Low Carb Mania..A Fad or Here to Stay?

[ekeen]

I was wondering by a show of hands who has tried these diets? I just read that more and more food options are coming this summer as far as low carbs go. I myself have cut back on carb intake (breads, pasta, etc) but am not on full-blown Atkins or South Beach.

FWIW, I know a lot of physicians that either swear by South Beach or Atkins because of their cardioprotective benefits (lower ldls and fewer insulin spikes).

Was just wondering what people's thoughts were.

 

[wolfamngstsheep]

I hope to god it doesn't. I work part time at a sub shop and they just added low fat carb wraps to the menue. They are a pain in the ass to make and they take much more time then your regular sandwich would, not to mention the cost/profit margin is extremely low.

 

[WestOgma]

Personally I have never tried the diet but am pretty sick of seeing it and hearing about it..I mean its everywhere, beer, pizza, fast food. Now I'm not a doctor but something about eating a lot of foods that are low in carbs and high in fat doesn't seam like the smartest thing in the long term. I'm still waiting for some fast food place to come out with a pro-carb add that would say something along the lines of "yeah we've got carbs...damn near insane amounts of carbs "...I would honor them with my buisness and the balls to take a stand on their own when everyone else is jumping on the low carb bandwagon.

 

[tibor75]

All these weight loss ideas are ways for fatasses to lose weight while still being lazy. Weight loss is an amazing concept:

Calories burned > Calories eaten

If you exercise, you can eat pretty much whatever you want.

The reason low carb diets work is because if you eliminate extra carbs, you limit total calories and you lose weight. But, also by not sacrificing the stuff you like, you are more likely to stick with the diet. Any diet will work. The problem with diets is sticking to it. It shouldn't be surprising that high carb/low fat diets just don't work. I remember in college, when I would try to lose extra pounds, I would start eating spaghetti for dinner. Of course, the only thing that happened was that I would get hungry one hour later and end up going to Wendy's for a Frostie or something.
A high glucose load just causes a high insulin spike which causes glucose levels to drop quickly and which stimulates hunger in about 1-2 hours.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

ekeen: I'm on a low-carb diet right now, and have lost 20 pounds. I allow myself to cheat on the weekend (either Satruday or Sunday, but never both). I've also started training for the Tinman Triathlon in July, so on days I have group practice, I'll allow myself one normal carb meal, with all the other being low- or no-carb meals. I don't do the hard-core Atkins diet, though. As for it being a "fab", I don't think it will go away, but it will die down a bit after everyone in the world gets done riding the low-carb bandwagon. What is the funniest is the Coors and Bud commercials touting their lite beers as "low-carb" beers. Sheesh, get the fuck outta here. As if Miller Lite or Bud Light were fucking diet drinks...

wolfamngstsheep: I cannot see how the cost/profit margin on Subway Atkins wraps is low. The wraps are more expensive than a 6" sub. Although the wraps may cost a bit more than the clump of dough needed (or should I say "kneeded") to make a 6" loaf, it would seem the higher cost of the wrap vice sandwich would more than offset the cost difference.

I would get hungry one hour later and end up going to Wendy's for a Frostie or something.

Why would you do that when you have a slurpee machine right in your house?

 

[Oh8ch]

They are a pain in the ass to make and they take much more time then your regular sandwich would, not to mention the cost/profit margin is extremely low.

And they suck (if we are talking Subway).

I am hiking the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim next week and am on my own modified version of Atkins right now trying to reduce the load I have to cart back up. I have done this same diet a number of times and it always works for me. Or at least temporarily - which is why I have done it a number of times.

I definitely think it is here to stay. If you look at a lot of the diets over the years they have elements of Atkins (I am having a brain cramp on the names right now but there was one that was against sandwiches that combined bread and protein) all the way back to Adele Davis who said a breakfast high in protein will reduce hunger during the day.

I am very sensitive to carbs in that regard. I can eat an omelette for breakfast and not eat again till mid afternoon. Let me start the day with pancakes or oatmeal and I am looking for a snack by 9:00. I can go to a fine restaurant, eat 10 courses and stuff myself - and stop for a Hershey bar to satisfy a craving on the way home.

