A girl at my work recently went on a low-carb diet, and has lost a lot of weight in about a month.
I was curious if any of you had tried it before? does it work? Is it realistic? How much weight did you lose?
Seems like all of that saturated fat couldn't be healthy, but obviously I don't know anything about it. Your insight please....

Love, Carlee

Carlee, I have not personally tried a low carb diet, but my uncle is on one. He has done pretty well. But I couldn't do it. I don't think it is good for longterm success (my opinion!). Because I couldn't give up all those foods forever. I am just doing the eating less, eating healthy, and exercising. It may take longer but at least I am not depriving myself of foods that I might start to crave, cause by then I might want to binge. Anyway, just my thoughts. Everyone is different and need to find their own thing that works for them.

Bekka

I have seen people have success on low-carb diets. I tried it for about 2 weeks and I couldn't do it. I love carbs. I watch my calorie and fat intake and am able to choose from a wide variety of foods. I am just starting, but feel I can stick with this plan. Good luck in whatever you choose. I firmly believe you have to find what works best for you.

Some of you are going to be mad at me, but I feel compelled to warn my friends against this dangerous, unsensible diet.

These diets were popular in the late 60's early 70's then faded from popularity. Why? Because the effects are temporary. No one could possibly forgo carbs for the rest of her life. Once you start eating them again, the pounds rapidly return.

Also, hundreds of cases of kidney damage were reported. The body simply isn't designed to deal with the vast amounts of protien these diets advocate. The by-products of meat product digestion cause the urine to be greatly acidified, damaging kidneys. To help buffer the acid in the urine, the body will begin to leach calcium from the bones and teeth. Long term, this can lead to osteoporosis and serious bone injury. In addition, ketones (a by-product of fat breakdown as a result of high protien diets) are known to be free-radicals that can cause cancer and aging.

The safest diet: high fiber, low fat diets, rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, plant derived protiens like legumes and nuts, and plenty of water. On this diet, you will feel full from all the fiber, and your energy and vitality will greatly increase as you lose weight sensibly and healthfully. Add aerobic exercise 5 times a week and weight lifting 2 times a week, and I defy you to not lose weight, look and feel great. It isn't quick and easy, but it works, and you can stay on it for the rest of your life.

JUST SAY NO TO FAD DIETS!

------------------
Never give up, Never give in! Stay the course day by day, You're sure to win!

Carlee, HeatherC makes some very good points! I have tried a couple of Low Carb diets...I wasn't able to stick with them, they aren't liveable for me. I also didn't feel well while on them. BUT,,,that was me, there are those that advocate the low carb way of living..and they are successful, and I say Good for them! We all have to find what works best for us! I'm doing Weight Watchers, which I think is healthy and sensible, and something I plan on staying on the rest of my life. Good Luck to you Carlee! Keep on posting!
Peach

Yes, Peach is doing an AMAZING job WW pts. Prrof that the healthy way is the best way to go! I did lowcarb too and now I can't and I find I suffer from hypoglycemia VERY easily. Not much fun. I also find that I lose weight faster when I eat whole grains vs eating refined carbs even when the calories are the same!

But! When I first started coming here, I spent the first year not having any motivation, then I was shown the ways of atkins and I lost 15 in a month or so. It gave me motivation and the knowledge that I CAN lose weight, just not lowcarb.

Corinna

------------------
"Every decision you make indicates what you believe you are worth."

I hear that the new weight watchers program will involve low carbing. Very curious as to see what it's going to consist of as I'm already lowcarbing myself.

The new Weight Watchers has changed very little. They still advocate a balanced nutrition program, not restricting carbs or anything else. The only big change was with the fiber grams you are able to use in calculating points.

The low carb plans never worked for me. I just couldn't stick with it. There are lots of people, though that have had success with it. My advice would be to try it and if it dosen't work for you, then try something else.

I did the low-carb thing and I lost weight but I didn't stay with it. I missed eating carbs and finally couldn't deprive myself of them. But it might be a way to start and get you motivated. Just don't stay on it for a long time. Switch to a more balanced program. Personally, I'm counting calories, drinking water and exercising. I find this to be a plan I can stick with from now on.
Vickie

I have also tried low carb dieting. Not successfully. However, I do know some people that have tried it and have succeeded. I never really thought about it until now but the ones that were successful on it were men. I don't know of any women that have succeeded on it. Hum..... Anyway,
I am a great believer in finding what works for you. We are all individuals and have different cravings and needs.

------------------

I'v lost 60 pounds so far with the low carb approach, but that is me. I don't carry it to extremes like many people do. I stress LOW carb, not NO carb. I eat normal portions of healthier protein (I use a lot of soy protein) and plenty of veggies. I couldn't stay on the no carb version for very long, so I started giving myself a couple of limited portions a day. I try to stick to either oatmeal, diet bread or potoaos. I also dring A LOT of water (like at leas 1/2 gallon a day). Everybody's body is different, and what works for me, wont work for everybody. For examplem I don't do well on the low fat thing.

Hope this helps.

------------------