Why does everybody detest low carb diets? They are the only thing that works for me
Cyndi10612
Posts: 30 Member
I feel like people freak out when you tell them you are on an extremely low calorie diet, Atkins, etc. I catch the wrath from friends and family, and even online communities, that low carb diets are so bad for you but honestly it's the only thing that works for me and I feel better so why not!
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Replies
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Whatever gets you into a deficit.8
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What matters for weight loss is that you are in a calorie deficit. If low carb is a way of eating that enables you to achieve the calorie deficit, then great. People may be pushing back if you are approaching it as a temporary "diet" as many who look at any particular approach as a short term means to an end often end up failing.8
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I don't have an issue with low carb at all if it works for you
I do admittedly have the following issues
1) the prevailing nonsense that in order to lose weight one has to cut carbs ...it's a ridiculous concept that had seeped so far into the public domain that people from all walks of life, including medics, spout it as a solution to weight loss
2) the excitement at rapid scale weight drops that people often hit you with in the first few weeks when it's mainly.water weight manipulation and studies comparing to low fat as a diet show the rate of loss equalises by week 12 ...eg there is no long term speed benefits
3) for me personally the impossibility of long term adherence and how rapidly weight swings back once one eats carbs ...the approach always made me yo-yo badly
and I'm finally at a solution to my weight that gives me long term adherence over temporary weight loss.
I have gone low carb a number of times for periods between 3 months and about 11 months but always 'fell off' eventually and ended up fatter than before I started. And the speed at which that weight was regained always shocked me. Every time I restarted I did so with the mindset of 'this time I know what I'm doing, I just need to get to x weight,this time I will stick to it'
4) the bro-science claims around biological responses to carbs in those without specific medical conditions
Hope that helps
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Low carb has helped my Dad lose a lot of weight, and was prescribed by his dr and several other docs I know of for patients needing to lose weight. That being said, I tried it once and found it really hard to stick to because of the limitations. I found it didn't help me any more than CICO, but just the opposite happened with my hubby and oldest daughter, it worked better for them. Different strokes for different folks
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Cutting carbs in favor of protein can be more satiating and help you attain your deficit. But cutting carbs to the extreme and putting your body in a ketogenic state is not long-term sustainable if you want to be healthy so as a result you aren't really building up the habits that will help you to maintain your health for the remainder of your life. Better to just cut carbs a little than to go to extremes in my opinion. Add some protein, cut some carbs, but don't avoid carbs like they are the enemy...they aren't.16
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SeptemberFeyre wrote: »Low carb has helped my Dad lose a lot of weight, and was prescribed by his dr and several other docs I know of for patients needing to lose weight. That being said, I tried it once and found it really hard to stick to because of the limitations. I found it didn't help me any more than CICO, but just the opposite happened with my hubby and oldest daughter, it worked better for them. Different strokes for different folks
see? That's what I mean ...that phrase ...just gets my goat when one appreciates how little the vast majority of primary care physicians know about nutrition and weight loss and how many people use that line as a "call to authority" without realising that it's a logical fallacy9 -
The hate is not for the diet itself, but for the ridiculous claims around it. Different people thrive on different diets and that's a fact. For some, that's low carb, and that's great. The hate is for the widespread misinformation around it, like you have to go low carb to lose weight, that it's better than some other diet for everyone, that it somehow defies the laws of physics, cures all ailments, that everyone who isn't eating low carb is always hungry, that the results aren't as good on other diets for everyone...etc.
You will find other diets that circulate similarly ridiculous claims get the same amount of criticism like Paleo, vegan, gluten free, restricting certain foods...etc even though they work brilliantly for some people. It's more in the vein of "it's not necessary" than "you shouldn't do it". If you are doing well on it and liking it, that's completely different than deeming that level of restriction necessary for everyone.
People are generally encouraged to experiment with various approaches and macro balances and find what works for them, which may as well be low carb for some.15 -
My boss has great success with it. I couldn't and wouldn't even try it. I hate the fact I couldn't eat what I liked. I do worry about her micro levels though as she doesn't eat offal type meats and only green vegetables.0
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Aaron_K123 wrote: »Cutting carbs in favor of protein can be more satiating and help you attain your deficit. But cutting carbs to the extreme and putting your body in a ketogenic state is not long-term sustainable if you want to be healthy so as a result you aren't really building up the habits that will help you to maintain your health for the remainder of your life. Better to just cut carbs a little than to go to extremes in my opinion. Add some protein, cut some carbs, but don't avoid carbs like they are the enemy...they aren't.
Do you have any, but any peer reviewed evidence to back this up?
I've been on a ketogenic diet for well over a year now, training hard for ultra cycling.
