I am studying for my masters in nutrition at the moment so I think I'm pretty qualified to answer this.

Low carb works because it produces ketones, a byproduct of fat breakdown. This prevents hunger and is what makes your breath smell, etc. Our bodies begin to use these ketones for energy instead of carbohydrates. MOST of the weight loss is water because carbo-hydrates are just that, hydrates. When they are not consumed, water is lost. The problem is is that most people dont see beyond the scale. Just because something produces results DOES NOT mean that it is healthy. Eating large amounts of protein (coupled with saturated fat and cholesterol) is not only bad but it produces a very acidic body. Our bodies like to be at an alkaline pH.

Smoking meth also makes you lose weight, but does that mean you should do it?

Here is my recommendation. Replace animal meats with beans. The only reason people eat meat (be from chicken, pork, beef) is for the protein. Well, beans provide the same thing as well as fiber, B vitamins, Calcium, Iron, and Folate. Meat only gives you protein, fat, calories, and cholesterol. Its an easy way to get a bank for your "calorie" buck.

2nd...im not a big advocate of grains because even if they are whole, they are really only providing you with extra calories. Yes, they have fiber and vitamins but nothing you arent getting from beans, vegetables, and fruit. If you are eating enough beans, vegetables, and fruit you shouldn't need any additional fiber or vitamins. You may want to take a Calcium supplement if you dont eat enough leafy greens and beans. If you reduce your animal protein consumption, your calcium needs are decreased as well. Calcium is leached from the bones when the diet is too high in protein and salt.

I feel that you should not focus on the calories of beans, vegetables, and fruit. If you feel that you want something besides those, give yourself 300 calories of anything besides those foods every day to prevent boredom. You will soon find that they are so many ways to make beans: hummus, black bean burgers, stew, chili, the list goes on...

So low fat is DEFINATELY the way to go. You might lose more slowly but at least your weight loss is not water weight. You will also have a WAY better chance of keeping it off.

(sorry, long post......just trying to help)

Fantastic information! Thanks AllyP! I think I'll stick to low fat and give this info to my low carb friend!

I forgot to mention anything about fat.

Fat goes along the same lines. Olive oil ONLY provides you with fat and calories, whereas an olive gives you both and more fiber, etc.

Avocados are the best in my opinion, as they are almost a perfect food. I eat 1/2 of one every day and this is the only fat containing food I eat. This can be counted as a vegetable but do not eat more than 1/2-1 a day, with 1/2 being the recommendation. Therefore, you do not have to count the 150 calories in 1/2 an avocado as part of your 300 calorie "slack". If you decide to eat the other half, you should subtract it (150 cals) from the 300.

The Harvard Scool of Public Heath says it all comes down to calories in the end so it is what you can stick with that counts. They did find those that ate more healthy fats like in the Mediterranean Diet stayed on the diet compared to a low fat diet. I think it is easy to eat a Mediterranean Diet type diet.

See from the news http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/story?id=6960102&page=1

I feel I have tried them all. I would love to be vegan but it is way to hard for me. So it doesn't work. Here is the written version from The Harvard Shcool of Public Health (see also the chart at the bottom). http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/best-weight-loss-diet/index.html


The Best Diet is the One You'll Follow

The only sure-fire way to lose weight is taking in fewer calories than you burn.

Psst. Want to know the secret to losing weight that diet books have been hiding from you? Take in fewer caloriesit doesn't really matter how, according to a new studyand get some support for your efforts.

For years, we've been told that fiddling with the form of calories is the way to lose weight. First came low-fat diets, like the American Heart Association Step I diet or the Ornish diet. They were pushed aside by low-carb diets like the Atkins and South Beach diets. Higher-protein approaches, like the Zone diet, had their day on stage, along with everything in between, from Sugar Busters! (eat no sugar) to the Paleo Diet (eat like a cave man).

