low carb thoughts?

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im looking for someone who is versed on nutrition , and what their thoughts on low carb diets.

i need to improve my diet, and my father who is also mind you type 2 diabetic has lost like over 20 pounds in like 2-3 months from changing his diet

idk if its a long term thing but wondering if its successful.
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Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
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    For weight loss, I don't see how it can be any more successful than counting calories... that's what weight loss comes down to.

    If you have a medical condition which requires you to low carb, then I guess it's required.
  • Timelordlady85
    Timelordlady85 Posts: 797 Member
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    CICO=calorie in,calories out. even on a low carb diet you still cant eat all the meat and low carb treats you want.
  • LessofPenny
    LessofPenny Posts: 53 Member
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    CICO=calorie in,calories out. even on a low carb diet you still cant eat all the meat and low carb treats you want.
    This is soooo true! I have often felt like if it was "lean" or ww or ff.....I could indulge....nope..... carbs are your energy and we all love them, but your true nutrition is going to be found in fruits vegetables and lean meats. Don't forget to drink lots of water. If your tummy does not growl every now and again before you eat....you may want to reevaluate what and how much you are eating. Growling tummys can be a sign that your core stomach is shrinking. Welcome it.
  • lowcarblosing
    lowcarblosing Posts: 4 Member
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    I low-carb. Before falling off the wagon during a relocation, I lived and maintained low-carb living for 7 years. With restricted carbs, I was able to eat more calories per day and not gain. There is something to be said for the energy it requires to digest a carb vs. a protein or a fat. Additionally, sugar (carbs) cause inflammation in the body; even at a healthier weight. I am almost 48 years old, average 1000-1400 calories per day and average 1.5-2 lbs loss per week. I'm 3 lbs. to goal. I am 5'6" and I wear a size 4-6 jeans. When I ate carbs, at this weight, I was a size 8-10. It's all about the inflammation and water retention associated with high glucose. My belly is flat. :-)
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Bacon, that's my low carb thought. Although lunch was salted beef and breakfast a protein shake with a handful of walnuts.

    Many people switching to a low carb eating plan lose weight because they voluntarily / accidentally reduce their food intake - dinner was the same minus the pasta or the fries, that sort of thing.

    Diabetes has a genetic element, so you may be inclined that way yourself. Insulin resistant people generally do better on carbohydrate restriction than fat restriction.
  • Sugarbeat
    Sugarbeat Posts: 824 Member
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    I like it, personally. No cravings, no blood sugar spikes, can go hours without eating and not getting the shakes. LCHF is a method of decreasing calories that works well for some. Some don't want to give up the carbs. To each their own. Maybe try it for a month or two and see how you feel?
  • kangaroux92
    kangaroux92 Posts: 188 Member
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    thanks for the thoughts , i think i will try it out for a while to see how i feel.

    i know carbs are bad anyway and it makes so much sence to me.

    carbs are used for quick energy and our body uses it firs. so if your body has less carbs it will get energy from fat instead.

    at least thats what ive been told.
  • cbarn025
    cbarn025 Posts: 939 Member
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    When I cut down for a show I carb cycle for me it's the most effective way to lose weight. I never track any macro other than carbs and when I'm a few weeks out sodium. I don't care how many calories I eat. As long as I'm under that carb goal.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    edited July 2015
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    People people people. A high fat diet is not an entitlement, but a tool. CICO is a form the Law of Conservation of Energy takes (see what I did there?). Fat takes more energy to digest, therefore it takes more time, and furthermore you get hungry less.

    Carbs ARE NOT the preferred energy source of the body. If that were the case, it wouldn't push those out first. If you allow it to, the body runs very well on fats and moderate proteins.

    As far as fruits and veggies go...my bowels hate them. They cause me gas something fierce, so I consume them sparingly. Spinach is awesome, though. And pineapples, when they are on sale.

