To all the anti-low-carb folks, tell me this isn't healthy

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  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
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    at some point, everyone wants a cookie, a poptart, a slice of cake... its just not ideal for long term maintenance...

    This is patently untrue.

    There are long term low carbers.
    No everyone doesn't crave "cookies, poptarts, and cake". My father, for example, was not a fan of sweets. Human beings went the vast majority of our history without eating "cookies, poptarts, and cake". That's such a western notion and a silly one at that.

    Also there is an enormous misunderstanding about low carb, even among people who do it. The Atkins induction period isn't the whole plan, even though it's what's most associated with eating that way. Atkins would strip away carbs and then slowly reintroduce them. You can be a long time low carber, have your cake and eat it too.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    I dont see anything unhealthy with that, I just know that it wouldn't work for *me* on a daily basis. I prefer to eat more veggies than that, and veggies are carbs.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
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    I dont see anything unhealthy with that, I just know that it wouldn't work for *me* on a daily basis. I prefer to eat more veggies than that, and veggies are carbs.

    Fiber is subtracted from overall carbs, and most vegetables are high in fiber. Thus very low in carbs. It was low carbing that got me to eat vastly more quantities of vegetables than I ever have in my life. A good habit that I keep to this day.

    On low carb plans you are suppose to eat a plethora of veggies.
  • TomfromNY
    TomfromNY Posts: 100 Member
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    That doesn't look like low-carb. It looks like high-protein clean foods. You're avoiding processed foods. Many people call it "low-carb" when they start avoiding processed carbs like pasta, breads, white rice, etc. Although I would recommend you eat more veggies and a bit less fat.

    ???

    Its low carb, medium protein, high fat - about 5% carbs, 25% protein, 70% fat.
    And it has over 4 cups of vegetables!
    The fat is definitely high, by design - my body is now converting fat into ketones to fuel my brain. It will do this for both dietary fat and stored fat, which is what I'm trying to accomplish.
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
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    at some point, everyone wants a cookie, a poptart, a slice of cake... its just not ideal for long term maintenance...

    This is patently untrue.

    There are long term low carbers.
    No everyone doesn't crave "cookies, poptarts, and cake". My father, for example, was not a fan of sweets. Human beings went the vast majority of our history without eating "cookies, poptarts, and cake". That's such a western notion and a silly one at that.

    Also there is an enormous misunderstanding about low carb, even among people who do it. The Atkins induction period isn't the whole plan, even though it's what's most associated with eating that way. Atkins would strip away carbs and then slowly reintroduce them. You can be a long time low carber, have your cake and eat it too.

    I have to say that I was never one that craved sweets. I like sandwiches, bread, potatoes, French fries, condiments like ranch. lol

    40c/30p/30f are my macros.

    People got to do what's best for them. If you can sustain that long term then more power to you. I never judge. Not my life. lol
  • TomfromNY
    TomfromNY Posts: 100 Member
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    I'm pretty sure I'd be broke on low-carb, so that's my main issue with it. =] Whole grains are cheap and healthy.

    Agree - the reason the grain is cheap is because the government subsidizes them. Along with corn (High Fructose Corn Syrup, corn oil), Sugar, and lots of other healthy food :(
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
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    Not only healthy but delicious, filling, and an effective way to lose weight.

    Breakfast - 3 egg omelet with spinach and green peppers
    Morning snack - 23 almonds (1 oz)
    Lunch - 6 oz roast salmon, large romain and tomato salad with 3 tbsp caesars dressing
    Afternoon snack - 2 slices salami and 1 oz cheddar cheese
    Dinner - 2 roasted chicken thighs with skin, 1 cup roasted cauliflower and 1 cup roasted broccoli with olive oil and parmesan
    Desert - 1/2 cup of full-fat greek yogurt with 2 squares of 90% cocoa dark chocolate

    Calories - 2000 Net carbs 28g, Protein 111g, Fat 154g

    If you are smaller than I am (200 lbs) and need less calories, make it a 2-egg omelet, 4oz salmon, 1 chicken thigh, a little less veg/salad dressing and you can easily get under 1500. To get to around 1300 cut out a snack or desert

    Those are foods I eat anyway so wanted to say that your menu looks delicious. :smile:
  • TomfromNY
    TomfromNY Posts: 100 Member
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    I have seen a person or two say that low carb isn't healthy.

