A Call for a Low-Carb Diet
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low carb hot dog
Hey DJ keep playin' that song, all niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite, onnnn and onnnnnnnnnnnnn and onnnnnnnnnnn and caaaaaarbs!0 -
I'm doing low carb and watching my calories. Perhaps I shall experiment and see if this study is onto something!0
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Not a biochemist here, and on my phone so I can't try to puzzle out stuff I can't understand, but I think I'm developing a picture based on some of my learning a here today:
What insulin does is store energy in the muscle. Insulin resistance means that calories aren't being stored as glycogen, or protein in the muscle, but are broken down and stored as fat. In the mean time, the muscle is crying out for energy and whining at the insulin spike that predicts a flood of energy that never occurs. Thus, the body reacts with hunger.
I know I'm nowhere as smart or as capable of understanding nuance as Lindsey, but does that cover the basics of the process...or am I totally off?
Yes, and you are exhausted. However when you eat low carb it changes your hormone levels (testosterone levels among others) and increases insulin sensitivity. I think that is why people think some of us attribute magical qualities to our diets. When we eat low carb our insulin sensitivity increases. Then we can eat more calories than before, feel less hungry and have more energy.
I hope I am explaining well. I typed this out once but the thread was full, grrr... :huh:
And seriously, I know nothing about you. I have no idea how "smart or capable of understanding nuance" you are. You can't be expected to be aware of every possible medical condition in the world, but you seem open to learning about new things.
Lindsey, I'm not sure I ever would have left French Polynesia!0 -
Not a biochemist here, and on my phone so I can't try to puzzle out stuff I can't understand, but I think I'm developing a picture based on some of my learning a here today:
What insulin does is store energy in the muscle. Insulin resistance means that calories aren't being stored as glycogen, or protein in the muscle, but are broken down and stored as fat. In the mean time, the muscle is crying out for energy and whining at the insulin spike that predicts a flood of energy that never occurs. Thus, the body reacts with hunger.
I know I'm nowhere as smart or as capable of understanding nuance as Lindsey, but does that cover the basics of the process...or am I totally off?
Yes, and you are exhausted. However when you eat low carb it changes your hormone levels (testosterone levels among others) and increases insulin sensitivity. I think that is why people think some of us attribute magical qualities to our diets. When we eat low carb our insulin sensitivity increases. Then we can eat more calories than before, feel less hungry and have more energy.
I hope I am explaining well. I typed this out once but the thread was full, grrr... :huh:
And seriously, I know nothing about you. I have no idea how "smart or capable of understanding nuance" you are. You can't be expected to be aware of every possible medical condition in the world, but you seem open to learning about new things.
Lindsey, I'm not sure I ever would have left French Polynesia!
Well, everybody else seems committed to making it as complex as possible.
That's not a Cico issue (I know I'll be corrected if I'm wrong). All the calories are being accounted for.
It's a calorie partioning issue - the actual decision the body makes about whether to store excess calories as fat or muscle or use them as fuel.
I bet the alien is talking about the same thing. The calories he's consuming are adding weight to his body...but he'd argue that they're all being stored as muscle.0 -
Not a biochemist here, and on my phone so I can't try to puzzle out stuff I can't understand, but I think I'm developing a picture based on some of my learning a here today:
What insulin does is store energy in the muscle. Insulin resistance means that calories aren't being stored as glycogen, or protein in the muscle, but are broken down and stored as fat. In the mean time, the muscle is crying out for energy and whining at the insulin spike that predicts a flood of energy that never occurs. Thus, the body reacts with hunger.
I know I'm nowhere as smart or as capable of understanding nuance as Lindsey, but does that cover the basics of the process...or am I totally off?
Yes, and you are exhausted. However when you eat low carb it changes your hormone levels (testosterone levels among others) and increases insulin sensitivity. I think that is why people think some of us attribute magical qualities to our diets. When we eat low carb our insulin sensitivity increases. Then we can eat more calories than before, feel less hungry and have more energy.
I hope I am explaining well. I typed this out once but the thread was full, grrr... :huh:
And seriously, I know nothing about you. I have no idea how "smart or capable of understanding nuance" you are. You can't be expected to be aware of every possible medical condition in the world, but you seem open to learning about new things.
