Low carb... Is it a diet fad?

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Replies

  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    I feel you can keep under your calorie count and still eat crap! Agreeing with Action Annie. A well balanced diet it the key. If i eat lots of carbs for breakfast and use tons of my pts. It forces me to eat more fruit and veggies and protein the other meals, or i can spread it out. It is so flexible. To me it is the best diet out there. A lot of people think it is hoax because of Oprah doing the commercials now...but it has been around for many years and has worked for many people, and now with the new program it is better then ever. If you are struggling to lose weight and keep it off...try weight watchers. What can you lose? Oh yeah...weight!!!!!

    I will agree that WW is a legitimate diet system but I'm not fond of the point system. My ex was doing it and apparently fruits and vegetables were free and when I asked here how many calories where in her points she wasn't sure because it didn't really map easily to calories. However, it's an easy to understand and calculate method (they give you a calculator and a scale is available) so if you can adhere to it that's the main point. My only concern is how well one can stick to it in the long run. I know several women who have done WW and they all seem to go back time after time so I'm guessing it's not easy for people to use as a true lifestyle diet.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I don't think anyone thinks WW is a hoax. It just doesn't work for everyone. I eat WAY to many "free" items that would add up quickly.

    Yeah, I'm a little confused. WW isn't a "low carb" diet any more than calorie counting is. Both can be low carb, high carb, middle carb, pink carb, blue carb, even white carb.

    Also, those "free" fruits and veg? Mostly carbs!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    On the old system, fruit wasn't unlimited free.. it was limited to 2-3 free servings.. that might have changed with one of the many newer revisions.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited January 2016
    It also might just be something that people often misunderstand. I think I'd have to pay for it to see the current rules, so will live without knowing. ;-)
  • dotti1121
    dotti1121 Posts: 751 Member
    It's a necessity for diabetics.
  • Merrysix
    Merrysix Posts: 336 Member
    For me lower carb works healthwise and reduced craving, but I eat to a calorie macro so that I will lose weight. I really thinks its a matter of what works for each of us. I know plenty of people who do better on a higher carb food plan, but its never worked for me -- too many cravings and my arthritis gets worse which makes exercising harder.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    On the old system, fruit wasn't unlimited free.. it was limited to 2-3 free servings.. that might have changed with one of the many newer revisions.

    Likely, they changed it recently from what my ex said and they seem to do that regularly so they can charge you for the same basic stuff over and over again.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    dotti1121 wrote: »
    It's a necessity for diabetics.

    But it's not. Depending on your severity, many diabetics just make smarter carb choices (high fiber diet) and more whole grains, rather than fast acting sugars.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    dotti1121 wrote: »
    It's a necessity for diabetics.

    "Necessary" is a strong word.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    dotti1121 wrote: »
    It's a necessity for diabetics.

    Nope. My father is a full-blown, has to inject insulin into himself daily, diabetic.

    He doesn't follow a low-carb diet, and has been living a full life with the disease for about 25 years now.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I don't think anyone thinks WW is a hoax. It just doesn't work for everyone. I eat WAY to many "free" items that would add up quickly.

    Yeah, I'm a little confused. WW isn't a "low carb" diet any more than calorie counting is. Both can be low carb, high carb, middle carb, pink carb, blue carb, even white carb.

    Also, those "free" fruits and veg? Mostly carbs!

    Yea, wasn't sure why WW got brought up...lol.
  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
    I like the balance approach. It has helped me be where I am at for 3 years and feel it is sustainable. Low carb is just too hard to sustain for long period of time. I say that because I have friends that have done it for 6 months lost weight and go right back to hoarding the bread basket. Gain all back and then some. Go back to low carb and the cycle continues.

    Personally my mother is a diabetic for 40 plus years and she watches her carbs, but I would not say she is on a low carb diet. She needs carbs to function.

    I did WW before I discovered MFP and felt it was sustainable. But I like MFP more because I feel I have so much more control over my calories/macros. The free fruit and veggies was not that hard on WW. Too much fruit could hurt, but veggies never made it harder. WW scales there point system so you lose slow. At times I could not eat my weekly extra points and most of the time could only eat half of them to lose. I averaged .8 lbs a week for 2 years or so on WW. It is basically calorie counting. No nothing about the new system. And I hear the app sucks now.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    I like the balance approach. It has helped me be where I am at for 3 years and feel it is sustainable. Low carb is just too hard to sustain for long period of time. I say that because I have friends that have done it for 6 months lost weight and go right back to hoarding the bread basket. Gain all back and then some. Go back to low carb and the cycle continues.

