Low carb diets gain respect

[donheff]

I started low carb about 14 months ago. Initially, I was pretty tight and logged my intake. I remained under 50g of carbs per day for about three months and dropped from 185 to 163 at 6'0". My high had been 195 a year earlier. The first 10 dropped from lack of chocolate alone. Since last June I have added some carbs back in but I still watch closely. I will now have a fist sized portion of rice or potatoes with dinner and frequently eat sandwiches on Pepperidge Farm Carb Style bread (tastes good like a wheat bread but only 5g/slice). I eat maybe 100 or 120 grams of carbs a day total. My cholesterol numbers improved substantially. Like Ha my ribs show and in the right light you can even see some outlines of a [-]six pack[/-], make that a four pack... Well, I'm a skinny guy so it isn't too impressive.

Interestingly, I just returned from a two week cycling trip in France. I ate standard French fare. Breakfasts had lots of meats, cheeses and eggs but also a chocolate croissant. Lunch frequently had bread. Dinner had bread and a shared dessert, some of which were pretty nasty from a carb perspective. Snacks while riding usually included a couple of chocolate covered cookies. I expected to return home about 5 pounds up but didn't gain anything and have since dropped down to 161 on my regular diet. This convinces me that in my case (grew up skinny and gained a pound a year for the last thirty years) I have a lot of flexibility on diet. Once down to my target weight it looks like I could mix in a fair amount of carbs without regaining. On the other hand, everything I have read convinces me that sugar and carbs in general (at least refined carbs) are bad for health so I plan to keep them at a minimum.

 

[sailor]

The last two years have been a fairly strict low carb diet. Dropped 15% of my starting weight within the first two months, and have maintained at that level ever since, with little or no effort.

I find it disturbing in relation to your avatar.
Did you stop drinking beer? Or you only make it and don't drink it?

 

[braumeister]

I find it disturbing in relation to your avatar.
Did you stop drinking beer? Or you only make it and don't drink it?

Excellent question!
Alas, I'm not willing to give up my beer. That's why I described my routine as only "fairly strict" rather than "strict."

In truth, my beer accounts for just about all my carbs beyond vegetables. Since I only drink really good beer, my consumption averages only two per day and that's enough to keep my total carb input low enough.

 

[MBAustin]

I went on South Beach in 2009 for several months and dropped about 12 lbs (starting at 145). I've switched to 95% whole grains at home (Success Brown Rice is the bomb!), with a little more flexibility when we eat out (but I generally cook 6 nights a week). I've always cooked low-fat, so the change to whole grains and less simple carbs (potatoes only once every 2-3 weeks) has allowed me to keep most of that weight off. When I feel it come back on, I cut the carbs back and can get back to "pants are comfortable" weight in a week or so.

 

[sengsational]

I am curious about the experience of people who have done a what they believe is a descent Low-Carb diet and maintained it for a longer period of time, say 4-12 months. About how many pounds a week did you lose, assuming, or course, you lost weight on it.

I have my own experience on a lower-carb diet (the purists would get upset with me!) and want to see if it is similar. Of course, things will vary from person to person as we are all a bit different.

I started moderating carbs in 1996 (haven't ordered fries for myself in 18 years). But all that time was unscientific, and I've since learned that I probably was getting too much protien. I started brewing myself 4 or so years ago and got up to 185, where normally I'd be 165 to 175.

So I got scientific... went on Atkins as prescribed by the recent book. Lost .75 lb per week and I'm at 160 now and still am keto adapted, but pouring on the fat calories so I don't lose any more.

Excellent question!
Alas, I'm not willing to give up my beer. That's why I described my routine as only "fairly strict" rather than "strict."

In truth, my beer accounts for just about all my carbs beyond vegetables. Since I only drink really good beer, my consumption averages only two per day and that's enough to keep my total carb input low enough.

Exactly my position! I don't care about giving up food carbs, but giving up beer carbs is torture! I now have 1 pint a week, and that doesn't throw me out of keto adaptation nor trigger carb cravings. I'm going to edge that up to more beer, to see what the threshold is. But like you, I only drink awesome beer. And when I'm with brewing buddies, I carry the tiniest sample glass, hehe!

 

[Chuckanut]

I appreciate everybody's input.

I went on a lower-carb diet at the start of 2012. My #1 goal was to reduce my consumption of added sugar by 50%. I believe I am probably closer to a 75% reduction. That is not as good as it sounds since I still eat sugar. I have also cut back what I call 'cheap carbs' such as very finely ground flour (white or whole), rice and potatoes. I am not a fanatic about this. Invite me to your home for dinner and offer me a slice of homemade apple pie and I will eat it with pleasure. Probably even ask for a second slice. Avoiding the added sugar and cheap carbs has caused me to eat more veggies - a lot more, and more 'fatty' foods such as nuts, cheese, avocados and whole milk yogurt. Meat consumption -red, poultry and fish- remains about the same. I try to eat real food closer to the way it comes out of the ground or off the animal. I have no delusions that I am eating some type of primitive diet. My diet is still modern, just with much less of the junky and highly processed stuff.

I do not count calories at all. I don't let myself get very hungry.

The results: I have gone from 205 pounds to 188 pounds. I won't say it is without effort. Giving up sweets was and is a real test of will power for me. Still, I can wear several pairs of pants that have been far to tight for many years, I enjoy my food, and I can maintain this way of eating.

 

[freebird5825]

I just got my annual physical a month or so ago, and of course blood w*rk done. For the first time in my entire life, I was advised to cut back on the carbs a bit.
So I have pretty much given up sliced bread and potatoes, except for once in a while. I am also reducing the amount of Twisted Tea I consume, sticking with my good ol' Coors Lite beer.

I refuse to give up pizza.

My numbers:
Cholesterol 181 (up a bit from usual 160 something)
Triglycerides 119
Good cholesterol (HDL?) 46
Bad cholesterol (LDL?) 111
Blood sugar 106

I've never really paid attention to these numbers except to be told that things were OK.

 

[sengsational]

I've never really paid attention to these numbers except to be told that things were OK.

The old thinking was that the LDL number (calculated) was something to watch. But it's been determined that it's the number and size of LDL particles, not the total amount of cholesterol they carry, that's the issue in cardiovascular disease. I can ship 100 tons of cholesterol on 10 barges and my vessel walls will be just fine. But if I employed 100 small boats, each with one ton, that would be bad indeed. The problem is that the standard lipid profile (the one you got that just had calculated total LDL, or LDL-C) doesn't correlate well to a disease process. The best you can do with those numbers is look at Triglycerides/HDL (should be <2). Cutting carbs will help, but if you're concerned, ask for a LDL-P test, LDL particle size test or something like that. Your doc should know what you're talking about. That will be much more predictive of disease so you'll know how hard you need to concentrate on limiting refined carbs.

 

[sengsational]

.. and more 'fatty' foods such as nuts, cheese, avocados and whole milk yogurt.

The sooner one figures out that dietary fat is not the demon that it's been made out to be, the better. Yes it has more calories per gram than other macro nutrients, but it also makes you feel fuller, and doesn't cause the blood sugar rollercoaster that carbs do (which precipitates hunger/cravings).

 

[Katsmeow]

Blood sugar 106

I've never really paid attention to these numbers except to be told that things were OK.

Was that a fasting glucose number or had you eaten before hand? I think if it is a fasting number that anything 100 or over can be of concern. You might want to ask about that.