Lindsey, I'm not sure I ever would have left French Polynesia!
You know, island life just isn't for me. Too slow. And I'm not a huge fan of heat and humidity -- I'd much prefer too cold than too hot. Nice place to visit, but wouldn't want to live there (though the people were extremely kind and awesome).0 -
low carb hot dog
Hey DJ keep playin' that song, all niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite, onnnn and onnnnnnnnnnnnn and onnnnnnnnnnn and caaaaaarbs!
Wow - someone seems sensitive to low carbs.
Well done - gif overachiever! boom, high five!0 -
I'm just going to leave this here:
http://examine.com/blog/is-low-carb-really-the-best-weight-loss-diet0 -
Not a biochemist here, and on my phone so I can't try to puzzle out stuff I can't understand, but I think I'm developing a picture based on some of my learning a here today:
What insulin does is store energy in the muscle. Insulin resistance means that calories aren't being stored as glycogen, or protein in the muscle, but are broken down and stored as fat. In the mean time, the muscle is crying out for energy and whining at the insulin spike that predicts a flood of energy that never occurs. Thus, the body reacts with hunger.
I know I'm nowhere as smart or as capable of understanding nuance as Lindsey, but does that cover the basics of the process...or am I totally off?
Yes, and you are exhausted. However when you eat low carb it changes your hormone levels (testosterone levels among others) and increases insulin sensitivity. I think that is why people think some of us attribute magical qualities to our diets. When we eat low carb our insulin sensitivity increases. Then we can eat more calories than before, feel less hungry and have more energy.
I hope I am explaining well. I typed this out once but the thread was full, grrr... :huh:
And seriously, I know nothing about you. I have no idea how "smart or capable of understanding nuance" you are. You can't be expected to be aware of every possible medical condition in the world, but you seem open to learning about new things.
Lindsey, I'm not sure I ever would have left French Polynesia!
Well, everybody else seems committed to making it as complex as possible.
That's not a Cico issue (I know I'll be corrected if I'm wrong). All the calories are being accounted for.
It's a calorie partioning issue - the actual decision the body makes about whether to store excess calories as fat or muscle or use them as fuel.
I bet the alien is talking about the same thing. The calories he's consuming are adding weight to his body...but he'd argue that they're all being stored as muscle.
Or maybe it is the "can somebody die of starvation while retaining fat" example we've been looking for. Though, really, we'd need to see something like this regularly without a life-threatening disease to bring CICO into question.
I'm sure the people who are researching the question have already addressed it.0 -
I'm just going to leave this here:
http://examine.com/blog/is-low-carb-really-the-best-weight-loss-diet
Wonderful analysis! Thank you!0 -
I suspect the likely result of eating a high carb diet when you have obesity-induced insulin resistance is simply cravings, which can be resisted with sufficient willpower. If you're at a calorie deficit, you're still going to be burning more body fat than you're storing, so it's not really an issue of insulin resistance defying CICO. It's just that life can be more difficult due to the way you feel on such a diet and it may take a stronger will to stick with your calorie deficit, given your body's inability to properly respond to insulin.
But that said, it's pretty common advice for people that are feeling hungry to consume more protein and fat (and thus less carbs) and of course people are free to play with their own macros. And there are other steps you can take to address feelings of hunger. For instance, while I don't do it every day, but I find occasionally fasting for 16+ hours and essentially eating 1 meal for the day really helps you distinguish true hunger from other impulses to eat. Personally I find it's a bit easier to do this when acclimated to a low carb diet since I'm not really dependent on carbohydrates for energy, but that's just personal preference. In short, it's hardly insurmountable and, at least in my opinion, doesn't belong in the same category as people with a thyroid condition, diabetes, and so on.0 -
The need to draw on will-power is argument enough for the diet - for god's sake, food shouldn't be that all-consuming. But, aside from that...
You're saying that obesity-induced insulin resistance doesn't cause fat to be stored while the muscles starve?0 -
If your muscles wouldn't get the energy they need, you'd be unable to move, so...0
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If your muscles wouldn't get the energy they need, you'd be unable to move, so...