    Personally my mother is a diabetic for 40 plus years and she watches her carbs, but I would not say she is on a low carb diet. She needs carbs to function.

    I did WW before I discovered MFP and felt it was sustainable. But I like MFP more because I feel I have so much more control over my calories/macros. The free fruit and veggies was not that hard on WW. Too much fruit could hurt, but veggies never made it harder. WW scales there point system so you lose slow. At times I could not eat my weekly extra points and most of the time could only eat half of them to lose. I averaged .8 lbs a week for 2 years or so on WW. It is basically calorie counting. No nothing about the new system. And I hear the app sucks now.

    That's my problem. I love bananas. Had 450ish grams of banana yesterday. Add that to another couple hundred calories in "free" vegetables and I am looking at 700+ calories in "free" food. I'd be hosed in the end if I didn't track it.
  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I like the balance approach. It has helped me be where I am at for 3 years and feel it is sustainable. Low carb is just too hard to sustain for long period of time. I say that because I have friends that have done it for 6 months lost weight and go right back to hoarding the bread basket. Gain all back and then some. Go back to low carb and the cycle continues.

    Personally my mother is a diabetic for 40 plus years and she watches her carbs, but I would not say she is on a low carb diet. She needs carbs to function.

    I did WW before I discovered MFP and felt it was sustainable. But I like MFP more because I feel I have so much more control over my calories/macros. The free fruit and veggies was not that hard on WW. Too much fruit could hurt, but veggies never made it harder. WW scales there point system so you lose slow. At times I could not eat my weekly extra points and most of the time could only eat half of them to lose. I averaged .8 lbs a week for 2 years or so on WW. It is basically calorie counting. No nothing about the new system. And I hear the app sucks now.

    That's my problem. I love bananas. Had 450ish grams of banana yesterday. Add that to another couple hundred calories in "free" vegetables and I am looking at 700+ calories in "free" food. I'd be hosed in the end if I didn't track it.

    That's a lot bananas! Maybe one day they will let you out of your cage? jk
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I like the balance approach. It has helped me be where I am at for 3 years and feel it is sustainable. Low carb is just too hard to sustain for long period of time. I say that because I have friends that have done it for 6 months lost weight and go right back to hoarding the bread basket. Gain all back and then some. Go back to low carb and the cycle continues.

    Personally my mother is a diabetic for 40 plus years and she watches her carbs, but I would not say she is on a low carb diet. She needs carbs to function.

    I did WW before I discovered MFP and felt it was sustainable. But I like MFP more because I feel I have so much more control over my calories/macros. The free fruit and veggies was not that hard on WW. Too much fruit could hurt, but veggies never made it harder. WW scales there point system so you lose slow. At times I could not eat my weekly extra points and most of the time could only eat half of them to lose. I averaged .8 lbs a week for 2 years or so on WW. It is basically calorie counting. No nothing about the new system. And I hear the app sucks now.

    That's my problem. I love bananas. Had 450ish grams of banana yesterday. Add that to another couple hundred calories in "free" vegetables and I am looking at 700+ calories in "free" food. I'd be hosed in the end if I didn't track it.

    That's a lot bananas! Maybe one day they will let you out of your cage? jk

    It was just 4 :)

    They are my favorite fuel on long bike rides.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I like the balance approach. It has helped me be where I am at for 3 years and feel it is sustainable. Low carb is just too hard to sustain for long period of time. I say that because I have friends that have done it for 6 months lost weight and go right back to hoarding the bread basket. Gain all back and then some. Go back to low carb and the cycle continues.

    Personally my mother is a diabetic for 40 plus years and she watches her carbs, but I would not say she is on a low carb diet. She needs carbs to function.

    I did WW before I discovered MFP and felt it was sustainable. But I like MFP more because I feel I have so much more control over my calories/macros. The free fruit and veggies was not that hard on WW. Too much fruit could hurt, but veggies never made it harder. WW scales there point system so you lose slow. At times I could not eat my weekly extra points and most of the time could only eat half of them to lose. I averaged .8 lbs a week for 2 years or so on WW. It is basically calorie counting. No nothing about the new system. And I hear the app sucks now.

