I think alot of people have misconceptions about low carb, not everyone goes into ketosis and lowers their carbs that much. I keep my carbs around 120 a day and with my fiber intake i net below 100. I don't feel deprived whatsoever. I have alot of energy and have no problem getting through my workouts because i eat healthy carbs like veggies and whole grains at times. A lot of people like low carb because sugar cravings are reduced and sometimes eliminated and after being on it for sometime, when i crave something sweet i eat fruit. I dont eat processed junk thAt has no carbs, just with anyway of eating you have to watch all things. And fat is not the enemy. Try and get as much good fats as possible. I try to stick to leaner meats and will occasionally have some higher fat ones but try not to go overboard. I eat between 2000 to 2200 cals a day, considering meat and dairy are usually a hit higher cal, along w fats.

    To each his own and what you choose to do, but if you follow a low carb approach the right way, it is healthy. Low carbs doesn't always mean 20 carbs a day.

    ETA - i got my calories by figuring out my TDEE and BMR
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Low carbs doesn't always mean 20 carbs a day.

    AMEN! My carb intake runs anywhere from 90 to 120g a day...with an occasional splurge. But my opinion doesn't really count since I have T2. The one advantage to having diabetes is no one can admonish me for having a low carb diet. :happy:
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    The one advantage to having diabetes is no one can admonish me for having a low carb diet
    Don't be so sure - http://www.drbriffa.com/2012/10/02/diabetic-transforms-his-health-with-a-low-carb-diet-and-his-doctor-urges-him-to-eat-more-carbs/
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    "Ok, but what about the dietary fat you eat in place of the carbs that your body burns instead of the stored fat? Or the protein that you eat that gets converted to glucose via gluconeogenesis to make up for the lack of carbs? You're seriously over simplifying the way the body utilizes energy. And of course, that also completely ignores the hormonal effects of cutting carbs, like the reduction in growth hormone, loss of lean tissue, and possible psychological effects as well.

    Also, what do you mean by "how many of us are going to burn 2300 calories?" 2000 calories is what the average person burns in a day, I'm usually around 3000-3500 per day. You do burn calories even when you aren't exercising, after all... What science are you actually studying? "


    I'm not really sure how to reply specifically to your quote, but you I don't really eat foods high in fat no matter what. And yeah, it will inevitably get converted to glucose... you need glucose to stay alive. But that conversion requires energy. There have been studies done showing that it does on rats and they lose more weight. I can try to find the specific studies if you'd like. And I don't believe cutting out carbs has "psychological effects". People don't need pasta and bread and processed food to function. I eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, which provides some carbs, but not as many as a full plate of pasta. And yes, I know you burn calories not doing anything. I think the last time I calculated the amount I burn not doing anything, it was about 1200. That means I'd have to burn an additional 1100 to be at the number the other guy was mentioning. And I'm studying biology for my undergrad... what are youuuu actually studying?
    So how do you expect to eat low carb and low fat? It sounds like you're looking for an impossible diet. Carbohydrates and fat are the body's main sources of energy, if you aren't eating one, you need to be eating the other.

    As for psychological effects, you don't have to "believe it." Do some research, carbs help regulate serotonin levels and other mood hormones, people on low carb diets are consistently found to be more depressed than people who eat higher carb in study after study. Low carb also leads to increased cortisol, as cortisol is one of the regulators of gluconeogenesis, and high cortisol leads to less fat burning and more lean mass loss.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/1/44.full includes hunger and other reactions to an ad lib regime where the low carb option reduced intake by almost 300 calories a day. Residential study with 30% protein in both cases, cross-over design.

    http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/92/11/4480.long looks at cortisol in the same group of subjects, finding that "chronic changes in dietary macronutrients may be a primary driver for altered hepatic, but not adipose, cortisol metabolism in obesity." and observing a " lack of effect of dietary manipulation on 11β-HSD1 in adipose tissue"

    So while the cortisol increase cuts back gluconeogenesis by acting on the liver it doesn't affect the adipose cells and impair fat release.
  • NovoActive
    NovoActive Posts: 13 Member
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    "Ok, but what about the dietary fat you eat in place of the carbs that your body burns instead of the stored fat? Or the protein that you eat that gets converted to glucose via gluconeogenesis to make up for the lack of carbs? You're seriously over simplifying the way the body utilizes energy. And of course, that also completely ignores the hormonal effects of cutting carbs, like the reduction in growth hormone, loss of lean tissue, and possible psychological effects as well.

    Also, what do you mean by "how many of us are going to burn 2300 calories?" 2000 calories is what the average person burns in a day, I'm usually around 3000-3500 per day. You do burn calories even when you aren't exercising, after all... What science are you actually studying? "


    I'm not really sure how to reply specifically to your quote, but you I don't really eat foods high in fat no matter what. And yeah, it will inevitably get converted to glucose... you need glucose to stay alive. But that conversion requires energy. There have been studies done showing that it does on rats and they lose more weight. I can try to find the specific studies if you'd like. And I don't believe cutting out carbs has "psychological effects". People don't need pasta and bread and processed food to function. I eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, which provides some carbs, but not as many as a full plate of pasta. And yes, I know you burn calories not doing anything. I think the last time I calculated the amount I burn not doing anything, it was about 1200. That means I'd have to burn an additional 1100 to be at the number the other guy was mentioning. And I'm studying biology for my undergrad... what are youuuu actually studying?

    Hahaha, hell girl I like the way you are thinking...

    I'm busy with my post graduate studies also a BSc major like you (Earth Science). If you want to develop a great understanding of the benefits of low carb diets I urge you to look into our species evolutionary past.
    "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution" —Theodosius Dobzhansky. (so true in my opinion)
    It has brought me a great and positive change in my life.

    I'm a type 1 diabetic and have spent a lot of time studying the endocrine system especially how it can be manipulated by diet.
    As I'm diabetic and have to take insulin injections I have ample opportunity to experiment and collect my own data.

    I have build up quite a database of textbooks and peer reviewed journal articles on this subject matter, so give me s shout if you are interested.
  • praxisproject
    praxisproject Posts: 154 Member
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    I don't lose weight unless I'm eating low carb, some plans are lower in net carbs than others, some have more fat, some have more fibre, some have more protein, some have dairy, some have only certain kinds of dairy, some are even vegetarian and not all low carb diets are ketogenic. Some people also call Paleo low carb too.

    For me it's about blood sugar, mine is easily all over the place from wholemeal anything. legumes or any other number of "healthy" low fat foods which don't cause problems for them. I'm not diabetic but I am insulin resistant. I can starve myself and I will lose little to no weight at all, regardless of exercise levels. it's not a simple calories in, calories out for me. I can slow my breathing down to a point that would knock most people unconscious. We are not all the same.

    "Psychological effects" does not preclude physiological effects on the mind, Parkinson's was originally believed to be all in the mind. Blood sugar effects moods, both nutrition and blood sugar can impact/trigger mental health issues or symptoms (just as stabilising it can stabilise them). Insulin impacts the way we store fat and blood sugar impacts insulin release. Some foods are rich in serotonin and diets rich in these foods can work very well for people who have serotonin imbalances. Studies are also showing promise in the role of amino acids and a number of physiological disorders. Not all of these things can only come from low carb, but it can eliminate issues from other diets lacking in amino acids/serotonin or too high blood sugar.

    If you do heavy exercise, you'll need to eat accordingly, just as you will need to if you want to stay in ketosis. It's not for everyone. It's not for heavy drinkers or junk-binge eaters, they'll be stuck forever in an Induction-bust-Induction cycle (presuming they follow the plan).

    It's not zero carb (very few people eat zero carb diets, although the term is thrown around a lot - even then, protein can be converted to glycogen) or even 20 net carbs (not carbs, net carbs). Induction is a two week phase of Atkins to get you into ketosis. I lose far more fat in ketosis than I do out of it, while maintaining muscle and fitness. I also lose more weight when I eat more fat. A lot of people don't manage ketosis or nutrition properly, you shouldn't feel tired or lacking in energy, if you do, you're likely eating something that spikes your blood sugar, or not enough food, or not at the right time (sugar hits your blood fast). At least one gold medal has been won by a low carb dieter.