But unless you are extremely active or lifting heavy every day and depleting the glycogen stores in your muscles, surely you liver produces enough glycogen to replenish them!0 -
Great analysisI'm just going to leave this here:
http://examine.com/blog/is-low-carb-really-the-best-weight-loss-diet0 -
If your muscles wouldn't get the energy they need, you'd be unable to move, so...
You see up there where Catter_05 says that you feel exhausted all the time? Obviously it's a slow-down, not a complete stop, until you're in a diabetic coma.0 -
The need to draw on will-power is argument enough for the diet - for god's sake, food shouldn't be that all-consuming. But, aside from that...
You're saying that obesity-induced insulin resistance doesn't cause fat to be stored while the muscles starve?
Fat storage can occur in the very short term regardless, but I'm saying that you will not see net fat storage over time if your calories are in check. Yes, IR as a result of being overweight can mess with your blood sugar levels and might cause cravings in some people, and yes there are certain types of food that will affect you in this way more than others. But all I'm saying is that with sufficient willpower, you can overcome cravings and sustain a caloric deficit, which will result in fat loss over time. Now if you choose to eat ice cream, rich coffee drinks and the like as part of your caloric deficit and you're to some degree insulin resistant, you may need a lot more willpower than someone else who is eating a lower carb diet. But either way, it's doable, and by dropping the weight, you will also improve your body's ability to respond to insulin. Now if you add in some exercise on top of all that, you'll further improve your body's insulin sensitivity.
I do hear what lindsey's saying though. I'll admit it bugs me a bit when people go around telling obese newbies to still eat ice cream and donuts, sometimes even daily, but to just use a bit of moderation. Personally I don't see that as very good advice, especially for someone just starting out and likely to have some degree of insulin resistance as a result of their weight. One meal per week, sure, but much more than that and I think you're pushing it for someone just starting out (just my opinion). Ultimately it's all about finding that balance and what works for you, and at the end of the day, people can and do overcome obesity-induced IR. It's just a matter of bolstering your willpower, get more active, and knowing that it gets easier as you go forward.0 -
The need to draw on will-power is argument enough for the diet - for god's sake, food shouldn't be that all-consuming. But, aside from that...
You're saying that obesity-induced insulin resistance doesn't cause fat to be stored while the muscles starve?
Fat storage can occur in the very short term regardless, but I'm saying that you will not see net fat storage over time if your calories are in check. Yes, IR as a result of being overweight can mess with your blood sugar levels and might cause cravings in some people, and yes there are certain types of food that will affect you in this way more than others. But all I'm saying is that with sufficient willpower, you can overcome cravings and sustain a caloric deficit, which will result in fat loss over time. Now if you choose to eat ice cream, rich coffee drinks and the like as part of your caloric deficit and you're to some degree insulin resistant, you may need a lot more willpower than someone else who is eating a lower carb diet. But either way, it's doable, and by dropping the weight, you will also improve your body's ability to respond to insulin. Now if you add in some exercise on top of all that, you'll further improve your body's insulin sensitivity.
I do hear what lindsey's saying though. I'll admit it bugs me a bit when people go around telling obese newbies to still eat ice cream and donuts, sometimes even daily, but to just use a bit of moderation. Personally I don't see that as very good advice, especially for someone just starting out and likely to have some degree of insulin resistance as a result of their weight. One meal per week, sure, but much more than that and I think you're pushing it for someone just starting out (just my opinion). Ultimately it's all about finding that balance and what works for you, and at the end of the day, people can and do overcome obesity-induced IR. It's just a matter of bolstering your willpower, get more active, and knowing that it gets easier as you go forward.
I totally agree with this! TOTALLY! Now, I've made the same suggestions myself, but I've began to recognize that I went through phases in my diet (hello almond milk) and have started to think that different phases might require different strategies, whether it's just breaking habits, or whether there's a biochemical mechanism involved, etc.
From my experience (that I detailed in the last few pages of part 1), I'm guessing that I was having insulin issues. I was right on the cusp of gestational diabetes during my last pregnancy, so it kind of makes sense. However, through experience and by looking at some of the research that's been done, I would examine regular exercise rather than dietary changes as a better mechanism for balancing a metabolism that's tilting out of wack.
I know that's not possible for everybody and there's many ways of attacking a problem like that, but if will power isn't enough, perhaps foot power is a option to try.
