Low carb/very low carb not superior to other diets

Chuckman

Chuckman

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Interesting article.

Highlights

•Low- and very-low-carbohydrate diets are not superior to other weight loss diets.

•May have advantages on appetite and reduced triglyceride and diabetes medication.

•Mixed effects on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

•No clear evidence for advantages related to other cardiometabolic risk markers.


https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1933287419302673?
 
The best diet is the one you can stick to. Low carb, high carb, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, time-restricted, vertical, horizontal, sea food, see food, anything.

Whatever you have to do to get your calories where they need to be. Just do that

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Keto, very low carb, low carb...all good for diabetics to the point that diabetes can and has been reversed. I dont think any other diet has been able to do that. Plenty of haters and nay sayers saying that Keto doesnt work or is not healthy because it doesnt follow the voodoo they are peddling. I'm not promoting any diet especially not keto because it is the most strict and hardest to stay on diet I ever tried but it works for me. Best advice I could give would be to consult your GP before going on any diet. The other thing is you need to have a goal and my goal is not have to use injectables to control my diabetes even if that means not ever eating another piece of bread, pasta, pizza, french fries, potato chips, corn chips, etc ever again. I hate needles.
 
Low carb worked for me because everything I snacked on was high carb. And cut sodas. Got pickier about eating out. Lot of calories gone. Dropped 40lbs in 3 months with exercise. Pounds back on now, but pretty sure it's less fat than before.
 
I have been on the very low carb diet for 3 weeks now. I have not lost any weight, but my blood sugar levels have dropped and using very little insulin now. Told my wife tonight that it is very boring eating like this.
 
It's the only one I have ever found that fit what I like to eat. I ate like a king on Keto. Did it for about 5 months and I think I was hunger twice. Mostly around large weight loss days. I never once counter or cared about calories.

Eased off of it and went with the don't be an idiot plan. Would like to revisit it more but my job has since changed and it really makes it tough. When I was successful I could eat all 3 meals at home. Doing it on the road is difficult.

In the end, you gotta find out what works for you. A diet is a restriction. What are you willing to restrict and maintain long enough to be effective?
 
Tried Keto and failed miserably, it just wasn't for me. I ate zero carbs for the first couple of weeks, for the next two I allowed some small lapses like some pecans, a dish that had a little rice in it, etc. but still was being a pretty good boy. After a month I had only lost maybe 10lbs. Sorry, just not worth it. I was always hungry, never felt satisfied and probably injested way more calories on keto than before just trying to feel satisfied. You can have it, not for me.
 
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jimmyjames8 said:
Keto, very low carb, low carb...all good for diabetics to the point that diabetes can and has been reversed. I dont think any other diet has been able to do that. Plenty of haters and nay sayers saying that Keto doesnt work or is not healthy because it doesnt follow the voodoo they are peddling. I'm not promoting any diet especially not keto because it is the most strict and hardest to stay on diet I ever tried but it works for me. Best advice I could give would be to consult your GP before going on any diet. The other thing is you need to have a goal and my goal is not have to use injectables to control my diabetes even if that means not ever eating another piece of bread, pasta, pizza, french fries, potato chips, corn chips, etc ever again. I hate needles.
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Only DM Type 2 can be reversed; Type 1 cannot. But many times of diets can reverse Type 2, the weight loss is more important than the type of diet.

I guess the take-home is there is no one-size-fits-all diet, and the best diet is the one you can stick with.
 
LCHF is better from a heat health standpoint.
Lowers A1C for those that are borderline T2.
Lowers cholesterol/ triglycerides better too.
The degree to which lower carbs results in more weight loss depends on activity level.
The more sedentary one is, the more beneficial LCHF is.
Carbs that aren't burned quickly trigger more fat storage.

In general, studies of diet effectiveness are not accurate because the food intake data is self reported and thus unreliable.
It is impossible to do a controlled diet study because nobody wants to submit to being kept in isolation for a year or more.

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Been on keto and then low carb diet for almost exactly 1 year. My A1C is down to 6.2 (I take 3-500mg metformin ER a day and a cinnamon capsule) . My BP without meds is under 140/80. Still taking statin for the time being but starting to get leg cramps at night even with taking Electrolyte supplements. I'm still 20-25#'s away from my goal but I'm down 2 waist sizes and 1 shirt size. Easiest thing to do when dining out especially fast food is skip the fries or hash browns and only eat the bread side of the burger/sandwich/biscuit with the cheese on it. Works for me.
 
I am a believer in whatever it is called. I got on it in 2010 and changed all my numbers for the better (well, better as far as what they tell us is better).

When I'm limiting carbs, my weight and BP drop considerably. I started again this year and I'm down 8lbs since Jan 1.

I agree with the sustainability comments with one exception, I am content not eating rice, bread, etc., but my weakness is beer. I just love beer. I haven't had any this year, either, and I know that'll change. As the weather warms, the desire increases.