The conclusion from the latest head-to-head trial comparing different weight loss strategies, however, is that what you eat takes a backseat to how much you eat. What really matters for weight loss is that you take in fewer calories than you burn. How you get there is immaterial, according to the study, which was published in the February 26, 2009 New England Journal of Medicine. (1)

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center compared the effect of four different diets on weight loss. They recruited more than 800 motivated volunteers. Each one was randomly assigned to one of four prespecified diets that were loosely based on popular diets like Atkins, Ornish, and the Mediterranean diet: low fat, average protein; low fat, high protein; high fat, average protein; high fat, high protein (see table, Overview of Weight Loss Diets and Results). Each of the diets met the American Heart Association's recommendations for cardiovascular health. Each plan cut about 750 calories from a participant's normal daily diet; no one ate fewer than 1,200 calories a day.

The participants were given daily meal plans, were asked to attend weekly support sessions, and were encouraged to exercise at least 90 minutes a week. Body weight, waist circumference, cholesterol levels, and other measures were gathered at 6 months, 12 months, and 2 years.

Over the first 6 months, the participants lost an average of about 12 pounds and had a 2-inch drop in waist size, regardless of the diets they were following. At 12 months, most began to regain some weight. At 2 years, the amount of weight lost was similar across the four plans, on the order of 7 to 9 pounds (see table, Overview of Weight Loss Diets and Results). Feelings of hunger, of being satisfied (satiety), and of satisfaction with the diet were the same across the board. So were cholesterol levels and other markers of cardiovascular risk.

The averages, though, hide the huge variation in weight loss seen in this and other diet trials, pointed out lead researcher Frank Sacks, M.D., professor of cardiovascular disease prevention in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health. Some of the participants lost 30 pounds or more on their diets, while others actually gained weight during the trial. The study also found that the more group counseling sessions participants attended, the more weight they lost, and the less weight they regained. This supports the idea that behavioral, psychological, and social factors are probably far more important for weight loss than the mix of nutrients in a diet.

This study joins a handful of trials that have shown that low-carb and low-fat diets both work in the long run, as does the Mediterranean diet. (2-6) Some of the earlier trials suggested that the low carb approach yielded somewhat faster weight loss, but this latest trial did not find any speed advantage for one diet over another.

How to Put These Diets into Practice
The take-home message from this trial and other recent weight loss trials is simple: If you are serious about losing weight, find a diet that appeals to your taste buds. If it's one your family can follow, so much the betterthat way you aren't making different meals for you and your family.

The form of the calories you take in matters for only one reason: helping you stick with the diet. If you prefer protein, then a higher-protein diet might help you lose weight better than a diet that emphasizes carbohydrates. If you like variety and vegetables, try a Mediterranean approach. If you believe that eating fat makes you fat (it doesn't, anymore than eating protein or carbohydrate makes you fat), then try a low-fat approach like one of the Ornish plans.

Better yet, build your own plan. It should provide plenty of choices, have few restrictions, and be as good for your heart, bones, and brain as it is for your waistline. It should be a diet you are excited about trying, or at least not dreading. Most important, it should deliver fewer calories than you usually take in.

What's the best way to determine that? If you can see a nutritionist, she or he can help you figure out how many calories you usually consume. The process usually involves keeping a diary or record of everything you eat, drink, and nibble on over the course of three days. This can be converted to calorie counts and your daily caloric intake. You can also do this yourself online, suggests study co-author Kathy McManus, R.D., director of the nutrition department at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Many web sites offer online food diaries that automatically calculate your calorie intake. Some you have to pay for, others offer up ads for diet products. A free, and ad-free, site worth trying is MyPyramid Tracker, set up by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support its new food pyramid. The site also has an exercise tracker.

Once you know how many calories you take in on an average day, you can set a target for the future. A 500 calorie deficit is a good place to start. Do that for a week, and you'll lose a pound of fat (which is the equivalent of 3,500 calories). You can adjust your diet to take in 500 fewer calories a day. Or you can cut back by 250 calories (the amount of calories in a 20-oz bottle of sugary soda pop, a 16-ounce vanilla latte, or a jelly donut) and exercise long enough to burn an extra 250 calories (walk an extra 2 miles, take 5,000 more steps, swim for an extra 20 minutes, or do whatever exercise you prefer).

