to carb or not to carb.....that is the question!

I know that cutting carbs is not vital to weight loss...it's all about calories in and calories out. But for the last 10 years, I've been trying to lose weight by counting calories because I didn't believe in fad diets...and I considered all the low carb diets fad diets. But counting calories hasn't worked for me...I lose a little and then I gain it all back.

I decided to go low carb after trying low carb for a week due to a weight loss competition (needed to lose some water weight fast). Now after two and a half months, I weigh less than I have in 10 years, and for the first time since I had my youngest daughter 18 years ago, my blood pressure is consistently normal. The best thing about low carb is I've lost a lot of the cravings I was constantly struggling with.

Right now for me low carb is working. I don't know if I'll gain the weight back eventually, but I haven't been able to keep the weight off following a low calorie moderation diet, so what do I have to lose?

I'm doing 30 day low carb at 30 grams a day. You will definitely lose weight on it. Low carbing makes it easier to create a defecit because you feel fuller. Best thing to do is try it out. Sorry meant edit not report

You will definitely lose weight and you will definitely gain it back.

If you've done the low carbing more than once (because you gained it back after going off it the first, or hundredth time) then low carbing doesn't work for you.

You'll just be participating in insanity by doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results.

Eat less, move more and do it at a moderate pace.

I'm sold on it. This has been the easiest thing I've tried and finally making progress. Going low carb and putting the body into ketosis is working magic for me. I think for short term, it is great to lose fat fast, but I will not be doing this long term. I don't want a heart attack with all the fat I'm eating. Over 14 days averaging 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs (<20g) (not to mention very low or no sugar and drink tons of water). Calories average 1,000-1,500. I have not exercised one day yet, but I'll work that in next. So doing just that as my daily diet for 14 days and no exercise I've dropped 13.4lbs. Started at 234 and aiming for 200. FYI, I'm 6'2" male, and from what I heard, easier for the guys to drop the weight vs ladies, but I think it'd certainly be worth the try.

magic you say? like this …


I am glad ketosis works for you but it not superior to any other method….

My favorite bit wasn't the magic but that she thinks she's losing fat fast. Last I checked, water is not a fat.

Low carb works for me. I feel great when I keep carbs around 30 to 40 g per day, spreading those carbs throughout the day.

The demographics of patrons who use this website are heavily skewed towards a low-fat diet, though, so don't be surprised if you get a raft of responses from people who can't understand why anyone would want to cut the carbs.

Demographics of patrons who use this website are heavily skewed towards low fat diets? Really? Where did you get that from?
Almost all of the people who know understand nutrition and know how vital dietary fat is to life are opposed to a low fat diet.

Well, quite a few of the topics and responses I see in the forums (outside of the LC groups) are posted by patrons who ask for "healthy" recipes (meaning recipes that restrict fat), but these patrons have no problem consuming copious amounts of Cheerios, rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, & liquid sugar in all its forms, etc. ad nauseum.

I agree with you that dietary fat is vital, for many reasons.

It really is about moderation... that stuff's not just a rumour! you've got to eat less than you originally would, just make sure you don't retreat to old habits.

The only people who truly have to "worry" about carbs are diabetics. All in moderation for the rest of us.

Years of abuse by eating high carb diets turns some people into Type 2 Diabetics. This can happen whether you are skinny or fat. "Moderation" is a squishy term that has a broad range of interpretation.

I don't think you have to cut out a bunch of carbs to lose weight. With that said, I like to stick to carbs such as fruit, nuts, and brown rice. I feel my body responds better when I eat these kinds of foods and I have been losing weight with this way consistently. When I tend to add things like white tortillas and bread my weight loss slows dramatically.

In theory, one should be able to eat whatever they want as long as they hit their calorie goal daily. That didn't really work for me for consistent weight loss. But one thing that is very important is even when I ate tortillas and bread I weighed everything. It is a vital part of your success!

There is nothing wrong with wanting to make a switch to see if it works for you. A sample day for me is a fruit smoothie in the morning (and no I don't skip the bananas), a raw food bar a couple hours later, salad with chicken for lunch, cashews for a snack, then some protein, brown rice, and broccoli for dinner. And I don't cut out dairy either but it must be weighed. Love my cheese! I believe you can be happy, healthy and satisfied eating all food groups! Just make the right choices!

I'm all about carbs in moderation, good carbs because they aren't all bad. I tried cutting out carbs drastically, but it lead to me binge eating and feeling deprived. It's different for everyone though.... I lost weight going with a moderation/portion control/exercise technique. It works for me.

The only limit I put on carbs was to stay under my calorie goal.
Just over 670g of carbs in a day was my highest while losing weight and it doesn't seem to have done me any harm.

Would suggest trying to keep your weight loss diet as similar as possible to what you plan your maintenance diet to be, if that's going to be low carb then go for it. If it's not then would I would say it's not the right choice for you.

This ^

Unless you have a medical reason to do so, carbs (and all things) in moderation.

Ketosis occurs during long periods of starvation and can lead to ketoacidosis which, in turn, is linked to type 1 diabetes. This is not a balanced and healthy approach to weight loss.

Benign dietary ketosis is not the same thing as ketoacidosis. Do your homework.

"Benign ketosis" is a BS term coined by Dr. Atkins. Benign ketosis is in acutality ketoacidosis, which is linked to diabetes.

http://www.uiw.edu/nutrition/atkins/page3.html
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/ketoacidosis-dka.html

ketosis (ke-TOE-sis)a ketone buildup in the body that may lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. Signs of ketosis are nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain.
Retrieved from: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/common-terms/common-terms-f-k.html

[Edited for grammar]

Ketosis occurs during long periods of starvation and can lead to ketoacidosis which, in turn, is linked to type 1 diabetes. This is not a balanced and healthy approach to weight loss.

Benign dietary ketosis is not the same thing as ketoacidosis. Do your homework.

I did. Read carefully where I said Ketosis can lead to ketoacidosis. I never said they are the same, I said the one can lead to the other. Ketosis will cause you to lose weight but you can not live HEALTHILY and maintain a constant state of ketosis. This is the same state that anorexics put their bodies into. Your are intentionally starving yourself. You will lose but you will eventually have return your metabolism to a more natural state or risk doing real damage to yourself. Healthy and Balanced May be slower but it is sustainable.
If you maintain a diet that balances your macros, includes healthy fats and carbs and avoids the unhealthy fats and carbs, you will be NATURALLY eating low carb and low fat in a manner that is healthy and sustainable.

Ketosis occurs during long periods of starvation and can lead to ketoacidosis which, in turn, is linked to type 1 diabetes. This is not a balanced and healthy approach to weight loss.

Benign dietary ketosis is not the same thing as ketoacidosis. Do your homework.

Ketosis will cause you to lose weight but you can not live HEALTHILY and maintain a constant state of ketosis. This is the same state that anorexics put their bodies into. Your are intentionally starving yourself. You will lose but you will eventually have return your metabolism to a more natural state or risk doing real damage to yourself.

Nonsense. This is misinformation. Benign dietary ketosis is protein sparing. It is a healthy and satisfying way to eat. Indefinitely.

If you like, read the article on this subject by Dr. James Carlson, here:

http://drjamescarlson.blogspot.com/2013/05/ketones-ketosis-and-fatoh-my.html

I don't get it?Is the purpose of this app to eat as few calories as possible ,and making a change by having a better net score from before ?