Low Carb Diet
Low Carb Diet questions and answers
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Q: Do low carb diets really work?How many carbs a day is considered a low carb diet?
for example, if i where to keep up the low carb diet for about one month and then i start eating regular, will i gain more weight? or what are the "side effects" if i where to do this?
A: Low carb diets are an excellent way to lose bodyfat.in the short term, as long as you don't go below your BMR in daily caloric intake. Where people run into problems is taking all cals to too low of a level and choose low quality nutrients, and unfortunate component left over from Atkins days when the diet allowed for any and all types of fats and proteins. Anything lower than 20% of your daily caloric intake coming from carbs can be considered low carb.
As for the long term, once you reach the desired goals, you don't want to continue back on the diet that got you into trouble in the first place. This means cutting out the processed foods, especially processed carbs, which are so prevalent in the modern diet. A diet high in lean proteins, low GI carbs and good fats spread out over the day will always produce optimum results, along with a consistent exercise regimen.
Q: I am switching from a low carb diet to a low fat diet diet. Do you think I will gain weight?
I have been on a low carb diet for seven months and I've lost 25 lbs. I have pleateued at the same weight for about 3 months. I want to try and exercise more but I find I have no energy to run as much as I used to before low carb. I also miss fruits and whole grains, such as cereal, and I need more fiber in my diet (its very hard to use the bathroom on low carb if you know what I mean). I know I lost weight on low carb and I'm scared to death if I switch back I will regain. I'm just so confused! And if I do add carbs back should I still limit them? Like only at breafkast and lunch? Someone who is nowledgeable please help!! Thanks so much.
A: you should really limit your carb intake at night. Heavy foods at night are not good. still eat your carbs and enjoy low fat. just remember low fat doesn't always mean its healthier for you.
Q: What kind of foods can you suggest for a low carb diet?
Ok- I went on a low carb diet and I found a list of foods for snacks, but not many recipes or dinner/lunch ideas except wraps. Can anyone give me suggestions?
Also- I am on a low carb diet b/c it is the only thing I have found that eases my stomach pains after meals. Tried lots of diet adjustments and cutting out unnecessary carbs is the only thing that keeps me feeling good. I will and love to eat whole grain foods.
A: Low carb means just that. Check your labels if you are in doubt. If you wanna lose weight then you need to do the induction which takes 2 weeks to get the carbs out of your system. That means absolutely no carbs at all. You won't believe how your appetite pretty much disappears! Try to stay away from aspartame in diet drinks, they can stall you and they can cause brain fog.
No bread, crackers, chips, potatoes, milk, tortillas, peanut butter (has as much carbs as protein) etc.
You can have any meat, except processed meats. Be careful about sausage.
you can have butter, cheese (read labels for least amount)
heavy cream for coffee, veggies, (no corn or peas) mayo, mustard, no ketchup! If it has sugar, don't eat it. No carrots.
I am on one now. I eat a lot of chicken with mayo and sprinkle some of the hidden valley ranch dip mix powder in and mix it up. Make a great snack or lunch. you can buy the chicken in a can like tuna. I eat cheeseburger steak with peppers and onions and mushrooms a lot. Chicken salads with ranch dressing. Shrimp sauteed in butter and ms.dash. Chicken strips with melted swiss cheese and ranch dressing. You just have to get creative. Snacks, you can have, pickles (check carb. content) wrapped in ham with cream cheese inside. Lovem! Only in moderation though for them pickles! Cheese, bologna, cucumbers and tomatoes with a little salt. That's great in the summer.
Here's what I ate today, 2 scrambles eggs for breakfast. Coffee with splenda. I had a salad with grilled chicken and ranch dressing. I drink alot of soft drinks with splenda to curb my sweet tooth during the day. Crystal light is good too. Not too much, Has aspartame. No fruit for quite a while. I lost 50 lbs about 7 years ago on this diet. Took me only 4 months. I have put a little back on and I'm trying to get back where I was. I've lost 14lbs in 3 weeks so far. There will be times where you don't see any weight loss on the scale but don't give up. It will come if you stick at it. You can go to low carb friends online, there a lot help and recipes on there. Good Luck!
Q: How can I reduce my fat intake while on a low carb diet?
My doctor recently put me on a low carb diabetic diet. I am not a diabetic - yet. I have a very high insulin resistance in which he wants to treat with diet and exercise and diabetic meds. I have been charting everything I eat, the calories, the fat grams, the carbs, fiber and protein. However, since my carbs have decreased, it seems that my fat intake has increased - at least it seems that way in the pie chart. Is it possible to reduce the fat AND carbs? The doc wants me under 35 carbs a day which is extremely hard to do as it is. It seems like the lower fat foods have a higher carb content and the higher fat foods have a lower carb content. I am concerned about my blood lipids, blood pressure and overall heart health. I would greatly appreciate any tips or advice you may have to offer.
Thanks!
Oh, the reason I am so insulin resistant is due to the PCOS that I was diagnosed with a year ago. It's sypmtoms have started to take over my body very quickly and has deemed me infertile, unless I can drop and control my insulin levels ASAP.
A: I too have PCOS, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. I followed the atkins plan and in 12 months lost 125 pounds, came off all meds and my cycle has been normal ever since. My triglycerides and cholesterol and LDL were normal for the first time in my adult life! While I tend to be aware of the fat sources in my diet, it really isn't necessary to go low fat if you low carb....I've kept the weight off for three years now. But if you still want to lower your fats, choose lean protein sources and use oil/fat free cooking methods. make egg white omelettes and use less cheese. Good luck with your low carbing...it works!
Q: How does a low carb diet work?
I heard that after a few days if your body doesnt have a lot of carbs, your body starts to get rid of the fat. Something like that. Why is it that a low carb diet help you lose weight fast? I also heard in the news that the low carb diet is the most successful diet people get on.
A: Does This Diet Work?
Yes.
A low-carb diet really does work, and it works more quickly and more easily than any diet you've ever done before. That is, as long as you don't cheat. More so than any other type of diet, sneaking a donut or a candy bar on a low-carb diet really *will* kill you. OK, it won't kill you literally, but it will kill the fat-burning stage your body is in, requiring weeks to get yourself back on track. Believe me, that Milky Way is *NOT* worth it, no matter how much you might think so at the time.
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How Quickly Will I Lose Weight?
Well, the answer depends on where you are starting, of course. If you're only 10 lbs overweight to start with, you will not drop those 10 lbs in the first week and be done with it. It will be a more gradual process. However, if you are 100 lbs overweight, you might lose 10, 15, or even 20 pounds over the first two-week induction diet period, with it tapering to 2-4 lbs per week after that. [See the FAQ for more information on the stages of the diet itself.]
10-15 lbs in *two weeks*?!?! How can that possibly be healthy, you are asking. The two-week induction diet is meant as a jump-start for your system, to get it into maximum fat-burning mode quickly and successfully. But you do not stay on that diet after 14 days—you begin adding a few more carbo grams in at that point, to dial back the loss level to a more reasonable, *sustainable* level. It doesn't do you any good to lose 30 lbs in a month, only to gain it right back after going off the diet.
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Will the Weight Stay Off?
Again, the answer is yes, if you don't fall right back into your old carbo-heavy habits. If, the day you hit your goal weigh, you run out and have a bowl of pasta the size of Texas and a dozen jelly-filled danishes, you'll soon be back at your overweight stage, or even higher.
The low-carb diet is truly more of a lifestyle change, rather than a simple transitory diet. While you *will* get to eat your favorites foods again in your life, it will be on a very limited basis. You can kiss the days of eating at Pizza Hut every Friday night goodbye—once per month is more realistic.
But don't let that get you discouraged before you've even started—the benefits of losing that weight far outstrip any pangs you might feel for that chocolate fudgesicle when you're in the store of "free sample" day. After you shed those first pounds quicker than you could have ever dreamed possible, you will never look at the candy aisle the same way.
Now, continue on to the Pre-Diet Timetable section for some suggestions on starting your new life smoothly and successfully.