This kind of plan doesn't have a catchy name. But it has something bettera proven record of success.

Chart is at the bottom http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/best-weight-loss-diet/index.html

All of that is exactly right. The problem is, people don't want to have to count calories their whole life. But they DO matter.

I am a quantity eater. This means that instead of having a steak, I'd rather have 3 servings of beans for the same amount of calories and make baked falafel or hummus, or bean dip etc. With something like the Meditteranean diet, that is high in Monounsaturated Fats, eating large amounts is not allowed because you just cannot eat large amounts of fatty foods and still lose weight.

Eating plant foods high in fiber will drastically lower your calories without the added hassle of running a tally in your head and having to add to it every time you eat a blueberry. Its not for me, but if its for you then great!


I prefer to just stick to what I know is healthy and good for me and let the fiber fill me up!

And by the way, when I say vegetables, I dont mean salad. I NEVER eat salad, unless Im at a restaraunt and I rarely eat them there. I eat lots of spring rolls wrapped around vegetables, soup, hummus with veggies, cauliflower mashed "potatoes", chili, black bean burgers, chickpea burgers....etc. I hate salad.

...oh and by the way. I am by no means a stick and I dont try to be. I am 5'5 and 135lbs and that is where I am comfortable. I would rather be the size I am and eat all the food I want (as long as its in those categories), instead of going on and off a program.


I am a very creative cook and have made a vegan diet be more varied than my old omnivore diet ever was!

I am pretty creative and I am healthy minded but I still could not lose the weight by that alone. I also could not do vegan for very long at all. I have all the books and gave it a go twice. After it was almost like I had been on a fast and I wanted to eat all in site. I could never go out to eat. It just did not work for my life style. People don't want to count calories or exercise. But if we want it bad enough we do it. It is proven that those that keep the weight off excercise 1 hour everyday. Most of us have a problem with portion control. Calorie counting is a way we gain that control. After a while we learn how much we can eat without counting. It is nice that you have learned that for you. Before I started counting calories I could not get through a day without over eating.


The Mediterranean diet is about 90% plant based diet the way I eat it. My plate is quite enough because I love veggies, beans and fruit. I do eat about 9-12 servings a day. There is no limit on beans as long as I am in my calorie limit. I have to stuggle to get enough calories in. They encourage eating beans and very little animal protein. I am having lentils for dinner. When your saturated fats are limited to no more than 7 to 8 percent of energy (calories) it does not allow for much animal fat. Even olive oil, nuts and avacado has saturated fats. I lose pretty good on a high fat diet. Last week I lost 6 pounds at my weigh in at TOPS. I have used Dr Weils,version (Anti-inflammatory diet) http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02012/anti-inflammatory-diet and Dr Willets of Harvard Shcool of Public Health version http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/pyramid/index.html or just the normal one here. I usualy do a mixture of all three since they are so simular. Dr Weils says this on protein from the link above.
"Protein
On a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet your daily intake of protein should be between 80 and 120 grams. Eat less protein if you have liver or kidney problems, allergies, or autoimmune disease.
Decrease your consumption of animal protein except for fish and reduced-fat dairy products.
Eat more vegetable protein, especially from beans in general and soybeans in particular. Become familiar with the range of soy foods available and find ones you like."


Mediterranean diet (from) http://www.oldwayspt.org/med_pyramid.html

An abundance of food from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, potatoes, breads and grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.

Emphasis on a variety of minimally processed and, wherever possible, seasonally fresh and locally grown foods (which often maximizes the health-promoting micronutrient and antioxidant content of these foods).

Olive oil as the principal fat, replacing other fats and oils (including butter and margarine).

Total fat ranging from less than 25 percent to over 35 percent of energy, with saturated fat no more than 7 to 8 percent of energy (calories).

Daily consumption of low to moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt (low-fat and non-fat versions may be preferable).

Weekly consumption of low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry (recent research suggests that fish be somewhat favored over poultry); from zero to four eggs per week (including those used in cooking and baking).

Fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert; sweets with a significant amount of sugar (often as honey) and saturated fat consumed not more than a few times per week.

Red meat a few times per month (recent research suggests that if red meat is eaten, its consumption should be limited to a maximum of 12 to 16 ounces [340 to 450 grams] per month; where the flavor is acceptable, lean versions may be preferable).

Regular physical activity at a level which promotes a healthy weight, fitness and well-being.

Moderate consumption of wine, normally with meals; about one to two glasses per day for men and one glass per day for women (from a contemporary public health perspective, wine should be considered optional and avoided when consumption would put the individual or others at risk.)

ketosis is minimal carbs.

low carb doesnt have to be ketogenic. low carb can just mean low in ratio to protein and fat. example 50% protein, 30% fat, 20% carbs. there is also no reason to eat tons of saturated fats on it.

low fat is fine also, but if you tried to do minimal fat, you'd fair much worse. you need dietary fat for brain functions and hormone production.

find which one you like better/feel better on.

i know from experience, it doesn't matter, with the right foods and planning. there is no way for most people (including myself) to get to very low bodyfat temporarily without going low carb.

I'm not sure where you got the misconception that low carb WOE makes you only lose water weight...its true that at first you do lose a lot of water weight, but after the initial induction phase, you aren't just losing water weight.

Nice response Allyp, always nice to see someone who knows the technicalities of nutrition.

Agreed with J4A, if you're carb cycling you won't go into ketosis. You would have to strictly not eat carbs for a decent period of time. I would assume some people's bodies might differ depending on many factors, but it's not exactly the easiest thing to accomplish.

But in a sense it usually does come down to calories in vs calories out, but over time your body does get used to this as well, which is why cycling calories (high/low days) or cycling carbohydrates is useful.

I also agree with what dontsteal said about water weight and carbs. If you don't believe him, ask any pro bodybuilder who doesn't use steroids. Generally they need to use carb cycling with refeed (eating increased amounts of sugars - glucose tablets/sucrose sugar) days in order to get to extremely low body fat.

Besides you can accomplish lost of water weight just by increasing water consumption with the appropriate balance of salts. The body tends to hold on to anything it doesn't have in abundant supply.

There is some great info here...thank you all! I can advocate for making a list of what you can eat and like...then, eat less of it. All the while tracking the total calories taken in per day. Move more, eat less.

Download this free template for a Personal Choice Menu template. You can create a list of "yes" foods and use it for grocery shopping as well.

http://www.dailyfooddiary.net/page/page/5676307.htm

Yes, you are right that only the initial weight loss from low carb is water weight.

You begin losing body fat after that because you are breaking down fat for energy. This sounds great but look up ANY research article or experimental study and they say that one of the worst things you can do to yourself is give your body an acidic pH. This is exactly what happens because "ketone" is just another word for "ketoacid", and acids = acidic. This is why Calcium is leached, a base, in order to neutralize excess acids in the blood and shift the body back to a neutral/alkaline pH. Some of the deadliest diseases our culture faces these days result from acidosis (acidic pH).

Yes, it does come down in the end to calories in/out. The way I see it is if you fill your plate with high fiber foods, you will be hard pressed to make it over that calorie limit.

I gave this info because I want people to realize what it is that low carb is really doing biochemically vs aesthetically.

"Yes, it does come down in the end to calories in/out. The way I see it is if you fill your plate with high fiber foods, you will be hard pressed to make it over that calorie limit."

Yeah, almost too difficult at times. Most people are trying to lose weight, but in the process of gaining weight you are almost stuffing yourself to gain off healthy foods.

There is a lot of good information here! I have wondered about the carb cycling and calorie cycling... Can someone explain that a little bit? I mean, how would my calories range? In watching what I eat, I realized I actually eat a lot of carbs. I've read in some articles that some people believe our bodies don't even need carbs at all, what are everyone's thoughts on that? Right now I am eating about 1300 calories, so if were to do some calorie cycling, how would that work?