Low Carb Diets??? Are they good?

What do y'all think about the Atkins Diet or other "super low carb" diets? Is this a good way to take off body fat or not?

My advise is NO......way to catabolic and no energy for your muscles to work with.

BUMP for more info

gorilla

Short-term wise they're okay if you're trying to shed a few quick pounds. If you try the diet, make sure to have some carbs after your workout. Your body will use these carbs and not store them as your body will be depleted of its glycogen stores.

Make sure to do lots of research before you try it.

As Scorp says...they're ok short term. It's a quick effective way to drop a few pounds, but it has a wicked rebound effect once your body gets out of ketosis. It's also much more difficult to stick to than most people realize. When you deplete your body of carbs and your blood sugar drops, the brain sends strong signals (in the form of strong cravings) asking you to replenish your carb stores as they are more effective fuel. A better choice for bodybuilders looking for quick wieght loss may be Dan Duchaines "Body Opus" Diet. It basically has the dieter carb depleting for 5 days and carb loading for 2 day. For more info...do a search on "Body Opus"

Quote:

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Originally posted by Pete235
When you deplete your body of carbs and your blood sugar drops, the brain sends strong signals (in the form of strong cravings) asking you to replenish your carb stores as they are more effective fuel.

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That is so true Pete. I just got through trying a members diet here out just for the sake of a scientific experiment so to speak. Anyway after several days of absolutely NO carbs I allowed myself one carb day although it was limited at best. It was really hard not to really blow it and that has been somthing that has never been a problem for me in the past at all. I know there was somthign that was giving me the wiedest cravings for pasteries.
IC

NO WAY IN HELL I WOULD DO THE ATKINS DIET AGAIN THAT WAS THE WORST 14 MONTHS IN MY WHOLE LIFE.

1.NO ABSOLUTLY NO ENERGY
2.YOU FEEL GREAT ONLY BECAUSE YOU LOSE ALOT OF WEIGHT QUICKLY
3.THEN AFTER ITS ALL SAID AND DONE YOU GAIN IT ALL BACK AND THEN SOME.
4.YOU BREAK OUT WITH OILY JUICY ASS PIMPLES FROM ALL THE GREASE AND FAT
5.YOU CRAVE SUGARY FOODS ICE CREAM PIZZA THE MOST
6.THATS NO WAY FOR A LIFESTYLE UNLESS YOUR OBESE PERSON AND HAVE NO OTHER ROUTE

PLUS DR ATKINS IS FULL OF HORSEY MANURE

IVE TAKEN ADVICE FROM THE BROS ON THIS BOARD AND LIKE TO SAY THEY KNOW THERE STUFF AND I AM WERE I AM TODAY DUE TO THEM...THANX GUYS

Thanks for the input guys! I think I'll stick to more traditional methods of low fat, high protein, good cardio workouts, and low carbs in the evening. I need to loose about forty pounds, but I'm not desperate. I think slow and steady is going to be the best route for me!
Thanks again!:lift:

I don't believe what I am seeing here! No energy on low carbs? I have been doing this for 2.5 years. 10 grams a day of carbs tops. I also do 90 minutes of cardio 5 days/week. 30 minutes of which is running at 9 mph. I challenge anyone here to do that. I'll race any of you carb eaters. What's more I lift for 60-90 minutes 4 days a week. Why would anyone say low carbs deprive people energy?

Like Tobey sayd, the real hard par of low carb dieting is breaking your cravings for pastry and french toast. I still want it, but I just say no.

It's carbs that make you lose energy guys. I didn't see people runniing out after Thanksgiving dinner to go jogging. No? You didn't either? Maybe that''s because carbs make you tired. I ate lots of turkey at t-giving. No gravy, no stuffing, no cranberrie sauce (albeit no fun), but I was not tired. Anyone think it might be because I didn't eat carbs?

Look, I am not saying that low carbs are the ONLY way to go, because I know that there are several effective diets. I just think that much of the slamming you people are giving low carb diets is really unfounded, if not untrue.

Beenie...I didn't say a low carb diet would leave you with no energy, I simply stated that the body prefers to use carbs as a primary source of fuel and will send strong signals when you manipulate regular eating patterns. I did say it was an effective way to lose wieght quickly but I also feel it is not the way to go if your primary goal is to be a bodybuilder (build muscle). Maybe if your gaol is to stay lean it's an effective way of controling fat, but I personally would not use it. Also, mad props for sticking to it and making it work the way it is supposed to work, that takes discipline.

Pete,

Your comment seemed resonably tempered compared to some of them in the thead that set me off, so I think I my comments may sound like I am prothelitising (and I probablt am- sorry). You are right in what you say about it takin dicipline, it takes A LOT to do what I am doing.