What I need is the will power to moderate. It seems I either don't drink, or I'm swimming in it. Like there's no in between.
 
Bourbon is low carb...just saying.

I dropped 70 lbs and my A1C from a 13 to 5.8 in 12 months. I have held steady for another 6 months by “watching” carb intake. That means not eating the rice potato or pasta parts of meals but not worrying about the carb content in vegetables or like the breading in fried chicken and such. I do walk/bike 30-40 minutes every day also 7 days a week. I am off all medications completely.
 
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DRFury said:
Bourbon is low carb...just saying.

I dropped 70 lbs and my A1C from a 13 to 5.8 in 12 months. I have held steady for another 6 months by “watching” carb intake. That means not eating the rice potato or pasta parts of meals but not worrying about the carb content in vegetables or like the breading in fried chicken and such. I do walk/bike 30-40 minutes every day also 7 days a week. I am off all medications completely.
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That's fantastic. My sis did the same thing but with bariatric surgery and diet. Reversed her diabetes.
 
DRFury said:
Bourbon is low carb...just saying.

I dropped 70 lbs and my A1C from a 13 to 5.8 in 12 months. I have held steady for another 6 months by “watching” carb intake. That means not eating the rice potato or pasta parts of meals but not worrying about the carb content in vegetables or like the breading in fried chicken and such. I do walk/bike 30-40 minutes every day also 7 days a week. I am off all medications completely.
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I lost 35# and have sustained for well over a year now. My body does not metabolize carbs efficiently.

after the first 2-3 months, I started to no longer count carbs. I’ve maintain my weight just fine avoiding pure carbs (breads, pizza, pasta etc). I eat burgers on lettuce, tacos in lettuce, sandwiches between burger patties (lol) or just bowls of meat and veggies etc.

I will say though, that I am so damn sick of peanut butter and whipped cream (only “dessert”-like food I can consume regularly).

The lifestyle is great because it also makes it so difficult to over snack. I do go through massive amounts of string cheese, but man, I used to eat probably 4-500 calories of friggen chips at a Mexican restaurant before the appetizers came out, much less my entree. Add in the fact that my body doesn’t efficiently utilize carbs and I was getting a bit too pudgy as I breached 30 years.
 
Without a doubt, people who eat LC and can stay on it do well. Sugar is sugar; the body doesn't care if it is bourbon, tomatoes, yogurt, or a Snickers (oversimplified; the body processes different types of sugars differently). ALL 'diets' should promote minimizing sugar, especially processed sugar (i.e., differentiate between an apple and a Snickers). That said, the data are clear: if you like your carbs and can stick to a different diet, you will lose weight equally well.
 
I lost 35 lbs in 6 months on Zero Carbs (goal, not reality)... most difficult to maintain, so I found 35 lbs within two years. I am self diagnosed pre-diabetic, and will avoid diabetes by finding a way to lose 35 lbs again! I still avoid carbs generally, especially wheat and corn, but I'm not doing the strict Zero Carbs diet.

We eat well at work, from our Urban Farm... lotsa fresh veges and homemade food for lunch twice a week. Fasting is something I am trying one day at a time, a couple of times a week. I've lost 5 lbs now, much slower than the first time (low carbs). Losing it slower, I am hoping, will keep it lost in the long run.
 
jimmyjames8 said:
Dieting in the news:
https://www.wral.com/strictly-focusing-on-healthy-foods-could-lead-to-eating-disorder/18905557/

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/life...ight-boils-down-these-three-things-ncna853656

And just to be translucent and clairvoyant, my no meds BP control is not working as my Dr imposed goal of 130/70 is not being met so I'm back on Olmesartan/HCTZ
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I saw the report on the NBC site, but in a different journal. It makes perfect nutritional sense: more veggies, less sugar, more whole foods.

The other component is exercise: you can lose weight without exercise, but you cannot lose weight without diet modification. But exercise is foundational.
 
if you are mildly active and not sedentary, your body needs carbs to run. If you're lifting weights you need more protein. Healthy fats are good for you. I love guacamole and nuts so it's Whole30 for me. or a derivative of it, where I can add back some things that don't add sugar.

Soft drinks are the DEBIL!

It's not targeting weight loss; however I've lost ten lbs on whole30 this January down from 215 to 205 and I feel great. This is the 2nd time the wife and I have done it in 2 years and I highly recommend it for slightly overweight people with desk jobs. It is basically a stricter version of Paleo to get rid of processed and inflammatory foods. No dairy, no alcohol, no legumes, and no 'replacement' sugars. Just whole foods from nature. But it's only for 30 days then you add back what you want or need. The first thing I'm doing is drinking a dark beer ;)

My mom is a couch/computer potato and 60+ years old so Keto worked for her to the tune of 40+ lbs weight loss on a 5'3" female.
 