    That's my problem. I love bananas. Had 450ish grams of banana yesterday. Add that to another couple hundred calories in "free" vegetables and I am looking at 700+ calories in "free" food. I'd be hosed in the end if I didn't track it.

    That's a lot bananas! Maybe one day they will let you out of your cage? jk

    It was just 4 :)

    They are my favorite fuel on long bike rides.

    Freelee would sneer at your inadequate banana eating.

    Not that that's a bad thing!
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I like the balance approach. It has helped me be where I am at for 3 years and feel it is sustainable. Low carb is just too hard to sustain for long period of time. I say that because I have friends that have done it for 6 months lost weight and go right back to hoarding the bread basket. Gain all back and then some. Go back to low carb and the cycle continues.

    Personally my mother is a diabetic for 40 plus years and she watches her carbs, but I would not say she is on a low carb diet. She needs carbs to function.

    I did WW before I discovered MFP and felt it was sustainable. But I like MFP more because I feel I have so much more control over my calories/macros. The free fruit and veggies was not that hard on WW. Too much fruit could hurt, but veggies never made it harder. WW scales there point system so you lose slow. At times I could not eat my weekly extra points and most of the time could only eat half of them to lose. I averaged .8 lbs a week for 2 years or so on WW. It is basically calorie counting. No nothing about the new system. And I hear the app sucks now.

    That's my problem. I love bananas. Had 450ish grams of banana yesterday. Add that to another couple hundred calories in "free" vegetables and I am looking at 700+ calories in "free" food. I'd be hosed in the end if I didn't track it.

    That's a lot bananas! Maybe one day they will let you out of your cage? jk

    There is a 21 banana a day diet out there too!
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I like the balance approach. It has helped me be where I am at for 3 years and feel it is sustainable. Low carb is just too hard to sustain for long period of time. I say that because I have friends that have done it for 6 months lost weight and go right back to hoarding the bread basket. Gain all back and then some. Go back to low carb and the cycle continues.

    Personally my mother is a diabetic for 40 plus years and she watches her carbs, but I would not say she is on a low carb diet. She needs carbs to function.

    I did WW before I discovered MFP and felt it was sustainable. But I like MFP more because I feel I have so much more control over my calories/macros. The free fruit and veggies was not that hard on WW. Too much fruit could hurt, but veggies never made it harder. WW scales there point system so you lose slow. At times I could not eat my weekly extra points and most of the time could only eat half of them to lose. I averaged .8 lbs a week for 2 years or so on WW. It is basically calorie counting. No nothing about the new system. And I hear the app sucks now.

    That's my problem. I love bananas. Had 450ish grams of banana yesterday. Add that to another couple hundred calories in "free" vegetables and I am looking at 700+ calories in "free" food. I'd be hosed in the end if I didn't track it.

    That's a lot bananas! Maybe one day they will let you out of your cage? jk

    It was just 4 :)

    They are my favorite fuel on long bike rides.

    Freelee would sneer at your inadequate banana eating.

    Not that that's a bad thing!

    I'd like to smack her with my banana...
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I like the balance approach. It has helped me be where I am at for 3 years and feel it is sustainable. Low carb is just too hard to sustain for long period of time. I say that because I have friends that have done it for 6 months lost weight and go right back to hoarding the bread basket. Gain all back and then some. Go back to low carb and the cycle continues.

    Personally my mother is a diabetic for 40 plus years and she watches her carbs, but I would not say she is on a low carb diet. She needs carbs to function.

    I did WW before I discovered MFP and felt it was sustainable. But I like MFP more because I feel I have so much more control over my calories/macros. The free fruit and veggies was not that hard on WW. Too much fruit could hurt, but veggies never made it harder. WW scales there point system so you lose slow. At times I could not eat my weekly extra points and most of the time could only eat half of them to lose. I averaged .8 lbs a week for 2 years or so on WW. It is basically calorie counting. No nothing about the new system. And I hear the app sucks now.

    That's my problem. I love bananas. Had 450ish grams of banana yesterday. Add that to another couple hundred calories in "free" vegetables and I am looking at 700+ calories in "free" food. I'd be hosed in the end if I didn't track it.

