Why are people so negativ about low-carb diets?

[BornToShopForcedToWork]

I'm on a low carb diet at the moment. Not Atkins, not Dukan or similiar, but I read the Idiot proof diet book and I stopped eating carbs. I have lost six lbs in just over week now and I feel great. I have at least another three stone to lose and I want to follow not only a low carb "diet" but a low carb lifestyle as so many things I have read about it make sense. I have tried every other diet before and failed. Low-fat, Calorie counting, the juice diets, slim fast, weight watchers, Paul McKennay etc. etc. The only thing I gained was more pounds.

I don't do it the Atkins way, I eat lots of green vegetables and salad, I don't eat too much fat - and although I haven't started an exercising regimen yet but I went hiking with a nearly two stone baby on back nearly every day for at least 2- 3 miles. I have the shred DVD and I will start as soon as I have my weights (hopefully tomorrow).

So... back to the actual question. My boss said today to me that a low carb diet is bad for me and I should try a low GI diet. I kind of tried it before and it was to complicated for me to follow. Low carb is easy for me, I only have to worry about the carbs, I know what I can eat and what I can't and I don't have to make my life more complicated than it already is. (Working 60h a week + studying for a Banking and Finance degree +trying to have some sort of a social life)

Why are people so negativ about low carb diets? Why do most people say eating so much fat can't be good? You need to go low fat to lose fat, bla bla bla. Fruits are good for you... I am fed up of these people. I am fed up of justifying myself why I choose a low carb diet and and not another diet.

I low carb as it improves my bowel condition.

I think some people just don't understand it and also it goes against the grain of dietician's and specialists.

There are carbs in a lot of foods and I don't think people generally realise this, so whilst you are low carbing you are still eating some carbs.

I think any low carb diet should be changed to Not Eat Anything Beige - that pretty much covers the bad carbs and should ensure a low carb diet

I have been low carbing for over a year - not just for weight loss but for general maintenance and well being. I lost 2 stone and more importantly have kept it off, everytime I go on a Beige Food overdose I gain weight, am bloated, don't have as much energy, have slumps in the day where I feel extremely tired and am a LOT hungrier.

My DH is the same and we eat a very varied diet with some carbs just not bad processed carbs.

messnesspess Can I ask you how it helps your bowel? I have crohns and have found it helps me but are keen for other advice and experiences.........

Because we have been told for a long time that high carb low fat is good for you so it is ingrained in most people that it is the healthy way to be. Read Gary Taubes Why We Get Fat - very interesting read.

I am low carbing and right now I am eating a 3 egg omelette with peppers, mushrooms and a sprinkling of cheese. Way more healthy than the sandwich I would have had on a low far diet

We've had 30 years of being told a healthy diet is one based on grains with very limited fat and even though that advice was highly controversial at the time it has been repeated so many times that it has become fact. It's scandalous really since it takes very little reading to come to the conclusion that grains are really bad for us for many reasons not just related to their glycaemic effect and have potentially negative nutritional value once you take into account anti-nutrients etc.

Fats on the other hand have had an unnecessary bad press. Cholesterol in the diet does not contribute significantly to cholesterol in the blood and actually the only thing that has been shown to have any significant positive correlation with the amount of "bad cholesterol" is the amount of carbohydrate in the diet i.e. the more carbohydrate in the diet, the higher the "bad cholesterol" in the blood. There is also no proof that saturated fat is bad for whereas the trans fats and omega 6 polyunsaturated fats that have replaced a lot of the saturated fat in our diets have both been linked to diseases including cancer. We all would have been a lot healthier if we'd kept cooking with lard rather than vegetable oil (or even olive oil since it's not advisable to fry with it) and using butter rather than margarine.

Queen Stromba that is very interesting. Do you know where I read more on this? Thanks

Years of poor information from public health authorities, doctors, books, tv etc etc, etc.

Just ignore.

Queenstromba - you're Paleo/Primal arn't you (waves) I was till I got pregnant and I havn't been abel to keep protien down, nevermind it's not usual circumstances.

Paleo is fab, it's cut down my pain and inflamation levels, I've lost weight and gained muscle - and my condtion means muscle gain is

goingbacktowork try Rob Wolf The Paleo Solution or just google Paleo Diet - there is loads of stuff on the web, blogs, recipies ect

Escape the Diet Trap is a good all rounder - it explains why carbs are bad for us and also goes into which fats are good and which are bad and the reasons for it. I also highly recommend Wheat Belly for a comprehensive argument on why wheat is ridiculously bad for you. I couldn't put either book down and got through them in a day each.

off to try and work out what a paleo diet is. Thanks v much.