To think that a carb heavy diet is best for some people?

[Darlingdahlia]

Or at least for me?! I find that when I eat lots of carbs I feel all the things that other people claim to feel when they give them up. I have much more energy, can maintain my weight and don't get hungry. When I cut them out I feel exhausted, tired and very grumpy. I exercise an awful lot, running or doing an interval workout daily plus walking 4 or 5 miles a day pushing a buggy, so that's possibly why I need lots of carbs, and I'm a slim size 10. The vast majority of my carbs are from complex carbs, ie whole grains, oats, brown rice, fruit, veg etc. I feel great on a relatively low fat, low protein diet, although I always eat full fat yoghurt etc rather than low fat options; basically try to opt for least processed food options without additives where possible but do eat too much chocolate. Rarely eat any other junk food. I find the anti carbohydrate trend a bit faddish and I just don't think it works well to cut carbs if you're very active.

I have gestational diabetes and have to test my blood sugar several times a day. Without complex carbs particularly granary bread there is absolutely no way I could control my blood sugar - it's not as easy as just cutting out carbs and everything will be fine. Most things actually are ok for me if eaten in small portions except for sweets and white bread. It does depend on your own body though and what you can tolerate.

Just as an aside, it's total bollocks that sweeteners cause your blood sugar to rise like sugar does. They just don't.

Tea, really? That's interesting because occasionally I'd like a diet soda but don't have them. Usually it's only a hot day craving though so not exactly frequent!!

I must admit that I'm one if those who tried low carbing (after 5:2ing for a couple of years) and go on about it a lot! I started a low carb diet last September and have lost and more importantly, kept off, 1.5 stones. I wasn't big to start with so this has put me at the slimmest I've been for a long time. If there was a way to add some fat back onto my bum and boobs I'd be even happier!

I exercise a lot (cardio and weight training 4-5 times a week) but have been fine without the carbs, I have upped my protein intake though. I cut out bread, rice, pasta, cakes, biscuits, etc. but do still eat some fruit and veg that wouldn't be allowed on a very strict low carb diet.

I can't manage without quite a lot of carbs - I just don't feel full, and get hungry again really quickly. I'm under 8 stone and a size 6, so even though I know my diet isn't perfect there isn't a weight issue. I don't tend to eat when I'm not hungry, so I guess that helps.

Agree with BIWI, low carb does not mean NO carb. Most people on low carb will have lots of leafy green veg which provides carbs and energy and some people may add in extra fruit (berries are popular on low carb recipes I see) and veg like carrot, sweet potato etc once they've reached their target weight too.
I also find bread and rice makes me sluggish and bloated. I don't eat a lot of pasta anyway. I prefer dark chocolate too which seems to pass the LC test.
People are complex biological beings in constant flux and change, so it's kinda obvious that some food groups will work better for some and not others. Also at different stages of life our needs may change too. So live and let carb, I say

My completely unscientific opinion is that carbs are fine for most people. You're really active, you're slim. You clearly thrive on carbs. That's fine. Lots of people do.

I think most people who are overweight can't tolerate many carbs. I have been overweight for years. I lost weight of a low fat diet but I also felt shit much of the time. On a low carb diet I feel incredibly well by comparison and the weight melts off in a different way. Low carbing is incredibly healthy. It's easier too because the food is delicious. I get why people think it's faddy because I once thought that. But it isn't in reality. It's good for you. Lots of science to back that up

I'm on LCHF and it works for me. On carbs I've always been sluggish and put on weight.

Low carb diet gives me more energy (I have no idea why)

When I do eat carbs I go for mainly potatoes and rice instead of bread and pasta. The natural non man made carbs tend to work best for me. I have more energy? I can maintain my weight better too.

Agree with others that no one diet suits everyone.

YANBU. Traditional dietary advice, and the advice still offered by the NHS, is that a healthy diet should be high in complex carbs. It certainly works well for me (BMI consistently around 20-21). Carbs do satisfy me and I don't feel inclined to eat large amounts of protein or fat (obviously some protein and some fat are essential too).

However, there is a huge difference between a diet containing lots of complex carbs (vegetables and wholegrains) and a diet containing lots of highly processed carbs (white flour, refined sugar).

I accept that everyone is different, and that different diets work best for different people. However, I am rather sceptical of diets which seem to promote eating large quantities of red meat (proven health risk) but condemn eating fresh whole fruits, because they contain natural sugars . And any diet which restricts consumption of fresh vegetables really is nonsense.

My best friend eats nothing but carbs and is a willowy 5ft 11 with a bmi of 19.

I look at a carb and I put on half a stone.

We are different. But I'm getting happier with my eating. I've been noticing that if I do eat larger amounts of carbs now I get almost drunk and hung over combined. That warm fuzzy sleepy feeling. Not necessarily a bad feeling if/when you want it

It's about balance, there are good and bad carbs. The problem is with the processed stuff which gives all carbs a bad name. Personally I can't live without carbs and include wholemeal bread, oats, potatoes, pasta and rice in my diet. Without having these things I am hungry and lack energy.