    But the vast majority of people, myself included, say that low-carb isn't necessary for the vast majority of people.

    Agree that's it not necessary for majority of people. However, the vast majority of the 70million obese Americans are insulin resistant. And I think a low carb diet is the most effective way to treat their insulin resistance, and as a result they will find it easier to lose weight.

    The vast majority? Hmm. I think the vast majority are just like me when I was morbidly obese-ate too much and moved too little. I remedied both of those and have lost weight just fine. While eating in a way I can sustain forever-which thankfully includes cakes, cookies and ice cream.

    Glad you have found something that works for you-but I'd be starving if I ate your 2k plan. And I'm no super-athlete but I don't recover well on <50% carbs.

    You are right - I meant to say that the majority of the 70mm obese Americans are insulin resistant. I heard one researcher mention that it was something like 50mm out of the 70. What's interesting is that the other 20mm didn't seem to be at greater risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, etc... (and the 6 million non-obese Americans who are insulin resistant seem to be at greater risk than their obese counterparts)

    Congrats on your weight loss.
  • TomfromNY
    TomfromNY Posts: 100 Member
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    I dont see anything unhealthy with that, I just know that it wouldn't work for *me* on a daily basis. I prefer to eat more veggies than that, and veggies are carbs.

    Thanks

    But the meals above have over 4 cups of veggies. They are fairly low-carb veggies, compared with potatoes, carrots, etc...
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
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    I was under the impression that carbohydrates are brain fuel. I could be wrong, though.

    Glucose is brain fuel.

    The body can generate glucose from protein via gluconeogenesis in the absence of adequate carbohydrates. All vital functions, including the brain, that require glucose will receive it on even the lowest carb programs, or in the total absence of food. The rest of your functions, the majority, are fueled by ketones.

    Whilst it's true, your body can do this, it's an intense process for it to do. This is generally why I'm "against" paleo-type diets... supply doesn't keep up with demand, and therefore your glycogen stores (particularly in the muscles) are always seriously depleted.

    It doesn't matter if all you're doing is walking.
  • mgorham13
    mgorham13 Posts: 168 Member
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    I will see your day and raise mine..

    Breakfast

    four eggs
    two egg whites
    shredded mexican cheese half serving
    1tsp olive oil
    two strips bacon
    cinnamon raisin bagel

    lunch
    8.25 ounce chicken breast with franks red hot buffalo sauce
    kraft american cheese
    arnold whole wheat bread
    cottage cheese (1 serving)
    greek yogurt (1 serving)

    dinner
    15.5 ounces flank steak
    roasted potatoes 300 grams in olive oil, rosemary, and diced onion

    dessert
    1 serving talenti belgium chocolate gelato …

    2750 calories
    40p/30c/30f

    Franks Red Hot "I put that *kitten* on everything"

    15.5 ounces of flank steak on the grill is like going to a BBQ......in Heaven
  • TomfromNY
    TomfromNY Posts: 100 Member
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    I was under the impression that carbohydrates are brain fuel. I could be wrong, though.

    Glucose is brain fuel.

    The body can generate glucose from protein via gluconeogenesis in the absence of adequate carbohydrates. All vital functions, including the brain, that require glucose will receive it on even the lowest carb programs, or in the total absence of food. The rest of your functions, the majority, are fueled by ketones.

    Whilst it's true, your body can do this, it's an intense process for it to do. This is generally why I'm "against" paleo-type diets... supply doesn't keep up with demand, and therefore your glycogen stores (particularly in the muscles) are always seriously depleted.

    It doesn't matter if all you're doing is walking.

    I actually thought your muscles are quite good at using fat for fuel (although they will choose glucose or glycogen stores if its available). That's why getting into ketosis is good at burning not just dietary fat, but stored fat. And in terms of the 'intense process' in converting protein to glucose or fat to ketones, my understanding is that it is intense in the sense that the process itself requires energy - and for someone who is trying to lose weight the more energy you can burn the better.

