Do you guys ever doubt low carb? page

[bobbylight]

Ok, let me first state a bit about me before I get into my question. I started the PB about 6 weeks ago, and I feel great. I was about 295 pounds when I started (at a very stalky 5'7) and I was probably about 110 pounds overweight (I am 23 now, but wrestled at 171 in high and I think that I have put on quite a bit of muscle since then, so I am guessing my ideal weight is about 185). Anyway, right now I am somewhere in the 260's. I feel great, and the weight comes off quickly, and my endurance just keeps on getting better. I love how the PB makes me feel and I understand the concepts of it. I will undoubtedly keep on this diet until I get down to my ideal weight (because it works and I like it and I have energy while doing it) but after that, I'm not so sure.


Sometimes I doubt the effects of low carb. I know that everyone here is pretty much in the boat that carbs are bad for you, but do you guys ever doubt this too? Do you ever think "hey, maybe in 40 years I will really regret this diet."


I recently started looking at lyle mcdonald's website. He is definitely knowledgeable about the subject and his opinions are quite interesting. One thing he states that vilifying a whole food group (carbs, or even fat for the ornish group) is stupid and counterproductive. He basically states that different people need different things nutritionally, and many people cannot function properly on a ketogenic diet. He also seems to state that a lot about how people are eating has to do with their situation. For instance, something that is very healthy for an athlete can be very unhealthy for a fat person, or vice versa.


I don't know, I just find myself doubting this low carb thing. I know I will stay on this diet for a while (because it is working and I feel great) but I am starting to think that it might not be in my best interests in terms of longevity. I guess I will see though, right?


I'm not meaning to stir things up, I just want to hear what you guys have to say and want to know if any of you have had doubts as well.

[kuno1chi]

bobby,


We're not saying carbs are bad.

We're saying grains are bad. And sugars, especially fructose. And Frankenfoods.


What we ARE saying is: animals are good. Especially grass-fed/pastured/wild-caught. Most vegetables, especially organically-grown, are good. Exercise and play are good.


I'm not seeing anything to doubt.

Read Primal Blueprint.

[soror]

As many times as I have had what I thought to be healthy completely change I hesitate to state anything definitive diet wise. However, I do try to be honest in assessing how what I am eating makes me feel. I know for me that eating more "primal" makes me feel good. So, that is what I try to do. I know before I went completely gluten free and I tried to do grainfree but letting gluten in on my slips my performance in workouts was not near as good. I often lacked adequate energy and even though I felt better than when on grains my performance level was not great. As to how low carb I need to be I just play that by ear and day to day. As to what I will be eating long time who knows for sure.

[primal_jessjane]

I believe primal eating is only "low-carb" in comparison to an AAD (average American diet.) It isn't necessarily ketogenic, because remember a primal/paleo diet not only consists of meat, eggs, and fat (~0 carbs), but lets not forget the abundance of fresh vegetables, in addition to a little fruit and nuts that should be supplemented into your meals as well. If you're talking about needing whole grains, I'm assuming you didn't read enough information on this website. If you look back to the beginning of the food pyramid, a lot of those people behind the scenes were crazed vegetarians that did NOT have the right knowledge to be designing a "healthy" national diet. ALWAYS question things. Don't you find it peculiar that other cultures/countries have different food pyramids?... What the government says in America certainly isn't the "be-all." If it was, well, we'd probably all be screwed.

[bobbylight]

kuno, I agree with you, but sometimes I doubt that grains are all that bad to be honest. I mean the mediteranean diet is shown in studies to be very beneficial to health and that has a lot of grains. Also many studies have shown that increased levels of whole grains seem to be associated with reduced risk for many health problems.


In the same line of thinking, I have seen MANY studies stating that saturated fats are related to a lot of health problems. Just about any study that looks at saturated fats state this actually. I just don't know what to do.


Things that I do agree on though are that meat, veggies, fruit, and nuts are all very good for me, and processed food is not.

[bobbylight]

Jess, I find it funny that you say to always question things, because that is exactly what I am doing right now .


Anyway, I definitely do not need whole grains, but maybe some grains here or there would be better for my all around health. I don't know though. I need to really look into it. Either way I will still be eating primal at the least until I get to my goal weight, because it is working and I like how I feel.

[rphlslv]

Yes, I do doubt it. You can read all about it on my Good Carbs??? thread. :P

[bobbylight]

I posted a topic on lyle mcdonald's forums (and he posts in them very regularly) about the paleo diet to see what they say over there about it. Here is a link if you guys are interested...and if you want to know about lyle, check out what he has to say in his forums and what he has to say on his website http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/ ...guy seems very well informed and does a lot of research on the subject. Anyway, here is a link to the thread.


http://forums.lylemcdonald.com/showthread.php?t=5344

[BigBeck89]

50-100 carbs is not a ketogenic diet. read the book or at least read the site.

[bobbylight]

That is arguable...mark says it isn't, other sources say it is. Even if it isn't strictly ketogenic, I hear that you are still going to make some ketones even under 150 grams of carbs.