Why do some people don’t eat much carbs when losing weight?
Replies
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VictorSmashes wrote: »Then hopefully you also understand which macronutrient is most easily converted to fat.
(Hint: fat)
De novo lipogenesis only happens under situations of massive, sustained carb overfeeds - far beyond what the average human on a non-ketogenic diet eats on a daily basis.
And hopefully you also understand that there is no net fat storage while in a caloric deficit, regardless of the macronutrient composition of your diet.
I'm sorry that it seemed I implied a calorie deficit, I thought that was easily read. When I said carb excess I did in fact mean a calorie excess as well. I disagree that fat begets fat. Here's an article on the contrary: https://paleoleap.com/demolishing-fat-makes-fat-myth/FIFY = Fixed It For You
If you are in a calorie surplus, any food you eat, regardless of it's macro ratio, will be stored as fat. If you are in a calorie deficit, there is nothing to store as fat, regardless of what specific food you've eaten.
And I haven't seen anything credible to suggest that eating carbs is not as healthy as eating protein and fat, do you have any sources for that? Check out the Blue Zones.
OP, low carb is popular right now, so many people assume it's "best". The people it works well for are generally more satiated by fats than carbs, so they can more easily keep to their calorie deficit. There are also some medical conditions that there is some anecdotal at least suggestion that a lower carb diet may help.
Again, I did not intend to imply a calorie deficit! A carbohydrate excess and calorie excess will cause weight gain. No, I can't pull out my textbook right now and tell you exactly where I read that. (Are we all A+ students? No.). Here's an article on the low-down on carbohydrates: http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/does-carbohydrate-become-body-fat (Yes, I admit Alice and I have probably read different articles on how carbs may or may not be directly responsible for fat-creation... I'm just telling you guys what my professor told me
)
Honestly though, the animosity on here is devastating
Sorry I didn't come in here with resources but it didn't look like we needed them considering nobody else has placed links in their posts.
If you look again at my post, I wasn't replying to you. I quoted someone else's post.
I haven't seen any animosity in this thread. Posters who have stated something as fact, that many of us have never seen any credible research to support, are simply being asked where that info came from. And it's on point for the OP, since many people choose low carb due to unfounded claims about it.
If you are interested in doing some research, as I mentioned in my post, Google the Blue Zones. There's a book if you want, but lots of info available online.12 -
I should add that I am particularly concerned about carbs because my husband is diabetic and he has to watch his carbs. I cook for both of us - it works for him and it works for me. I find it kind of amusing that carbs seem to be such a hot button issue here. I don't worry about it, I do what is working for me.4
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elsie6hickman wrote: »I should add that I am particularly concerned about carbs because my husband is diabetic and he has to watch his carbs. I cook for both of us - it works for him and it works for me. I find it kind of amusing that carbs seem to be such a hot button issue here. I don't worry about it, I do what is working for me.
I wasn't debating you. I was just stating my own experiences. I do what works for me and it ends up being on the higher side of low carb myself (80-120grams most days). I don't set limits or even watch my carbs except to make sure I pair higher carb items with enough protein. I have my own medical situation that is kind of unusual that makes it easier to eat this way.
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If you look again at my post, I wasn't replying to you. I quoted someone else's post.
I haven't seen any animosity in this thread. Posters who have stated something as fact, that many of us have never seen any credible research to support, are simply being asked where that info came from. And it's on point for the OP, since many people choose low carb due to unfounded claims about it.
If you are interested in doing some research, as I mentioned in my post, Google the Blue Zones. There's a book if you want, but lots of info available online.
Perhaps you didn't mean to quote me but you did, when I look again at your original post. Which is fine but you absolutely did quote me... (For the record where you said "OP" I was not replying to that anyway.)
However I do understand where some of the misunderstanding came from in this thread. I didn't realize that the fisher person changed my original post (or "fixed it for me"), which I guess might have come across as me saying something about a calorie deficit etc. etc. Generally when someone quotes me I don't read my own original post word for word, which I think you all might understand.
As for the animosity comment perhaps I was a little hot-headed when I said that, but in my perspective if multiple people are "confronting" me about something I've said, whereas there are not multiple people quoting someone else, maybe you can see where I was coming from...
I am absolutely just coming from my perspective and from what I remember from school, of course. I hope the OP learns a lot from everyone on here and decides for themself whether going low carb will work for them, or to try it at all.7 -
This is so confusing I can't get anything out of it, and it scares me quite a bit to think that people would find any meaning in it.Me personally... Because carbs= sugar and my body is refusing to process sugar now and the diet I’m on to sort out my blood sugar levels, makes my body burn fat if it doesn’t have sugar .7 -
@VictorSmashesVictorSmashes wrote: »Honestly though, the animosity on here is devastating Sorry I didn't come in here with resources but it didn't look like we needed them considering nobody else has placed links in their posts.