I've read your other post about exercise vs diet as being the prime determinant for weight loss. that was quite funny.
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amusedmonkey wrote: »The hate is not for the diet itself, but for the ridiculous claims around it. Different people thrive on different diets and that's a fact. For some, that's low carb, and that's great. The hate is for the widespread misinformation around it, like you have to go low carb to lose weight, that it's better than some other diet for everyone, that it somehow defies the laws of physics, cures all ailments, that everyone who isn't eating low carb is always hungry, that the results aren't as good on other diets for everyone...etc.
You will find other diets that circulate similarly ridiculous claims get the same amount of criticism like Paleo, vegan, gluten free, restricting certain foods...etc even though they work brilliantly for some people. It's more in the vein of "it's not necessary" than "you shouldn't do it". If you are doing well on it and liking it, that's completely different than deeming that level of restriction necessary for everyone.
People are generally encouraged to experiment with various approaches and macro balances and find what works for them, which may as well be low carb for some.
I'm seeing a parade of straw men...2 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »The hate is not for the diet itself, but for the ridiculous claims around it. Different people thrive on different diets and that's a fact. For some, that's low carb, and that's great. The hate is for the widespread misinformation around it, like you have to go low carb to lose weight, that it's better than some other diet for everyone, that it somehow defies the laws of physics, cures all ailments, that everyone who isn't eating low carb is always hungry, that the results aren't as good on other diets for everyone...etc.
You will find other diets that circulate similarly ridiculous claims get the same amount of criticism like Paleo, vegan, gluten free, restricting certain foods...etc even though they work brilliantly for some people. It's more in the vein of "it's not necessary" than "you shouldn't do it". If you are doing well on it and liking it, that's completely different than deeming that level of restriction necessary for everyone.
People are generally encouraged to experiment with various approaches and macro balances and find what works for them, which may as well be low carb for some.
I'm seeing a parade of straw men...
Trust me, I have been on these forums for a very long time and every single one of these claims has been made and debated. Those are usually the claims that get debated and I rarely see negative replies to "low carb is working well for me" other than stating the reason it's working: it's helping a person achieve a caloric deficit more easily, not because it's inheritably better than any other diet. It may as well feel like magic for the person who is finding it easy so I understand the level of enthusiasm. I have accumulated some solutions and tools that feel like magic to me, but you have yet to see me tout them as superior. They're only superior in my individual case. I may see potatoes and oatmeal as the ultimate hunger hack, to someone else potatoes and oatmeal may actually promote hunger.15 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »The hate is not for the diet itself, but for the ridiculous claims around it. Different people thrive on different diets and that's a fact. For some, that's low carb, and that's great. The hate is for the widespread misinformation around it, like you have to go low carb to lose weight, that it's better than some other diet for everyone, that it somehow defies the laws of physics, cures all ailments, that everyone who isn't eating low carb is always hungry, that the results aren't as good on other diets for everyone...etc.
You will find other diets that circulate similarly ridiculous claims get the same amount of criticism like Paleo, vegan, gluten free, restricting certain foods...etc even though they work brilliantly for some people. It's more in the vein of "it's not necessary" than "you shouldn't do it". If you are doing well on it and liking it, that's completely different than deeming that level of restriction necessary for everyone.
People are generally encouraged to experiment with various approaches and macro balances and find what works for them, which may as well be low carb for some.
I'm seeing a parade of straw men...
That's not a straw man
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To be perfectly honest, it's a bit of an 'ewwww' reaction in my case because when I think of a person on a low-carb diet what comes to mind is a bro with stinky breath eating chicken breasts for breakfast while thinking "stuff the animal cruelty and environmental impact of my diet - I'm looking cut".
Probably not fair, but there it is!
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I don't detest low carbs diets but I do detest some of the outlandish claims made by people doing them and the almost religious fervour around keto.
Add to that the silly current fashion for labelling particular foods in general and carbs in particular as "bad" without any dietary context and it's a double whammy guaranteed to irritate.
If people want to go low carb or keto then great, knock yourself out, but wish the proponents would keep a sense of perspective. Its just a way of eating!
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I don't detest low carb diets. I have found that a lot of people who do low carb are really pushy and evangelical at first about how great their diet is and either (1) how bad carbs are, in general; or (2) how great it is to lose weight while eating a diet largely made up of steak, butter, bacon, and cheese, and typically don't seem to be eating a particularly healthful diet.
I happen to think even keto CAN be very healthful if one eats all the vegetables possible within the carb allowance, gets a decent amount of fiber, focuses mostly on leaner meats plus fatty fish, and uses sources like nuts, seeds, avocados, and olives for a lot of the fat needed. I think it also can be done in a very unhealthful way (as can non keto ways of eating, obviously), but I don't jump to the conclusion that it is -- as far as I'm concerned the person gets the same benefit of the doubt and assumption that they are eating a sensible healthful diet that anyone else does from me, until they tell me otherwise.
