6 Responses to “Should I do follow a low-carb diet or a low-calorie diet?”

1. Cindy in Texas Says:
   July 1st, 2010 at 11:07 am

   I am adamantly opposed to low calorie dieting because most people lose a good portion of lean tissue (including vital organs like the heart) along with fat stores. There is no nutrition in fat stores, only energy. Most people get impatient and lower their calories and increase their exercise to a point where they lose so much lean tissue that when they return to what was maintenance level eating they are now accumulating more fat stores because their caloric needs have dropped due to the loss of this tissue as well as their metabolism slowing down to work more efficiently on fewer calories & it becomes a vicious cycle of dieting and more loss (including vital organs like the heart). This stress to the vital organs cannot be healthy.

   There is no better way to bring the body to the state of optimal health than with a low carb way of eating. Low carb doesn’t cause high blood pressure, high blood sugar or high cholesterol, it cures it. It is actually dangerous to take meds that lower these levels and do low carb at the same time because the levels will become dangerously low. Carbohydrates trigger insulin. High insulin levels unbalance other hormones. Anything less that 9 grams of carbs per hour controls insulin and is considered low carb (up to 144 grams per day).

   U.S. government guidelines were changed 35 years ago to suggest we lower our fat intake & increase our carb intake. American society followed these recommendations & lowered their fat intake by 11% & increased their carb consumption. In this same time frame obesity, diabetes, heart disease are all at epidemic levels.

   A low carbohydrate diet is a high fat diet. The protein should only be a little higher than adequate. Although it is completely possible to live on a fat/protein only diet for long term (as proven by research done in a hospital setting) it becomes boring fairly quickly. Luckily many vegetables & some fruits, nuts & seeds are low in carbs & greatly expand the diet. Most long term low carbers eat as many, if not more non starchy vegetables than vegetarians.

   Glucose is the bodies preferred fuel (if you want to get technical, it actually burns alcohol most efficiently, but that doesn’t make it any healthier for the body than carbs), the body can convert 100% of carbs, 58% of protein & 10% of dietary fat into glucose. The body can also be fueled by fat (dietary fat & fat cells) but only in the absence of carbs. Your brain actually prefers* to be fueled by ketones (part of the fat burning process), it does require glucose also, but glucose can be easily converted from excess protein if needed or dietary fat.

   Plaque build up in the arteries is more attributable to carb consumption than dietary fats, which seems to be the conclusion of the following study. Carb consumption raises triglycerides & VLDL (bad cholesterol). Fats raise the HDL (good cholesterol). High triglyceride levels & low HDL levels are an indicator of plaque & glycation – the precursors to a heart attack & heart disease.

   http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/after-eating-effects-carbohydrates-vs.html

   Gary Taubes who wrote "Good Calories, Bad Calories" spent 7 years going through all the studies over the last century & dividing up the real science from the faulty science & concluded that low carb was the best way to control insulin levels which balances out other hormones & allows the body to function properly.

   His main points are:

   1. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease or any other chronic disease.

   2. The problem is refined carbs in diet, their effect on insulin secretion & the hormonal regulation of homeostasis.

   3. Sugars – sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup specifically – are particularly harmful, the combination of fructose & glucose simultaneously elevates insulin levels & overload liver with carbs.

   4. Through their direct effects on insulin & blood sugar, refined carbs, starches, sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease & diabetes. They are likely dietary causes of cancer, Alzheimer’s & other diseases.

   5. Obesity is a disorder of excess fat accumulation, not overeating.

   6. Consuming excess calories does not cause us to grow fatter.

   7. Fattening & obesity are caused by an imbalance in the hormonal regulation of adipose tissue & fat metabolism.

   8. Insulin is the primary regulator of fat storage. When insulin levels fall, we release fat from fat tissue.

   9. By stimulating insulin secretion, carbs make us fat.

   10. By driving fat accumulation, carbs also increase hunger & decrease the amount of energy we expend in metabolism & physical activity.

2. ĸαylαɴα тнe pιrαɴнα Says:
   July 1st, 2010 at 11:07 am

   I could never understand a low carb diet. I’d just stick to the low calorie diet.

3. Bree Says:
   July 1st, 2010 at 11:07 am

   i like the low carb diet, it worked for me.
   but everyone is always different.
   i just recommend eating 1200 calories a day but do make sure to stay away from foods/drink high in sugar and carbs. Do some exercise too and don’t forget to hydrate!

4. Barbara Roberts Says:
   July 1st, 2010 at 11:07 am

   My suggestion to you is to find out what Nutritional Type you are and to follow that kind of diet. If you eat the wrong foods for your type, you can majorly mess up your system in the long run. To find out what type you are, go to http://www.HealthyEatingOnTheRun.com and click on "Eating Healthy", the first tab on the Navigation bar on the left.

   That will give you a link to Nutritional Typing which will give you some information about it and then give you a link to actually take the test to find out which you are. As a college student, you are going to have more challenges with finding the right foods to eat but this site will give you some good pointers. Good luck with your diet. Is there any way to get off the medicine you are taking?

5. Lenore Says:
   July 1st, 2010 at 11:07 am

   Definitely do a lower calorie diet. Your body still needs a proper amount of carbs proteins and fats in order to stay healthy, and carbs are your primary energy source. Depriving your body of carbs can be really bad for you in the long run.

6. Madeline Oshiro Says:
   July 1st, 2010 at 11:07 am

   If you know correct diet info and program, diet is easy. If you are serious, you must have fast diet program that works for you. I recommend you my diet program for you. I lost 15 pounds in 2 weeks and it was very fast. You can do it too. You can find more info at link below.

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