ETA - and you said that. Sorry about the reading comprehension!0 -
I suspect the likely result of eating a high carb diet when you have obesity-induced insulin resistance is simply cravings, which can be resisted with sufficient willpower. If you're at a calorie deficit, you're still going to be burning more body fat than you're storing, so it's not really an issue of insulin resistance defying CICO. It's just that life can be more difficult due to the way you feel on such a diet and it may take a stronger will to stick with your calorie deficit, given your body's inability to properly respond to insulin.
But that said, it's pretty common advice for people that are feeling hungry to consume more protein and fat (and thus less carbs) and of course people are free to play with their own macros. And there are other steps you can take to address feelings of hunger. For instance, while I don't do it every day, but I find occasionally fasting for 16+ hours and essentially eating 1 meal for the day really helps you distinguish true hunger from other impulses to eat. Personally I find it's a bit easier to do this when acclimated to a low carb diet since I'm not really dependent on carbohydrates for energy, but that's just personal preference. In short, it's hardly insurmountable and, at least in my opinion, doesn't belong in the same category as people with a thyroid condition, diabetes, and so on.
How do you differentiate between obesity-induced insulin resistance and non-obesity-induced insulin resistance? I've never seen anyone make the differentiation before, other than speaking about possible origins of how some end up with it. Is there a difference in the insulin resistance one gets from a long untreated thyroid disorder, PCOS or otherwise than those that get it from weight gain?0 -
The need to draw on will-power is argument enough for the diet - for god's sake, food shouldn't be that all-consuming. But, aside from that...
You're saying that obesity-induced insulin resistance doesn't cause fat to be stored while the muscles starve?
Fat storage can occur in the very short term regardless, but I'm saying that you will not see net fat storage over time if your calories are in check. Yes, IR as a result of being overweight can mess with your blood sugar levels and might cause cravings in some people, and yes there are certain types of food that will affect you in this way more than others. But all I'm saying is that with sufficient willpower, you can overcome cravings and sustain a caloric deficit, which will result in fat loss over time. Now if you choose to eat ice cream, rich coffee drinks and the like as part of your caloric deficit and you're to some degree insulin resistant, you may need a lot more willpower than someone else who is eating a lower carb diet. But either way, it's doable, and by dropping the weight, you will also improve your body's ability to respond to insulin. Now if you add in some exercise on top of all that, you'll further improve your body's insulin sensitivity.
I do hear what lindsey's saying though. I'll admit it bugs me a bit when people go around telling obese newbies to still eat ice cream and donuts, sometimes even daily, but to just use a bit of moderation. Personally I don't see that as very good advice, especially for someone just starting out and likely to have some degree of insulin resistance as a result of their weight. One meal per week, sure, but much more than that and I think you're pushing it for someone just starting out (just my opinion). Ultimately it's all about finding that balance and what works for you, and at the end of the day, people can and do overcome obesity-induced IR. It's just a matter of bolstering your willpower, get more active, and knowing that it gets easier as you go forward.
What basis do you make these claims? That it's will power enough. I've personally experienced it and know how difficult it was for me -- and there were times I was so exhausted that I was sleeping more than 14 hours-16 a day. Catter seems to have had a similar experience. Is this the sort of will power you're talking about? Make it so you can't function like a normal human being to maintain weight?
And having had higher levels of insulin resistant and now lower levels (not totally free of it yet, though I hope I might be one day), that there was a WORLD of difference in the "will power" I needed before treatment and after treatment. Literally night and day. And, for me, my exercise was the EXACT same. If you haven't experienced this, I don't think you have any idea what you're talking about. Eating is rather easy for me now. But there were times when it was extremely difficult and despite having a calculated deficit of over 700+ calories a day, I still wasn't really losing. Cutting more was not the solution. More exercise was not the solution (I also ran and trained for a half marathon prior to this). Medical intervention was. Now, when I cut like that, I get the expected weight loss numbers.
It just seems incredibly presumptuous to make such statements, and frankly downright dangerous. Like telling people with deep depression that if they just tried harder to be happier, it would fix their problems. There are chemical imbalances and will power doesn't work alone for all people with the affliction (though it may for some).0
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