Low Calories, or Low Carbs? What is better.....

I'm really averse to low carb diets for several reasons. First and foremost is your body's need for energy. Without going into a huge bio lesson on ATP in your cells, I'm just going to point out that simple sugars, like carbs, are easy for your body to break down into their chemical components and can be quickly converted into energy for the functions of your body. Other nutrients can be broken down for this, too, but the process takes much longer, and wouldn't you rather have the protein you consume go toward building healthy muscle instead of being used as fuel? My second problem with low-carb dieting, is that it is impossible to maintain long term, and many people who participate in low-carb eating habits gain a lot of weight back once they add carbohydrates back into their diets.

source: my soon-to-be bio degree.

This. Been there done that.

i think alot of people eat too many carbs. but everyone should eat a balanced diet. I usually aim for 100 g of carbs and 100+ grams of protein a day. I dont really care abotu how little or how many calories i eat as long as its under my TDEE.

I have to watch carbs. Even if my weight does not change eating carbs, I start to gain my inches back. Carbs are bad for me. I can do a few HEALTHY carbs once and while, but I live low carb for the most part. It's all about your body and what it reacts to.

I love that book In Defense of Food! It really opened my eyes. I try to eat as close to mother earth as possible and that includes a little wheat and other grains/carbs..even some white potatoes..It is a great book!

I'm trying to eat my carbs(good ones) in the morning anf afternoon to fuel energy for the day. At night or my dinner..I try to limit the carbs since I am usually going to retire and dont need the amount of carbs most dinners provide. That way I feel I still get benefits of good grains and the vitamins from them but also keep myself from over eating them when they are not needed. I'm no scientist and I just started. I am highly adverse to No carbs in the diet!

I'm really averse to low carb diets for several reasons. First and foremost is your body's need for energy. Without going into a huge bio lesson on ATP in your cells, I'm just going to point out that simple sugars, like carbs, are easy for your body to break down into their chemical components and can be quickly converted into energy for the functions of your body. Other nutrients can be broken down for this, too, but the process takes much longer, and wouldn't you rather have the protein you consume go toward building healthy muscle instead of being used as fuel? My second problem with low-carb dieting, is that it is impossible to maintain long term, and many people who participate in low-carb eating habits gain a lot of weight back once they add carbohydrates back into their diets.

source: my soon-to-be bio degree.

This. Been there done that.

There is no need for much carbs to be used as fuel unless you are going for peak anaerobic performance. If you are a sprinter or powerlifter, then it might matter. Otherwise your body within a couple weeks will adapt to burning mostly fat. I am able to run at 80% of my heart rate and still burn mostly fat. The amount of protein needed for fuel is trivial compared to how much fat will be burned. Just simply up your protein intake once going low-carb and it will offset any muscle loss. Keep lifting as well. I have gotten stronger and I am faster during my long distance running than I was a few months ago.

My personal experience is that my performance suffered on a low-carb diet. I could literally work out one day and be at X heart rate at a certain speed, then the next day, eat carbs, work out, and be at a lower heart rate at the same speed. This implies that my body has to work much harder for the energy required when I am on a low carb diet. I asked the professsor of my kinesiology biodynamics course about my potential athletic performance suffering, and he informed me that I could still do many things, but that my performance would not be as good. If you're happy with what you do, that's great, but personally I wanted to work out at my most energetic in order to see the strongest results.
Besides, what I was affirming when i replied was this poster's "second problem" with low-carb dieting. Personally, I could not stick to it longer than four months. I lost A LOT of weight on Atkins, multiple times, but I always got sick of the menu after awhile or got frustrated in the lack of choices ( I have a busy life) and could not adhere to the guidelines.

I'm really averse to low carb diets for several reasons. First and foremost is your body's need for energy. Without going into a huge bio lesson on ATP in your cells, I'm just going to point out that simple sugars, like carbs, are easy for your body to break down into their chemical components and can be quickly converted into energy for the functions of your body. Other nutrients can be broken down for this, too, but the process takes much longer, and wouldn't you rather have the protein you consume go toward building healthy muscle instead of being used as fuel? My second problem with low-carb dieting, is that it is impossible to maintain long term, and many people who participate in low-carb eating habits gain a lot of weight back once they add carbohydrates back into their diets.

source: my soon-to-be bio degree.

This. Been there done that.

There is no need for much carbs to be used as fuel unless you are going for peak anaerobic performance. If you are a sprinter or powerlifter, then it might matter. Otherwise your body within a couple weeks will adapt to burning mostly fat. I am able to run at 80% of my heart rate and still burn mostly fat. The amount of protein needed for fuel is trivial compared to how much fat will be burned. Just simply up your protein intake once going low-carb and it will offset any muscle loss. Keep lifting as well. I have gotten stronger and I am faster during my long distance running than I was a few months ago.