Now, if someone starts insisting that "carbs" including fruits, veg, other whole foods, whole grains, etc., are inherently unhealthful or the problem with the US diet, or that it's impossible to lose eating more than X number of carbs, or that me or others need to lower their carbs because carbs and bad and fattening or the like, I'd probably feel compelled to disagree. If that gets taken incorrectly as being anti low carb, not my issue.8 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »The hate is not for the diet itself, but for the ridiculous claims around it. Different people thrive on different diets and that's a fact. For some, that's low carb, and that's great. The hate is for the widespread misinformation around it, like you have to go low carb to lose weight, that it's better than some other diet for everyone, that it somehow defies the laws of physics, cures all ailments, that everyone who isn't eating low carb is always hungry, that the results aren't as good on other diets for everyone...etc.
You will find other diets that circulate similarly ridiculous claims get the same amount of criticism like Paleo, vegan, gluten free, restricting certain foods...etc even though they work brilliantly for some people. It's more in the vein of "it's not necessary" than "you shouldn't do it". If you are doing well on it and liking it, that's completely different than deeming that level of restriction necessary for everyone.
People are generally encouraged to experiment with various approaches and macro balances and find what works for them, which may as well be low carb for some.
I'm seeing a parade of straw men...
That's not a straw man
That's what I was thinking...5 -
Add to that the silly current fashion for labelling particular foods in general and carbs in particular as "bad" without any dietary context and it's a double whammy guaranteed to irritate.
I would add to this the annoying tendency to go on about the evils of carbs and wonders of fat and then labeling nearly all so-called junk food (cakes, cookies, ice cream, chips, french fries, brownies, pizza, fast food) as "carbs" when they are pretty much all half fat.13 -
I am doing low carb high fat and have lost over 90 pounds since the end of January. I have thought about it logically and here is what i think. The high fat part keeps you from feeling hungry and makes it easy to reduce calories. Regardless of why it works its working for me, my son, my brothers gf and others that I have suggested it to. Low carb goes against what we have been told FOREVER. Its just like back in the day "they" thought the earth was the center of the universe. My question is if the way "they" say to eat is so good why are so many people fat? I know I will probably get a lot of crap for this but oh well.5
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To be fair, when you say it's the only thing that works for you, it is a little different because you do have a medical condition that low carb eating is recommended for.5
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3dogsrunning wrote: »To be fair, when you say it's the only thing that works for you, it is a little different because you do have a medical condition that low carb eating is recommended for.
where does it say that anyone has a medical condition? did i miss something?
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If low carb works for you, great. Don't listen to them. I do suggest counting your calories though so that when you are in maintenance you really understand your food or you can have higher carbs days and still get into a deficit for the week.
I look better on low carbs, my body literally looks less puffy and watery. It allows me to eat more food, volume wise, and stay much fuller on a large quantity of vegetables, meat, and fat. That said, I'm not extreme. A high day would be 200, and I can be comfortable on as low as 50g.9 -
billglitch wrote: »3dogsrunning wrote: »To be fair, when you say it's the only thing that works for you, it is a little different because you do have a medical condition that low carb eating is recommended for.
where does it say that anyone has a medical condition? did i miss something?
Previous posts by OP.3 -
I detest any kind of diet that restricts food groups. That said, everyone is different and reacts differently to different diets. What works for you wouldn't necessarily work for me. And what works for me is eating foods I love, like bread and pasta. I just do so within my goals.
Technically, by the numbers, I eat low carb most days, between 110-130g. I don't consider myself low carb because it's unintentional at best. I eat what I want/planned, doesn't matter what it is as long as it fits my calorie goal. Last night I had pizza and pancakes (not together) and actually hit my 40% carb macro, which I usually don't. I do always hit my protein and fat goals (30% each).2 -
I detest any kind of diet that restricts food groups. That said, everyone is different and reacts differently to different diets. What works for you wouldn't necessarily work for me. And what works for me is eating foods I love, like bread and pasta. I just do so within my goals.
Technically, by the numbers, I eat low carb most days, between 110-130g. I don't consider myself low carb because it's unintentional at best. I eat what I want/planned, doesn't matter what it is as long as it fits my calorie goal. Last night I had pizza and pancakes (not together) and actually hit my 40% carb macro, which I usually don't. I do always hit my protein and fat goals (30% each).
