No carbs?

Zero carbs is next to impossible, and I don't know anyone who has ever managed that. Low carb, or slow carb, works well for many people, altho it isn't right for everyone either.
I have lost 39 lbs since Aug on a higher healthy fat and protein plan, with keeping my overall carbs under 75, and 'net carbs' between 30 and 50g per day.

I have PCOS, carry all my extra weight in my belly, and have a family history of Type 2 Diabetes. I am 'carb sensitive', so this plan works well for me. I also have an inflammatory arthritis and spinal cord condition, and cutting out most grains and processed sugars helps keep my pain and inflammation down.
I also don't have the water fluctuations, and mood swings.

So as for the health benefits, it works for me.

As for it helping with my weight loss, lower simple carbs, and higher proteins and healthy fats keeps me from having cravings, and keeps me feeling satisfied and energized so that I can easily stay under the calorie level that I need to be at to continue losing 1 pound per week at this point. I eat lots of high fiber, non starch veggies and some fruit daily.

For me, this isn't just a diet where I cut the carbs til I lose the weight then go back to eating them afterwards.
This is the way that I will eat for life, to be healthy. When I move to maintenance, I will simply not be eating at a deficit anymore.

No carb would basically mean eating only meat and egg whites.

Low carb diets have a very poor long term success rate, because most people just can't eat like that for the rest of their lives.

That being said, there is a lot of research to support the idea that we should be eating, at the very least, healthier carbs (ie, whole grains, veggies and fruit) and probably fewer of them than the average American diet.

No carbs at all would be sooo hard to do as most veggies and fruits have some amount of carbs.

However, I've had great success removing processed foods like bread and pasta from my diet (I'll eat only one or two servings of those a week, such as on family pizza or spaghetti night).

Watching your sugar intake will help a lot too (so limit processed sugars, i.e. cookies, candy,etc. and stick with low to moderate amounts of fruit).

By limiting carbs and eating more fats, I notice I don't have as many cravings and I stay full longer between meals and snacks.

Because everyone's body is different there is no difinitive "right" diet. I am on Atkins. Low carb is NOT a fad, it is a science and when researched and done correctly it is effective and very healthy. Just eating right is not good enough for many people. I am one of those people. Eating low carb is a life style, not a diet. The idea behind low carb is that it boosts your metabolism and regulates glucose for those that have damaged their metabolism through improper eating and chronic dieting. It can also be a life saver for diabetics and pre-diabetics. Also, to address a previous post, your body does NOT need carbs, it needs the nurtrients that can come from carb rich foods. However, this can be fixed by taking healthy supplements. You can live on a diet free from carbs but you probably wouldn't want to. Personally I love the life style and it suits me well. It's also helped me regulate my sugar and insulin issues. It's also teaching me which foods I can and cannot eat and still lose weight and/or maintain a healthy weight.

You can eat carbs and still lose weight.... removing carbs does not rehab your metabolism from a ridiculous calorie deficit over a sustained period of time... and it does not boost your metabolism as already pointed out a few posts above mine.

I dont understand how so many people think eliminating carbs from their diet is a good idea. Wouldn't a good macro balance be much more beneficial for you fitness and goals than these crazy carbless diets?


haha, corrected, yes crabs are bad!

I wouldn't have lost 200 pounds without going low carb as like carbs too much (particularly white bread rice and pasta) and have managed nearly 2 years so far. I am eating more now than last year but nothing like I was.

The only way I could take losing weight seriously was not to buy what tempted me in the first place. That includes lots of carb rich foods. I would have given up if I hadn't done it.

Yes, muscle mass increases your metabolism but if your metabolism is in the toilet so to speak then restricting carbs, which your body burns first, and forcing it to burn fat will boost your metabolism. Strength training is always recommended, on a diet or not.

Okay I read through all of the post here and never had any clue how controversial the subject was... Currently I'm coming off of month that was bad I have reduced my carb intake to around 20 grams a day... no carb would be near impossible.... That being said I was better on a typically I keep my carbohydrate intake at around 40 percent of the MFP recommended amount ...for me that is livable extremely low carb is not long term... All I can suggest is fine the diet that works for you find 1 that you can live with the rest of your life and you will succeed.... Good luck to you

Yes, muscle mass increases your metabolism but if your metabolism is in the toilet so to speak then restricting carbs, which your body burns first, and forcing it to burn fat will boost your metabolism. Strength training is always recommended, on a diet or not.

Your body burning carbs first or fat first doesn't increase your metabolism. Low carb diets will not increase your metabolism.