Why does everybody detest low carb diets? They are the only thing that works for me

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  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
    cgvet37 wrote: »
    billglitch wrote: »
    cgvet37 wrote: »
    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. 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.

    Why, because people over eat, plain and simple. Our bodies are designed to survive on X amount of calories. Consume more calories than your body needs, and those excess calories will be stored as fat. It does not matter if those calories come from carbs, fat, or protien.

    i know many people who dont over eat and are still "fat". just saying

    Unless they have a medical condition, they are eating more calories than they need. Do you see what they eat for every meal? I can eat my daily caloric allowance in one meal.

    Even if they have a medical condition, if they're fat, they were eating more than their body needed to maintain their weight.

    No Exceptions.
    Physical laws reign supreme over all other sciences apart from pure mathematics.

    purity.png

    I did not know you were a medical expert.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,422 MFP Moderator
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I think anti-carb sentiments are caused by a number of things. One may be that people feel judged. They may feel that we have judged their diet to not work. To not be good enough for us and that may bother some people. I think this may be more true for those people who rely on less healthy carbs, and a fair bit of them, for their food energy. I don't know.

    Possibly some of the problem comes from people who still think the old nutrition advice is still valid, and based on more science and experience than it actually was. I grew up in the era of the food pyramid with 5-7 servings of "healthy whole grains" every day, when table sugar was thought to be a fine substitute for fats for diabetics, and when eating cholesterol was thought to be bad for everyone. Those of us brought up with a "healthy balanced diet
    , based largely on a non-essential macro, may have a hard time seeing where that could be an unhealthy diet for some people (not all). I know I did. I remember the days of eating rice, broccoli and lean chicken for dinner, with Special K and skim milk for breakfast, a mini bagel with veggies, one slice of cheese, and an apple for lunch. I laughed at Atkins in the early 90s too.

    And I think some others around here have just seen too many fad diets go by. Maybe they have little patience left. Some think that knowing that CI must be less than CO (CI<CO) is all you need for successful weight loss. For them, and many others, it may be all that was needed. They don't understand that some people need to change their foods too. Walk a mile in their shoes and all that.

    I don't think most are against low carb. I think the most vocal just don't want people to think they HAVE to do it in order to lose weight... Even if some people would benefit from trying it.

    I think it's the combination of the bold, the lack of understanding of what low carb really is (this is especially true for those not into fitness community) and a lot of the claims that LCHF will cure diseases (this is also seen a lot in the vegetarian/vegan community).
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,422 MFP Moderator
    it's all a personal preference. I love low carb diets. Our bodies aren't designed to take in the amount of sure we normally consume. it's simply poison. when i'm trying to lean out i usually cut my carbs down in the 25-30 net carbs per day.

    Your body is designed to store 300-400g of carbs; so 1200-2000 calories worth of carbs.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,994 Member
    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!

    Why does it bother you when people freak out? IMO, let them freak out and go on your merry way...
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,422 MFP Moderator
    Here are my theories:
    1. They detest things they don't understand
    2. People foo foo anything that doesn't align with their own beliefs/ways
    3. When they see a low carb thread their eyes light up because they know a debate is forthcoming and want to be involved.
    4. They believe carbs affect EVERYBODY equally.
    5. They can not fathom reducing their carbs and thinks anyone who does this is cray cray
    6. They complain about the influx of low carb posts, but make sure they click on, and are involved in each and every one of those threads.

    I'm not a supporter of veganism, vegetarianism, paleo, carnivorous diet, High carb/low fat yada yada, but if people want to follow those ways of eating it is none of my business or concern, and i wont be getting my knickers in a twist teaching them the error of their ways. To be honest, i rarely even click on those threads, because i have NO experience with any of them and have no interest in them either.

    I tend to agree with you. I get the same reactions when I discuss gluten free.


    Also to address the OP. I think LCHF (and subsequently any other diet) can be a very valuable tool if the person can follow it. I have seen it benefit many people with medical issues and many others who have a propensity to feeling satiated by fat. I feel it's magic to those who enjoy it, just like I feel the diet that has helped me lose 50 lbs (flexible dieting) has been magic to me.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Sloth2016 wrote: »
    snerggly wrote: »
    You know, I was about to leap on here judging but your last sentence "it's the only thing that works for me" got me in the feels. I hate this expression but "at the end of the day" that's all that matters my friend. You take good care of you and ignore we haters ;). Do what makes you happy and what feels good to you. Right?

