Low-carb diets support thread

boots_babe

Hi cleggy,

Yes I have upped my healthy fat intake quite a bit, I used to actively avoid before. Also ensured my protein intake is at a sensible level - I certainly would not say it is 'high', but it is kept at a certain amount per day to ensure I have plenty of energy.

Haven't had chance yet to look at the book which Daska recommended, but it may be that I should consider increasing my existing protein intake a little to enhance my exercise performance. I'm not talking super high protein intake which i know some people find a little controversial, just a small boost. Will see how it goes.

Another unexpected side effect I could mention, is that prior to low carb I had, over a period of about 6 months, begun experiencing pretty severe stress symptoms, and on 2 occasions had a panic attack. I was at the point where I was struggling to sleep, and even just sat watching TV and supposedly relaxing, I would suddenly realise I had my fist clenched up all tight, I was so on edge.

I hadn't even thought about it until just now strangely, but this has completely dissipated since low carbing. I don't know if this is to do with the bonus weight loss, or the fact that a more stable blood sugar results in a more stable mood. Or a bit of both?

No idea, but either way I like it and feel so much healthier in every way since changing my way of eating

boots_babe

cleggy. wrote: »

You are not impartial then. There seems to be quite a few people on this board who have a vested 'fixated' interest in promoting fad diets. This thread is one, the weightwatchers and slimming world ones are the others.
People that make money out of promoting fad diets have no place in any discussion as they are clearly biased from the outset.

I will happily admit that I knew little in depth detail about nutrition, outside of what you were taught at school. However the research I did on low carbing, and the evidence I have seen for myself with my own body, show that it can and does work.

I'm most definitely not trying to convert anyone to it that doesn't want to; I would never do that about anything. Likewise I wouldn't go onto the slimming world thread and tell them they should low carb, so I'm not sure why you're doing the same thing here.

Different things work for different people - both medically and mentally. I have never in my life been on any form of diet, fad or otherwise. I have just always tried to eat conventionally sensibly.

I can say that for me, low carb is most definitely not a fad, or a diet. It was initially I guess an experiment to see if it had any positive effects for me; as it has done, I now see it as a permanent change to my way of eating forever.

If you feel healthier, and indeed, your medical checkups show that you ARE healthier, where is the harm?

cleggy.

boots_babe wrote: »

I wouldn't go onto the slimming world thread and tell them they should low carb, so I'm not sure why you're doing the same thing here.

I'm not telling anyone to do anything. I've simply provided some links and named a well known author/book that shows that fat loss will be lessened without a good supply of carbs in the system.

If you can find anything in the links that you disagree with then please copy it to here and lets discuss. That is what this site is about. Discussion, not blindly ploughing on with a fad diet ignoring all the science.

murphydog999

cleggy. wrote: »

You are not impartial then. There seems to be quite a few people on this board who have a vested 'fixated' interest in promoting fad diets. This thread is one, the weightwatchers and slimming world ones are the others.
People that make money out of promoting fad diets have no place in any discussion as they are clearly biased from the outset.

I am very impartial actually. It seems like you've got on the LC bashing bandwagon that automatically assumes that LCing is 'Atkins' and all we eat is meat. Restricting carbs is nothing like a fad diet, unlike SW or WW, there is nothing to sell, no special calculators/books/products to buy, it is simply restricting carbs - what is the problem with that?

We don't all suit one way of eating - I particularly like this way of eating, especially as I, and others, have seen body and health improvements - but people do have a choice, this is ours and we like it thankyou.:D

boots_babe

cleggy. wrote: »

I'm not telling anyone to do anything. I've simply provided some links and named a well known author/book that shows that fat loss will be lessened without a good supply of carbs in the system.

If you can find anything in the links that you disagree with then please copy it to here and lets discuss. That is what this site is about. Discussion, not blindly ploughing on with a fad diet ignoring all the science.

Fair enough if that's the case, I think it's the way you are coming across though at the moment - even in what I've quoted in your last post you're referring again to 'fad diet' despite everything I said :-) Definitely not ignoring the science, I have spent a lot of time reading up and researching from lots of different sources (both for and against LCing).

Looks like we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, as I said, different things work for different people - both in terms of what actually physically works, and also their own opinion of what they would/wouldn't like to try and what their own boundaries are.

MMLS

I've been following the thread for a few weeks and would very much like to join please.