I'm really doubtful about all the carb hate that's generally around.

As far as I'm aware, excess energy - in any form - will be stored as fat as that is the form the body stores energy in. One form of nutrient isn't any worse than any other, it's the overall amount of energy you are taking in that is important.

That being said I think there is a case for eating the right kind of carbs, i.e. starch-rich, slow-release carbs over sugars/refined starchy foods.

Well, sniffle, perhaps you might like to read some of the scientific evidence that does support the fact that carbs are worse than other nutrients?

And trust me, there's loads of it.

Cereals and wholegrains are important

www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d6617

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15674998

BIWI - it's strange then that official advice from the NHS, government, and British Dietetic Association all discourage restricting or cutting out any one food group. Unless they are all wilfully ignoring 'science' for some reason?

Everything in moderation.

I know one thing.

When I eat white flour and white sugar, I feel awful and look grey and knackered.

If I eat veg, meat, fish, good fats, lentils, squashes, sweet potato, cheese, nuts and fruit I feel great.

Do what works for you.

sniffle - if you low carb you're not cutting out food groups. Veg have carbs in so you still get what you need

I cut them out mostly - I'm 8 stone and usually pretty active. I do look and feel a mess when eating lots of carbs, so although I love them I tend not to.

Eat lots of veg, fruit, lean meat etc but just avoid bread pasta rice crisps sweets - all the junky carbs

onemorecake bread and pasta aren't 'junky' carbs. They're actually quite a good source of protein, believe it or not.

I'm in an NHS course at the moment for pre-diabetes. The NHS advice for us is to lower carb intake, the advice does seem to be changing. We were told for example bread (white or brown) due to its carb count contains the equivalent of 3 tsp of sugar. So even bread, pasta is considered junk food.
We were explicitly told not to follow the standard NHS advice as that's causing obesity rates to rise and is too carb heavy.

Well yes, sniffle, there's a lot of ignoring good research and science - it's been going on for a long time. But gradually it's changing - fat is no longer being vilified in the way it once was, and the current focus on sugar being the baddy is no coincidence.

I workout every day. Heavy weights, circuits, intervals etc. I also run 5x a week, cycle regularly and walk 15,000 steps daily.

I don't diet and never have but I don't eat some carbs. No pasta, rice, bread etc purely because they make me bloated and sluggish. I get my carbs from veg, berries and grains. My diet is high protein, with good fats and lots of veg. No processed food or sugar, no caffeine. I'm in the shape of my life so I guess we're all different.

Low carb is faddy nonsense, the same way that low fat was faddy nonsense

All diets are faddy nonsense, and despite everyone low carbing and 5:2-ing and WW-ing and whatever, people are getting more and more obese.

Too much advice, and too little common sense.

There are lots of ways to eat healthily, and it is definitely a good idea not to gorge yourself on junk food (but hey, that is the common sense bit) and if low carb works for you and is long term sustainable for you, that is great.

But the demonisation of pasta, rice and bread is absurd.

We, humans, have been able to eat these for a long time without becoming fat and diabetic. Because we ate "normal", as in normal portions, and doing a "normal" amount of exercise.

There is some kind of irony in the advance of all these diets, whilst people keep getting fatter and sicker!

IMO these "new" (faddy) ways of eating lead to a famine-or-feast attitude in many, which creates the paradox of more people than ever being on some kind of diet, whilst at the same time obesity rates are rising.

You can eat bread, potatoes and muesli and pizza and still be slim and fit. Maybe I will write a book about it one day ...

Though as an ordinary peasant without a nutrition degree, I have no right to speak.

But please, can we go back to common sense and eating normal food? Thanks!

Everyone is of course different and no way of eating will ever suit everyone. For me I need & want carbs in my diet.

In the new year I decided it was time to lose my baby weight from last year and I lost 2 stone, now weigh what I did pre pregnancy and I ate carbs in some form everyday. Carbs have never effected my weight loss and never made me sluggish

Low carbing has been around since the 19th century (Google the Banting diet). It is no more faddy than low fat dieting is, which was the mantra of professional nutritionists for decades, during which the obesity epidemic started.

I've given up trying to educate people on the science behind low carb diets - Google is available to all, the evidence, the studies, and the explanations are there for anyone who's interested. I eat low carb, it works for me, what other people choose to eat is up to them.

I reckon it depends on genetics, ethnicity maybe too. You're very active so carb away! If I was completely sedentary I'd have to do Atkins. My body doesn't tolerate too many carbs. I will quickly balloon around the middle and get unsightly fat in places like - armpits, chin, love handles. It's weird, the fat never goes to arse or thighs which might be a bit more palatable.
My body is the laboratory-i don't need proof of anything, I know what works for me.
I've had people tell me low carb is bollocks. 4 stone of baby weight lost thru high fat low carb isn't bollocks to me.
Low carb isn't NO CARB. I just try to avoid grains/sugar/potatoes but I do have treats.