    I had to give up dairy and meat. Heart disease is very real to me. I am at the age where my Cardiologist told me that I would have to have open heart surgery to repair a heart valve. I was a competitive runner until my mid-30's. You can't out exercise heart disease unfortunately. I read Dr. Esselstyn's book on how to over come heart disease and also Dr. John McDougall's stuff on how eating a high carb (plant carb) diet can heal the body and I was sold.

    I wish you all the best ;), everyone's journey is personal and different. Who are we to judge?

    I have a heart valve defect and was never told to avoid meat and dairy. did they tell you why? as for having OHS for the valve repair. for some its not needed. I was told the only way I would need the valve fixed or replaced was if I went into cardiac arrest,they said most people have no issues caused from it. it can mimic asthma symptoms I did learn though.some diets cannot cure or heal certain health issues.

    Sounds like the Mitral valve?

    Defective aortic valve here - half normal size and malformed. I had open heart surgery 3 years ago, when I started experiencing symptoms of heart pain. They replaced it with an artificial valve. They also expanded my left ventricular outflow tract.

    I eat a balanced diet consisting of a wide variety of foods all within my calorie goal. Early on the nurses wanted me to restrict sodium. But I started hitting it so hard in the re-hab gym that I needed to take electrolyte supplements - e.g., sodium and potassium. They backed off on the low sodium stuff after that. My angiogram confirmed that I do not form cholesterol deposits. So, I have no specific dietary restrictions.

    The valve replacement surgery has been the best thing that ever happened to me. I was able to become more active, dropped 95 lbs and now I am a gym rat. Finished a 10k run earlier this evening - my best time ever on the 10k, 1mi. and 1k. At 53, I finally discovered what it is like to be alive.

    yes its a mitral valve defect. I am doing good with mine and can do all the things that most other people can (run,bike,etc) but when I was overweight it held me back as well. I do have a cholesterol problem (Familial hypercholesterolemia).so I have to watch my saturated fats,sugars and sodium because of that, not due to the heart though). glad the surgery worked well for you. I was having chest pain and pain under my arm and so on and they did all kinds of tests. but since I have been more active and off certain meds its like it doesnt exist anymore(I know it still does to a degree). I have pain once in a blue moon now,I think a lot of it has to do with the exercise at least for me.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited August 2016
    Upon further reflection, I question the OP. Atkins is really common and if someone said "how are you losing" and someone else said "Atkins" or "low carb," I can't imagine anyone "freaking out." If someone said "I'm eating 600 calories per day" or some such, yeah, maybe. I know so many people doing one fad diet or another (and I know low carb need not be a fad, but it's trendy right now and lots of people who go through diet after diet try it for a while and quit), that most people are pretty much "sure whatever."

    Exceptions would be extreme low cal (and honestly I can't imagine telling someone else (off MFP, of course) my calories unless I were having a detailed discussion after the person expressed interest in trying to lose and knowing what I did) or probably vegan would get comments (not a freak out, but "isn't that really hard and restrictive?").

    So if people have negative reactions to low carb, I suspect it's because of evangelism or zealotry (which is, IME, extremely common, to the point of commenting on what others are eating "do you know that bread is a carb? we really eat too many carbs and they cause all sorts of problems which I will now go on and on about").

    My experience is that when people see I lost lots of weight they assuming (annoyingly) that I did some fad diet or low carb or the like and ask incessantly for the secret as they know it couldn't just be watching calories and being more active.
  • mysticwryter
    mysticwryter Posts: 111 Member
    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's like this. Carbs help with several things that help with a functioning body. Carbs are found in dietary fiber and sugars. Sugars can help with those who are working out that provide energy. It's when those who are consuming more carbs than what they should (and having a sedentary lifestyle and eat the wrong types of carbs) is what causes weight gain. People who are morbidly obese have had doctor's instruction to go on low carb diets to re-evaluate what they actually eat and improve their lifestyle and health. There are carbs that good for you that are found in fruits, veggies and grains. Those who go on low-carb diets to lose weight don't really understand the whole aspect behind carbs. Basically you need carbs in your body, with exercise intensity, more carbs are need to be able to help with the body to have energy to do normal life stuff and to energize yourself while working hard at the gym. Low carb diets, while some can prove beneficial isn't not to be taken lightly. Those who workout at an extreme intensity (long-distance runners, weight/strength training), they have to consume an ample amount of carbs and protein to push oneself, recover and rebuild/repair muscle groups.

    If you are a person who struggles with weight (and has been to a doctor to have a low-carb diet prescribed to them), then by all means; that doctor wants you to go on that diet because it will benefit you more than hurt you. If you are a very active person, you need to have carbs to fill your tank of energy; without it, you'll lack in some things that help with normal function (like brain activity) and it can cause more hurt for you.

    If you are unhappy with your workout or you way of eating to energize your machine (aka body), think about changing up your workout routine. Don't just base it that carbs are the enemy, they acutally aren't.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    lithezebra wrote: »
    snerggly wrote: »
    You know, I was about to leap on here judging but your last sentence "it's the only thing that works for me" got me in the feels. I hate this expression but "at the end of the day" that's all that matters my friend. You take good care of you and ignore we haters ;). Do what makes you happy and what feels good to you. Right?

    I had to give up dairy and meat. Heart disease is very real to me. I am at the age where my Cardiologist told me that I would have to have open heart surgery to repair a heart valve. I was a competitive runner until my mid-30's. You can't out exercise heart disease unfortunately. I read Dr. Esselstyn's book on how to over come heart disease and also Dr. John McDougall's stuff on how eating a high carb (plant carb) diet can heal the body and I was sold.

    I wish you all the best ;), everyone's journey is personal and different. Who are we to judge?

    I have a heart valve defect and was never told to avoid meat and dairy. did they tell you why? as for having OHS for the valve repair. for some its not needed. I was told the only way I would need the valve fixed or replaced was if I went into cardiac arrest,they said most people have no issues caused from it. it can mimic asthma symptoms I did learn though.some diets cannot cure or heal certain health issues.

    I was told to cut carbs to lower my cholesterol. Avoiding dairy and fat isn't necessarily helpful for cholesterol either.

    I think it depends on the cholesterol too,I have Familial hypercholesterolemia and I have to now eat low sat fat,watch my sugar and sodium and avoid fried foods,high fat foods and foods made with white flour. because of it.I have a defective gene that causes my liver not to break down cholesterol (even with diet and exercise) like it should. my body stores it instead of breaking it down. I cannot do low carb because you have to do moderate fat,which I cant do now. I have tried lower carb and it did improve some but not enough for the dr(it was still high) so Im now trying this way.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,422 MFP Moderator
    edited August 2016
    lithezebra wrote: »
    snerggly wrote: »
    You know, I was about to leap on here judging but your last sentence "it's the only thing that works for me" got me in the feels. I hate this expression but "at the end of the day" that's all that matters my friend. You take good care of you and ignore we haters ;). Do what makes you happy and what feels good to you. Right?

    I had to give up dairy and meat. Heart disease is very real to me. I am at the age where my Cardiologist told me that I would have to have open heart surgery to repair a heart valve. I was a competitive runner until my mid-30's. You can't out exercise heart disease unfortunately. I read Dr. Esselstyn's book on how to over come heart disease and also Dr. John McDougall's stuff on how eating a high carb (plant carb) diet can heal the body and I was sold.

    I wish you all the best ;), everyone's journey is personal and different. Who are we to judge?

    I have a heart valve defect and was never told to avoid meat and dairy. did they tell you why? as for having OHS for the valve repair. for some its not needed. I was told the only way I would need the valve fixed or replaced was if I went into cardiac arrest,they said most people have no issues caused from it. it can mimic asthma symptoms I did learn though.some diets cannot cure or heal certain health issues.

    I was told to cut carbs to lower my cholesterol. Avoiding dairy and fat isn't necessarily helpful for cholesterol either.

    I would possibly suggest it's the type of carbs and type of fats that are eaten that help lower cholesterol (i.e., fibrous carbs and unsaturated fats). This, of course, is outside the benefit of just dieting and exercising, which I would expect to address cholesterol issues for a large majority of people.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    On a forum like MFP I discuss my diet freely - and get outrageous, ignorant comments in return - but in real life? No one has any clue I eat a LCHF diet outside of my immediate family - to them I just eat "healthy".

    If close friends and family are expressing concern maybe do a quick sanity check. Are you eating lots of whole, minimally processed foods? Eating enough food in general? Are you active or getting in some deliberate exercise?

    No matter what your macro split those are all healthful behaviors that almost no one will take exception to.