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false choice. The principle group of wait loss plans that are not low carb are calorie restricted plans. They limit consumption of ALL calories, not just fats. Probably the leading calorie restriction plan (certainly the most popular) is Weight Watchers. Weight watchers is not a "low fat" plan. It limits total calorie intake, INCLUDING carbs. Within the total point limits, it encourages people to get at least a minimum amount of healthy fats (their preference is for PUFAs and MUFAs, Omega 3 oil, etc)
You wouldn't do well for long on a "no carb" diet. Better to control your carbs but still eat at least 20 a day. If the choice is controlled carbs versus low fat, I'll take the former.
You wouldn't do well for long on a "no carb" diet. Better to control your carbs but still eat at least 20 a day. If the choice is controlled carbs versus low fat, I'll take the former.
This is right, I know, I have been there. I can do fine on a very low carb, high fat, moderate protein diet. But, if I crank the carbs down near zero......well, eventually I will be like a walking zombie.
I've done both and what I find is low carbs is extremely good for weight loss. When I do really low carbs I can honestly see a difference in my physique in the first week. Granted, that initial weight loss is actually just water and not fat. If I remember correctly, each gram of carbs contains 4 grams of water or something like that. So carbs give you more of a full (or even bloated) look. When you drop the carbs, you shed a lot of the water and the scale drops. This still can be desirable, because you still look thinner (and your face looks thinner too), but it all goes back to normal when you stop the diet (or just have a really bad cheat weekend). So you still have to be a little patient for the actual fat loss. Also, cardio just seems so much more effective when on low carb. The body uses carbs as a fuel source, but when there are no carbs available it uses your stored fat. So each cardio session I know I'm just burning away stored fat. However when on a carb diet you have to be tricky with your cardio timing to get this effect, i.e., do cardio first thing in the morning before you eat some carbs or right after a workout when you've already depleted the carbs stored in your body. Even still, in my opinion the cardio just isn't as effective as it is when on a really low carb diet (although this can be debated).
With that said, I STILL choose a carb diet. I have to go really low in calories on the diet to get the same weight loss effects as low carbs but its worth it for me. Low carb diets, at least for me, are miserable. I NEVER feel full, and I get really lethargic and grumpy. I even start to feel naucious and unhealthy after weeks and weeks of eating nothing but meats and dairies (and some veggies depending on what diet your following). I also tend to cheat and break my diet more doing low carb. I'll just be like "I can't take this anymore!" and go to Wendy's and get like 5 baked potatoes because I'm so carb depleted, lol. And we all know diets are all about consistency. Plus, its too tempting to crazy on the saturated fats. I start thinking "I can eat anything as long as its not a carb!" and I start eating bacon and ground beef patties and like a carton of eggs a day and a bunch of cheese and salami, etc. All of this saturated fat hinders the weight loss drastically. Also, as a guy, my muscles get really flat on a low carb diet. My waist shrinks up but so do my arms and chest!
I feel so much better on a diet consisting of carbs oatmeal, fruit, rice, etc. and I tend to be much more consistant with it. I just have to make sure I do plenty of exercise and keep the calories low to get a really good fat burning effect. If I ABSOLUTELY HAD to lose a bunch of weight for an event or something though, I'd do low carb.
Instead making it either or, I find it beneficial to pay more attention to the TYPE of fats and carbs. Try to severely limit or eliminate saturated fats and get more monounsaturated fats and omega-3's (as mentioned in a post above). For carbs, get rid of the processed carbs, white flours, sugars, etc. No donuts or sugared cereals! Focus on whole grains, particularly oats and rye, and veggies.
I just avoid the "worthless" carbs and fats. Pretty much everything that goes in my mouth is thought out prior to being consumed in order to determine if it's really worth counting those calories against my daily intake. Things such as sugar soft drinks, fried food, and anything with breading is easy to dismiss. The others I scrutinize in order to determine whether or not I'm willing to accept the ramifications of eating it.
So far it's working outstanding
I just avoid the "worthless" carbs and fats. Pretty much everything that goes in my mouth is thought out prior to being consumed in order to determine if it's really worth counting those calories against my daily intake. Things such as sugar soft drinks, fried food, and anything with breading is easy to dismiss. The others I scrutinize in order to determine whether or not I'm willing to accept the ramifications of eating it.
So far it's working outstanding
That's exactly what I do. I'm pretty much following the Atkins plan but find I don't have to be neurotic about it as long as I do this type of evaluation. I will do crazy carby stuff like putting ketchup on my lettuce burger if I decide the enjoyment factor is great enough to forget about strict compliance.
Instead making it either or, I find it beneficial to pay more attention to the TYPE of fats and carbs. Try to severely limit or eliminate saturated fats and get more monounsaturated fats and omega-3's (as mentioned in a post above). For carbs, get rid of the processed carbs, white flours, sugars, etc. No donuts or sugared cereals! Focus on whole grains, particularly oats and rye, and veggies.
This. Mostly (with the usual WW caveat that NOTHING is totally off limits - even a donut once in a while can be fit in)
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if I decide the enjoyment factor is great enough to forget about strict compliance.
