There's some disagreement here, so you're going to get alot of opinions where this is concerned. Here's mine.
For many people, a calorie may just be a calorie and that calorie content is more important than carb/fat/protein breakdown (in terms of weight, not necessarily health.)
However, some people may react physically, neurologically, or emotionally to carbs (particularly refined carbs) differently. Some people notice an almost "addictive" reaction to high glycemic carbs (and there is some brain MRI studies that show a neurological response eerily similar to the brain response that can occur in some drug addiction).
Many people notice an increased hunger response to carbs. If reducing carbs can reduce hunger, some people may find it easier to stick to a reduced calorie diet if it is lower in carb.
Insulin resistant folk, particularly may respond better to a carb restricted diet than other low calorie diets (definitely has been true for me).
It isn't that carbs are evil or bad for you, it's just a trial and error approach that is worth a shot, if all other food plans leave you starving especially if you're having difficulty losing weight even on the lowest calorie diets (suggestive of insulin resistance).
I've been dieting for over 35 years and I've had an obsessive, constant hunger since early childhood. Hormonal effects (PMS) made it very difficult to lose weight. My doctor recommended a lower carb diet, as a glucose tolerance test showed that I was insulin resistant, and that insulin resistitant folks often do better on a lower carb diet (and this is a physician very reluctant to recommend anything "new" or unproven, he refers to "peer-reviewed" research in almost everything he recommends).
For me, it has made a dramatic difference. I use an exchange program modified slightly to include a few more exchanges of protein, and a few fewer of starchy foods. I try to exclude processed carbs, because these make me RAVENOUSLY hungry.
I decided to prove it to myself with a food journal. And it didn't take me very long to see that I truly do lose weight better on more calories if I reduce carbs, especially high GI carbs. However, this is very much a case in which not all dieters are created equally.
Or, to put what Kaplods said more simply, Your Mileage May Vary!
I ate carbs, including some white carbs, my entire weight loss journey. I do try to focus on getting whole grains, veggies, and fruits for as many of my carbs as possible for the health and nutrient benefits. I also eat relatively small portions of most carbs, since they are more calorie dense than veggies. But for me, eating carbs has never been an obstacle.
Many find that eating carbs, particularly white carbs (refined sugars, flours, etc), increases their cravings for more of those foods, which makes it harder to stay on plan. This may be, but I have included even refined carbs without major problems, so again, we're all different.
To further attest kaplods' post about dieters being different, my own experience with low carb dieting further shows that what works for some people doesn't necessarily work for all people.
I will admit that I'm driven crazy by advertisements for anything which claims to be "low carb" since it's become a bit of a craze, being touted as the magical cure-all for every overweight person.
In terms of my own weight loss challenges, I'm insulin resistant and am on medication that helps to regulate insulin in my blood stream. After my IR diagnosis, I did try the IR diet, but found myself gaining weight and getting really cranky all the time.
As a result of personal research and speaking with my GP, I've been most successful following the nutritional guidelines from the Canadian Diabetes Foundation, which is to be selective about your carbohydrate intake by choosing complex carbs and reducing the amount of refined carbs in my diet. They recommend everything in moderation, and this has not only worked for me, but has kept my moods and insulin levels in check.
A diet's only good if it's healthy, you can stick with it, and you get results.
I find all of these stories so interesting and yeah I have to agree that one diet can be great for one person and not for another. I find low carb/high protein is good way to go to banish cravings but then I introduce whole grain carbs and try to only have them in the morning - so I burn them off in the day but even when following a high protein diet for a week or so I also make sure I eat vegetables and some fruits as its so important (more than losing weight) to be healthy and get my 5 a day!
I tried low carbing/Atkins ONCE. I suffered headaches, was exhausted, and I literally couldn't THINK.
Most of the reason that carb bashing happens, is because most fattening foods (donuts, cake, cookies, chips, etc.) are carbohydrates...but, they are either refined carbohydrates, or fatty carbohydrates, or BOTH. Because of these carbs being refined or loaded with sugar, they cause the blood sugar to spike, and then crash rapidly...making you hungrier and craving MORE refined carbs shortly thereafter.
But, all carbs are not created equal-brown rice, oatmeal, fruit, vegetables...these carbs are EXTREMELY healthy for you!!!
But, most people don't get fat eating fruit, vegetables, and oatmeal...they get fat from eating the carbs mentioned earlier.
Have to agree with everybody so far . . . in other words, one woman's treasure is another woman's trash . . . I'm a type II diabetic and quite carb-conscious because of it, but by no means low carb as defined by Atkins and some other plans.
So -- bottom line -- each person must find their own best method for weight loss and including healthy carbs usually works for most.
the problem is the carbs are entirely way too low..like 20g...50g on those diets.
you are trying to make a lifestyle change, not cut an entire macronutrient out of your food choices!
The percentage of people that re-gain the weight they've lost with most methods of weight loss is high, but it's even higher with low carb, high protein diets.
main problems are:
A. You re-gain the healthy fluid lost because of glycogen depletion.
B. It's difficult to maintain that type of diet long-term.
C. You have not made a change to a long-term healthy lifestyle.
people, especially americans, want to do too much too fast. always looking for the quick fix instead of fixing the real problem.
no macronutrient is bad for you in moderation. that goes for fat, carbs or protein.
i noticed that i tend to lose fat at a slower rate when i eat a lot of carbs. i ate a lot of bread, bagels, bananas etc.
last year i did on a 1650 calorie diet...
55% carbs (225g)
30% pro (130g)
15% fat
this time around for the last few lbs i am doing:
25% carbs (105g)
45% pro (185g)
30% fat
then what i do is every 5-7days i ate ONE meal with complex carbs/fat. this meal along has 120g of carbs by itself.
so basically every day of the week i eat only 100g of carbs except the carb day which i get over 200.
•210 grams of broccoli = 15g carbohydrates
•½ cup oatmeal = 30g carbohydrates
•6.5 oz PEELED ruby red grapefruit = 15g carbohydrates
•20g of peanut butter= 10g fat
•8 oz sweet potato = 60g carbohydrates
•20g of almonds = 10g fat
•120g Carbohydrates
•20g Fat
i won't go into why i do that..unless someone wants to know..:-)
Confused about how Carbs work.
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