Are low carb diets really effective?

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anharrison
anharrison Posts: 74 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ive been thinking about going low carb just because I know it would shock my body. All I eat is carbs through fruits, cheeses, whole grains...ah! What kind of meals do you prepare on low carb diets? Any good books/websites on this subject?
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Replies

  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Not very sustainable.
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
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    agreed, not very sustainable over the long term unless you have an iron will.

    I don't know how anyone can live like that, everything has to be pre-prepared or thought of, it's really difficult to do when eating out, and when going to someone elses house for a meal.

    It is alot more constant effort than a calorie controlled diet.
  • ItsMeLori
    ItsMeLori Posts: 346
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    I did it for a while and had pretty good results. I need to get back to it. I was less bloated to.
  • Fairysoul
    Fairysoul Posts: 1,361 Member
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    In my opinion, no, you need carbs, it's in natural foods and thats what your body needs...
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
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    I find that I lose more consistently when I try to lower my carbs. There's no way I could go no-carb, and my version of low isn't low by any standard. I feel that a meal isn't complete unless there's some rice, potato or pasta. Lowering their prominence on my plate has worked though - I just bulk up my pasta with more veggies than I usually would and add more protein (usually chicken or lean beef) to get the 'full' feeling.

    In the past I've eaten a lot of rice and pasta because they're cheap, but I'm willing to spend that little bit more on veggies and good meats if I'm losing well and still feeling full.
  • beth40n2
    beth40n2 Posts: 233 Member
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    I do well on low carb. I try to eat 100 net carbs to loose weight. On your chart it will be carbs minus fiber is net carbs. Some people go as low as 60, but that is hard to maintain. Also know as you introduce more carbs back into the diet, you will gain. Try to find a level you can live with long term.
  • CashKitty
    CashKitty Posts: 7
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    I've had success with it.... and I get a lot of great induction recipes here
    http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/forums/atkins-diet-14-day-induction/58513-never-ending-induction-recipes.html
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    yes, but they arent sustainable
  • PaleoWhick
    PaleoWhick Posts: 7 Member
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    Depends. They typically work pretty well in the short term, but as soon as you go off of it you can blow up. I lost 70 lbs. on a limit of 180g per day. I'm currently doing a hybrid Paleo/Primal type diet which keeps me well under 180g because I'm eating lots of fruits and leafy vegetables and lean meat. My calories are staying between 1500 to 2000. The lean protein and the good carbs keep me feeling full and I'm doing a little over an hour of cardio per day. So far I'm down 17 lbs. in five weeks.
  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I had success setting my macronutrients to 50% protein, 30% carb, and 20% fat and doing lots of cardio and strength training with P90X...it is lower carb, but not extremely low carb, so you plan out things you really want to eat, especially when going out to eat, but mainting a good ratio that allows for weight loss without significant muscle loss.

    I lost 1.7lb/week over nine months without plataeuing (sp?) with this ratio...when I started to bonk a little bit in my harder workouts, I bumped up those ratios to 45/35/20 for a little more fuel for my workout...that is where I am at now that I am at my goal weight...

    Good luck...
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,954 Member
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    For me, my body responds better to a lower carb diet than a higher one. It kind of also depends a lot on what your definition of "low carb" is. For me it's anything under 100 g but some go extremely low (Atkins induction is 20g or less, Dukan diet is all meat for the initial phases.)

