Low Fat vs Low Carb

Don26
Don26 Posts: 46
edited October 6 in Health and Weight Loss
I know this is a hot button issue with some and I am reluctant to even go here but I have been doing a low fat diet for quite some time now, long before I started logging on here and the weight just isn't coming off. I have always been a low carb guy and have had success with it in the past but it seems to me that it is not as healthy as a diet high in fiber and vegetables and can be hard to stick to. Getting back into body building so I really want to up my protein intake but am not sure if I should switch over to low carb or not. I think it will put me over my calorie allowance...thoughts?

Replies

  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    40/30/30 is a good place to start.
  • QueenStromba
    QueenStromba Posts: 57 Member
    Fat is essential for the body whereas carbohydrate probably isn't - if you're going to drastically reduce your levels of one then making it carbs is probably the healthier option. It's perfectly possible to eat a fair amount of fibre without eating a lot of nutritive carbs - I've logged 24g of fibre but only 13g of net carbs so far today.
  • Don26
    Don26 Posts: 46
    40/30/30 is a good place to start.

    No idea what that means
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,900 Member
    I try to have a nice balance.
    I do take out from my carbs to eat more protein (carbs do have nutrition, but is mainly fuel). The carbs that I do eat I try to make sure are high in fiber and very nutritious. I found most of the time they are a bit higher in cals (I have to eat less of them) but are more nutritious for my body. eating less carbs with more nutrition matters more to me than more carbs with less nutrition.
    Fats:
    I do drink whole milk every day and if I eat yogurt it is also whole fat, other than that I take reduced fat. My body does need fat for my skin to stay soft and supple, lips to stay plump and hair to stay shiny and soft :)
  • Eaglesfanintn
    Eaglesfanintn Posts: 813 Member
    40/30/30 is the ratio of where you should get your calories from (at least according to some, I'm not here to opine, just inform).
    40% from carbs, 30% from protein and 30% from fat.
    I'm not sure what's best - I think a lot of it has to do with you and what kind of exercising you're doing. For weight training, I definitely think you should get a lot of protein, and maybe less carbs. For me, most of my exercise comes from running, sometimes long distances and I use a lot of carbs and protein - for recovery and glycogen stores.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,900 Member
    40/30/30 is a good place to start.

    No idea what that means

    That is a ratio, usually carbs%, protein%, fat%.
  • danmoffett
    danmoffett Posts: 110
    I live a low carb high fat lifestyle. I've lost 145 pounds in the past 21 months. My energy level is through the roof.
    Go to dietdoctor.com to learn more about LCHF.
    FORGET 40/30/30. AVOID CARBS!
    Read my weight loss journey on my blog.

    I wish you success

    Dan
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,226 Member
    I wouldn't recommend either if your talking the conventional macro splits of both. I'm lower carb but not very low carb. I consume generally about 200 carbs a day which works out to about 25% and my fat is in the 40's. I'm buling so my carb consumption has increased to about 40% at the moment.
  • CharlieLopez2005
    CharlieLopez2005 Posts: 114
    I know this is a hot button issue with some and I am reluctant to even go here but I have been doing a low fat diet for quite some time now, long before I started logging on here and the weight just isn't coming off. I have always been a low carb guy and have had success with it in the past but it seems to me that it is not as healthy as a diet high in fiber and vegetables and can be hard to stick to. Getting back into body building so I really want to up my protein intake but am not sure if I should switch over to low carb or not. I think it will put me over my calorie allowance...thoughts?

    As a low-carb person myself, my feeling is that if you go over on carbs due to intake of non-starchy vegetables (which are also relatively high in fiber), more power to you--I wouldn't worry about it, in other words. Even on Phase 1 of Atkins, a fair amount of broccoli and romaine lettuce can be eaten before one gets to 25 net carb territory.

    And on a low-carb diet, if done right, you will naturally increase your protein intake while leaning down without need to take any protein shakes or protein bar supplements. In terms of calorie allowance, I wouldn't worry about it at first. I lost 100 lbs and 28% body fat and gained a lot of lean muscle mass (via weight lifting) without tracking my calorie allowance (I just tracked net carbs) until I hit a plateau much later on, then joined MFP.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories