Low Carb diet

Jazziemay · July 2012

Do you think low carb is bad. I mean I did it a couple years ago and lost 33 pounds. I've only gained 10 of them back, but keep losing them again. RIght now I am staying under 20 carbs a day or at least trying to. for two weeks then I will start bringing certain foods back in slowly, but is it bad to make yourself stay under a certain amount for too long. Thanks for input

Nutrition1st · July 2012

Weight isn't the most important factor when it comes to fitness. It's being healthy. If your body fat percentage is good and vitals are ok, then the low carb diet is fine for you. If the numbers on the scale are low, but internally you become pre-diabetic or develop other health risks, I would use more moderation. Each gram of Carbs holds 4 grams of water. By going low carb it's possible that a person drops 30 lbs of water and 3 lbs of fat. So as long as your healthy, then stick with the nutrition plan that works best for you.

Sarah_Wins · July 2012

I've been at 20 or under for 9 months, and my doctor watches my levels closely, and everything (cholesterol and blood pressure included) have gotten steadily better than they've been in years. In this forum, you will get tons of naysayers, just ignore them and read the proven science behind this WOE. I highly recommend Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution.

wftiger · July 2012

Nope. I have done it for 8 months and it has been nothing but good for me. It makes me eat more veggies and I have actually found some I like from it.

Elle_45 · July 2012

I just recently starting seeing a dietician and she told me I wasn't losing weight because my carbs were to low. I was eating around 60 a day. I should be having between 150-180 carbs a day. But they needed to be healthy carbs such as fruits (she said no bananas or raisins) and whole grains. She said that carbs are what burns fat. The only other limit she gave me was 60+ grams of protein, and to choose foods with less than 7 grams of fat.

Hope that helps some. I'm just getting started so I hope it works.

wftiger · July 2012

I just recently starting seeing a dietician and she told me I wasn't losing weight because my carbs were to low. I was eating around 60 a day. I should be having between 150-180 carbs a day. But they needed to be healthy carbs such as fruits (she said no bananas or raisins) and whole grains. She said that carbs are what burns fat. The only other limit she gave me was 60+ grams of protein, and to choose foods with less than 7 grams of fat.

Hope that helps some. I'm just getting started so I hope it works.

You might want to find a new dietician. That information is completely wrong. Carbs do NOT burn fat.

imaspaceguy90 · July 2012

I am a believer of doing what works. I have done atkins a few times. The hardest part of doing the atkins diet was the restriction in food choices. And the fact that if I cheated one time, it would show on the scale alot more. I could eat a whole chicken and still not feel satisfied, just sick from the overdose of protein. I believe simple carbs are bad however, because of the society we live in, I try to live with them within reasonable amounts. The good news about atkins is that you get the metabolic advantage of ketosis which burns a extra few hundred calories per day. Good luck on whichever avenue of weight loss you choose. For me, it is staying around 1200-1500 calories and eating whatever I want but with moderation and no candies and limited sugar.

_stephanie0 · July 2012

CARBS ARE NOT BAD!! sugar is bad. processed foods are bad...
seriously, VEGETABLES have carbs. FRUITS have tons of carbs.

you wont get fat eating broccoli apples and oatmeal.

carbs give you energy.

i believe fats carbs and proteins play a vital part in health.

id say if your worried about carb intake, try to shoot for something like 40% pro 30%carb 30%fat

caraiselite · July 2012

low carb is not bad at all (if you do it correctly)

a lot of people muck it up, don't do it right, say it doesn't work it will kill you, blahblah.
screw them. they're idiots.

if it works for you, do it =]

julslea · July 2012

I have been doing low carb since June 18th and I am loving it. I am not going as low as Atkins but trying to keep my total carbs at 70 a day. I feel great with this amount and feel it is something I can live with forever.

Crochetluvr · July 2012

Do you think low carb is bad?

I did very low carbs for a month just to get rid of the cravings for the starchy carbs and refined sugar. Then I started adding back in some whole grain carbs in moderation and a little sugar as a treat. I try to keep the number to no more than 100 g a day because of my diabetes...usually its a little less. And I lose weight. For me, its the best method, but now necessary because of the T2.

vcreinert · July 2012

Be careful of ketosis which can cause kidney damage or even failure. You need to burn carbs to keep your metabolism up and lose the weight. Note people who go on low carbs, end up burning protein which has no effect on the metabolism and if they aren't really careful they gain the weight back easily as their metabolism slows down.

