Low Carb v/s Low Fat...which is better long term?

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sixpackgoal
sixpackgoal Posts: 146
in Health and Weight Loss
I am now into low fat, medium carbs and high protein diet because I run and strength train plus P90X.
However I think low carb is ok for new dieters to drop weight for short term diet. Just until they feel well enough to workout or do cardio or both.
Is low carb still popular or is it dead?
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Replies

  • AmyNVegas
    AmyNVegas Posts: 2,215 Member
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    It is the only thing that works for some like me. But there are varying degrees of low carb. I find that as long as I stay below 100g most days I still lose and I am good. I go by Primal Blueprint guidelines so not as strict as Atkins. Even Atkins is less restrictive after the initial 2 week induction though. I really have no problem with doing this long term. I get all the veggies and fruits I really want and need and good proteins and healthy fats. I have lost 210 pounds so I must be doing what is right for my body finally after a lifetime of trying to lose on low fat low calorie diets the doctors always gave me as an obese child/teen.

    Good luck to you and do what works for you we are all different and we just have to find what works!:flowerforyou:
  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
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    Low carb is def. the way to go. However, you still want to eat complex carbs especially before workin out so that you have the energy to finish. Low fat, try to eat less than 20 grams a day, which is a good rule of thumb, not the easiest thing to do, but still a good rule of thumb. And yes, def. high protein, especially if you are a weight trainer. Eat @ least half your body weight in grams of protein.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Low fat is better. Your brain runs exclusively on carbs, so to keep your brain healthy and functioning you need to eat carbs! Your body only uses fat for energy and if you aren't doing something active to burn those calories it will just get stored as body fat.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    Low carb is better. Carbs encourage your cells to hang on to fat, and it's fat you want to burn, right? Lower carb will help your body release those fat thugs! Eliminate grains, and allow all of your carbs to come from fresh fruits & veggies.
  • Tamishumate
    Tamishumate Posts: 1,171 Member
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    seriously ?? you have gotten such conflicting answers. How about a nice even % of everything, carbs, fat, protein? get in the good stuff of ALL of it ,and you will be good to go. there are good carbs, bad carbs, good fat, bad fat ... get the good and you will be so much better off than limiting one or the other.

    I have never limited either, just ate the right things, and I have been very successful. If I do say so myself. :bigsmile:

    Carbs 35% Protein 35 % fat 30 % is what I aim for. All three should equal 100 %
  • Hotlips69
    Hotlips69 Posts: 66
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    When thinking of low carb think about history!! humans have always been carnivores so our bodies have been made to eat and digest meat, veggies and fruits, it was only later in history that bread and certain grain were adopted. I think what works for one may not work for others. I live by a no low Carb diet but get a large amount of fiber which is the most important, I get the Carbs I need from fruits and vegetable but do not eat no digestible Carbs!
  • Manon87
    Manon87 Posts: 12
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    Commen sense is better in the long run! Your brain and nerves need healthy fat since the isolation around your nerves are made of fat. And carbs are the prefered fuel for your body and if you don't get enough carbs your body will start to use the protein from your muscles (including your heart) and the fat from your naturel fat storage. Low fat and low carb diets are fine for awhile while losing weight, but not for a lifestyle. Instead you should try and get max, 30% of your energy from fat, around 60% from carbs and minimum of 10% from protein.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    I believe the body is blueprinted to survive on fat. Think about how our ancient ancestors survived. They were unable to eat if they had nothing to hunt. How do you think we survived the ice age. FAT! I enjoy 50-60% fat daily, up to 20% carbs (preferably lower, and all from fruit & veg), and the rest is protein. Eat fat to burn fat, baby!
    And it is sustainable (check out Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint or the Paleo lifestyle even)

    Saying low carb isn't sustainable is like telling a vegan they won't live a week without meat.
  • Tamishumate
    Tamishumate Posts: 1,171 Member
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    Commen sense is better in the long run! Your brain and nerves need healthy fat since the isolation around your nerves are made of fat. And carbs are the prefered fuel for your body and if you don't get enough carbs your body will start to use the protein from your muscles (including your heart) and the fat from your naturel fat storage. Low fat and low carb diets are fine for awhile while losing weight, but not for a lifestyle. Instead you should try and get max, 30% of your energy from fat, around 60% from carbs and minimum of 10% from protein.

    I am not sure ANYONE needs 60 % from carbs.
  • Tamishumate
    Tamishumate Posts: 1,171 Member
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    Commen sense is better in the long run! Your brain and nerves need healthy fat since the isolation around your nerves are made of fat. And carbs are the prefered fuel for your body and if you don't get enough carbs your body will start to use the protein from your muscles (including your heart) and the fat from your naturel fat storage. Low fat and low carb diets are fine for awhile while losing weight, but not for a lifestyle. Instead you should try and get max, 30% of your energy from fat, around 60% from carbs and minimum of 10% from protein.

    and 10 % ( even if it is a min) is extreamly low for protein. not sure where your getting your info from , but I do not think anyone should aim for 60 % carbs and 10 % protein.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    Agree with Tami! Protein is essential, and I can't say enough for healthy fat (coconuts, avocados, critter, etc)
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    I prefer low carb but even then its not really low, just lower than MFP sets it to originally. I try and keep it below 200g unless I do loads and loads of exercise and eat more in general, mainly because too many starchy foods don't make me feel that great not for weight loss reasons. I've found protein's more helpful for me with strength training and try and get at least 100g a day. I keep fat more or less in the middle and seems to be working ok. The settings I have it at are 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat.
  • ASBO2Amber
    ASBO2Amber Posts: 24
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    I would agree with low carb as the body has natual fats within it that need replacing yet it doesn't have natural carbs. Carbs I feel are a drug to the body that do it no good in the long run. But as everyone says, everything in moderation is your best bet.
  • Robin1117
    Robin1117 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    I had been eating low carb (veggies yes, but rice, pasta, breads....no) for years and years but since joining MFP I feel so liberated that it's really all about eating healthy. I have actually been able to introduce healthy carbs back into my diet and love it. I still do not eat what the "recommended" carbs are on most days, and am usually higher in the protein and fat numbers. But I love now having that one serving of pasta or rice once a week, and a piece of bread or two a day.

    It's all opinion for me but I think you just need to stay within your calorie limit, keep some whole grain carbs in, but focus on your protein and veggies and you'll do well.

    Good luck!
  • sixpackgoal
    sixpackgoal Posts: 146
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    Lots of good opinions. I think I will lower my carbs from whole wheat pasta and whole wheat low calorie bread and focus on carbs from veggies and occasional fruit as treats. Way up my protein goal to 168 grams as that is my goal weight. Thanks everyone.
  • Manon87
    Manon87 Posts: 12
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    My whole point is that if you have reached a healthy weight and don't need to lose anymore weight then it's important to get enough carbs, since it the bodys prefered fuel, and it's really hard for the body to use fat and protein as fuel. As for the numbers I wrote.. the basis of using them has always been used at guideline to see if you're getting too much energy from fat. If our bodies are made for a low carb diet then why are carbs the first souce of full that you body will use over protein and fat?
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    Read these articles:
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-conventional-wisdom/
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/diabetes/
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
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    A diet moderately low in carbs (less than 100 g) and biased toward complex carbs like whole grain products that take a while to digest helps to keep my blood glucose stable, with a fasting floor in the low to mid 80s. That's a lot better for my brain than the sugar highs and hypoglycemic lows I experience on a more typical high carb diet.
  • pyro13g
    pyro13g Posts: 1,127 Member
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    Neither one is good at all unless a Dr. put you on it because of an extreme health condition. Low fat probably the worst. You need ample fats, even saturated in your diet. Most people should be fine on 30/40/30 Protein/Carb/Fat ratios when the protein is lean, the carbs are predominantly fruits/veggie/nuts, and the fats are healthy ones including enough saturated fat.

    There was a comment about why anyone would need 60% carbs. An endurance athlete would as they train to their peak right before their events. At least in some of those training circles. P90X even puts you there are a month.

    You can always nudge them around a little.
  • Manon87
    Manon87 Posts: 12
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    Read these articles:
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-definitive-guide-to-conventional-wisdom/
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/diabetes/

    I've read the articles and to be honest I can't take them all that serious for many reasons, but I won't get into that here. I would love to have a discussion with you about our different views on this subject, but I don't think this is the right time and place for it :-)

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