    I am 10 months high fat dieting (sometimes keto), I eat a TON of saturated fats, I am 35 lbs overweight, and I have an almost perfect lipid panel. That's what I think.
  • professionalHobbyist
    professionalHobbyist Posts: 1,316 Member
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    I have low to moderate carb dieted and lost 125 lbs

    I watch my calories and keep under what my body needs

    Lower carb turned out to actually be higher fibrous vegetable in the long run. That helped me feel full longer. So you can call it lower carb or higher veggie. It worked out to be the same calorie value

    If you follow the diet strategy and burn off more than you need, then you will lose weight

    You can do that on any diet you choose, just stick with it.
  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
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    People people people. A high fat diet is not an entitlement, but a tool. CICO is a form the Law of Conservation of Energy takes (see what I did there?). Fat takes more energy to digest, therefore it takes more time, and furthermore you get hungry less.

    Carbs ARE NOT the preferred energy source of the body. If that were the case, it wouldn't push those out first. If you allow it to, the body runs very well on fats and moderate proteins.

    As far as fruits and veggies go...my bowels hate them. They cause me gas something fierce, so I consume them sparingly. Spinach is awesome, though. And pineapples, when they are on sale.

    I am 10 months high fat dieting (sometimes keto), I eat a TON of saturated fats, I am 35 lbs overweight, and I have an almost perfect lipid panel. That's what I think.

    Uh..No. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/is-fat-preferred-fuel-source-body-qa.html/
    "So what happens when you provide the body with both carbs and fats in the diet? Which fuel source is preferred? Well the answer is clear: carbs."
  • k8inCA51
    k8inCA51 Posts: 2 Member
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    Trying to lower blood sugar levels, I tried low carb finally...and dropped 20 lbs in 3 months. The not being constantly hungry helped. I'm actually looking forward to my next blood test :) Check out Eric Westman's work at Duke University. He co-authored a book (the new Atkins) which I am currently reading and there is a video available on youtube. I started learning about how to eat to lower blood sugar on Youtube - Dr. Bernstein on diabetes. Interesting stuff. Good luck!
  • Jackie9950
    Jackie9950 Posts: 374 Member
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    I am starting LCHF diet today and I would really like to have some MFP friends that are doing the same. Please add me if interested! Also, what do you low carb-ers set your macros at?
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    I LCHF. Works for me. It seems to be most successul with people who are insulin resistant.

    From the studies I've seen, those on a LCHF diet will often lose faster in the first 6 months, after which the stats look pretty much the same.
    See here: http://authoritynutrition.com/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets/
  • peter56765
    peter56765 Posts: 352 Member
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    Tried it and it worked but ultimately grew tired of it. If you can accept living the rest of your life with 85% of everything at the grocery store and 95% of everything at a restaurant being on the Verboten list, go right ahead.

    I don't want a "kick start" or a "quick fix". I want a diet plan that will work today, tomorrow and every day after that. I personally find the flexibility of CICO to be unparalleled. No induction phases or any other phases. No ketosis to worry about maintaining. No forbidden foods. And if I go over my calorie limit on one day, I can simply make it up with a deficit on the next day or over a couple days. Or turning that around, if I know I'm going to see friends or relatives on the weekend and there's going to be a lot of food involved, I can save up calories by eating at a deficit during the week in anticipation of what's to come on the weekend.
  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
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    thanks for the thoughts , i think i will try it out for a while to see how i feel.

    i know carbs are bad anyway and it makes so much sence to me.

    carbs are used for quick energy and our body uses it firs. so if your body has less carbs it will get energy from fat instead.

    at least thats what ive been told.
    cajuntank wrote: »
    People people people. A high fat diet is not an entitlement, but a tool. CICO is a form the Law of Conservation of Energy takes (see what I did there?). Fat takes more energy to digest, therefore it takes more time, and furthermore you get hungry less.

    Carbs ARE NOT the preferred energy source of the body. If that were the case, it wouldn't push those out first. If you allow it to, the body runs very well on fats and moderate proteins.

    As far as fruits and veggies go...my bowels hate them. They cause me gas something fierce, so I consume them sparingly. Spinach is awesome, though. And pineapples, when they are on sale.

    I am 10 months high fat dieting (sometimes keto), I eat a TON of saturated fats, I am 35 lbs overweight, and I have an almost perfect lipid panel. That's what I think.

    Uh..No. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/is-fat-preferred-fuel-source-body-qa.html/
    "So what happens when you provide the body with both carbs and fats in the diet? Which fuel source is preferred? Well the answer is clear: carbs."