HorseWithNoName27 · July 2012

I think carbs are OK if they are coming from good sources. In other words, if by "carbs" you mean soda, white bread, white rice, cookies, chips, fried potatoes, etc., those are bad food choices. If you mean the carbs in whole-wheat sprouted-grain bread (pretty hard to find outside of health food stores), beans, brown rice, fruits and veggies, etc., then I don't think carbs are bad.

It's all about what works for you, is sustainable long-term, and is healthy. As long as you are physically healthy and getting enough nutrients/calories/exercise, more power to you. I would just avoid low-carb by the same principle as low-fat...we need both macronutrients, at least in small doses.

Elle_45 · July 2012

Thank you _Stephanie0, you are exactly right.

Roger8086 · July 2012

I have to agree with wftiger about finding a new dietician. Even better, I would go talk to my doctor and get a basic check up complete with blood work. I myself am on a low carbohydrate diet and head in every three to six months.

Doctors aren't just for fixing you when you're sick, they can help you improve your health too. ^_^

Elle_45 · July 2012

My Doctor is the one who sent me to this Dietician.

spartangirl79 · July 2012

I just recently starting seeing a dietician and she told me I wasn't losing weight because my carbs were to low. I was eating around 60 a day. I should be having between 150-180 carbs a day. But they needed to be healthy carbs such as fruits (she said no bananas or raisins) and whole grains. She said that carbs are what burns fat. The only other limit she gave me was 60+ grams of protein, and to choose foods with less than 7 grams of fat.

Hope that helps some. I'm just getting started so I hope it works.

You might want to find a new dietician. That information is completely wrong. Carbs do NOT burn fat.

^^^^^^^True story. Carbs do not burn fat. WTF?

_stephanie0 · July 2012

http://www.livestrong.com/article/265016-why-you-need-carbohydrates-in-your-diet/

spartangirl79 · July 2012

My Doctor is the one who sent me to this Dietician.

In general, doctors get little to no nutrition, "diet" or weight loss education unless they are specializing in that area.

kmm7309 · July 2012

My doctor recommended 100-130 carbs a day, because she said your brain needs about this many to do its job, and that's why Atkin's is hard on the body. I eat a little less than that, but substantially less than I used to. I say do it, and if you don't have any weird brain things happening (losing focus, memory problems, etc) then it must not be that bad!

kjanoudi · July 2012

I usually do low carb for short periods of time, 15-20 days at a time usually. I find that is usually enough to drop a significant amount of weight and body fat. After that i go back to my usual 40/30/30 carbs/fats/protein diet. It works for me, i have kept the weight off.

Any longer than 15-20 days without fruit and i start to go insane though...

kmm7309 · July 2012

Do you think low carb is bad?

I did very low carbs for a month just to get rid of the cravings for the starchy carbs and refined sugar. Then I started adding back in some whole grain carbs in moderation and a little sugar as a treat. I try to keep the number to no more than 100 g a day because of my diabetes...usually its a little less. And I lose weight. For me, its the best method, but now necessary because of the T2.

I have insulin resistance because of PCOS, so I did the same thing ^^ detoxed completely than slowly added back. I find that when I have about 30 carbs at one time, I don't feel bad, but if I eat too many more than that, I feel like crap. Eating whole wheat has really helped!

kjanoudi · July 2012

Also, when doing low carb, you *want* to achieve ketosis, as this is the "fat as fuel" burning that you're looking for. However, when in ketosis, you *NEED* to be getting a lot of water to help your kidneys along.

vytamindi · July 2012

Be careful of ketosis which can cause kidney damage or even failure. You need to burn carbs to keep your metabolism up and lose the weight. Note people who go on low carbs, end up burning protein which has no effect on the metabolism and if they aren't really careful they gain the weight back easily as their metabolism slows down.

You're thinking of ketoacidosis, not ketosis. Ketosis is when you deplete your glycogen stores and use stored fat as fuel. Ketoacidosis is the result of extreme or uncontrolled ketosis (usually by diabetes or alcohol). If you're making sure you stay under 20 grams of carbs by eating whole foods, this shouldn't be a problem.

I've been in ketosis 42 days straight and have not died.

kjanoudi · July 2012

An easier alternative to low carb is trying to simply eliminate any extra sugar from your diet. Try taking out simple carbs first, and see if that helps get your weight down. It's sort of a middle ground, but it may work nearly as well.