    Many clinical studies on "low carb", "high protein" and "high fat" do not match the macros of popular plans (or the fine details, like 100% trans fat in a "high fat" study, which is highly unnatural), check the details of any papers you are reviewing and also how random the selection of subjects is along with pre-existing conditions. Duration is a common item to look for, studies which last a week or so are useless, some people take 2 weeks to get into ketosis. Beware the comparisons of findings from one type of study against a completely different study, such as confusing ketosis with ketoacidosis. All of the findings I have found on saturated fat come from studies on high carb diets with high saturated fat. A lot of the results are skewed from un-random selection and many many studies are funded by the sugar and grain industries. Many studies and nutrition advice in the USA comes from the US Department of Agriculture. Science with a pre-determined agenda is not discovery, although you can rig a lot of studies to get results you'd like, by skipping all the findings that don't support your agenda. Stevia has been used in Japan for years, yet most Western countries refused to allow it for many years. Eskimos have eaten ketogenic diets for centuries, mostly raw food and without scurvy. Read studies about Eskimos carefully, most of them are on Westernised diets.

    I don't care whether people "believe" scientific facts or think there is only "one way" for everyone, as the Doctor link previously posted describes, many doctors and scientists have no interest in detail or critical thinking, or of any "fact" from the past being proven wrong, science is constantly learning new things, some of which require un-learning old things. Even negative findings are worthless unless we really understand why and further investigate whether those negative impacts can be removed.

    Different people have different needs, different medical conditions, have different budgets, local ingredients, mobility etc.

    Some people also struggle with particular ingredients common in other diet plans: caffeine, glycerine, fructose, lactose, gluten, dairy, etc. Some people have different digestion than others, some have permanent metabolic damage from previous diets/medications or were born with metabolic disorders or conditions like Lipoedema which have no known cure.
  • foochick
    foochick Posts: 105 Member
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    I've weighed the pros and cons since I started Atkins in June. It's been like a miracle for me. Like so many others, I could nearly starve myself on a low cal, low fat situation....have no energy, and not lose weight. I eat 20-25 real carbs(not net) a day, and so far the pros are winning. I've lost significant weight, I feel better overall, the insulin control helps me to be satisfied with a reasonable amount of food, most of the time. My moods are better, my menstrual cycle is not debilitating anymore, my migraines have reduced, I'm not sleepy all the time, greatly reduced water retention...and losing weight has helped so many other things like my blood pressure, my joints..and all that.
    Having said all that, it's inconvenient in today's society....I miss sugar and bread and potatoes and those things, I get hounded a lot because there's a lot of misinformation out there about low carb eating, and my energy reserve is reduced. I cant work out as long and hard as I'd like, because there's no glucose store in my muscles. It's also kinda boring.
    Having said all that.........it's what works for me, it lets me be successful at my attempts at weightloss..the only thing I've found that can. It's a personal decision, and you have to do what you can live with and be successful with. I never thought I could do it when I was a carb addict though.
    I'll also add this, the jury is still out in my situation as to how much of the pros and cons can be attributed to gluten issues as well. Like most people, when I went very low carb, I also gave up most of my gluten intake. Frankly, it's not worth it to try to figure out exactly how heavily each thing weighs in my personal equation. I do know that this is something I can do indefinitely. It's hard. Being fat is hard. Pick your hard.
  • cbrrabbit25
    cbrrabbit25 Posts: 384 Member
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    Explain? I'm a science major, and I don't believe that is true. What I'm interested in is how it plays a role in thermodynamincs

    I'm an engineer, so I share your curiosity to expand beyond Cal in/out, and I believe that the body works in far more complex ways than that. I've only been on this site for a day and it seems that the tribal knowledge here discounts cellular response to different types of stimuli and refers to calorie counting as the only factor in losing weight. I think there should be a clear distinction in losing weight versus losing fat, as I'm not concerned about the scale but more so what the calipers say.

