If low carb works, why are people still fat?

White bread, white pasta and sugar aren't the only sources of carbs. There's green vegetables, fruits, dairy, and whole grains as well. A huge portion of our food supply!

Gee, ya think?

White bread, white pasta and sugar aren't the only sources of carbs. There's green vegetables, fruits, dairy, and whole grains as well. A huge portion of our food supply!

Gee, ya think?

Someone's rude--I was responding to the black/white post about carbs above mine. Some people are jerks.

White bread, white pasta and sugar aren't the only sources of carbs. There's green vegetables, fruits, dairy, and whole grains as well. A huge portion of our food supply!

Gee, ya think?

Someone's rude--I was responding to the black/white post about carbs above mine. Some people are jerks.

And I am totally agreeing with you!! Your post is one of the few that showed an intelligent choice that wasn't low carb or white bread and sugar. Bravo!!

i can honestly say i did 1200 cals and was doing light exercise and i did lose, then i steadily gained. probably started to low on cals, but i found it was easier to eat processed stuff on the low cal than i do when i cut carbs. i feel healthier cutting out the junk and eating fresh. which really , i could consider as low cal too but also cutting carbs. it just works with my body and i cant argue with that. im thankful i found something that works for me. i just hate reading where some people think that low carbers are drinking oil and eating rib eyes daily. i never tried to be rude. i respect whatever works for whoevers body and may they continue on getting healthy and looking the way they want to look.

We really need to refine the phrase "calories in - calories out" etc.

Eating deep fried chicken (in) and walking around the block and burning calories (out) has a night and day different end result than eating grilled salmon (in) and exercise followed by cardio (out). The quality of the nutrients make a big difference. I can't support any NO carb solution. I have no problem with LOW carbs as long as they are measured low carbs.

This is good and I agree. I have no desire to debate whether or not low carb is healthy or right for anyone but myself. I've been on Atkins since October of last year and have had wonderful success and feel better than I ever have. My blood work was done recently and my numbers are great! I've lost 68 pounds by eating low carb combined with working my rear off at the gym! However, after carbs, I look at calories next. It does matter.

off to make low fat, low sugar, whole wheat, vegan chocolate chip cookies in honor of my birthday.

Happy Birthday! And those cookies sound great.

Low carb is a great option for some people and a not so great option for others. Like all diets, it's a tool that can help you achieve your goals. I personally found low carb to be an extremely effective way for me to lose body fat. It's no magic bullet, but compared to other macro-nutritional splits that I have tried while keeping total caloric intake constant, I found that low carb was easier, more satisfying and gave me better results. I had more energy, felt less hunger pangs and preserved more lean body mass while in nutritional ketosis than I did on similar calorie limited diets that did not put me into a ketogenic state.

It does have its downsides though. I love a good beer every once in a while and those are big no-nos on low carb. Also, it's hard to find a quick meal on the go and it's incredibly hard to be vegetarian and keep to a low carb diet. Also, you need to love vegetables (though everyone should love veggies and eat them all the time).

I very much appreciate Dr. Attia's approach on his blog. His results need to be taken with a grain of salt because his sample size is only himself - but even anecdotal evidence is better than nothing and his self-testing has produced some very interesting results. His study on the interplay of ketosis and exercise was particularly interesting and worth a read.

White bread, white pasta and sugar aren't the only sources of carbs. There's green vegetables, fruits, dairy, and whole grains as well. A huge portion of our food supply!

Gee, ya think?

Someone's rude--I was responding to the black/white post about carbs above mine. Some people are jerks.

And I am totally agreeing with you!! Your post is one of the few that showed an intelligent choice that wasn't low carb or white bread and sugar. Bravo!!

Seemed sarcastic and harsh. My apologies

The problem with all these discussions about low carb (low whatever.. low cal, etc.) is that people just want a direct answer. That is not how weight loss works. There is a spectrum of factors that affects each individually different and can attribute to their overall plan for weight loss -- some of these factors the same or different for various people. Period.

People's bodies are born differently (genetics) and developed differently (environment) to become what they are now. I think the common sense idea is calories in and calories our for weight loss. For some people, this alone works with their body. For others, the type of food they eat matters in addition to simply counting calories. For others, the type of food they eat doesn't matter (it matters, because it will affect their body, but it doesn't seem to be of HUGE consequence in their weight loss). Some people are more sensitive to carbs, sugar, etc. whether through genetics or overall eating patterns from throughout life, or both. Some people don't seem to have a problem with it. Those that do should correct how they eat accordingly, most often not just for weight loss but for health.

I often find within these discussions a very fine and complicated line when people talk about weight loss and health. They are associated but there is not necessarily ALWAYS a direct correlation (but there can be). Losing weight can be an unhealthy process of a healthy process. One can lose weight unhealthily or healthily. One can lose weight in a somewhat healthy manner, but not a totally, all inclusive, 180 degree change type of manner. It depends on their focus. That is important to consider when discussing weight loss and health. Yes, a calorie is a calorie, and no I do not personally think that all calories are created equally (in how our body breaks them down and uses them for energy), but nonetheless --- some people just don't care! Maybe because they feel they don't need too (they can lose weight to their own standards without worrying about what theyre eating, merely the amount) or because they'd rather focus on just their weight and their overall, all-encompassing health. Losing weight for most people IS a healthy thing (eating disorders aside), but some people wish to go about that differently).