It really isn't animosity to challenge or correct misinformation - including misinformation given with all good intentions.
It's just debate and sharing of knowledge, not just for an individual but also for the community. Your statement about carbs turning to glycogen and then to fat is simply inaccurate or at least extraordinarily rare (in humans anyway). Especially in a thread about why people go low carb to lose weight it is a bit misleading and takes away from the necessity of a calorie deficit whatever macro-nutrient blend people choose. That doesn't mean it's an attack on you as a person. I do hope you continue to contribute to the forums, it can come across as a harsh environment but (generally!
) people are trying to be helpful and share what they have learned.
From Lyle McDonald....
"Carbohydrates are rarely converted to fat (a process called de novo lipogenesis) under normal dietary conditions. There are exceptions when this occurs. One is with massive chronic overfeeding of carbs. I’m talking 700-900 grams of carbs per day for multiple days. Under those conditions, carbs max out glycogen stores, are in excess of total daily energy requirements and you see the conversion of carbohydrate to fat for storage. But this is not a normal dietary situation for most people.
A few very stupid studies have shown that glucose INFUSION at levels of 1.5 total daily energy expenditure can cause DNL to occur but this is equally non-physiological. There is also some evidence that DNL may be increased in individuals with hyperinsulinemia (often secondary to obesity). There’s one final exception that I’ll use to finish this piece.
But when you eat more carbs, you burn more carbs and burn less fat. And that’s why even if carbs aren’t directly converted to fat and stored as such, excess carbs can STILL MAKE YOU FAT. Basically, by inhibiting fat oxidation, excess carbs cause you to store all the fat you’re eating without burning any of it off. "11 -
Different reasons for different people:
1. Could be that they fill into the low carb craze and think that they need to do it in order to lose weight
2. Could be that they are afraid of carbs and don't understand them. Popular media is full of misinformation about sugar and carbs, and that the scale fluctuates with water weight after eating a lot of carbs doesn't help.
3. Could be they need to for medical reasons. Some people decide to lose weight after being diagnosed with diabetes.
4. Could be they're eating too low of a calorie allowance and follow macros, so after portioning for protein and fat, not much is left for carbs.
5. Some people aren't satiated by carbs, so they find themselves wanting to fill up on lower carb calories in order to not be hungry all the time.
6. Could be that's just how they like to eat. You need to cut calories somewhere, but cutting them from items you can "live without" is easier. Some people would rather eat less bread in order to be able to have more butter, for example.
There are probably other reasons. What's great about dieting is that it's all about calories. Since that's all you need to lose weight, everything else is up to you. You can "make it yours" and customize it to your needs and preferences. Low carb fits the needs and preferences of some people.10 -
@VictorSmashesVictorSmashes wrote: »Honestly though, the animosity on here is devastating Sorry I didn't come in here with resources but it didn't look like we needed them considering nobody else has placed links in their posts.
It really isn't animosity to challenge or correct misinformation - including misinformation given with all good intentions.
It's just debate and sharing of knowledge, not just for an individual but also for the community. Your statement about carbs turning to glycogen and then to fat is simply inaccurate or at least extraordinarily rare (in humans anyway). Especially in a thread about why people go low carb to lose weight it is a bit misleading and takes away from the necessity of a calorie deficit whatever macro-nutrient blend people choose. That doesn't mean it's an attack on you as a person. I do hope you continue to contribute to the forums, it can come across as a harsh environment but (generally!) people are trying to be helpful and share what they have learned.
From Lyle McDonald....
"Carbohydrates are rarely converted to fat (a process called de novo lipogenesis) under normal dietary conditions. There are exceptions when this occurs. One is with massive chronic overfeeding of carbs. I’m talking 700-900 grams of carbs per day for multiple days. Under those conditions, carbs max out glycogen stores, are in excess of total daily energy requirements and you see the conversion of carbohydrate to fat for storage. But this is not a normal dietary situation for most people.
A few very stupid studies have shown that glucose INFUSION at levels of 1.5 total daily energy expenditure can cause DNL to occur but this is equally non-physiological. There is also some evidence that DNL may be increased in individuals with hyperinsulinemia (often secondary to obesity). There’s one final exception that I’ll use to finish this piece.
But when you eat more carbs, you burn more carbs and burn less fat. And that’s why even if carbs aren’t directly converted to fat and stored as such, excess carbs can STILL MAKE YOU FAT. Basically, by inhibiting fat oxidation, excess carbs cause you to store all the fat you’re eating without burning any of it off. "
Hey I appreciate the input. I think you missed a post or two (I have addressed my use of “animosity”, for example) but I still understand that you’re coming from a good place.
