Consistantly low carbs...

150 is not dangerous at all.
low carb diets aren't the demons some make them out to be (myself included until some wise people on here pointed the way, and I went on a mini research binge after that). That said low carb diets only work well as a lifestyle change, NOT a temporary weight loss diet. People see immediate results from low carb diets, but they are fooling themselves, there are specific reasons for this, and it has nothing to do with fat loss (if you don't believe this I would suggest you do some research , even the southbeach and atkins people acknowledge this as fact).
But 150 isn't really low carb, that's just lowER carb. As long as you get your full calories for the day, 150 carbs won't be an issue for you.

FYI, there's nothing really wrong with low carb medically, if you can sustain it by using more unsaturated fat and protein to replace it. It does require a change in lifestyle, and will preclude you from some of the explosive exercising (glucose is not hanging around in high quantity). You can have dehydration issues as well and must watch your water levels very closely, and also, you tend to have changes in your PH levels, and need to increase your calcium intake to make up for it.

A REAL low carb diet for life is doable in a healthy manner, but be warned, it's HARD, far harder then one would think, you drop out of Ketosys for a couple of days, and you feel like hell, become bloated for a while, and your body chemistry will get a little crazy until it adjusts. In other words, you can forget that piece of cake with 30 grams of carbs EVER, if you don't want to really feel it something fierce later (ok maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but not that much).

Banks man, long time no see! I thought you died or something :laugh:
I was just curious because I know carbs are one of the things most readily converted into energy, but at the same time I know less about them compared to the other nutes and I wasn't really sure. I never looked into the 'low carb diet' thing because I kinda figured it was much ado about nothing (plus I saw more people fail than succeed).

Thanks for clearing it up

150 is not dangerous at all.
low carb diets aren't the demons some make them out to be (myself included until some wise people on here pointed the way, and I went on a mini research binge after that). That said low carb diets only work well as a lifestyle change, NOT a temporary weight loss diet. People see immediate results from low carb diets, but they are fooling themselves, there are specific reasons for this, and it has nothing to do with fat loss (if you don't believe this I would suggest you do some research , even the southbeach and atkins people acknowledge this as fact).
But 150 isn't really low carb, that's just lowER carb. As long as you get your full calories for the day, 150 carbs won't be an issue for you.

FYI, there's nothing really wrong with low carb medically, if you can sustain it by using more unsaturated fat and protein to replace it. It does require a change in lifestyle, and will preclude you from some of the explosive exercising (glucose is not hanging around in high quantity). You can have dehydration issues as well and must watch your water levels very closely, and also, you tend to have changes in your PH levels, and need to increase your calcium intake to make up for it.

A REAL low carb diet for life is doable in a healthy manner, but be warned, it's HARD, far harder then one would think, you drop out of Ketosys for a couple of days, and you feel like hell, become bloated for a while, and your body chemistry will get a little crazy until it adjusts. In other words, you can forget that piece of cake with 30 grams of carbs EVER, if you don't want to really feel it something fierce later (ok maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but not that much).

Thank you for this post. I lost 60 pounds twice on low carb. I gained back 60 pounds while expecting my son and 27 in the last 6 months during plain old stupidity and stress that made me not give a fig. I have had over 10 years of keeping my weight off with that type of a lifestyle. I've lost 21 on it again in less then 8 weeks. But you are right..you have to be really smart about it and make it a lifestyle. That lifestyle can be a bit complicated.

People do loose weight on a low carb lifestyle, but just like low calories..you have to watch it....forever.

Three of my friend lost between 60-120 pounds in 1999. I was the only one that didn't keep it off, but I was the only one that had a baby, too. Excuses, Excuses Excuses....

Yeah, I hear ya, while i understand it, and I don't fault people for doing it, I just never saw the need for it, it doesn't do anything that watching calories doesn't do, it just does it faster in the beginning (but for different reasons). It's the psychological factor. I mean, I don't want to have to steer away from certain food groups for ever, that's just me, it may seem like no biggie to others, but to me, to never have a bowl of popcorn again, that would be a tragedy beyond compare! Plus, you have a very difficult time doing anaerobic sports on ketosys (like, it's pretty much impossible to be serious about say...running and in ketosys, because while the endurance part is fine, that final kick to the finish would DESTROY you.)