In terms of bulk vs lean, I am VERY lean, and that's what my goals are. I have been able too add bulk on low carb, but most of it was when I was on a cycle. At that point I needed in increase the caloric intake to about double (or more). I did so because I was REALLY hungry all the time. But I must admit that during my cycle of SUST and deca I went from 10% bf to 14%. To get back down I have increased the cardio to 60-90 minutes from what was 30-40 minutes during, and the end prduct, is more of a cut up look as a lot of the mass seems to shread. For me my goal is to go very low on bf% into the single digits, which may be very different from a lot of other peoples goals. As my bf% decreases, I think my mass is decreasing too, BUT NOT MY STRENGTH.

So, there MAY be some truth in what you say, but remember: whjen you are bulking its protien that your musceles are looking for. Also remember that whatever carbs you dont burn turn to fat.

No I agree with a lot of what you said as well Beenie. As a matter of fact when preparing for contests BBers frequently drop their carn intake to almost nothing for a period of time and then use a carb loading day. As I stated it's an effective proven way to drop body fat....quickly. It's a tricky science and every individual will have a preference as to what eating priciple they want to use...and which works best.

Yeah I can agree with you beemie,
When I tried your diet I was CONSTANTLY hungery as heel. I'm still on a low carb diet but not the no carb diet you mentioned before. Pete is right on this one. In 4 days I did drop my BF% by 3% but I also lost about 3-4 lbs of lean muscle mass as well. If I were to stay on the diet I would probaly dry up and blow away! I dodn't agree about the loss on energy though. I have found that I did have a loss of energy if I was really hunger at the time of the lift or cardio routine, ect. I seemed to be more focoused on eating than doing the excersise at hand. SO I just made sure that I ALWAYS had plenty of scrambled eggs on hand to satisfay and hungrey pains that I may have at the moment and then the energy thing was not that big a deal anymore. Another basd thing was that I had to stay away from the Kitchen during this experiment. That kinda sucked let me tell you. I had people from aall over the world sending me recicpes and all I could do was read them. It sinot a bad diet to follow if one needs to drop BF fast, but you really have to watch your le3an muscle mass close as it will suffer if you do not.

The Iron Chef

Tobey,

I don't think it is really proctical to do a NO carb diet, becasue even eggs have .6 grams each in carb. Suffice to say, part of low carb dieting is eating as much as you want. As a result I actually eat a lot more than I did before and can still lose body fat. Rule 1: eat when you are hungry. Rule 2: Do not eat when you are not hungry.

As far as taste treats on low carb I can post recipes in the recipes section that include chocolate chip cookies, peperoni pizza, and pancakes with real tasting (albeit artificial) maple suryp. I have not posted these recepies so far becuase I seem to be the only adfvocate of low carb on this board so they may be of little interest to members.

One other note Tobey: I think you are very cool to have actally tried the diet. Many people quickly dismiss it without ever trying to unerstand it.

Beenie...by all means, post the recipes bro. There are a lot of members who I'm sure are curious about differen't dieting strategies and your input and experience can help. As you've probably noticed, nobody gets flamed here for having a different opinion (even though this is an anabolic board we have hundreds of contributing naturals on the board) and there are probably more members who follow an ultra low carb diet than you think :)

Pete

Beenie,
Man by all means post as many reciepes that you can. Which reminds me, I need to get cracking on some new recicpes myself. Pete could not have said it any better. We are all family here and although there are amny here who are into bulking up ect, there are just as many here who are interested in leaning out. AS a matter a fact there are 2 other mods one that is a super mod that I have been working up diets for and one has already informed me that he is on one of those diets right now trying to cut up. AND believe me he's one big MF.
Tobey

Oh yeah, Pete. I'm coming to Canada! Break out the pans.

Yea Beenie... bring on the recipies bro! Even if I never give myself to the full-blown low carb strategy I still know the benifits of keeping my carb intake low in the evenings. Man what I would do for pepperoni pizza as a midnight snack!:D :D :D

great post I have been messing with this kind of stuff for ages and I find low to no carbs is the only way I can lose fat for sure. i know one time I lost 50kg and I didnt even understand what a carb was they were still in my diet and it still worked but I lost so much muscle that time to. I have currently lost about 4kg I am doing 6 days low to no carbs 5x 50mins CV ew and 5x lifiting per week on a cycle of EQ and Anavar was on test but dropped it last week. The thing is I am using some otc fat burner and it helps with apetitie but on my day off like yesterday fuck I ate so much shit cakes ice cream and shit it was horrible when I woke up today was 4kg heavier ok I know its just water but I dont want to be doing that shit cant seem to carb up without including shit food inthe day. Think I will try something different but its so hard for me to lose fat I mean ok I am on cycle now my measurements havent dropped so thats cool apart from my waist bt 2" which is what I want I dont think I have lost muscle and I have got stronger so thats cool I will keep it up for another 6 weeks throwing in clen this week I will let youu know how it goes


Jason

Original J.,
I'm glad that you decided to drop the test. I think that may be one of the reasons that you were experiencing some of the problems that oyu were. I think that it is great that you are making the progress that you are. Keep up the hard work .

IC

And yes Boston,
It will take off the fat but it will do it at a cost. Just watch how much lean you may lose and be sure to conter it with enough calories to curb the lose before you lose to much.
Good luck.
IC