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I have failed MISERABLY on every "diet" I have ever tried except the Adkins when I was first married.... and I think that was just because I was dreamy eyed in love and willing to do almost EVERYTHING "together" with Carole. For years I ran and could eat whatever I wanted and stay thin. Started my own insurance agency and the stress, sedentary nature, and long hours, combined with "find something to fuel me.... FAST" food, and then drinking 2-3 beers every night to wind down caused me to blimp out. Worse, I broke my ankle, could not run, and then face planted off my bike in the street at 5 a.m. on my bike, and just quit exercising. When I sold my business, my bp was 164/110 and I weighed close to 240 lbs.

I went to Mexico, and simply QUIT EATING. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.... for 29 days. I rode a bicycle in to TESOL classes (had an apt on the west side of town and classes were 4 miles away). I dropped almost 60 pounds. My blood pressure went to 110/60.

The problem is that now I can't really ride much where I live, I don't exercise, and my weight is back up to about 215. At my age, I have to do something. There is a planet fitness 2 doors down and I plan to go in today to see if that 10 dollar special is still running.
I need to do something.
 
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ripv2 said:
I can't find info that states that bourbon has sugar. I don't know if you just listed it as a stand-in for alcohol drinks in general or not.

I just started a low carb diet so this in particular interests me. Thanks for the thread.
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Nope, I stand corrected. Bourbon actually has none! More bourbon for me! (but it is about 100 cals per serving....)
 
Ikarus1 said:
It's not targeting weight loss; however I've lost ten lbs on whole30 this January down from 215 to 205 and I feel great. This is the 2nd time the wife and I have done it in 2 years and I highly recommend it for slightly overweight people with desk jobs. It is basically a stricter version of Paleo to get rid of processed and inflammatory foods. No dairy, no alcohol, no legumes, and no 'replacement' sugars. Just whole foods from nature. But it's only for 30 days then you add back what you want or need. The first thing I'm doing is drinking a dark beer ;)
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My girlfriend talked me into doing the Whole30. And walked 3 miles 3-5 week.

I felt really great. The best I had felt in years. High energy and clear mind. Both things I generally lack.
 
Ikarus1 said:
if you are mildly active and not sedentary, your body needs carbs to run. If you're lifting weights you need more protein. Healthy fats are good for you. I love guacamole and nuts so it's Whole30 for me. or a derivative of it, where I can add back some things that don't add sugar.

Soft drinks are the DEBIL!

It's not targeting weight loss; however I've lost ten lbs on whole30 this January down from 215 to 205 and I feel great. This is the 2nd time the wife and I have done it in 2 years and I highly recommend it for slightly overweight people with desk jobs. It is basically a stricter version of Paleo to get rid of processed and inflammatory foods. No dairy, no alcohol, no legumes, and no 'replacement' sugars. Just whole foods from nature. But it's only for 30 days then you add back what you want or need. The first thing I'm doing is drinking a dark beer ;)

My mom is a couch/computer potato and 60+ years old so Keto worked for her to the tune of 40+ lbs weight loss on a 5'3" female.
Click to expand...

After 30 days that dark beer is gonna be like drinking a load of bread lol....

I did the inductions phase of Atkins once. You are supposed to do it for 2 weeks; I did it for a month, just to see what happened. My breath stunk, I had BO, I was irritable, but I lost, like, 20 pounds in 30 days. That first beer? I bet I could have gotten a DWI if I drove lol...
 
Chuckman said:
After 30 days that dark beer is gonna be like drinking a load of bread lol....

I did the inductions phase of Atkins once. You are supposed to do it for 2 weeks; I did it for a month, just to see what happened. My breath stunk, I had BO, I was irritable, but I lost, like, 20 pounds in 30 days. That first beer? I bet I could have gotten a DWI if I drove lol...
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Probably a porter around 7%ish ABV at a brewery so should be good after a meal.

I dont really miss bread at all. But I do miss cheese and real coffee creamer. Nutpods isnt bad...I was using coconut cream and almond milk separately anyhow.

But yeah the tiger blood has been strong for the ast 2 weeks. Energy level is full and I sleep 7.5hrs every night with no insomnia
 
Ikarus1 said:
Probably a porter around 7%ish ABV at a brewery so should be good after a meal.

I dont really miss bread at all. But I do miss cheese and real coffee creamer. Nutpods isnt bad...I was using coconut cream and almond milk separately anyhow.

But yeah the tiger blood has been strong for the ast 2 weeks. Energy level is full and I sleep 7.5hrs every night with no insomnia
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7%? Yeah, you'll be drunk :)

My wife and I moderate our carbs. That is, low carb but not super-low carb: My breads are lavash wrap bread or Joseph's low-carb bread; I rarely eat pasta or potatoes; very little dairy. I don't 'not' eat ice cream or sweets from time to time, and I moderate my beer consumption. I do not lose weight as fast as I'd like, but I never deprive myself. My weight is consistent, but I do need to drop about 10, 15#.
 
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