    If you're looking to do some research, check into John Kiefer. His works cited is always worth checking out and he backs everything up with scientifically reviewed publications.
    I agree with this. Mostly everyone on here only focuses on cal in/out but i do think the type of calories matters in fat loss also. Would you still lose weight eating 2000 calories of chocolate a day if you also burn 2000 calories a day? (just talking about losing weight, not nutritional value).
  • xiamjackie
    xiamjackie Posts: 611 Member
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    I tried it, couldn't mentally do it. And I have very strong mental will-power. I'm currently doing the Insanity workout and I never miss a day because I have that much mental will-power, but when I tried low-carb I found myself binging late at night because I wasn't satisfied on eating barely any carbs a day. If you want a quick fix to lose weight, then go for it because it seems to work for everyone. However, if you want to make it a long- term lifestyle then I would really consider if you are willing to do low carb for the rest of your life because once you go low carb then start putting carbs back in your life, you'll just gain the weight back. Think long-term lifestyle change, not just quick fix to lose weight. Even now, I don't ever eat bread or pasta or rice or anything like that, but I love fruits and really couldn't give them up. I think any diet that tells me to give up nutrient-dense oatmeal and 95% of fruits just isn't the diet for me.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    Explain? I'm a science major, and I don't believe that is true. What I'm interested in is how it plays a role in thermodynamincs

    I'm an engineer, so I share your curiosity to expand beyond Cal in/out, and I believe that the body works in far more complex ways than that. I've only been on this site for a day and it seems that the tribal knowledge here discounts cellular response to different types of stimuli and refers to calorie counting as the only factor in losing weight. I think there should be a clear distinction in losing weight versus losing fat, as I'm not concerned about the scale but more so what the calipers say.

    If you're looking to do some research, check into John Kiefer. His works cited is always worth checking out and he backs everything up with scientifically reviewed publications.
    I agree with this. Mostly everyone on here only focuses on cal in/out but i do think the type of calories matters in fat loss also. Would you still lose weight eating 2000 calories of chocolate a day if you also burn 2000 calories a day? (just talking about losing weight, not nutritional value).

    You'd maintain
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
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    when i first start, and my appetite hasn't diminished, i eat around 2k calories, unless actively trying to eat less.

    once my appetite goes away, i eat around 800 to 1200 cals a day, it really depends what i eat though.

    ketosis is good for you. it makes you feel good and look good too!
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    My experience on low-carb/high-protein eating was that I developed significant kidney problems that would have probably put me on dialysis if I hadn't quit that. I have to make sure I don't eat too much protein or I start having the kidney issues again.
  • bpwparents
    bpwparents Posts: 359 Member
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    I did the Atkins diet years ago and lost 70 lbs. That being said, I felt like crap (lightheaded & dizzy) all the time. Plus, once I started eating back "regular" foods, I gained it all back, especially in my butt! I've now lost 40 lbs in 4 months by just limiting portions. I eat almost everything, just smaller portions. It's also much easier planning your meals this way. Portion control is much easier than only having certain things that you can eat.
  • cbrrabbit25
    cbrrabbit25 Posts: 384 Member
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    Explain? I'm a science major, and I don't believe that is true. What I'm interested in is how it plays a role in thermodynamincs

    I'm an engineer, so I share your curiosity to expand beyond Cal in/out, and I believe that the body works in far more complex ways than that. I've only been on this site for a day and it seems that the tribal knowledge here discounts cellular response to different types of stimuli and refers to calorie counting as the only factor in losing weight. I think there should be a clear distinction in losing weight versus losing fat, as I'm not concerned about the scale but more so what the calipers say.

    If you're looking to do some research, check into John Kiefer. His works cited is always worth checking out and he backs everything up with scientifically reviewed publications.
    I agree with this. Mostly everyone on here only focuses on cal in/out but i do think the type of calories matters in fat loss also. Would you still lose weight eating 2000 calories of chocolate a day if you also burn 2000 calories a day? (just talking about losing weight, not nutritional value).

    You'd maintain

    but if you are eating all chocolate calories, there is not a difference if you would eat all protein calories? i just find this strange.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    I was on South Beach a year or two ago, and I did well on it and lost weight. Then I stopped to enjoy holiday goodies, and ever since then, if I think of going back to South Beach, a voice inside me screams "nononononononononono!" I decided to listen.

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