    If you learn how to prepare food along the lines of reduced/low carb you won't have any problem with sustainability. I actually prefer to eat this way now that I've gotten used to it. There are many sites that have great recipes and info on how to prepare foods in a lower carb fashion. Lots of good food and not just eating meat and cheese all the time.
  • tamara124
    tamara124 Posts: 4 Member
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    I have been able to lose on it before but it is tough to maintain long term as well as the fact that carbs tend to be cheaper. George Stella has some good stuff i you search him and I also get emails and info from this site..
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/
  • PaPenguin
    PaPenguin Posts: 19 Member
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    In an effort to lose weight and lower my blood sugar I have gone on a lower carb diet. I have lost 35 lbs in 3 months and feel great. I have basically cut out bread, pasta, deserts, etc. and increased my fiber and protein. Honestly, the way I feel now compared to when I was eating a very high carb diet, I have no desire to go back to my old way of eating.
  • eameow
    eameow Posts: 4
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    I agree with most of the replies here. It is very hard to maintain for a long period and simply not realistic. I am currently on the 17 Day Diet, which is very low carb for the first seventeen days and then slowly introduces carbs back into your diet. It is based on the idea of resetting your insulin sensitivity to sugars and carbs. It is a whole food diet with a list of food you can eat for each phase. I am not hungry, and it is working for me since I have lost 14 pounds in 4 weeks.:smile: I have the book and there are recipes in it. I also have found recipes on several other low carb sites. I am in the second phase now, starting my 5th week and I have had some carb cravings. Basically I try to make the best food and calorie choice- tofu noodle for pasta, whole wheat pitas for bread, flax seed tortilla chips for something salty and crunchy, Frozen Kefir for ice cream, and sugar free dark chocolate has been one of my vices. Best of luck to you what ever you decide to do.:happy:
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
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    Low carb eating is not hard to sustain or maintain long term.

    In the past, I sustained a 100 pound weight loss for over 5 years until I got in a near fatal car accident in 2008. I was able to get off all medications through whole foods eating with Atkins and exercise.

    Check out Sugar Free Sheila's website.................She has maintained her weight loss through the Atkins plan for over 9 years now.

    http://www.sugarfreesheila.com/
  • pork_belly
    pork_belly Posts: 144
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    Low car diets are very effective. Search youtube for the AtoZ study. It is also very sustainable and the two best parts are that your blood work will be improved and you will never feel starved! The worst thing for any diet is to feel starved. Like any other diet if you go back to your old habits you will gain back the weight. How can you think you wont? Its the eating behavior that got you where you are in the first place. To expect not to unravel any progress (regardless of the diet) is unrealistic. Do yourself a favor and read Gary Taube's books "Why We Are Fat and What To Do About It" and "Good Calories, Bad Calories". You will be amazed by the information in them.

    The links for the video and a presentation by Gary Taube are below:


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eREuZEdMAVo

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4362041487661765149&q=gary+taubes+lecture&ei=wL4tSLy5IYKKrQKVqPifDQ&hl=en
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
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    agreed, not very sustainable over the long term unless you have an iron will.

    I don't know how anyone can live like that, everything has to be pre-prepared or thought of, it's really difficult to do when eating out, and when going to someone elses house for a meal.

    It is alot more constant effort than a calorie controlled diet.

    I don't know about what qualifies as "sustainable", but a general low carb diet is below 100g of carbs/day. I have the feeling that at the phrase "low carb" everyone thinks of Atkins' induction phase number of below 20g daily, but that's only in the first 2 week induction phase and shouldn't be maintained over the long term. Nor does Atkins advocate it, telling you to start adding carbs from non starchy, non refined sources back into your diet bit by bit, until you can maintain your weight. Typically people end up between 75g - 100g and that is pretty sustainable in my book. Nor is it much of an effort, or restrict my eating out options a lot.
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
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    yes, but they arent sustainable

    a sweeping and not wholly accurate statement
  • highgear
    highgear Posts: 30
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    How active are you? Carbs are the body's preferred fuel source. If you maintain a low carb diet, and exercise, your body will metabolize fat, but also has to cannibalize protein to make glycogen (fuel your muscles can use). Ever have that amonia scent in your nose after a workout? That is an indicator of protein being burned for fuel. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn. Ever look at an endurance athelete? How much muscle mass do they have? Not much. Now do you want that kind of body, if so know that you are going to have to train a lot to keep the fat off. I don't think most of us are in that boat. Short term ok I guess, but long term is a non starter.

    I think the average person here is better served by eating a well balanced diet and working out at least three times a week. Give it time your body will change.
  • jeffwaller3
    jeffwaller3 Posts: 22
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    For the short term, yes. For the long term, no

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