    That's a lot bananas! Maybe one day they will let you out of your cage? jk

    It was just 4 :)

    They are my favorite fuel on long bike rides.

    Freelee would sneer at your inadequate banana eating.

    Not that that's a bad thing!

    I'd like to smack her with my banana...

    >:)
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I like the balance approach. It has helped me be where I am at for 3 years and feel it is sustainable. Low carb is just too hard to sustain for long period of time. I say that because I have friends that have done it for 6 months lost weight and go right back to hoarding the bread basket. Gain all back and then some. Go back to low carb and the cycle continues.

    Personally my mother is a diabetic for 40 plus years and she watches her carbs, but I would not say she is on a low carb diet. She needs carbs to function.

    I did WW before I discovered MFP and felt it was sustainable. But I like MFP more because I feel I have so much more control over my calories/macros. The free fruit and veggies was not that hard on WW. Too much fruit could hurt, but veggies never made it harder. WW scales there point system so you lose slow. At times I could not eat my weekly extra points and most of the time could only eat half of them to lose. I averaged .8 lbs a week for 2 years or so on WW. It is basically calorie counting. No nothing about the new system. And I hear the app sucks now.

    That's my problem. I love bananas. Had 450ish grams of banana yesterday. Add that to another couple hundred calories in "free" vegetables and I am looking at 700+ calories in "free" food. I'd be hosed in the end if I didn't track it.

    I regularly eat over a pound of blueberries and or strawberries per day. (We can only get decent ones about half the year) Thinking about cooking myself up a pound of brussels sprouts for lunch, too, and will eat at least half of them. Interestingly enough, the brussels sprouts are actually higher in carbs and calories, pound for pound, than the strawberries.
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
    No carbs was great to kick start my weight loss but I do suffer from headaches if I cut them so it's not for me I'm afraid!
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I like the balance approach. It has helped me be where I am at for 3 years and feel it is sustainable. Low carb is just too hard to sustain for long period of time. I say that because I have friends that have done it for 6 months lost weight and go right back to hoarding the bread basket. Gain all back and then some. Go back to low carb and the cycle continues.

    Personally my mother is a diabetic for 40 plus years and she watches her carbs, but I would not say she is on a low carb diet. She needs carbs to function.

    I did WW before I discovered MFP and felt it was sustainable. But I like MFP more because I feel I have so much more control over my calories/macros. The free fruit and veggies was not that hard on WW. Too much fruit could hurt, but veggies never made it harder. WW scales there point system so you lose slow. At times I could not eat my weekly extra points and most of the time could only eat half of them to lose. I averaged .8 lbs a week for 2 years or so on WW. It is basically calorie counting. No nothing about the new system. And I hear the app sucks now.

    That's my problem. I love bananas. Had 450ish grams of banana yesterday. Add that to another couple hundred calories in "free" vegetables and I am looking at 700+ calories in "free" food. I'd be hosed in the end if I didn't track it.

    That's a lot bananas! Maybe one day they will let you out of your cage? jk

    It was just 4 :)

    They are my favorite fuel on long bike rides.

    Freelee would sneer at your inadequate banana eating.

    Not that that's a bad thing!

    I'd like to smack her with my banana...

    I wouldn't even smack her with *your* banana. ;)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    What is this, the Chat section?

    Would you smack the above poster with Hornsby's banana?
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    That banana is getting a heck of lot of hands on advice.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    I'm sure it'll work out in the end. ;)
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Listen if anyone is getting smacked with Hornsby's banana, I want to be first in line.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    I want the video rights. <nods>
  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
    Can we put some whipped cream on that banana before we start smackin?
  • darkangeline
    darkangeline Posts: 4 Member
    It works for some. It doesn't work for others. It has some pretty interesting science behind it.

    It helps me so that I am not panicking about my calorie counts. It also helps with a medical condition that I used to have to take epilepsy meds for.

    Less cost/reliance on big Pharma the better.

    It's all about what is sustainable. I like burgers with no bun. I like not feeling bad about cooking my eggs in grassfed butter.

    Right now though I really like that I feel better, I have more energy, and since Jan.2 I have lost 18lbs.

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    edited January 2016
    Beside the bananas and whip cream, I hear walnuts are good too. Will nuts be tossed about? Cuz I'm in, if they are! Oh yea!