    You are quoting a body recomposition site for nutritional science. There are many reasons why this isnt the best idea. You would be most useful if you shared information from someone educated in nutrition at a higher level.

  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    umayster wrote: »
    thanks for the thoughts , i think i will try it out for a while to see how i feel.

    i know carbs are bad anyway and it makes so much sence to me.

    carbs are used for quick energy and our body uses it firs. so if your body has less carbs it will get energy from fat instead.

    at least thats what ive been told.
    cajuntank wrote: »
    People people people. A high fat diet is not an entitlement, but a tool. CICO is a form the Law of Conservation of Energy takes (see what I did there?). Fat takes more energy to digest, therefore it takes more time, and furthermore you get hungry less.

    Carbs ARE NOT the preferred energy source of the body. If that were the case, it wouldn't push those out first. If you allow it to, the body runs very well on fats and moderate proteins.

    As far as fruits and veggies go...my bowels hate them. They cause me gas something fierce, so I consume them sparingly. Spinach is awesome, though. And pineapples, when they are on sale.

    I am 10 months high fat dieting (sometimes keto), I eat a TON of saturated fats, I am 35 lbs overweight, and I have an almost perfect lipid panel. That's what I think.

    Uh..No. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/is-fat-preferred-fuel-source-body-qa.html/
    "So what happens when you provide the body with both carbs and fats in the diet? Which fuel source is preferred? Well the answer is clear: carbs."

    You are quoting a body recomposition site for nutritional science. There are many reasons why this isnt the best idea. You would be most useful if you shared information from someone educated in nutrition at a higher level.

    Lyle McDonald is pretty damn credible... degrees or not.

  • umayster
    umayster Posts: 651 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    umayster wrote: »
    thanks for the thoughts , i think i will try it out for a while to see how i feel.

    i know carbs are bad anyway and it makes so much sence to me.

    carbs are used for quick energy and our body uses it firs. so if your body has less carbs it will get energy from fat instead.

    at least thats what ive been told.
    cajuntank wrote: »
    People people people. A high fat diet is not an entitlement, but a tool. CICO is a form the Law of Conservation of Energy takes (see what I did there?). Fat takes more energy to digest, therefore it takes more time, and furthermore you get hungry less.

    Carbs ARE NOT the preferred energy source of the body. If that were the case, it wouldn't push those out first. If you allow it to, the body runs very well on fats and moderate proteins.

    As far as fruits and veggies go...my bowels hate them. They cause me gas something fierce, so I consume them sparingly. Spinach is awesome, though. And pineapples, when they are on sale.

    I am 10 months high fat dieting (sometimes keto), I eat a TON of saturated fats, I am 35 lbs overweight, and I have an almost perfect lipid panel. That's what I think.

    Uh..No. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/is-fat-preferred-fuel-source-body-qa.html/
    "So what happens when you provide the body with both carbs and fats in the diet? Which fuel source is preferred? Well the answer is clear: carbs."

    You are quoting a body recomposition site for nutritional science. There are many reasons why this isnt the best idea. You would be most useful if you shared information from someone educated in nutrition at a higher level.

    Lyle McDonald is pretty damn credible... degrees or not.

    OP has a direct relation with Type 2. OP has a strong reason to go low carb as it decreases risk of type 2. Lyle would be a fine resource if she asked how to fix her butt.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    thanks for the thoughts , i think i will try it out for a while to see how i feel.

    i know carbs are bad anyway and it makes so much sence to me.

    carbs are used for quick energy and our body uses it firs. so if your body has less carbs it will get energy from fat instead.

    at least thats what ive been told.


    Carbohydrates aren't bad. There are 3 macro nutrients fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Each is used in the body for different reasons.

    Carbohydrates are found in vegetables, fruit, grains, dairy, legumes, seeds, nuts and nutritive sweeteners. If you want to try low carb it will not necessarily harm. You might feel tired, and depending on your insulin sensitivity you may feel hungry.

    The wonderful thing about being a human is our bodies are pretty adaptable to dietary changes. If it doesn't work you can always change it.

    MFP's calorie counting tool is a great way to assess your carbohydrate and calorie intake. It's also adjustable I'd stick with the recommended settings, and if you aren't finding success then you can adjust.