NO Carbs

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JeremiahStone
JeremiahStone Posts: 682 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does a no carbs diet really help speed up weight loss?

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  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
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    i think with no carbs :noway: you would die or your brain would not be able to function..that is ridiculous! (in my opinion of course)
  • mistyb47711
    mistyb47711 Posts: 861 Member
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    Carbs are the fuel for your body....No carbs = no energy
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    Given the same amount of calories, it would be about the same rate of loss or gain.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Carbs are not your enemy!
    (Note: fat or protein aren't your enemy either. In my opinon, fad diets that suggest losing a whole food group are the problem!)

    Eat a balance of foods, not too much processed stuff, increase your exercise and you'll lose weight.
    Sorry if this is a boring suggestion, but it works!
  • Kym1610
    Kym1610 Posts: 333 Member
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    I am on a low carb program but I don't think no carbs is really feasible
  • LMStark
    LMStark Posts: 150
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    I think it is good for a couple weeks to jump start a new weight loss routine... longer than that and I would go crazy. I have to have at the very least fresh fruit.
  • KayaSamantha
    KayaSamantha Posts: 157 Member
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    I read somewhere that the ONLY calories that your brain uses to work are from carbs so definitely NOT a good idea. I would suggest limiting your sugars and eliminating anything processed! Good luck!
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
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    wouldn't do it either. Carbs aren't your enemy at all its the quality of them. Obviously white sugar and lots of flour as in bread(meaning over portioning) cake etc are the enemy. Good whole grain carbs in least processed form are good fuel for you body.
  • Leanne1795
    Leanne1795 Posts: 186
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    I am a low carber but will say immediately that NO carbs is dangerous and will vastly effect brain function. I get my carbs from veg so maybe if you go "clean & green" ( your chosen protein and good green leafy veg ) for a while you will see the benefits.
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,954 Member
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    It's kind of what the first phase of the Dukan diet is all about if I understand it correctly. I have a friend who has been on it for several weeks and to begin with he was only allowed to eat meat. I don't think that part lasted a very long time (around a week I think?) Now he's on a schedule where he eats only meat for a few days and then has a day where he gets to eat non starchy vegetables too. He's lost about 25 pounds and he does and teaches taekwondo as well as working full time and leading an active life. He says he feels pretty good but admits that it's a pretty tough diet to stick with. He's doing it for another month and then enters a new phase where he'll get to eat a few more things but I don't really know what they are.

    So I guess you could say that yes, you can have a no carb diet but it would be pretty darn tough to stick with for very long (for me anyway!) I do a reduced carb approach but I still have fruit and vegetables every day. I don't think I could survive on only meat unless it were my only option (and I love meat!)
  • summalovaable
    summalovaable Posts: 287 Member
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    I think you mean low carb not NO carb, but it can be a helpful way to speed up the weight loss process and some people who have done it for extended periods of time have had a reasonable amount of success.
    Given the same amount of calories, it would be about the same rate of loss or gain.

    ^^^ this though isn't true. Certain foods expend more energy to be converted into usable energy. So eating 100 calories in lean protein does not equal 100 calories in carbohydrates. I'm sure the overall difference isn't huge ( I really couldn't say exact numbers),but it is enough to verify that 1200 calories of junk foods will make you fatter(in theory) than 1200 calories of health foods
  • Emmadennewitz
    Emmadennewitz Posts: 106 Member
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    Would not recommend a No carb diet. I have done low carb diets in the past, the negative effects outweigh the positive. I had no energy and was moody all the time. I havenever been sucessful long term. I would suggest cutting different types of carbs a little at a time. I started with cutting out sweets then pasta and then finally bread. I no longer crave the bad carbs and i feel fantastic. I think the best way to lose weight is through clean eating. I eat at least 6 times a day small portions and I don't feel deprived or hungry. Eat good carbs and stay away from the bad.
  • Winstonandgilly
    Winstonandgilly Posts: 19
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    wouldn't do it either. Carbs aren't your enemy at all its the quality of them. Obviously white sugar and lots of flour as in bread(meaning over portioning) cake etc are the enemy. Good whole grain carbs in least processed form are good fuel for you body.

    Yes, eating "clean" is the way to go regarding carbs. Although I really shouldn't be saying anything tonight after gorging on late-night Jelly Bellies and red wine :(.
  • MelissaJ20
    MelissaJ20 Posts: 46
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    I feel like eating no carbs works for the short term. Eat complex carbs (most fruits, veggies, whole grains) not refined and you will be fine. In my opinion (I am not an expert), I feel it may be better to eat everything in moderation, including protein. I am a big fan of lifestyle changes, and to me no carbs cannot work for an extended amount of time. Good luck with whatever you choose to do. :)
  • lockef
    lockef Posts: 466
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    Wow, so much mis-information here!

    Calories in, calories out is still true for both low fat + low calorie vs low/no carb diets. Higher carbohydrate diets raise your insulin levels. Insulin suppresses the use of fat for energy when glucose is in your system. Low/no carb diets put you in a state of ketosis. When you are in ketosis, your body burns fat as its primary source.

    You will not die from having no carbs. Your brain will function fine on ketones. For the first week or two, you will get brain fog, and feel drained. After your body has gotten use to running on ketones, you feel normal (I feel more energized and alert. I sleep a lot better too). When you eat, you feel satisfied sooner which makes it easier to eat less.

    Please do some research here before making a decision.

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=132598293

    You could also watch the movie "Fat Head", and look up interviews on youtube on Gary Taubes.

    Good luck.
  • byukid
    byukid Posts: 55
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    Your body can convert fat into glucose via gluconeogensis. The only macronutrient you technically don't need are carbohydrates. That doesn't make them evil.

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