The exact number of carbs was something I did not know so thanks for enlightening me.6 -
Because thats how they choose to eat. Many people maintaining or gaining weight also limit carbs.
Why are you worried about how other people eat?6 -
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@VictorSmashes I think I was getting threads confused last night, you are correct I was replying to you. My apologies for adding to the confusion, clearly I should've turned off the phone a bit earlier than I did!5
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Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.21 -
QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Yes it has been around since the 1920's to treat seizure disorders. Eating according to the keto diet to lose weight IS a fad because it is new-ish (last 10 years or so), it is not what the diet was designed to do, and people are jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it.19 -
QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Yes it has been around since the 1920's to treat seizure disorders. Eating according to the keto diet to lose weight IS a fad because it is new-ish (last 10 years or so), it is not what the diet was designed to do, and people are jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it.
i'd say even less time in the fad to lose weight - i remember like 4years ago one of my reservists was doing it to lose weight - she had to go in weekly to get bloodwork done etc...now it seems like anyone and their mother can d do it3 -
QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Low carb is a fad in the sense that gluten-free is a fad - people with certain medical conditions really need to be GF, but people without those conditions who think they have to be GF in order to lose weight have created a fad.11 -
QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Yes it has been around since the 1920's to treat seizure disorders. Eating according to the keto diet to lose weight IS a fad because it is new-ish (last 10 years or so), it is not what the diet was designed to do, and people are jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it.
I swear Atkins has been around a lot more then 10 years.6 -
QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Barns have been around even longer but barn wood and doors are a fad right now.
A few years ago I imagine men and women putting on sackcloth and wailing hysterically if they heard of someone they cared about eating a high fat diet. Fat was the mortal enemy of good health. Not much chance of Keto being popular then.
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I eat low-ish (35%>) carbohydrates because I swell up like a balloon if I consume more than that, which can be painfully uncomfortable for me. And, that's not the only physical issue that happens--it's just the one I find most frustrating. I have a hormonal disorder and insulin resistance.
My 110lbs weight loss ultimately came from portion control over a 3-year period. No special diets; just behaviour modifications.2 -
QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Barns have been around even longer but barn wood and doors are a fad right now.
A few years ago I imagine men and women putting on sackcloth and wailing hysterically if they heard of someone they cared about eating a high fat diet. Fat was the mortal enemy of good health. Not much chance of Keto being popular then.
"Stop the Insanity!!!!!!!"
Yes, I remember those days well. Atkins was pretty popular at the time but very few people outside seizure disorder support groups had heard of keto.1 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Yes it has been around since the 1920's to treat seizure disorders. Eating according to the keto diet to lose weight IS a fad because it is new-ish (last 10 years or so), it is not what the diet was designed to do, and people are jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it.
I swear Atkins has been around a lot more then 10 years.
I remember my father putting us on the Atkins and South Beach diets when I was in high school. I can confirm that was definitely more than 10 years ago.
And that's all I'm going to say about that.
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QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.fad noun [ C ] UK /fæd/ US /fæd/ a style, activity, or interest that is very popular for a short period of time
Yes, it is currently a fad. It doesn't matter how much it's been around, it only surged in popularity lately and has become a fad which will eventually die down to a small core number of followers.
Fads often come with lots of misinformation baggage because once something gets popular, the media jumps at the opportunity to click bait. Hopefully, once things calm down, those who do it will be doing it from an informed place.
Calling something a fad doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. Intermittent fasting is a fad right now, but it's a perfectly fine way to schedule food. It also comes with its own set of misinformation.9 -
QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Barns have been around even longer but barn wood and doors are a fad right now.
A few years ago I imagine men and women putting on sackcloth and wailing hysterically if they heard of someone they cared about eating a high fat diet. Fat was the mortal enemy of good health. Not much chance of Keto being popular then.
"Stop the Insanity!!!!!!!"
Yes, I remember those days well. Atkins was pretty popular at the time but very few people outside seizure disorder support groups had heard of keto.
I remember that everyone on Atkins was going to die of a coronary in less than 10 minutes... well... until they didn't.2 -
Me personally? Because I chose the foods I wanted to restrict - calorific carbs like bread pastry pasta and potatoes - and swapped them out for lower calorie carbs like greens, turnips, broccoli, and cauliflower. That allows me to eat fewer calories, feel full, and enjoy what I eat.4
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Tacklewasher wrote: »QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Yes it has been around since the 1920's to treat seizure disorders. Eating according to the keto diet to lose weight IS a fad because it is new-ish (last 10 years or so), it is not what the diet was designed to do, and people are jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it.
I swear Atkins has been around a lot more then 10 years.
Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution was originally published in 1972. Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution was published in 1998. He died in 2003.
Lyle McDonald published his book, The Ketogenic Diet, in 1998.
I did the Atkins diet for a year around 2001-2002. It was popular then (16-17 years ago), but nowhere near the craze it is now. The keto diet has regained a whole new popularity/fad status over the past few years, and I agree that there are a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it. When you read through the forums here, there are a lot of threads/posts from people which basically say "I'm so excited, I'm starting the keto diet today!!!! How do you do the keto diet???".5 -
I think everyone is different . Just find what works for you and what your preference is.0
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I did the Atkins diet for a year around 2001-2002. It was popular then (16-17 years ago), but nowhere near the craze it is now. The keto diet has regained a whole new popularity/fad status over the past few years, and I agree that there are a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it. When you read through the forums here, there are a lot of threads/posts from people which basically say "I'm so excited, I'm starting the keto diet today!!!! How do you do the keto diet???".
How do they know anyone here does Keto? Shouldn't they ask first?3 -
I did the Atkins diet for a year around 2001-2002. It was popular then (16-17 years ago), but nowhere near the craze it is now. The keto diet has regained a whole new popularity/fad status over the past few years, and I agree that there are a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it. When you read through the forums here, there are a lot of threads/posts from people which basically say "I'm so excited, I'm starting the keto diet today!!!! How do you do the keto diet???".
How do they know anyone here does Keto? Shouldn't they ask first?
It's not like there's a search function and hundreds of similar threads or anything.....3 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Yes it has been around since the 1920's to treat seizure disorders. Eating according to the keto diet to lose weight IS a fad because it is new-ish (last 10 years or so), it is not what the diet was designed to do, and people are jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it.
I swear Atkins has been around a lot more then 10 years.
Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution was originally published in 1972. Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution was published in 1998. He died in 2003.
Lyle McDonald published his book, The Ketogenic Diet, in 1998.
I did the Atkins diet for a year around 2001-2002. It was popular then (16-17 years ago), but nowhere near the craze it is now. The keto diet has regained a whole new popularity/fad status over the past few years, and I agree that there are a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it. When you read through the forums here, there are a lot of threads/posts from people which basically say "I'm so excited, I'm starting the keto diet today!!!! How do you do the keto diet???".
Popular, no doubt, because "I just started keto two days ago by not eating any carbs and all and I've already lost SIX POUNDS*!! Keto surely is the One True Way!"
(* Of course, at least 5.5 pounds of this is not fat loss and this approach is entirely unsustainable, but woe be unto anyone who would dare to suggest that.)4 -
jofjltncb6 wrote: »Tacklewasher wrote: »QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Yes it has been around since the 1920's to treat seizure disorders. Eating according to the keto diet to lose weight IS a fad because it is new-ish (last 10 years or so), it is not what the diet was designed to do, and people are jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it.
I swear Atkins has been around a lot more then 10 years.
Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution was originally published in 1972. Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution was published in 1998. He died in 2003.
Lyle McDonald published his book, The Ketogenic Diet, in 1998.
I did the Atkins diet for a year around 2001-2002. It was popular then (16-17 years ago), but nowhere near the craze it is now. The keto diet has regained a whole new popularity/fad status over the past few years, and I agree that there are a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it. When you read through the forums here, there are a lot of threads/posts from people which basically say "I'm so excited, I'm starting the keto diet today!!!! How do you do the keto diet???".
Popular, no doubt, because "I just started keto two days ago by not eating any carbs and all and I've already lost SIX POUNDS*!! Keto surely is the One True Way!"
(* Of course, at least 5.5 pounds of this is not fat loss and this approach is entirely unsustainable, but woe be unto anyone who would dare to suggest that.)
Pshhh, it's their body, what do you know about it? 4 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »QuilterInVA wrote: »Because it's a huge fad right now (along with intermittent fasting) and people mistakenly believe that weight loss is faster on a low-carb diet. Which has repeatedly been scientifically disproved.
Low carb/keto has been around for over 80 years. It is not a fad. It has science behind it and is useful in treating epilepsy. People need to know the facts before making judgements.
Yes it has been around since the 1920's to treat seizure disorders. Eating according to the keto diet to lose weight IS a fad because it is new-ish (last 10 years or so), it is not what the diet was designed to do, and people are jumping on the bandwagon without really understanding it.
I swear Atkins has been around a lot more then 10 years.
I remember my father putting us on the Atkins and South Beach diets when I was in high school. I can confirm that was definitely more than 10 years ago.
And that's all I'm going to say about that.
My first (and last) Keto diet was in 1995. Of course, it also involved phen-Fen, 500 cals a day and $50 a week to the diet doctor.
Those were the days!1
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