To Low Carb or Not to Low Carb
Replies
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These debates are usually fun, but filled with things that always make me laugh.
1. The anti-low carb group is usually gloms onto the idea that you need carbs and argues the point as if those going low carb are getting none. Most of us do get plenty of the carbs we need to function, but generally from nuts, veggies and a few select fruits. We cut out sugar and processed crap foods (grains, pastas, etc).
2. Ketosis is NOT THE SAME as Ketoacidosis. It is NOT harmful to the body and can be maintined long term with no measurable ill effects. It is not going to kill anyone, the brain can run on ketones and does just fine and other organs adapt to it just fine.
3. Going back to "Normal" eating will make you gain all the weight back. YEP, it sure can, if your normal was filled with crap you most certainly will. If you learn anything from going low carb you should realize that certain carbs are triggers or are just plain junk. You can increase your carb intake over time, but if kept to veggies, potatoes and some starches but avoid grains and sugar you can have a moderate carb lifestyle and maintain forever. Just watch out for the food that make you want to overeat. You'd never ask a drug addict or alcoholic to go back to their "normal" lifestyle. If you don't think that food/carbs can be an addiction, you're lucky you've never been a habitual overeater/binge eater.
4. Saying that you can't give up breads, pastas, sweets is nothing but a mental block. Many people turn to low carb diets when nothing else works and their life depends on it. Others turn to it because we enjoy it. Saying you can't give something up just sounds like a junky looking for a fix (which again some people are carb junkies).
Oh well, to each their own I suppose. The debate will never be resolved here that's for sure.
Also it won't settle anything, but the USDA Recommended Daily Intake for carbs is 300g. That's a ton IMO. I fall in the VLC (Very low carb) camp trying to stay between 20-60g a day.0 -
Anybody can try anything ... what works for one may or may not work for another ... the truth is we all have to find our own path. But knowledge is power and as you continue down your path to a healthier lifestyle ... you will learn that " carbs " are necessary to engage in a healthy ratio and fuel your body.
:flowerforyou:
So wait, find your own path, but as long as you realize that the path with carbs is the right one? Hrm, mixed signals much?0 -
:drinker: ITS NOT FOR EVERYONE BUT ITS PERFECT FOR ME!!0
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That's what I am doing now. Love it! for a few reasons:
1. The huge losses (especially in the beginning) provide motivation to keep going.
2. I am forced to walk away from cookies, candy, and other sugary treats this way. The whole "everything in moderation" mantra only works if you can handle it, but I am truly a food addict and need restrictions to stop myself from bingeing.
3. I am less likely to go through a drive-thru or snack on junk food without thinking, because finding low-carb foods is just not as easy as grabbbing something from the vending machine.
4. Nothin about meat, cheese, eggs, or vegetables makes my body want to overeat. I can go through a family-size bag of Doritos or package of Oreos in one sitting, but I have NEVER EVER EVER felt the need to gorge myself on green beans LOL.
5. I have a ot more energy and focus when I eat low-carb. I am not groggy or sleepy all day, and I know longer feel like a bear dragged out of hibernation prematurely. There is truly a pep in my step.
Low-carb is not for everyone, but it's for this chick
Couldnt have said it better myself :-)
meeeeeeeeeee tooooooooo
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I would not be able to do either low or no carb. I'm not made up for it. In about four hours I'd be saying, "Hand over the carbs and no one gets hurt." But I burn everything I eat, either by running or weight training.0
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I'm not going to get drawn into a debate on this so, to the OP, what seems to work best for me is eating moderate carbs. I generally eat form 80-100 grams/day. Although I zig-zag my calories so, on higher calorie days, I also eat more carbs. I still eat bread, pasta, an occasional potato, even cake, pie, cookies, pastry, just in controlled portions and not every day. On my lower calorie (thus lower carb, too) days, most of my carbs come from dairy and vegetables. My dieting style could be deemed flexibile per Lyle McDonald's recommendations and it seems to work well for me.