That being said, many arguments around low carb are between people who take different approaches for various reasons (their body type, their philosophy, their personal experience, etc.) with people focusing on different aspects of their weight loss and health. So what exactly is the point in saying "this is right, no this is right, no this is right" when there is no one right or wrong because of people's individual differences. To me all of this seems a matter of point of "no, I think you shouldn't just focus on weight loss, but internal health as well" or "no, its okay to just focus on weight loss, I don't want to be incredibly intently focused on the actual foods I put in my body" -- a debate between how much intensity into the effect of specific foods on the body and whether one should or shouldn't focus on it, and to what degree.

That being said, not everyone is going to care to the same degree about the nutritional aspects of specific foods, not everyone is going to follow a specific diet of nutrition to the same regime. Some believe in moderation, some believe in only consuming those foods which are blatantly healthy, some prefer somewhere in the middle. Some will eat cake every day and if they're losing weight -- not care. Its a matter of preference. But if you are an advocate of one way or the other, encourage those as to why you're approach seems practical or useful, rather than others ideas, instead of merely why low carb does or doesn't work (because the truth is that is does work for some people, and others it doesn't make a huge difference.. so perhaps its a moot point?) .... but in the end, remember, you're working off the experience of your own body: subjective findings. Be courtesy to others who have different subjective experiences.

As with any weight loss method, if it is merely a "diet" and not a lifestyle change a person will always fail.

That goes with low fat, low carb, calorie counting, etc...........

That's simply not true - my diet worked, and it has done previously

There are times in my life when I find myself 15-20lbs overweight; this might be because of injury, non-football season, or just circumstances where I can't exercise/eat as per normal

I then go on a strict, non-sustainable, horrible, hard work, diet, eating food that I really don't like and doing additional gym work that is too hard and also non-sustainable. Certainly not a lifestyle change!

Low and behold my diet works! 3 months later and I am back to my preferred weight. I am no longer on a diet and did not make a lifestyle change.

I will always fail? I think not. My diet worked.

As with any weight loss method, if it is merely a "diet" and not a lifestyle change a person will always fail.

That goes with low fat, low carb, calorie counting, etc...........

That's simply not true - my diet worked, and it has done previously

There are times in my life when I find myself 15-20lbs overweight; this might be because of injury, non-football season, or just circumstances where I can't exercise/eat as per normal

I then go on a strict, non-sustainable, horrible, hard work, diet, eating food that I really don't like and doing additional gym work that is too hard and also non-sustainable. Certainly not a lifestyle change!

Low and behold my diet works! 3 months later and I am back to my preferred weight. I am no longer on a diet and did not make a lifestyle change.

I will always fail? I think not. My diet worked.

Lol. I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not...looks like it. But, either way, that's hilarious. Lol.

Deadly serious - can you dispute anything I have said?

Deadly serious - can you dispute anything I have said?

Yes...Just about everything. Not in the sense of actual 'weight' lost, that's the easiest part. I would dispute the practicality and functionality of your diet cycle...Especially at your age, I just don't think that's very wise, respectfully.

If low carb eating is so effective, why are people still overweight?

Because they're also low-activity.

(Gotta say, I thrive on carbs. And I'd get pretty cranky without them. My diet is probably 2/3 carbs, mostly of the fruit/veggie variety, because those are generally low-calorie, low-fat, high-energy foods.)

As with any weight loss method, if it is merely a "diet" and not a lifestyle change a person will always fail.

That goes with low fat, low carb, calorie counting, etc...........

That's simply not true - my diet worked, and it has done previously

There are times in my life when I find myself 15-20lbs overweight; this might be because of injury, non-football season, or just circumstances where I can't exercise/eat as per normal

I then go on a strict, non-sustainable, horrible, hard work, diet, eating food that I really don't like and doing additional gym work that is too hard and also non-sustainable. Certainly not a lifestyle change!

Low and behold my diet works! 3 months later and I am back to my preferred weight. I am no longer on a diet and did not make a lifestyle change.

I will always fail? I think not. My diet worked.

so after being usually active (your normal life with sports) you gained a few pounds from being sedentary, then managed to lose them and keep it off, great!
but you say you gain it again.. sorry but that isn't keeping it off!

your diet worked short term but not long term.

I think you're wrong. If you do a strict diet for a short time every time you gain a few pounds you can keep from ever becoming overweight. I know, because I did it for years when I was younger. It is perhaps not the healthiest way to lose, but it is not necessarily unhealthy either. It's certainly more healthy than being fat.

If dieting or exercise works, why are people still fat ?

Because human beings are falliable (and sometimes very deluded) and either underestimate how many calories they are consuming through diet, over estimate how many calories they are burning through activity or a combination of both.

Low carb does play well for many people but that is because in many instances they replace carbs with increased protein and fat. These both are good for satiety and stabilising blood sugar levels leading to less cravings, less over eating and spontaneously eating less calories than your TDEE. Coupled with the nice psychological boost that low carb dieting gives in the early stages given improved appearance caused mostly by water loss this leads to good dietary adherence.

Low carb stops working when the dieter takes it to mean "a can shovel as much food and utter junk down my gullet than is humanely possible as long as it is not carbs" thus meaning they consistently exceed their TDEE.

Low carb "blame it on inshuuuuulin but lets ignore everything else involved including ASP" is the new dogma which has replaced low fat. It is just as misguided.

Pretty much nailed it right there Bro!