Low carb diet?

[JaniceT]

Anyone have any opinions on this kind of diet? My doctor is recommending it for me (after I finish breastfeeding) because I've struggled with my weight all my life without success. I'm healthy, active, do all the right things, don't over eat -- but I'm still fat. Anyway, being a whole foods/lifestyle advocate, something about it doesn't seem right -- it's inherently unbalanced -- what do you think?

[Etoile]

my response might be very unpopular because I know a lot of people think that low carb diets are very bad for you BUT

I have lost 55 pounds over the past year on a low carb diet. I feel great, my moods are more balanced, and my energy is much better.

I have read up a lot on the health benefits/risks of this diet and I'm personally satisfied that it is a healthy plan. As many studies as you can quote that low carb is bad for you, I can quote others that show it is good for you. Statistics are like that. I am going by how I feel & how others I know have done.

It IS very important to make sure you're not being extremist about it. I eat NO sugar or flour but I do eat beans fairly regularly which are kind of high carb but do not affect your blood sugar the way sugars or flours do. I eat a lot of veggies and it is important to do so. I make my own low-carb bread & sugar free desserts.

I am very whole- and natural-foods inclined myself. I eat only organic meats, dairy & veggies when at all possible. I try to make sure to eat plenty of fiber. I eat a lot of vegetarian protein sources too--tofu, nuts, wheat gluten, etc. The low-carb bread I make has flax and wheat bran in it for added nutrition. I eat melon and strawberries occasionally (lowest-carb fruits). Some whole grains are workable too although at this point I do not include them.

I think about 80% of the effectiveness of the diet is cutting out flour, potatoes and all sweeteners (sugar, honey, etc).

I would first recommend reading the book "The Schwarzbein Principle". It is definitely more balanced than Atkins--atkins is what I started with though.

If you have any questions at all about it please PM me, I have done lots of research & have been at it for more than a year so I've gotten it down to a science.

[bebe luna]

I think low carb diets can be a very good thing. Especially for people trying to lose weight! I am not a big fan of the ever-popular Atkins Diet, because i think he is too big an advoicate for fatty meats and i disagree w/ his carrots are too high-carb philosophy...
I lost all my extra preg. weight from cutting out dairy, sugars, breads, and minimizing pasta, rice, etc.
I think it's very healthy to eat a good deal of healthy protiens (tofu, tempeh, nuts/nut butters, fish, etc), as well as lots of vegis, and a smaller amount of whole grains. It's never bad to go sugar-free! You'll feel a lot better after a couple weeks and most likely will lose the weight you need.
Don't forget, exercise is also very important. It boosts metabolism, tones the heart and lungs, builds blood, strengthens bones and muscles, detoxifies, and helps keep our moods level.
Good luck!

[mamachiquita]

I totally agree with what the other posters have said. Low-carb is good, but replacing carbs with fatty foods while cutting out healthy foods like fruits and vegetables is not. Just cut way back on the carb foods, like limit them to only a few servings per day and make sure they they are whole-grain and un-refined. Limit fruit to one or two servings per day. Eat lots of veggies! A good sample breakfast on this diet would be something like an egg and veggie omelet for breakfast with a grapefruit, or maybe some lowfat cottage cheese with tomatoes as a sub for the eggs. High-protein veggie burgers(no bun/bread) are good for lunch along with some veggie soup or a salad. Dinner could be stir-fry with tofu and vegetables over brown rice. For dessert, maybe some fruit or some air-popped popcorn. To be honest, this is pretty much the diet that I follow when the weather gets warm. I think that it is healthy and would definitely fit into a weight-loss plan.

[Irishmommy]

I've done Atkins exactly as he says, and I've also modified it to include whatever veggies I want. With veggies is definitely healthier, but cutting carbs seems to work for me way better than cutting fat (though I sort of watch that too!!).

[berryMO]

Protien Power, low carb

I just started a low carb diet but it is called Protien Power. You can have a lot more fresh vegtables on it than on the Atkins diet. They subtract the undigestable fiber from the carb count. You still cut out all starchy foods and sweet deserts but you can have a little fresh fruit in moderation. It helps you choose the fruits that are the highest in fiber. You can eat 30 grams of Carbs a day as long as you make sure you get a certain amount of quality protien in your diet.

I have been on it only a week, but I feel great and the weight is already starting to come off.

I weened my baby about 8 mo. ago and it took me until now to get motivated to do something about the extra weight. I felt so deprived for so long that after weening the baby I wanted my Cappuccino's back and all the milk products I wanted for a while etc...

It feels good to be doing something for myself. This diet is really good for the heart, cholesterol, diabetes and building lean muscle mass.

You have a wise Dr. if he is suggesting this type of diet.

[berryMO]

PP Links

I am not trying to sell anything but I am reading the Protein Power book and really excited about it. At Amozon.com (where I bought mine) they even have excerps from the book. Here is the link if you are interested:
http://www.amazon.com

Potein Power Even has thier own web site:
http://www.eatprotein.com/

And their own dissusion board:
http://bbs.eatprotein.com/forum

Good Luck

[JaniceT]

It's good to hear all the positive things about this program. On Etoile's advice I'm reading The Schwarzbein Principle and it fits in better with my holistic philosophy than Atkins.

Another question: does anyone know about negative implications of such a program on breastfeeding? My doctor did say that he'd recommend doing it AFTER I get finished breastfeeding, but I don't plan to wean my dd until she does it herself -- which means I may be bfing for several years....

Thanks for all the feedback!

[berryMO]

Low Carb and breast feeding

I think you could do some because watching your carbs is a great way to cut calories and decrease your bodies insulin production.

But according to Dr Michael Eades MD and his Wife Mary Dan Eades MD (authors of the Protein Power Book). That cutting your carbohydrates back to 20 or 30 grams a day affects the hormone levels. It frequently throws a person into Ketosis, wich is not a bad thing but not something you want to do while nursing.

The shift with strict carbhydrate cutting stimulates the production of more growth hormone, wich is good for most people but not during pregnancy and lactation.

Hope this helps.

[Etoile]

Glad you are liking the Schwarzbein Principle!

At the very least, while you are breastfeeding you could cut out white flour and sugar, which doesn't do anybody any good. Sticking with limited amounts of whole grains, plenty of veggies & some fruits, and lots of protein, you should be fine without going into ketosis.
I bet you'll feel a lot more energetic too.


Good luck to you and enjoy that baby!

[JaniceT]

Thanks, Sarah! The Schwarbein plan calls for up to 60 grams of carbohydrates a day for my profile, which seems ok. I think ketosis only kicks in when carbs are cut almost completely, like down to 20-30 grams. I'd never be able to live on that kind of program, anyway. Thanks again for all your help!