I exercise pretty intensely and don't find that I need more carbs to do well in my normal routines. I am supposed to be training for back to back century rides this summer and am trying to increase my bicycling miles. Unfortunately, the weather has been horrible and hasn't cooperated well for getting too many of these long rides in but, when I do them, they tend to fall on my higher calorie days so, thus, I eat more carbs that day, too. Anyway, it seems to be working fine for me and I have energy for my workouts.
I think you should just play around with your carb level and see what works best for you. You might do just fine on your running on 50 grams/day or you might need 150 grays/day. So do a week at one level and see how it impacts your runs. Then raise or lower and see how that impacts your runs, and so on, until you find the level that works best for you.0 -
SMART carbs!0
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Thank you for the responses so far. I see myself in a few of them.
I guess my main reason for asking is to help me justify going back on the low carb plan. The hard part about it is eating different from the rest of the family. Spaghetti and hamburger helper are quick and easy meals for the kids and make it hard to stay away from the carbs.
You can "adapt" your meal when your family eats those things. I cook those items frequently for my family too, but when we have hamburger helper, I just reserve some of the cooked hamburger and mix in some cheese and oregano (or whatever spices you want) and eat that while the other are having HH (they don't even notice the lesser amt of meat in their dinner.) With spaghetti, I make a thick meat sauce and just eat the sauce with parmesan cheese. The spaghetti sauce adds some carb, but it's allowable. You're eating LOW carb, not NO carb. That way I can make easy meals for my family but still eat on my plan!0 -
These debates are usually fun, but filled with things that always make me laugh.
1. The anti-low carb group is usually gloms onto the idea that you need carbs and argues the point as if those going low carb are getting none. Most of us do get plenty of the carbs we need to function, but generally from nuts, veggies and a few select fruits. We cut out sugar and processed crap foods (grains, pastas, etc).
2. Ketosis is NOT THE SAME as Ketoacidosis. It is NOT harmful to the body and can be maintined long term with no measurable ill effects. It is not going to kill anyone, the brain can run on ketones and does just fine and other organs adapt to it just fine.
3. Going back to "Normal" eating will make you gain all the weight back. YEP, it sure can, if your normal was filled with crap you most certainly will. If you learn anything from going low carb you should realize that certain carbs are triggers or are just plain junk. You can increase your carb intake over time, but if kept to veggies, potatoes and some starches but avoid grains and sugar you can have a moderate carb lifestyle and maintain forever. Just watch out for the food that make you want to overeat. You'd never ask a drug addict or alcoholic to go back to their "normal" lifestyle. If you don't think that food/carbs can be an addiction, you're lucky you've never been a habitual overeater/binge eater.
4. Saying that you can't give up breads, pastas, sweets is nothing but a mental block. Many people turn to low carb diets when nothing else works and their life depends on it. Others turn to it because we enjoy it. Saying you can't give something up just sounds like a junky looking for a fix (which again some people are carb junkies).
Oh well, to each their own I suppose. The debate will never be resolved here that's for sure.
Also it won't settle anything, but the USDA Recommended Daily Intake for carbs is 300g. That's a ton IMO. I fall in the VLC (Very low carb) camp trying to stay between 20-60g a day.
I absolutely agree with everything here! Well said!0 -
These debates are usually fun, but filled with things that always make me laugh.
1. The anti-low carb group is usually gloms onto the idea that you need carbs and argues the point as if those going low carb are getting none. Most of us do get plenty of the carbs we need to function, but generally from nuts, veggies and a few select fruits. We cut out sugar and processed crap foods (grains, pastas, etc).
2. Ketosis is NOT THE SAME as Ketoacidosis. It is NOT harmful to the body and can be maintined long term with no measurable ill effects. It is not going to kill anyone, the brain can run on ketones and does just fine and other organs adapt to it just fine.
3. Going back to "Normal" eating will make you gain all the weight back. YEP, it sure can, if your normal was filled with crap you most certainly will. If you learn anything from going low carb you should realize that certain carbs are triggers or are just plain junk. You can increase your carb intake over time, but if kept to veggies, potatoes and some starches but avoid grains and sugar you can have a moderate carb lifestyle and maintain forever. Just watch out for the food that make you want to overeat. You'd never ask a drug addict or alcoholic to go back to their "normal" lifestyle. If you don't think that food/carbs can be an addiction, you're lucky you've never been a habitual overeater/binge eater.
4. Saying that you can't give up breads, pastas, sweets is nothing but a mental block. Many people turn to low carb diets when nothing else works and their life depends on it. Others turn to it because we enjoy it. Saying you can't give something up just sounds like a junky looking for a fix (which again some people are carb junkies).
Oh well, to each their own I suppose. The debate will never be resolved here that's for sure.
Also it won't settle anything, but the USDA Recommended Daily Intake for carbs is 300g. That's a ton IMO. I fall in the VLC (Very low carb) camp trying to stay between 20-60g a day.
I absolutely agree with everything here! Well said!
Well said? I thought you said the exact same type of posts were inciting.0 -
i too have had great success's with Atkins in the past and its great if you need to lose allot of weight quickly, but its incredibly hard to do and maintain, that's why i switched over to calorie counting, i find with calorie counting i eat allot less carbs (pasta,bread rice, ect) Because their high in calories, portion control is everything. i find that Atkins is not really a long term solution for most people0
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That's what I am doing now. Love it! for a few reasons:
1. The huge losses (especially in the beginning) provide motivation to keep going.
2. I am forced to walk away from cookies, candy, and other sugary treats this way. The whole "everything in moderation" mantra only works if you can handle it, but I am truly a food addict and need restrictions to stop myself from bingeing.
3. I am less likely to go through a drive-thru or snack on junk food without thinking, because finding low-carb foods is just not as easy as grabbbing something from the vending machine.
4. Nothin about meat, cheese, eggs, or vegetables makes my body want to overeat. I can go through a family-size bag of Doritos or package of Oreos in one sitting, but I have NEVER EVER EVER felt the need to gorge myself on green beans LOL.
5. I have a ot more energy and focus when I eat low-carb. I am not groggy or sleepy all day, and I know longer feel like a bear dragged out of hibernation prematurely. There is truly a pep in my step.
Low-carb is not for everyone, but it's for this chick
Couldnt have said it better myself :-)
meeeeeeeeeee tooooooooo
Nice THANK YOU!:drinker:0 -
These debates are usually fun, but filled with things that always make me laugh.
1. The anti-low carb group is usually gloms onto the idea that you need carbs and argues the point as if those going low carb are getting none. Most of us do get plenty of the carbs we need to function, but generally from nuts, veggies and a few select fruits. We cut out sugar and processed crap foods (grains, pastas, etc).
2. Ketosis is NOT THE SAME as Ketoacidosis. It is NOT harmful to the body and can be maintined long term with no measurable ill effects. It is not going to kill anyone, the brain can run on ketones and does just fine and other organs adapt to it just fine.
3. Going back to "Normal" eating will make you gain all the weight back. YEP, it sure can, if your normal was filled with crap you most certainly will. If you learn anything from going low carb you should realize that certain carbs are triggers or are just plain junk. You can increase your carb intake over time, but if kept to veggies, potatoes and some starches but avoid grains and sugar you can have a moderate carb lifestyle and maintain forever. Just watch out for the food that make you want to overeat. You'd never ask a drug addict or alcoholic to go back to their "normal" lifestyle. If you don't think that food/carbs can be an addiction, you're lucky you've never been a habitual overeater/binge eater.
4. Saying that you can't give up breads, pastas, sweets is nothing but a mental block. Many people turn to low carb diets when nothing else works and their life depends on it. Others turn to it because we enjoy it. Saying you can't give something up just sounds like a junky looking for a fix (which again some people are carb junkies).
Oh well, to each their own I suppose. The debate will never be resolved here that's for sure.
Also it won't settle anything, but the USDA Recommended Daily Intake for carbs is 300g. That's a ton IMO. I fall in the VLC (Very low carb) camp trying to stay between 20-60g a day.
I absolutely agree with everything here! Well said!
Nicely said!0 -
Low carb makes me cranky and unmotivated.... WHY? because every cell in your brain runs on carbs... i think even every cell in your body runs on glucose... Stick with fruits and veggies if you want to cut out carbs, eat as MUCH of that as you want, just cut out the starchy ones instead if anything
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I have lost weight just fine working out and counting calories faithfully. Anyone I've seen who's gone low-carb gains it back as soon as they stop the diet. I'm not saying it can'tbe done because I'm sure it can, but just like the saying "there's no magic pill" well there's also no magic diet. Just healthy eating, low calorie and cardio mixed with strength will do the trick. Good luck.0
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I don't really see a point in low carb. It seems to me low carb dieting means that people end up cutting out bad carbs and excess food, so they do lose weight, but probably could have lost weigh just by cleaning up their diet anyway. Besides, I do so much cardio, I feel like low carb would be detrimental to my workouts.
I'm all about good carbs and whole grain, and I think those eaten in moderation are fine. I have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast pretty much every morning, and most of my other carbs come from vegetables and fruits, and maybe some rice or a tortilla later in the day.0 -
Low carb makes me cranky and unmotivated.... WHY? because every cell in your brain runs on carbs... i think even every cell in your body runs on glucose... Stick with fruits and veggies if you want to cut out carbs, eat as MUCH of that as you want, just cut out the starchy ones instead if anything 0
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These debates are usually fun, but filled with things that always make me laugh.
1. The anti-low carb group is usually gloms onto the idea that you need carbs and argues the point as if those going low carb are getting none. Most of us do get plenty of the carbs we need to function, but generally from nuts, veggies and a few select fruits. We cut out sugar and processed crap foods (grains, pastas, etc).
2. Ketosis is NOT THE SAME as Ketoacidosis. It is NOT harmful to the body and can be maintined long term with no measurable ill effects. It is not going to kill anyone, the brain can run on ketones and does just fine and other organs adapt to it just fine.
3. Going back to "Normal" eating will make you gain all the weight back. YEP, it sure can, if your normal was filled with crap you most certainly will. If you learn anything from going low carb you should realize that certain carbs are triggers or are just plain junk. You can increase your carb intake over time, but if kept to veggies, potatoes and some starches but avoid grains and sugar you can have a moderate carb lifestyle and maintain forever. Just watch out for the food that make you want to overeat. You'd never ask a drug addict or alcoholic to go back to their "normal" lifestyle. If you don't think that food/carbs can be an addiction, you're lucky you've never been a habitual overeater/binge eater.
4. Saying that you can't give up breads, pastas, sweets is nothing but a mental block. Many people turn to low carb diets when nothing else works and their life depends on it. Others turn to it because we enjoy it. Saying you can't give something up just sounds like a junky looking for a fix (which again some people are carb junkies).
Oh well, to each their own I suppose. The debate will never be resolved here that's for sure.
Also it won't settle anything, but the USDA Recommended Daily Intake for carbs is 300g. That's a ton IMO. I fall in the VLC (Very low carb) camp trying to stay between 20-60g a day.
I absolutely agree with everything here! Well said!
Me too...and, will add....no one is saying that a low carber will NEVER indulge in something sugar or whatever....but it is not a part of every day life...it is a special occasion or something...funny too, I generally can have a taste and be satisfied...I no longer have to have a ton of it! That is just part of a healthy lifestyle in general...not just low carb 0 -
That's what I am doing now. Love it! for a few reasons:
1. The huge losses (especially in the beginning) provide motivation to keep going.
2. I am forced to walk away from cookies, candy, and other sugary treats this way. The whole "everything in moderation" mantra only works if you can handle it, but I am truly a food addict and need restrictions to stop myself from bingeing.
3. I am less likely to go through a drive-thru or snack on junk food without thinking, because finding low-carb foods is just not as easy as grabbbing something from the vending machine.
4. Nothin about meat, cheese, eggs, or vegetables makes my body want to overeat. I can go through a family-size bag of Doritos or package of Oreos in one sitting, but I have NEVER EVER EVER felt the need to gorge myself on green beans LOL.
5. I have a ot more energy and focus when I eat low-carb. I am not groggy or sleepy all day, and I know longer feel like a bear dragged out of hibernation prematurely. There is truly a pep in my step.
Low-carb is not for everyone, but it's for this chick
I agree with all of the above.0 -
I have lost weight just fine working out and counting calories faithfully. Anyone I've seen who's gone low-carb gains it back as soon as they stop the diet. I'm not saying it can'tbe done because I'm sure it can, but just like the saying "there's no magic pill" well there's also no magic diet. Just healthy eating, low calorie and cardio mixed with strength will do the trick. Good luck.
Not true for all people though....I work out, stay within my macros and calories, and still did not start loosing again until I restricted carbs...some people are just more resistant...especially diabetics 0 -
Bump. It sounds tempting but I don't think I could do it as a lifestyle change, therefore I think I would put weight back on afterwards. Correct me if i'm wrong.
When you cut out carbs, you drop water, which returns after you reintroduce carbs. That's not to say that the fat you lose will come back.
About 4 pounds would be coming back on after you are done low carbing. Thats what ive read. 4 pounds is about what you "lose" the 1st week in water weight + some fat pounds. If you go back to eating ridiculous carbs after, of course youll gain. A lot of people. myself included, lower carbs to get thier cravings in check. By lowering my carbs, I dont crave the desserts or anything after about 10 days of low carb. If you are following a low carb diet, most of them reintroduce GOOD carbs after certain weeks. A lot of people think that low carb diets leave carbs out indefinetly. People who do say, atkins, wrong will stay on the first phase, then not learn what amount of carbs thier body can maintain on, and regain weight. Some people do it right, and learn the grams of carbs their body likes to maintain weight.0 -
I dont think there is a right or wrong answer to your question. Everyone is different and each body processes food differently.
Personally, if i eat alot of carbs then i'll gain its because i have pcos. I dont cut them out completely but tend to just have one carb based meal a day instead of at every meal. Hope that makes sense!
What is classed as low carb anyways?? Most foods including fruit and veg have carbs in them so wouldnt cutting them out completely be unhealthy?
Hope this helps.0 -
I've tried Atkins before and made it almost 2 weeks, but I love fruit and I tend to get insanely angry and *****y when I severely limit my carbs and I personally don't lose weight any faster. I don't track my carbs anymore, but I don't eat a lot of carbs from grains; my carbs come mainly from fruit, veggies, and yogurt, and the occasional vitatop muffin lol. I just tend to feel better, less bloated, and have fewer cravings when I don't eat a lot of grains. That being said, I also know people who eat low carb and have no problems with it whatsoever. I think it's just a matter of personal preference and finding what works best for you.
What you just described, (as in what you eat) is what MANY of the "low carbers" eat....just cutting down on the grains and getting the carbs from healthy sources...
Not every low carb eater is on the Atkins induction for life...eating Paleo or Atkins or South Beach is a more restricted low carb lifestyle....IMHO.
Anyway, the debate will go on forever...in the words of Sheri Lewis "This is the song that never ends...it just goes on and on my friends...." (you know the rest!)0 -
I don't really see a point in low carb. It seems to me low carb dieting means that people end up cutting out bad carbs and excess food, so they do lose weight, but probably could have lost weigh just by cleaning up their diet anyway. Besides, I do so much cardio, I feel like low carb would be detrimental to my workouts.
I'm all about good carbs and whole grain, and I think those eaten in moderation are fine. I have a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast pretty much every morning, and most of my other carbs come from vegetables and fruits, and maybe some rice or a tortilla later in the day.
There's nothing more detrimental to me than eating something like oatmeal for breakfast. I can get away with a more carbs later in the day but not at breakfast. It starts off a blood sugar roller-coaster that is nasty. Extreme hunger, fluctuating energy levels, sleepiness, headaches, trouble concentrating or focusing on tasks, yada yada...all kinds of bad stuff happens to me if I eat a breakfast that clearly works for you.
Just my way of illustrating that one should never assume that their own experience means that everyone else will have the same experience.0
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