My personal experience is that my performance suffered on a low-carb diet. I could literally work out one day and be at X heart rate at a certain speed, then the next day, eat carbs, work out, and be at a lower heart rate at the same speed. This implies that my body has to work much harder for the energy required when I am on a low carb diet. I asked the professsor of my kinesiology biodynamics course about my potential athletic performance suffering, and he informed me that I could still do many things, but that my performance would not be as good. If you're happy with what you do, that's great, but personally I wanted to work out at my most energetic in order to see the strongest results.
Besides, what I was affirming when i replied was this poster's "second problem" with low-carb dieting. Personally, I could not stick to it longer than four months. I lost A LOT of weight on Atkins, multiple times, but I always got sick of the menu after awhile or got frustrated in the lack of choices ( I have a busy life) and could not adhere to the guidelines.

If you don't give yourself time to adapt to the diet, then performance will suffer. It took me 3 weeks to perform as well as I did on a high-carb diet. Some people take even longer, even up to 6 weeks.

I am still stuggling but when my diabetic husband, when to dietition, they told him contrary to what they use to say counting carbs were the only thing that counts with him. He has been a diabetic for 55 years. Things are turning around for his diabetious.

Bump to read later

I'm really averse to low carb diets for several reasons. First and foremost is your body's need for energy. Without going into a huge bio lesson on ATP in your cells, I'm just going to point out that simple sugars, like carbs, are easy for your body to break down into their chemical components and can be quickly converted into energy for the functions of your body. Other nutrients can be broken down for this, too, but the process takes much longer, and wouldn't you rather have the protein you consume go toward building healthy muscle instead of being used as fuel? My second problem with low-carb dieting, is that it is impossible to maintain long term, and many people who participate in low-carb eating habits gain a lot of weight back once they add carbohydrates back into their diets.

source: my soon-to-be bio degree.

This. Been there done that.

There is no need for much carbs to be used as fuel unless you are going for peak anaerobic performance. If you are a sprinter or powerlifter, then it might matter. Otherwise your body within a couple weeks will adapt to burning mostly fat. I am able to run at 80% of my heart rate and still burn mostly fat. The amount of protein needed for fuel is trivial compared to how much fat will be burned. Just simply up your protein intake once going low-carb and it will offset any muscle loss. Keep lifting as well. I have gotten stronger and I am faster during my long distance running than I was a few months ago.

My personal experience is that my performance suffered on a low-carb diet. I could literally work out one day and be at X heart rate at a certain speed, then the next day, eat carbs, work out, and be at a lower heart rate at the same speed. This implies that my body has to work much harder for the energy required when I am on a low carb diet. I asked the professsor of my kinesiology biodynamics course about my potential athletic performance suffering, and he informed me that I could still do many things, but that my performance would not be as good. If you're happy with what you do, that's great, but personally I wanted to work out at my most energetic in order to see the strongest results.
Besides, what I was affirming when i replied was this poster's "second problem" with low-carb dieting. Personally, I could not stick to it longer than four months. I lost A LOT of weight on Atkins, multiple times, but I always got sick of the menu after awhile or got frustrated in the lack of choices ( I have a busy life) and could not adhere to the guidelines.

If you don't give yourself time to adapt to the diet, then performance will suffer. It took me 3 weeks to perform as well as I did on a high-carb diet. Some people take even longer, even up to 6 weeks.

I was on the diet for 4 months, twice.

I was on the diet for 4 months, twice.

Too many variables at play here in your case. Low-carb doesn't go well with everybody. But still, I don't like to hear when experts tell others that low-carb diets cause lethargy or decrease performance, because most people who respond well to the diet (at least weight-wise) also significantly improve their performance and feel more energetic, likely because their cells are no longer starved since fat stores are no longer inhibited by excess insulin. But for aerobic activity, carbs are just not that necessary.

I was on the diet for 4 months, twice.

Too many variables at play here in your case. Low-carb doesn't go well with everybody. But still, I don't like to hear when experts tell others that low-carb diets cause lethargy or decrease performance, because most people who respond well to the diet (at least weight-wise) also significantly improve their performance and feel more energetic, likely because their cells are no longer starved since fat stores are no longer inhibited by excess insulin. But for aerobic activity, carbs are just not that necessary.

This is so true. I was lethargic eating a high carb diet, but now that I'm off grains and sugars I feel awesome! and I get up every morning before work to do cardio and have more energy than ever! (i'm insulin resistant)

This person is incorrect about the biology of energy. The primary source of fuel the body uses to make ATP is dietary fat. Dietary carbs are second.

Care to back that up there, sparky?

Healthy eating and portion control.:flowerforyou:

The biggest thing for me is craving junk food. Since the New Year I have cut out all refined sugar and still count my calories. I find that since I cut out "bad" carbs and eat more protein and veggies I don't feel starving all the time. I am better able to control myself when the junk food is around. Part of the problem that has led to my weight gain is that I have absolutely no will power when there is something yummy at my disposal.

I still get ample carbs to fuel my body from the right sources (fruit, sweet potatoes, Quinoa, ect) and I try to chose carbs that metabolize slower. I also try to eat my carbs during the day and have low carb dinners. So far this works for me.

Everyone's body is different and my body just seems to like to hang on to carbs. A no carb diet is dangerous and unhealthy. I notice now that I look at how many grams of sugar are in food and make decisions based on that. Ultimately you have to do what works for you and your body type keeping in mind that you still need to take in the right amount of calories.