After 2 failed attempts at Atkins, the first (might have been Scarsdale) 30 years ago and second 10 years ago, I decided that low carb eating was unhealthy. Even if it wasn't, I just couldn't do it and therefore wasn't healthy or right for me.

Several things came together to make me look again. There's so much information and research out there isn't there? I read blogs and Amazon reviews then settled on two books. The first by Dr John Briffa - Escape The Diet Trap http://www.amazon.co.uk/Escape-Diet-Trap-John-Briffa/dp/0007447760/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358788742&sr=8-1 and the second by Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet - Perfect Health Diet http://www.amazon.co.uk/Escape-Diet-Trap-John-Briffa/dp/0007447760/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358788742&sr=8-1

My eyes have been opened people Everything I've read makes sense and after struggling with my weight for 40 years and my health for the last 15, I now have answers. I've only been low carbing for a week and I'm following the Jaminet principle as I feel this is something I can do for life. It's also more about obtaining good health rather than losing weight - though that's covered in detail too. It's also recommended by others in the LC/primal/paleo field.

Throughout all, it's easy to see that convincing those who are anti-carb that they don't know enough about it to have an informed opinion, is very difficult. I can't say impossible because after all, I'm now convinced Took me 30 years though!

Anyway one week in I'm eating better than I've ever done and though I'm keeping a note of weight loss and any improvements in my health, I'm keeping it low key until I've been LC for a month. But I'm excited and optimistic and not the slightest bit hungry...and this from a complete carb junkie. So called healthy carbs by the way before someone leaps in with an 'ah-ha THAT'S why you're fat'

murphydog999

MMLS, Hi and welcome.

At the end of the day, we are what we eat, and to feel healthy you need to eat healthy. You don't need to be a low carb advocate to realise that cutting out wheat based products, sugar, and processed foods is the way to better health - weightloss will naturally follow.

Good luck on your journey.

SHEILA54

Eating low carb is a no brainer for me, the proof is in how I feel. When I eat low carb I have no heartburn, can take minimum dose of meds for same. I also have more energy.

Eating with more carbs gives me wind, nausea and I have to up my meds to deal with it. I also feel more jaded.

I have derailed a bit over the Christmas period and found that I put on weight and felt lethargic. I then was strict for a week and lost 9lb. The past week I have been feeling a bit low and eating a mix: result a 4lb gain. There can be no further proof needed than this and I have to get back to being stricter as I know it is good for me.

MMLS - welcome. I lost nearly six stone at my lightest, having tried to do so for many years with little success. I now need to lose a stone to get back to that and , hopefully, lose a bit more.

daska - good to hear your news, so glad that it has all worked out for you :j

On My Own - avocados are quite versatile and half is allowed on Atkins induction. Little gem lettuce leaves wrapped around cooked chicken with a bit of mayo is also yummy and quick and I try to have a cooked chicken around. Boil the carcass and use the stock to make soup with allowed veg. Mushrooms are also allowed.

http://www.atkins.com/Program/Phase-1/What-You-Can-Eat-in-this-Phase.aspx

By the way, is there a reason to stay on Atkins induction?

I get a bit bored sometimes with cauliflower. Swede and celeriac make good alternatives to potato. Both can be chipped and swede can be mashed whilst celeriac makes a good dauphinoise.

NigeWick

cleggy. wrote: »

That is what this site is about. Discussion, not blindly ploughing on with a fad diet ignoring all the science.

Science does in fact show that cutting out grains (high carbohydrate products) is beneficial. Before the advent of agriculture humans did not eat many grains at all. Their diet was meat, fowl, fish, eggs, plants and fruit & nuts in season. Our DNA has not really changed since then indicating that it is likely a high carbohydrate low fat diet is not for us. Personally, I consider a diet that our ancestors followed for many times the number of thousands of years more than we have had food from agriculture to be far from a "fad" as you claim it to be.

http://www.sott.net/article/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease

http://thepaleodiet.com/dr-loren-cordain/

http://garytaubes.com/

cleggy.

This place is like the flat-earthers society of days gone by. Even when the science and experts told them the earth was round they refused to believe it and still thought you'd fall off the edge if you got too close.

Carbs are good, don't be scared of them. Ignore the white bread and processed foods and high sugar cereals and enjoy wholemeal bread and pasta and potatoes and veg and all the other great types of carbs and you will feel great and burn fat efficiently if you keep your overall calories below the number you use up each day.