LeggyKettleBabe · July 2012

Be careful of ketosis which can cause kidney damage or even failure. You need to burn carbs to keep your metabolism up and lose the weight. Note people who go on low carbs, end up burning protein which has no effect on the metabolism and if they aren't really careful they gain the weight back easily as their metabolism slows down.

You're thinking of ketoacidosis, not ketosis. Ketosis is when you deplete your glycogen stores and use stored fat as fuel. Ketoacidosis is the result of extreme or uncontrolled ketosis (usually by diabetes or alcohol). If you're making sure you stay under 20 grams of carbs by eating whole foods, this shouldn't be a problem.

I've been in ketosis 42 days straight and have not died.

Prime example why people not trained in the medical field should not be giving medical advice.

toysbigkid · July 2012

bump

Nixenne · July 2012

Be careful of ketosis which can cause kidney damage or even failure. You need to burn carbs to keep your metabolism up and lose the weight. Note people who go on low carbs, end up burning protein which has no effect on the metabolism and if they aren't really careful they gain the weight back easily as their metabolism slows down.

You're thinking of ketoacidosis, not ketosis. Ketosis is when you deplete your glycogen stores and use stored fat as fuel. Ketoacidosis is the result of extreme or uncontrolled ketosis (usually by diabetes or alcohol). If you're making sure you stay under 20 grams of carbs by eating whole foods, this shouldn't be a problem.

I've been in ketosis 42 days straight and have not died.

Thank you, you beat me to it.

It's funny how many misconceptions people have, even nowadays.

It's only been a little over a month for me (started keto on June 6), but I've already seen great results. Not just in weight loss, but in terms of how I feel, and how much less I eat without even trying. I fill up on green veggies, fats and protein, and really don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

jtakingcareofherself · July 2012

http://www.livestrong.com/article/265016-why-you-need-carbohydrates-in-your-diet/

There is nothing in there about "carbs burning fat".

In the opinion of this author (who has a B.Sc and a M.Sc), "the body can turn excess fat or protein into carbohydrates". So it's clearly stated that it's not necessary in ingest carbohydrates to get rid of excess fat. According to this author, "it is best to obtain adequate carbohydrates from your diet". The word "best" is a matter of opinion. In this case, Mandy's opinion.

Ketogenic diets have been well studied, and I suggest anyone interested in this topic, should research them and figure out if they are best for them. Then, go ask your dietician to explain them to you and see if they have been researching them too, and paying attention. Not all opinions are created equal. MFP is a perfect example.

jtakingcareofherself · July 2012

Be careful of ketosis which can cause kidney damage or even failure. You need to burn carbs to keep your metabolism up and lose the weight. Note people who go on low carbs, end up burning protein which has no effect on the metabolism and if they aren't really careful they gain the weight back easily as their metabolism slows down.

You're thinking of ketoacidosis, not ketosis. Ketosis is when you deplete your glycogen stores and use stored fat as fuel. Ketoacidosis is the result of extreme or uncontrolled ketosis (usually by diabetes or alcohol). If you're making sure you stay under 20 grams of carbs by eating whole foods, this shouldn't be a problem.

I've been in ketosis 42 days straight and have not died.

Thank you, you beat me to it. It's funny how many misconceptions people have, even nowadays.

It's only been a little over a month for me (started keto on June 6), but I've already seen great results. Not just in weight loss, but in terms of how I feel, and how much less I eat without even trying. I fill up on green veggies, fats and protein, and really don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

Thanks for posting to both of you. I'm on Day 10, walking 5 km a day and doing pilates.
So still clearly alive at less than 30 g of carbs a day!

vytamindi · July 2012

Ketogenic diets have been well studied, and I suggest anyone interested in this topic, should research them and figure out if they are best for them. Then, go ask your dietician to explain them to you and see if they have been researching them too, and paying attention. Not all opinions are created equal. MFP is a perfect example.

Exactly. You have to find what works for you.

I love the restriction to pasta, sweets, breads, and fruits. It's very hard for me to consume any of those in moderation. Now that I've nixed them from my diet for now (will slowly add fruits back eventually), I don't crave them any more.

Plus, I have a predisposition for diabetes and my doctor started thinking I was hypoglycemic. Now, things have leveled out, and so far, so good.

Low Carb diet

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