Opinion on low carb?

Options
Loganmmontgomery
Loganmmontgomery Posts: 47 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Any opinions or pros/cons?
What other things work well for long term weight loss?
«13

Replies

  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    Options
    If it is sustainable for you and you like it then eat that way. If your favorite food is pasta, rice, bread, etc it is probably going to be hard to sustain long term. Weight loss is about calories though not type of food so work with the foods you like.
    I eat the food I always did mostly. I look at calories first then at meeting my protein goal and try to get several servings of vegetables or fruit a day. Not too complicated. I've found I am usually under the carb goal doing this even though I am not making an effort to eat low carb.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    Options
    All the advice you need is contained in the first two posts!
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    Options
    I'm lower carb-and type 2 diabetic and it is helping with weightloss-for me. 34 lbs down.
  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
    Options
    I try to eat healthier carb options and I don't rely on a daily consumption of cereal grains, which was a freeing decision. Typically, I eat 75-130 grams of carbohydrate per day. When I focus by accurately tracking, weighing, and measuring, I lose weight. If you are interested in going very low carb, you'll increase fat or protein or both. I always recommend folks check with their doctors prior to using high protein or keto as there can be side effects in some people.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    Options
    Personal preference!

    Try different macro ratios until you find one that is sustainable for you.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Options
    logandiekmann15 wrote: »
    Any opinions or pros/cons?
    What other things work well for long term weight loss?

    Personally, I think that as long as you are consuming complex carbs (oats, quinoa, Ezekial bread, etc.) then it is acceptable to eat carbs in moderation. Did you know even carrots have carbs? Carbs are a source of energy. If you are just cutting calories, it may be a viable option to simply cut out carbs since they typically have a larger abundance of calories, but if you are weight-lifting, carbs are almost crucial to your diet. I tried to go low-carb for a while and felt like I was dragging extensively, losing strength, etc.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
    Options
    Reducing carbs makes it easier for me to stay in a calorie deficit, as I find protein and fat more filling.

    Absent a medical condition that requires it, I wouldn't go low carb.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    Options
    I happily eat a low carb diet but it's a tough ask for a lot of people. Here's a great beginners guide for low carb: Low carb for beginners

    Pay particular attention to the pics of the food. You'll notice there's a lot of produce, meats, nuts and cheeses. It can be expensive and requires some basic cooking skills to eat a varied, satisfying low carb diet, in my experience.

    If low carb is a huge change from how you eat now I think your best bet is just to log your food in MFP and stick to your calorie goal. Once you have calorie counting under your belt and you're losing weight there's no harm in experimenting with different macros and foods. It's ok to just start and figure out what works for you as you go along.
  • lauraesh0384
    lauraesh0384 Posts: 463 Member
    Options
    I ate low carb once upon a time. I did Atkins for a year straight but after that went through periods of doing low carb then binging on high carb food in excess of what I should had eaten (too many calories). Over the span of a few years I would lose weight then go all out on carbs (specifically fast food) and gained a bunch of weight back. I finally came to the realization that it just wasn't for me. Could I live without certain foods? Probably. Did I want to? Not really. It was so stressful always thinking of all the food I couldn't have. Now I eat around 150-200g of carbs a day and I'm MUCH happier. CICO has worked just as well for weight loss. If it's a way you can eat for the rest of your life, go for it. No point in torturing yourself just to lose weight, though.
  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
    Options
    Low carb works great for my husband, but I couldn't last more than three weeks. I missed my favorite foods.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Options
    Low carb can help people, especially those with insulin resistance and CAD. For weight loss, many of us, often those with health issues, find that a LCHF diet reduces your appetite and carb/sugar cravings, and has a slight thermogenic benefit when compared to a higher carb diet. I also think LCHF foods are naturally healthier for you as most exclude baked goods and sweets which are often nutritionally pretty sparse.

    For me the pros were easier weight loss and appetite control, better BG and inslin levels, better skin, steadier energy and lower inflammation.

    For me the cons were just walking away from certain foods. Not many, but there are some foods like soda that i won't eat anymore.... That's it.
  • dlkfox
    dlkfox Posts: 463 Member
    Options
    godlikepoetyes wrote: »
    The most important thing is finding a way of eating that you can stick with FOREVER. For me, this means eating whatever I want. Whatever. No bad foods no good foods. Just lots of things to eat.

    ^^^THIS^^^ You have to eat in a way you want to eat FOREVER if you want to maintain your weight loss. Seriously.
  • katsoslim
    katsoslim Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    If you try it, check out sugar free Sheila's site.. sugarfreesheila.com She's been low carbing for over 10 years. I tried it and got to my goal but couldn't stick with it. Good luck whatever you decide!
  • unfinishe
    unfinishe Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    No one should be afraid of carbs!! Your body runs on sugar so you need them! High carb, low fat vegan lifestyle is the best for the body. I don't mean vegan junk food and prosessed vegan foods, but whole foods like rice, potatoes, veggies and fruits. Plus vegan lifestyle makes you feel amazing, and it's better for the whole world! And don't give me that "where do you get your proteins from". Please do some research.
  • VividVegan
    VividVegan Posts: 200 Member
    Options
    ThinnerIsMe wrote: »
    No one should be afraid of carbs!! Your body runs on sugar so you need them! High carb, low fat vegan lifestyle is the best for the body. I don't mean vegan junk food and prosessed vegan foods, but whole foods like rice, potatoes, veggies and fruits. Plus vegan lifestyle makes you feel amazing, and it's better for the whole world! And don't give me that "where do you get your proteins from". Please do some research.

    Agreed! I'm no vegan but I eat high (complex) carb, low fat and have leaned out, lost weight, improved exercise performance as well as appetite control, fullness, energy, etc. Carbs are not evil lol.

Categories