I don't call myself low carb either, but 110-130 is considered low carb. Props for fitting pizza and pancakes into that goal. I usually get a few treats in myself.1 -
Cyndi10612 wrote: »I feel like people freak out when you tell them you are on an extremely low calorie diet, Atkins, etc. I catch the wrath from friends and family, and even online communities, that low carb diets are so bad for you but honestly it's the only thing that works for me and I feel better so why not!
It seems many will oppose anything they don't do. Here on MFP it also seems to me that some will oppose every radical claim made in the past by anyone, and attach it to the present discussion.
Just do what works for you, and ignore arguments against things you never claimed. :-)11 -
Moderately low carb, high protein works well for me. I aim for less than 70 grams of carbs a day, and 90-110 grams of protein. I fill in the calories with fat, because I need energy, and because my doctor suggested cutting back on carbs, for my cholesterol. It worked. The higher fat diet lowered my LDL, and raised my HDL, a lot.2
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billglitch wrote: »I am doing low carb high fat and have lost over 90 pounds since the end of January. I have thought about it logically and here is what i think. The high fat part keeps you from feeling hungry and makes it easy to reduce calories.
I think this is one reason why it works for some. It wouldn't work for me for that reason (it might for other reasons, but ways I prefer to eat also work fine for me), since I don't find fat satiating at all. (Apparently this is more common than not, and so the way that low carbers assume that fat is inherently extra satiating is one of the things I find slightly grating. For some, yes; for all or even most, no.) I think why low carb works for many is because they get motivated by the quick drop and because they cut out (as "carbs") many foods that aren't particularly satiating but happen to be half fat or in some cases stuff like soda (not satiating, lots of calories) or because they really enjoy their diets (all the foods they've been told weren't diet foods, like bacon, steak, cheese)--a good thing that too few dieters realize is important--and aren't cutting out more nutrient-dense or satiating carbs because their prior diet was perhaps already lacking in those.
Anyway, like I said, I think it definitely can work and can be healthful. I just don't think it's superior in general or is the right choice for everyone.My question is if the way "they" say to eat is so good why are so many people fat?
The number of Americans who eat like nutrition-expert types recommend or like the Dietary Guidelines or My Plate or the Harvard revised My Plate is pretty low. And those who do tend to be fat in much lower percentages than the US average. (To be fair, the recommendations focus on nutrition--you can eat a nutritious diet and be fat. Those who also eat appropriate calories aren't fat, but that's basically a truism.)1 -
I generally don't tell people what my specific methods are, because I cannot provide them with months of reading and research and results in 30 seconds. If somebody asks me what I did / am doing to lose weight, I just tell them that I am making sure that the calories I consume are less than the calories I burn. This is enough for casual conversation. I might add '...while getting adequate protein, fiber, and fat' depending on the person. If the person asking is really looking for help, I will go into detail.
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I detest any kind of diet that restricts food groups. That said, everyone is different and reacts differently to different diets. What works for you wouldn't necessarily work for me. And what works for me is eating foods I love, like bread and pasta. I just do so within my goals.
Technically, by the numbers, I eat low carb most days, between 110-130g. I don't consider myself low carb because it's unintentional at best. I eat what I want/planned, doesn't matter what it is as long as it fits my calorie goal. Last night I had pizza and pancakes (not together) and actually hit my 40% carb macro, which I usually don't. I do always hit my protein and fat goals (30% each).
While I agree with you, I think low carb is appropriate for type 2 diabetics or IR folk because to them, carbs really are the enemy and their body just doesn't respond the same way as someone without diabetes.6 -
IMO..Low Carb/ Keto etc..has simply become the latest craze..the latest fad..
I get sick of reading about it with all the baloney that's tossed out with it.
It's the best way to lose weight. It's THE ONLY thing that works for me. It's scientific. When I achieve the bliss that is in my ketogenic state..blah blah blah..
Baloney. (and I don't mean baloney as in..it doesn't work..simply baloney in all the crap associated with reading about it)
It works for some people..and hey..whatever works for a person is fantastic. But Low Carb works because of CICO. and a person is most likely exercising in some fashion.
In the end..it's simply tiresome to read.
Weight Loss is not rocket science. There are many ways to achieve your goals. So, whatever path you choose..great. The reason many paths fail, is people choose something and then they do not sustain it over time.
That's why "diets" fail. Make it a lifestyle change. A healthy balance of a good diet and exercise.
I am diabetic. I am on NO meds. My Dr. never once mentioned go low carbs (to either lose weight, or help watch my diabetes.) He simply said.. "Put On Your Shoes" Meaning ..Lose weight. Get active. Do something.Do anything.
"Put On Your Shoes" It stuck with me. I have lost 70+ pounds since March 1st this year. All my tests were great on my most recent Dr. Visit.
In the end..Keep things simple is my motto.
Just My Opinon
YMMV16
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