    Not sure if I have all my facts straight and would appreciate any corrections.

    Thanks
  • seasonsanna
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    if I deny myself stuff, I obsess over it and crave it. then its only a matter of time till I give in a eat it. but then I eat a bunch of it because its SO GOOD and I haven't allowed myself any in months. then im out of ketosis, I feel like a failure, so I eat whatever for a few days, then its been a month and ive gained 5 lbs and then it starts all over again..... yeah.

    I think its great if you can NOT eat something, but I cant. i like having whatever i want, in small amounts. i don't crave anything, so i don't think about food very much at all. i forgot that losing weight could really be this easy, after low carb diets and HCG hell. yay!
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
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    If you think you can eat this way for the rest of your life, then more power to you. I know for me though, restricting any kinds of foods will just cause me to fail, like the 95% who do so with long term weight loss. I'm in this for the long haul, and I WILL be part of the 5% that succeed, so I've learned how to keep eating the foods I enjoy, in a way that allows me to also maintain my almost 60lb loss. That's why I'm maintaining so well now and will continue to do so for many years to come :)
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
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    I was under the impression that carbohydrates are brain fuel. I could be wrong, though.

    Glucose is brain fuel.

    The body can generate glucose from protein via gluconeogenesis in the absence of adequate carbohydrates. All vital functions, including the brain, that require glucose will receive it on even the lowest carb programs, or in the total absence of food. The rest of your functions, the majority, are fueled by ketones.

    Whilst it's true, your body can do this, it's an intense process for it to do. This is generally why I'm "against" paleo-type diets... supply doesn't keep up with demand, and therefore your glycogen stores (particularly in the muscles) are always seriously depleted.

    It doesn't matter if all you're doing is walking.

    I actually thought your muscles are quite good at using fat for fuel (although they will choose glucose or glycogen stores if its available). That's why getting into ketosis is good at burning not just dietary fat, but stored fat. And in terms of the 'intense process' in converting protein to glucose or fat to ketones, my understanding is that it is intense in the sense that the process itself requires energy - and for someone who is trying to lose weight the more energy you can burn the better.

    Not sure if I have all my facts straight and would appreciate any corrections.

    Thanks

    The thermic effect of eating is wildly over-exaggerated in pro-keto/paleo-type diet sources.

    You might enjoy reading this... http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/fat-cell.htm
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    The only problem I have with low carb is that it basically forbids you from eating all sorts of foods that are perfectly fine to eat. I think it's unsustainable over the long term to never have a bowl of ice cream, a big slice of pie, a couple of California rolls, etc.
  • TomfromNY
    TomfromNY Posts: 100 Member
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    If you think you can eat this way for the rest of your life, then more power to you. I know for me though, restricting any kinds of foods will just cause me to fail, like the 95% who do so with long term weight loss. I'm in this for the long haul, and I WILL be part of the 5% that succeed, so I've learned how to keep eating the foods I enjoy, in a way that allows me to also maintain my almost 60lb loss. That's why I'm maintaining so well now and will continue to do so for many years to come :)

    Not sure if I'm going to eat this way for the rest of my life. Would like to try until I get down to my ideal body fat and then maybe do some serious strength training - would likely need to alter it.

    The purpose of my post was to show that a low carb diet can be healthy and can offer a variety of what I think are pretty tasty and satisfying food.
  • TomfromNY
    TomfromNY Posts: 100 Member
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    The only problem I have with low carb is that it basically forbids you from eating all sorts of foods that are perfectly fine to eat. I think it's unsustainable over the long term to never have a bowl of ice cream, a big slice of pie, a couple of California rolls, etc.

    If you're sticking to a very low-carb standard (25-30g carbs per day) you can't have those. If you're eating 50g-100g, which is low carb compared to the majority of people (and compared with the government nutritional guidelines) you would be able to fit those in.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    Didnt read your post, just following your direction.

    It's not healthy.

    happy-now.jpg

    For crying out loud. Now I can't browse the freaking internet in my spare time without seeing a meme of my boss? ARGH!
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
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    This is not a healthy way of eating for those around. I would be a cranky ****er.