Q: How can i make an effective low-carb diet plan?
I've tried everything,and honestly, i don't have time to count calories.How does a low-carb diet work? Has anyone tried it? Does anyone know a list of low-carb foods to help me off to a good start?
A: if you want a good carb diet YOU HAVE TO COUNT CALORIES!! it takes 3 extra minutes
pasta
oatmeal
bread
Q: How do you get off of a low-carb diet without gaining weight?
My experience with being on a low-carb diet has been that I am extremly sensitive to carbs. For example, if I eat even a single chocolate bar, it leads to weight gain the very next day. Due to this increasing sensitivity to carbs, it gets harder and harder to lose or even avoid gaining weight.
A: First off, low carb diets are not the way to go. I would suggest some physical activity. Walking, swimming, riding a bike. Any of those coupled with a balanced diet, including carbs will aid you in losing weight. However, weight, isn't whats important, as much as inches lost.
Q: What's the difference between the Atkins diet and a Low carb diet?
I would like to lose weight. I feel like I have to put myself on a "diet" because otherwise I'll have no clue what I can and can't eat, and what I should and shouldn't be doing. Whats the difference between a low carb diet, and going on the Atkins diet? Are they the same? If not, whats better?
Thank you for your answers :)
A: Atkins tends to have you start out really low on the carb intake- something like 14 grams where others (Protein Power) start you at 20 grams.
Depending on which you do might tell you to figure your protein intake a bit different as well. Again the amount is a rather small difference.
Whichever low carb diet you do be sure to read the book or follow the diet EXACTLY. If you are eating a ton of fatty foods and then throw in too many carbs you will be sorry. Also be sure to eat the protein required because you will stop losing weight if you don't eat enough.
Good luck! The first time I did Atkins I dropped 20lbs like it was nothing. The second time around I couldn't lose a pound to save my life.
Q: Any of you runners ever tried a low carb diet?
....and if so, did it effect your running? I can't get these last 10 pounds off but enjoy running 20-30 miles a week. I've tried Low calorie/low fat but it doesn't seem to work. I started a low carb diet a couple of days ago and already see results. However, I'm concerned that it might make me too tired to keep up with my running schedule. So far it hasn't had any impact but I don't think I'm completely carb depleted yet.
A: I was running about 45 miles per week and still couldn't lose some post-pregnancy weight so I did the low carb diet. The first week of running/low carb SUCKED--but by about day 8, it was MUCH EASIER to run long runs (over 12 miles) with no carbs than my usual diet AND it took less than a 6 weeks to lose about 20 pounds. Plus, I was able to return to my normal diet and running schedule and KEPT all the weight off!
Give it a try for two weeks--HAPPY RUNNING!
Q: What kind of sweetener to use on low carb diet?
Since processed sugar is out, what kind of sweetener can I use on a low-carb diet like South Beach or GI Index?
A: You can use honey or some kind of artificial sweetener such as saccharin or aspartame. They are marketed under the trade names "Sweet and Low" and "Equal".
Q: What does a low carb diet consist of exactly?
I'm confused about what carbs are and what aren't...They say to eat a low carb diet if you want to lose weight..what are some low carb foods?
Also, is it true that it takes 3 weeks for the body to get in a fat-burning mode? Because I want to lose 5 pounds this upcoming 3 weeks or so.. I read losing 1-2 pounds per week is recommended and healthy right?
A: A low carb diet generally means non-starchy carbohydrates only and no starchy carbohydrates. Animal protein is combined with non-starchy carbohydrates.
You can find further information in a web search for Atkins diet and you can get a whole book on it from Health Stores.
Q: How is it possible to lose weight on low carb diet and exercise?
To lose weight you have to burn more calories than you eat, but it seems you would have to exercise all day to burn calories if you are on the high cal high fat low carb diet.
I ask this because I lost 30 lbs on the low carb diet with no exercise. Now I am back on low carb and exercising and I'm not losing the weight I did when I went on the diet the first time, but I thought if I added exercise my weight loss would sky rocket.
