Low-carb / Atkins questions

Love2love

I have too many people telling me different things about going low carb and I wonder if anyone can clear it up?

Firstly, Eating fatty foods is essential to the diet. This just doesn't make sense to me. Surely you also have to watch the fat intake and choose good fats rather than bad - like mayo???

Secondly, atkins vs low carb? Didn't know there was a difference until recently and now I am confused with all the talk of ketosis and that if you eat any carbs at all even in a small amount - the body will not go into ketosis and therefore, you will not lose any weight. And then others are saying that you have to eat so many grams a day.
If I was to cut out the main carbs such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and corn will I actually lose much weight or would I be better on weight watchers?

I have recently quit smoking and although I lost the intial weight gain, I have been struggling to watch my calorie intake. In fact, I am finding it extremely hard... I actually woke during the night on Monday, panicking about what I will eat the following day and couldnt go back to sleep. So there and then I said I would try low-carb because I am going away in 4 weeks and none of the clothes I bought actually fit me properly now! :mad:

Also, this would be day 3 for me and I am having light dull headaches and light-headedness. Are these a side effect of low carbs?

Love2love

Bumped up

happydayz182

simple enough really

-start eating more fat and keeping carbs down to only vegetables

-theres no carbs for energy so your body starts using the fat from the foods your eating

- After a few days of readjustment you will have way more energy than before and especially if you were operating on a standard calorie deficit diet..likened to throwing paper into a fire to throwing a log...carbs being the paper fat being the log you last longer.

-if you are operating on a calorie deficit you will start burning stored body fat as that what your body is goin to be using as energy

- Its very muscle sparing

If you workout with heavy weights you can "carb up" on the weekends to give your muscles the glycogen it needs for the upcoming weeks workout

Its obviously a lot more technical than that buts there the basics.
Its an great and easy diet been on it myself last 6 weeks with amazing results

saa

Well done I've "quit" as well still unfortunately having a social smoke or two once a week or every two weeks, I would lower carbs slowly and only eat good carbs.
I cut out "the main" carbs and it didn't work unless I was keeping an eye on portion as I was still going well over 100 grams of carbs a day eating 5 whole wheat crackers and one small brown bread roll.

I think what you are eating is so important, I went off eggs for a while now I'm going to eat a lot more of them since I start HITT I need to have enough energy that lasts.

Try using cronometer to get stats of all your nurtrients and myplate is a simplified version I find is good for keep a rough number of the carbs, i find it hard not to go too low on the calories when all im eating is veg, cheese and quorn and keep the carbs low as there are already quite a few carbs in some fruits and vegs that I wouldnt avoid.

Oh and Cronometer is great for counting trans fats and dif types of protein and vitamins.

Im not sure how low to go but I would advise doing it slowly as I felt more tired just going down to maintenance carbs from eating under 1500 but having way too many carbs.

SunnyDub1

IMO the low carb diet / atkins is crap and only short term.

You need a bit of EVERYTHING in your diet if you want a healthy diet and permanent results. don't get tied up in calorie counting. Just watch what foods you are eating and portion sizes.

When I done the low carb diet I had no energy what so ever, and lets face there is not a wide variety of foods that are low in carbs... Diet got extremely boring.
By all means cut down on carbs, like no breads,rice etc but I find a few potatoes or a small amount of bread every now and again has caused no harm, you need carbs especially if you are exercising (which is the one of the key results to weight loss)

Just stick to a healthy diet and plenty of exercise - plenty of fruit,veg, and high protein foods (fill you for longer) Chicken,lean meat, eggs,nuts,fish.

There is different types of fat some good and some bad. Good fats come from oily fish etc.. take a look at the link below.

Fats provide your body with energy and provide storage spots for energy in the body. Fat also helps move the vitamins A, D, E and K through your bloodstream and absorb them into your body. http://www.livestrong.com/article/43948-fats-important-diet/

Orla K

SunnyDub1 wrote: »

When I done the low carb diet I had no energy what so ever, and lets face there is not a wide variety of foods that are low in carbs... Diet got extremely boring.

SunnyDub1 wrote: »

Fats provide your body with energy and provide storage spots for energy in the body.

If you had no energy doing low carb then my your own advice surely you should have gotten in more fats into your diet for your energy?

There's a huge variety of food that's low carb, vegetables, meat, fish, nuts, natural greek yogurt, cheese, eggs, cream herbs&spices combine these in anyway you like and you've hundreds of different dishes.

SteelyDanJalapeno

SunnyDub1 wrote: »

IMO the low carb diet / atkins is crap and only short term.

You need a bit of EVERYTHING in your diet if you want a healthy diet and permanent results. don't get tied up in calorie counting. Just watch what foods you are eating and portion sizes.

When I done the low carb diet I had no energy what so ever, and lets face there is not a wide variety of foods that are low in carbs... Diet got extremely boring.
By all means cut down on carbs, like no breads,rice etc but I find a few potatoes or a small amount of bread every now and again has caused no harm, you need carbs especially if you are exercising (which is the one of the key results to weight loss)

Just stick to a healthy diet and plenty of exercise - plenty of fruit,veg, and high protein foods (fill you for longer) Chicken,lean meat, eggs,nuts,fish.

There is different types of fat some good and some bad. Good fats come from oily fish etc.. take a look at the link below.

Fats provide your body with energy and provide storage spots for energy in the body. Fat also helps move the vitamins A, D, E and K through your bloodstream and absorb them into your body. http://www.livestrong.com/article/43948-fats-important-diet/

Exercise is not anywhere near as important as your diet for weight loss.

saa

Yup I agree with above If I cut down carbs it leaves me with 150 ish grams and 900 calories as opposed to god knows how many carbs and 1400 calories, I find it hard if I havent stocked up on the right foods with a bit of planning you shouldnt be tired, I would cut down over time. I find 150 grams takes a bit of getting used to and I see a lot of people on less than 50 but with the right foods

SunnyDub1

SunnyDub1 wrote: »

By all means cut down on carbs, like no breads,rice etc but I find a few potatoes or a small amount of bread every now and again has caused no harm, you need carbs especially if you are exercising (which is the one of the key results to weight loss)

TiltedBrain wrote: »

Exercise is not anywhere near as important as your diet for weight loss.

..

SunnyDub1

Orla K wrote: »

If you had no energy doing low carb then my your own advice surely you should have gotten in more fats into your diet for your energy?

There's a huge variety of food that's low carb, vegetables, meat, fish, nuts, natural greek yogurt, cheese, eggs, cream herbs&spices combine these in anyway you like and you've hundreds of different dishes.

Maybe I just didn't do it right

I just find a little bit of everything works in the long run.. Could be wrong but just from my own experince!
no point in depriving youself from certin foods

Orla K

SunnyDub1 wrote: »

Maybe I just didn't do it right

I just find a little bit of everything works in the long run.. Could be wrong but just from my own experince!
no point in depriving youself from certin foods

Yeah, it kinda sounded like as well as going low carb you were going low fat too, which I'd never advise anyone to do.

Whatever you decide to do one thing everyone should consider giving up is wheat, I don't think you'll get any good from eating that. I'd never look at it as depriving myself but being good to myself for not eating something so unhealthy.

SteelyDanJalapeno

SunnyDub1 wrote: »

..

great informative post there, well debated.

SunnyDub1

TiltedBrain wrote: »

great informative post there, well debated.

Do you know how to read ?
If you do your not very good at it..

If you read my first post correctly.. I stated "you need carbs especially if you are exercising (which is the one of the key results to weight loss)"

In my second post I highlighted this for you.

SunnyDub1 wrote: »

By all means cut down on carbs, like no breads,rice etc but I find a few potatoes or a small amount of bread every now and again has caused no harm, you need carbs especially if you are exercising (which is the one of the key results to weight loss)

But you clearly don't take the time to read posts correctly or else have reading difficulties..

Have a good day

NSNO

Good information on low-carb diets can be found at reddit.com/r/keto.


The whole ammonia/acetone thing always put me off, personally...