Low carb, high fat/high carb, low fat/etc

[LordGrover]

Variations on these themes keep on popping up in all manner of topics - mostly those trying to lose 'weight', gain fitness, lose fat, body builders bulking/cutting, etc. Just read another one.

Does anyone really have any proof of what works and what doesn't?

I've had 'success' with all variations so they all pretty much 'work', so long as total calories meet your requirements. I minimize my consumption of bread, but that's because it's calorie dense, nutrition poor not for any low carb/anti-grain crusade. Probably means when I do make a bacon sarnie I enjoy it all the more.

I now accept that if I restrict alcohol, don't eat too much **** and eat plenty of good quality meat/fish/eggs with lots of fresh vegetables and a little fruit, I can keep on an even keel and maintain a decent body composition. Surely it's that simple for everyone?

[Hoofy]

LordGrover said:

I now accept that if I restrict alcohol, don't eat too much **** and eat plenty of good quality meat/fish/eggs with lots of fresh vegetables and a little fruit, I can keep on an even keel and maintain a decent body composition. Surely it's that simple for everyone?

That's
(1) Not simple
(2) Not understanding how to go from fat to not fat.

Simple: stop eating so much.

Simple (remix): you're eating too much.

Simple (radio edit): eat less, move more.

[BenM77]

One of the true pleasures in life is food and drink. And life is far too short for Keto, fasting, low carb, etc.


Some of the most successful athletes in the world eat a truck load of food (phelps etc). That should be clue enough that the missing ingredient is not diet.

All about the training IMO

[markcoznottz]

High saturated healthy fat, medium protein, low carb prob the best. Then save the crap food for the weekend to confuse your metabolism. Rinse and repeat. I lose weight doing this and eat utter st at the weekend, krispey kreme, pizza, ben n jerrys etc. Then back on the cream cheese and nuts on Monday

[Hoofy]

markcoznottz said:

High saturated healthy fat, medium protein, low carb prob the best. Then save the crap food for the weekend to confuse your metabolism. Rinse and repeat. I lose weight doing this and eat utter st at the weekend, krispey kreme, pizza, ben n jerrys etc. Then back on the cream cheese and nuts on Monday

It's certainly a more satisfying way to lose weight (but it won't confused your metabolism - not sure why it needs confusing or whether it can be confused). You could even eat junk food during the week amongst your healthy food. I do.

[LordGrover]

Unless you have a genuine urge to eat ****, why do you or anyone gladly eat 'junk food'?
I avoid it where possible, though will occasionally partake if either present company requires it or just laziness. I just don't get those who choose to eat food with lower nutritional value.
Clearly if you're simply counting calories a carb is a carb, etc. but this **** lacks vitamins, minerals and nutrients which promotes better health.

[markcoznottz]

Hoofy said:

markcoznottz said:

High saturated healthy fat, medium protein, low carb prob the best. Then save the crap food for the weekend to confuse your metabolism. Rinse and repeat. I lose weight doing this and eat utter st at the weekend, krispey kreme, pizza, ben n jerrys etc. Then back on the cream cheese and nuts on Monday

It's certainly a more satisfying way to lose weight (but it won't confused your metabolism - not sure why it needs confusing or whether it can be confused). You could even eat junk food during the week amongst your healthy food. I do.

The idea is if your in ketosis for weeks on end your body slows down the rate it uses protein/fat, wether this is because you tend to run a calorie deficit on low carb knowingly or not I don't know. Hypothyroidism gives the game away in the winter, your body slows down the metabolism and you feel cold all the time. Carbing up ramps up your metabolism artificially, but just as it peaks you go back onto high fat/ med protein in the week, and should be into ketosis quickly, and burning fat. Works for me anyway.

[Pete102]

Interesting topic OP, I have personal experience of a low carb / high protein / med - high fat diet that I've been on since early June.

I have completely cut out bread, pasta, potatoes, sweets, chocolate, pizza etc. from my diet. Replaced with Chicken, turkey, steak, veggies, nuts, a small amount of fruit (fructose aside), protein shakes, fish etc. - a typical day is usually 80g of carbs or less and 120g of protein or more.

I have combined this with alot of exercise, typically I'll get 40 - 50 miles on the road bike plus 3 x +40m spinning sessions plus an ice hockey game or two at the weekend.

Typical calorie intake is around 1500. This isnt completely intentional, I just struggle to eat the required amount of food to get much above that (eating 6 - 7 times a day).

Rather predictably, the weight has dropped off, when I started I was 18st 10lb, i currently weigh 16st 2lb. I am unable to pin point what has made the biggest benefit but I suspect its a combination of the calorie defecit, change in diet and exercise together. One thing I can say though, is that since cutting out carbs such as bread and potatoes I have never once felt bloated or lethargic (apart from the first week on low carb, I was pretty dead that week).