With low carb, you are merely throwing out the white sugar, white flour, refined, processed crap our bodies don't need anyway............

I am eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains (oats and brown rice for me - I have a wheat allergy), nuts, etc.........I even made home made ice cream with heavy whipping cream and stevia to sweeten and pureed strawberries..........

I just don't eat cake, cookies, boxed crap like hamburger helper. :sick:

Yeah, I hear ya, while i understand it, and I don't fault people for doing it, I just never saw the need for it, it doesn't do anything that watching calories doesn't do, it just does it faster in the beginning (but for different reasons). It's the psychological factor. I mean, I don't want to have to steer away from certain food groups for ever, that's just me, it may seem like no biggie to others, but to me, to never have a bowl of popcorn again, that would be a tragedy beyond compare! Plus, you have a very difficult time doing anaerobic sports on ketosys (like, it's pretty much impossible to be serious about say...running and in ketosys, because while the endurance part is fine, that final kick to the finish would DESTROY you.)

You should do some more research as your last sentence is very, very incorrect.

Actually, I can direct you to a website where there are Marathon runners that are practicing a low (controlled carb) lifestyle.........

Run miles and miles every day for training, etc............

I have more energy NOW doing a low carb, organic (and as close to natural) lifestyle as possible......

I have more energy than I ever did doing low calorie, low fat..............


And, whom ever said that you can't have popcorn on low carb is mistaken, as it is listed as an acceptable snack when you get to pre-maintenance and maintenance............

With low carb, you are merely throwing out the white sugar, white flour, refined, processed crap our bodies don't need anyway............

I am eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains (oats and brown rice for me - I have a wheat allergy), nuts, etc.........I even made home made ice cream with heavy whipping cream and stevia to sweeten and pureed strawberries..........

I just don't eat cake, cookies, boxed crap like hamburger helper. :sick:

steer me to that site please. But maybe you didn't read my post very closely. I said right in there that the endurance part is no problem. Training for a marathon doesn't include anaerobic exercise, thus ketosis wouldn't be an issue; But if I tried to do something that uses explosive anaerobic activity (I.E. maximal effort activity such as what I list below), the lack of glucogen would make it very difficult to keep up that energy level. That is a fact proven by many many studies out there.
I think it's fine for people who want to do it. I don't, and my reasons for not doing so are sound. I do lots of explosive exercises. HIIT training, Tabata protocol. I play baseball and if I had to run from home to third on a ketonic diet, I'd be dead meat after I stopped for about 2 minutes while my ATP stores replenished (far to long in a baseball game).

see this study on ANaerobic activity and ketogenic diets:

http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/pdf/1743-7075-1-2.pdf



Anaerobic exercise lasting 30 seconds or longer depletes ATP stores, after that muscle glycogen is burned instead, but in a ketogenic diet, there is no muscle glycogen to be had, fatigue sets in very quickly, and the exercise must be stopped or slowed severly to allow the ATP stores to replenish (usually arount 2 minutes).

As to the popcorn thing, I was exagerating to make a point. I LIKE my whole wheat breads, I like having a balanced diet, I see no need for me to get off that way, it's healthy, nutritious, and tasty. I don't fault others for doing it. I just don't feel the need.

I'm glad you found a healthy lifestyle that suits you. I really am, but it's just not for me is all I'm saying.

Really?!?! A diet with 200g or less is considered low/er carb?

Oh Mateo, do we need that empanada night?:huh:

I will send you a link to the site when I get home, it is on my home computer........

Anyway, I do eat very balanced also..........I eat grains (brown rice and oats). I love, love, whole wheat bread and other whole wheat things.............IT DOESN'T LIKE ME. I swell up and get yeast overgrowth in my gut from wheat and gluten. So, other grains for me, just not wheat.

20 or LESS a day!!!! The humanity! :noway: