Low Carb?

Low Carbs is so last decade.

I did it then and lost bunches of weight, had a headache all the time, no energy and put it all back on with lots of friends.

Some people may have been more successful, so Bump.

Carb cycling is a nice balance. If you stick to a lower (not Atkins-level) carb intake 5 days of the week, and increase it two days, it has been shown in a study to burn fat better than the popular Mediterranean diet. Carb cycling has been used by bodybuilders for a long time.

Low carb is fine if you can sustain it. But if your intention is to do it short term, then you could have a hard time not gaining the weight back. But, I'd still suggest trackiing calories as well. Gram for gram fat has more than twice the calories of carbs. And protein has the same calories as carbs. So, unless you eat less calories because you limited carbs, it's not likely to change your weight loss.

I generally eat very low carb simply because I don't eat bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc. Not for any weight loss reason, but because when I eat those things (even the gluten free varieties) I simply do not feel good. My digestion is thrown off, I feel like my head is cloudy, I'm tired and lethargic.

I know that I have a gluten sensitivity, but even non-gluten starches really weigh me down, so I just don't eat em. My diet is basically lean meat, fruits and veggies, eggs, and a little cheese here and there, plus a protein shake after a workout. My carbs are typically somewhere around 75 per day. I don't really aim for any specific #, it just happens to be pretty low since I don't eat processed foods (generally speaking---I am not too good for a slice of greasy pizza, beer, or some Mexican food here and there).

Some people find that they need starches like that to have energy, but for me it's the exact opposite. High protein, lots of veggies, and a couple servings of fruit per day give me tons of energy, keep my mind sharp and active, and keep me going! I have had an easier time losing weight/maintaining muscle mass while eating a low carb diet, so that's a plus too. Whatever you do, it's gotta be a lifestyle change. For me, it's a no brainer just because I feel SO much better, but it isn't realistic for everyone.

ETA: I've set my macros on here to 40% protein, 30% carbs, and 30% fats---that balance has really been great for me, personally.

Low carb takes the joy out of life. And low carb means limiting fruit. Fruit is good for you. And IMO, a diet is not successful if it "worked" for someone. If it is successful, it is "still working" for someone. Anyone can lose weight, not many can keep it off. Try something that works for you. Usually people get tired of low carb, go back to eating normal and gain all the weight back. What a headache. If you go low carb, try limiting yourself to 150 grams per day. Not the super strict 20. Good luck!

I agree. Saying "low carb takes the joy out of life" is very accurate IMO. As with any diet, if you fall off it and go back to your pre-diet eating habits and exercise (or lack of), you have a good chance of gaining the weight back. Keeping it off is all about changing your lifestyle for good.

Carb cycling is a nice balance. If you stick to a lower (not Atkins-level) carb intake 5 days of the week, and increase it two days, it has been shown in a study to burn fat better than the popular Mediterranean diet. Carb cycling has been used by bodybuilders for a long time.

this^^ Saturday and Sunday I eat fruit fruit and more fruit!!!

Also...I think a lot of people hear "low carb" and freak!!! Carbs are not bad, bad carbs are bad!! If you are getting your carbs from healthy sources, great, have carbs, however if you're getting them from pastries and french fries, you're probably not going to have very good results!! I do stay under 100 carbs a day, but that is because I eat lean protein, lots and lots of vegetables, and 2 fruits a day!! Energy is awesome and love it!

you can get alot of good carbs in for 100 carbs a day. fruits and veggies are packed with lots of nutrients for your carb tradeoff, whereas breads and pasta are high carb and calorie dense for less nutrient value. i have been 100 carbs or less and still getting yummy carbs in if the rest of the day is lower in carbs. i had pizza yesterday and a Lime A Rita and was still under 100 carbs. it will be sustainable unless you are a carbaholic. and you will lose weight. :drinker:

MFP recommends 260 for me, I usually eat betweek 80-110 every day, and i lose weight steadily. I dont get headaches and im not more fatigued than usual..

I find that by following a lower carb diet that my blood pressure gets straight back to normal rather than the high that it has been for a long while.
I obviously have some issues with carbs which cause problems with my blood pressure so I have to face the fact that I have got to make a change!

Low carb takes the joy out of life. And low carb means limiting fruit. Fruit is good for you. And IMO, a diet is not successful if it "worked" for someone. If it is successful, it is "still working" for someone. Anyone can lose weight, not many can keep it off. Try something that works for you. Usually people get tired of low carb, go back to eating normal and gain all the weight back. What a headache. If you go low carb, try limiting yourself to 150 grams per day. Not the super strict 20. Good luck!

I agree. Saying "low carb takes the joy out of life" is very accurate IMO. As with any diet, if you fall off it and go back to your pre-diet eating habits and exercise (or lack of), you have a good chance of gaining the weight back. Keeping it off is all about changing your lifestyle for good.

Yup any "diet" takes the "joy" out of life but thats only if food is the only joy in your life. the thing with Low carb is quality, there are plenty of low carb veggies and fruit out there, you just need to be more creative. and as far as teh 20 carbs a day goes, if you read the books or do some research the 20 carbs is just meant for the 2 week induction, yes it is hard but it is meant to kick start. once the induction is over you are supposed to increase the amount on a weekly or biweekly schedual of 5 or 10 carbs, choosing to stay at any level is a personal choice. making sure to eat lots of vegitables of course. if you plateau or start gaining you then assess the amount of carbs and reduce or take a look at the carb quality a cup of pop may have the same carb count as a fuit salad but one will fill you up the other will... well its empty carbs. look for value in your choices, zucchini and cauliflower (google recipies) can easily take the place of rice and pasta or be used as fillers to reduce the amount of rice or pasta you eat. low carb veggies will become your best ally in any low carb diet. I have some really good meal and snack suggestions if you want them.

People are still doing low-carb? huh. flashback to 1999

I think it depends on the person. I have a metabolic syndrome..so it works awesome for me. I did pure Paleo for a month..and lost 10 pounds and 3% body fat.

I then upped my carbs to no more than 150 a day..but the carbs I took in were of the whole grain variety.

I am now doing pure paleo again for another month..to kick my butt in gear. I am not looking to losing weight..more to get more disciplined.

I suggest you do some research and talk to a nutritionist before doing something like this..

People are still doing low-carb? huh. flashback to 1999

You do realize there are different approaches to "low-carb", right? The approach I suggest is a whole food, paleo-esque approach, not the "low-carb" tortilla (aka soy), "low-carb" bagels (aka, I dunno...I guess soy), "low-carb" bread, etc. from once upon a time.

In my opinion, any "processed/box/bag" food approach to diet, regardless of macronutrient profile, is less than optimal.

I am trying to do low carb, abut 75 net g a day but I struggle with calories. Whenever I eat this way, my calories are so low, I have a hard time reaching 1200. I even tried to eat beef for the first time in 20 years to get a calorie boost, I didn't like it. I am trying to get myself to eat larger portions of chicken to get the calories. Everyone keeps recommending nuts (can't eat those) so I really don't know how to do low carb with a reasonable calorie intake.