The only time I find I have to eat additional carbs is for my ice hockey games when I will take in 50g or so 2-3 hours prior, otherwise I have 'nothing in the tank' so to speak and my legs feel heavy.

Anyway, I guess its that age old addage of 'what works for you'....I was never a big lover of bread or pasta anyway...although i do miss pizza!

[dirty boy]

BenM77 said:

One of the true pleasures in life is food and drink. And life is far too short for Keto, fasting, low carb, etc.


Some of the most successful athletes in the world eat a truck load of food (phelps etc). That should be clue enough that the missing ingredient is not diet.

All about the training IMO

Easy when you're a full time athlete.

Most of us sit at on our arses from 9-5 and then have children etc. Fitting in 6-8 hours of training a day to facilitate 8,000 calorie intake ain't happening!

It's ALL about the diet.

[Pete102]

I read a statistic somewhere (cant remember the source unfortunately) that weight loss is 80% diet 20% exercise...at the time I dismissed it since it seems a bit biased! but a couple of months on...I kind of agree with it now.

[LordGrover]

I suspect the type/volume of diet and exercise may skew that to a large extent.

[dirty boy]

LordGrover said:

I suspect the type/volume of diet and exercise may skew that to a large extent.

I think the most important thing to remember is that it's bloody hard work exercising thousands of calories....so just don't eat them.

(simplistic view I appreciate, but good for the beginner?)

[didelydoo]

dirty boy said:

It's ALL about the diet.

I'm not so sure- diet makes you look fat or thin, but it's training that makes you look good.

[HonestIago]

BenM77 said:

One of the true pleasures in life is food and drink. And life is far too short for Keto, fasting, low carb, etc.


Some of the most successful athletes in the world eat a truck load of food (phelps etc). That should be clue enough that the missing ingredient is not diet.

All about the training IMO

You're missing the point...fasting means you CAN over-indulge in both food and drink AND stay in shape. Best of both worlds IMO.

[dirty boy]

didelydoo said:

dirty boy said:

It's ALL about the diet.

I'm not so sure- diet makes you look fat or thin, but it's training that makes you look good.

I was referring to not being overweight, but agreed, lifting is king.

[Hoofy]

LordGrover said:

Unless you have a genuine urge to eat ****, why do you or anyone gladly eat 'junk food'?
I avoid it where possible, though will occasionally partake if either present company requires it or just laziness. I just don't get those who choose to eat food with lower nutritional value.
Clearly if you're simply counting calories a carb is a carb, etc. but this **** lacks vitamins, minerals and nutrients which promotes better health.

But if you're eating enough healthy stuff, then you could happily slip in some unhealthy stuff that is nutrition-free.

[Hoofy]

markcoznottz said:

The idea is if your in ketosis for weeks on end your body slows down the rate it uses protein/fat, wether this is because you tend to run a calorie deficit on low carb knowingly or not I don't know. Hypothyroidism gives the game away in the winter, your body slows down the metabolism and you feel cold all the time. Carbing up ramps up your metabolism artificially, but just as it peaks you go back onto high fat/ med protein in the week, and should be into ketosis quickly, and burning fat. Works for me anyway.

That's not really confusing it. It's not confused. If it were confused, it'd do funny things like go fast when you were in ketosis or even stop.

It works for you maybe because you're inadvertently eating fewer calories overall. ISTR OC saying that his friends might get fat or at least not lose weight when low carbing... because they were simply eating too much.

[Art0ir]

Anyone any idea how to combat fatigue while doing this?

Resistance training + rowing + cutting down on food intake has me completely knackered, even after 8 hours sleep (I normally function 100% on 6).

[BenM77]

HonestIago said:

BenM77 said:

One of the true pleasures in life is food and drink. And life is far too short for Keto, fasting, low carb, etc.


Some of the most successful athletes in the world eat a truck load of food (phelps etc). That should be clue enough that the missing ingredient is not diet.

All about the training IMO

You're missing the point...fasting means you CAN over-indulge in both food and drink AND stay in shape. Best of both worlds IMO.

I know his works for you and that's great but it's not the only way. People have been getting results for years before IF came along.

No way you could do IF and do my job. It is far too physical.


@dirty boy

It's hard to get exactly what you mean across on the Internet but my post was not advocating 8000cals a day!

DD put it simpler than me. Training will change how you look and your fitness level. Not diet.

[ewenm]

Art0ir said:

Anyone any idea how to combat fatigue while doing this?

Resistance training + rowing + cutting down on food intake has me completely knackered, even after 8 hours sleep (I normally function 100% on 6).

Are you cutting down on food intake too much?