There will be studies coming out I am sure that site certain health risks over time, but obesity is not healthy either and this diet works for a LOT of people.

 

[tibor75]

And they suck (if we are talking Subway).

I am hiking the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim next week and am on my own modified version of Atkins right now trying to reduce the load I have to cart back up. I have done this same diet a number of times and it always works for me. Or at least temporarily - which is why I have done it a number of times.

I definitely think it is here to stay. If you look at a lot of the diets over the years they have elements of Atkins (I am having a brain cramp on the names right now but there was one that was against sandwiches that combined bread and protein) all the way back to Adele Davis who said a breakfast high in protein will reduce hunger during the day.

I am very sensitive to carbs in that regard. I can eat an omelette for breakfast and not eat again till mid afternoon. Let me start the day with pancakes or oatmeal and I am looking for a snack by 9:00. I can go to a fine restaurant, eat 10 courses and stuff myself - and stop for a Hershey bar to satisfy a craving on the way home.

There will be studies coming out I am sure that site certain health risks over time, but obesity is not healthy either and this diet works for a LOT of people.

Hey, I hiked down to the bottom in March. Great time. I went down via the South Kaibab trial, stayed 2 night at Bright Angel Campground. Spent time on the Clear Creek Trail and then also hiked to Ribbon Falls, which is about 10 miles round trip from Bright Angel but worth it. Then hiked back up on Bright Angel. Also hiked to havasu falls which is to the west of Grand Canyon. If you have any questions, just ask!

 

[Oh8ch]

Calories burned > Calories eaten

I don't think we know nearly as much about how weight loss and gain works as we pretend we do. The first time I went on Atkins I tracked my caloric intake pretty closely and the weight loss was way out of line with the change in intake and exercise.

I know folks who never miss a chance to ride an elevator and never pass a donut shop without stopping but never gain an ounce. I know - its their metabolism. But how does that work and how does Atkins effect metabolism?

Nor does the oversimplified caolries in = calories out formula explain 'set points'. I don't think I am alone in giving testimonly that set points are very real.

When I was in HS I ate whatever i liked and couldn't get above 135. As an adult I can nibble carrots and lettuce all day and walk to hell and back without getting under 200.

And I really get offended when folks under 50 choose to call me lazy. I hate to inform you kids but when you get older things change. You can pretend all you like that you will be different and all those old fat people are that way because at some point they inexplicably chose to be round, but that ain't how it works. I no more chose to slow down than I chose to turn my hair gray or have it start growing out of my ears.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

or have it start growing out of my ears.

I hear ya (no pun intended). WTF is up with that shit? I'm 47 and hair is growing out of my ears rather than where my hairline is. Mother Nature blows dogs...

 

[Oh8ch]

Well shit Tibor, why didn't you tell me you hiked the GC before I went and attacked your calroie formula? If I had know you had info to share I would have agreed with you.

We are shuttling to the North Rim, going down the North Kaibob, staying at Phantom Ranch and back up Bright Angel. I will probably do a day hike the day before as well. Which of the hikes that you did would you recommend?

I am really fascinated by the geology of the whole visit. Hiking through 2 billion years of evolution and deposition is exciting. When I get back I plan to reserruct the evolution thread. (Can I use the term resurrect if I believe in evolution?)

 

[gbearbuck]

I cannot see how cutting all carbs can be healthy... When I go on diets, it consists of the following:

1. Get my fat butt in the gym M-F (I give myself the weekends off).
2. Cut out the deserts
3. Watch the munchies in the office
4. Try to keep track of what I eat for meals (nothing fancy, just no fast food more than once a week... try to stay with fish, chicken, and pork)

When I do this I feel healthy, I do lose weight, my lifting gets better, energy level goes up, and I tend to get nice comments from the wife/family/friends... only problem is that I hate doing that stuff and after two months I tend to start to cheat and next thing I know a month has gone by since I've been in the gym... :(

 

[vrbryant]

1. Get my fat butt in the gym M-F (I give myself the weekends off).
2. Cut out the deserts
3. Watch the munchies in the office
4. Try to keep track of what I eat for meals (nothing fancy, just no fast food more than once a week... try to stay with fish, chicken, and pork)

That's the only diet that works. That and mono. And AIDS. And cocaine abuse. But who wants to get mono, anyway?

 

[tibor75]

Well shit Tibor, why didn't you tell me you hiked the GC before I went and attacked your calroie formula? If I had know you had info to share I would have agreed with you.

We are shuttling to the North Rim, going down the North Kaibob, staying at Phantom Ranch and back up Bright Angel. I will probably do a day hike the day before as well. Which of the hikes that you did would you recommend?

I am really fascinated by the geology of the whole visit. Hiking through 2 billion years of evolution and deposition is exciting. When I get back I plan to reserruct the evolution thread. (Can I use the term resurrect if I believe in evolution?)

I only did 2 hikes when at the bottom. One of them is Ribbon Falls, which you will pass very close to since you are coming down the North Rim and walking to the South Rim. It's not THAT great...the fun part of the hike for me was just walking along the bottom, soaking it all in. But, like I said, for you, it would be just a half hour detour.
I hiked the first 1.5 miles of the Clear Creek tail. I did that hike later in the day after hiking down to the bottom. From where I went, you got a good look at the River and the South Kaibab trail on the other side. It's actually about a 10 mile round trip to Clear Creek itself (not sure what is there exactly), but I think I hiked enough of it. You can also hike around the river a bit which I did in the evening. I really is an amazing experience. you get a much better look than the "fatasses" who stay at the top :tongue2:

I cannot see how cutting all carbs can be healthy... When I go on diets, it consists of the following:

1. Get my fat butt in the gym M-F (I give myself the weekends off).
2. Cut out the deserts
3. Watch the munchies in the office
4. Try to keep track of what I eat for meals (nothing fancy, just no fast food more than once a week... try to stay with fish, chicken, and pork)

When I do this I feel healthy, I do lose weight, my lifting gets better, energy level goes up, and I tend to get nice comments from the wife/family/friends... only problem is that I hate doing that stuff and after two months I tend to start to cheat and next thing I know a month has gone by since I've been in the gym... :(

The funny thing is that when I exercise, my craving for stuff like pizza and Wendy's goes down. But in the dead of winter, when I'm just a lazy slug, I order a pizza about twice per week.

 

[buckiprof]

I will probably do a day hike the day before as well. Which of the hikes that you did would you recommend?

Oh8ch - If you have the time, I would suggest hiking to the top of Humphrey's Peak. It is close to the Grand Canton, just north of Flagstaff, it is the highest point in AZ., elevation circa 12,500 ft. Fairly easy to hike to the top (2-3 hours), you pass through many environment zones (the last one is tundra), and from the top you can see 4 National Parks: Grand Canyon, Painted Desert/Petrified Forest, Bryce Canyon, and Zion Canyon. (If you do this hike, you may notice lower oxygen levels the last 500 ft. or so.)

Also, if time permits, I would suggest the Oak Creek Canyon drive from Flagstaff to Sedona. Consistently rated one of the Top 5 scenic drives in the country. On the drive, a stop at Slide Rock State Park (I believe that is the name) is worthwhile. It is a natural water slide that is pretty neat.

 

[BuckBackHome]

My wife and I have tried both, and did not care for either. She has struggled to lose weight after a couple of kids and I could stand to lose 15-20. The thing that drives me crazy about those things is you really do not change your lifestyle. Great, eat less carbs, but hop on a bike or treadmill for some cardio. I was hitting the Y on a regular basis, but with those diets I never had the energy to do cardio due to a lack of carbs.

We have just started Body for Life. More reasonable as far as diet and the weight training is nice. I am not crazy about the lack of "true" cardio, but it seems more of a lifestyle change where you are developing eating habits that will be good for life. Now if I could just find a good protein power bar I would be set.