A: well if you want to add exercising into your weight loss plan this is a good idea that i do and i know it will sound silly but it works
well i work at an office and after i started doing this everyone Else did too its pretty funny but when i have to take papers to someone or go to the bathroom or leave my chair for any reason i do an exercise all the way to my destination lets say going to the bathroom i do bunny hops all the way there or i do a slow run or squats or lunges etc. get creative and if you do it all day long you will lose a LOT believe me
Q: What are some of the best foods to eat on a low-carb diet?
I want to do the low-carb diet; I usually get bored if the food that I eat isn't exciting. Please pass along recipies.
A: http://www.lowcarbfriends.com
Definitely the best place I've found to get new recipes & support. There are recipes in the "Recipe Room" as well as throughout the threads. A lot of the folks there have been low-carbing for years and have lots of great ideas.
Q: What would be good diet low carb, for insulin resistance, pcos that I can follow?
I have no clue what to eat, and can not afford to join a low carb diet
A: Get Atkins New Diet Revolution you can get it for about 10 cents plus postage in used books on Amazon.com, and there's always the public library.
Meanwhile go to lowcarber.org a lot of people there are doing variations of Atkins and they also have a page that compares low carb diets.
I suggest Atkins because this is a good starting point to just learn how it is done and to understand the science behind low carbing.
Good luck!
Q: What kind of workouts should I do on a low carb diet?
I'm on a low carb diet because i want to lose weight, I run alot and I also lift weights. Now i stopped lifting weights because I didnt want to put on muscle weight just yet. So what kind of workouts should I do to drop the weight?
A: Acai Berry? Talk about crazy diets....
Anyway, a low carb diet isn't the way to go. It'll just drain your liver and muscle glycogen and cause you to feel tired for most of the day, cranky and genuinely out of it. The only people who might consider low carb diets are bodybuilders getting ready for a competition. A low carb diet isn't something for the long term to lose weight.
The reason it's so popular is because it produces quick results. The problem is, that much of the weight lost on this sort of diet is a combination of muscle tissue and water weight. What happens is, when you restrict your carb intake, that also means your proportion of protein has increased. Excessive proteins are excreted. But, because, amino acids are charged, the drag along water with it, causing dehydration. Therefore, most of the weight lost on a low carb diet is water and/or muscle tissue (since your glycogen storages are depleted, your body will turn to muscle tissue as a source of energy).
The key here is understanding the difference between losing "weight" and losing "fat". You want to lose fat.
So, the main idea here is to find out how many calories you burn on a daily basis just by surviving. To do this, multiply your body weight by ten. Multiply this number by 1.2. Then, add about 600 calories to account for your cardio and weight training.
So, I'm 165 lbs.
165 x 10 = 1,650
1,650 x 1.2 = 1980
1980 + 500 = 2480
So, in theory, I should be eating about 2,480 calories per day, spread out over 6 meals, to maintain my current body weight (these calories will come from lean proteins, complex carbs, fiber and unsaturated fats).
To safely lose weight without losing muscle tissue, you need to create about a 20% calorie deficit. For me, 2480 x 0.8 = about 1980 calories.
1,980/6 meals = about 330 calories per meal over six meals. This is a great way to lose fat without losing muscle tissue.
But, as with any diet like this, you'll hit a plateau. I'd suggest using the "zig zag" method. What I mean is, take 3 days on the "reduced" calorie plan, while the 4th day will be a high calorie day (or the number of calories required to maintain your current weight). This will prevent your body from realizing that you're under a calorie deficit. Over long periods of a reduced- calorie diet, your metabolism will slow to conserve energy and actually slow down the fat loss process. This "cycling" is crucial for optimal fat loss.
But, a low carb diet isn't the answer (unless you're a bodybuilder getting ready for competition or you're trying to break a plateau temporarily). This sort of diet just isn't meant to be a lifestyle change - heck, your entire life runs off of carbs! Your brain runs off of glucose, your muscles run off of glucose, everything does (except the liver). You need to eat to lose weight, and that's the bottom line.
Hope this helps out :) Good luck!
Ryan