What is the DEAL with Low Carb Diets?

[HumanMobility]

I really am not sure I understand why people on non-keto cuts choose to go low carb... I mean I understand that on a cut one needs to keep the protein at or above 1g/lb, and when you've dropped calories this means that you have to cut from fat and carbs.

What about somebody average sized 170lbs, for the sake of argument a 1900 BMR, (so probably 2300 cals burned NOT including exercise) who, say burns a total of 3100 a day WITH exercise. If that person consumes 2600 calories per day, they could easily get 170g protein, 350g carb, 60g fat, and be -500 per day. Thats a macro ratio of 26/53/21. What would be the point of consuming the same amount of calories, but with a readjusted ratio of much higher fat and lower carb?

I just don't see what all the rage is... If you are getting your protein, and you are hypocaloric... you lose weight, primarily fat, so who cares how the carbs and fat fall?

[B_Nelley35]

I believe their judgment is that the body starts to burn fat instead of carbs for energy. I'm no expert though, but I generally agree with you. Eat good carbs as long as they fit into your macros, eat 1g of protein per body weight, lift hard, drink water, you'll see results.

[determined4000]

It is because when they lower carbs they end up lowering calories
It is easy to eat 400 calories of pasta than chicken breast

[CottonC]

I really am not sure I understand why people on non-keto cuts choose to go low carb... I mean I understand that on a cut one needs to keep the protein at or above 1g/lb, and when you've dropped calories this means that you have to cut from fat and carbs.

What about somebody average sized 170lbs, for the sake of argument a 1900 BMR, (so probably 2300 cals burned NOT including exercise) who, say burns a total of 3100 a day WITH exercise. If that person consumes 2600 calories per day, they could easily get 170g protein, 350g carb, 60g fat, and be -500 per day. Thats a macro ratio of 26/53/21. What would be the point of consuming the same amount of calories, but with a readjusted ratio of much higher fat and lower carb?

I just don't see what all the rage is... If you are getting your protein, and you are hypocaloric... you lose weight, primarily fat, so who cares how the carbs and fat fall?

One of the big reasons I am cutting a lot of carbs out, is because fats fill you up much longer. If you eat 5 slices of bacon and 2 eggs for breakfast you are full till 4-6 oclock. If I eat the same calories in cereal I am hungry in an hour. That's the only reason.

[Seijuro]

5 slices of bacon and 2 eggs for breakfast and you don't eat anything until 4-6PM? I thought you were supposed to eat less per meal and around 5-6 meals per day.

[PaytonsBears]

One of the big reasons I am cutting a lot of carbs out, is because fats fill you up much longer. If you eat 5 slices of bacon and 2 eggs for breakfast you are full till 4-6 oclock. If I eat the same calories in cereal I am hungry in an hour. That's the only reason.

Yea bro if you arent eating until 4..your body is attacking your lean muscle tissue from the time meal 1 is digested to the time u begin to eat again. "catabolism"

[CottonC]

5 slices of bacon and 2 eggs for breakfast and you don't eat anything until 4-6PM? I thought you were supposed to eat less per meal and around 5-6 meals per day.

5-6 meals just makes you not as hungry. I eat before 4pm, but I'm not hungry and I can munch on small things like a can of tuna, a protein shake etc. Without craving too much food. I usually only eat 3-4 meals a day. If I do a 40/40/20 diet I'm hungry constantly and I have to eat more meals.

[CottonC]

Yea bro if you arent eating until 4..your body is attacking your lean muscle tissue from the time meal 1 is digested to the time u begin to eat again. "catabolism"

lol once again I'm eating and no catabolism yet. My lifts keep flying up and my arms and chest are gaining in size.

[HumanMobility]

Yep. I think the carb thing is a bit absurd. I'm on a mini-cut (just trying to drop ~2% bf)
Looks like:
500 - 270 - Gym - Run - 200 - 500 - 300 - 500 - 200
8:00 10:30 11:30 12:30 1:00 2:00 4:30 7:30 10:30

Calories Burned per day is around 3000, Calories consumed is 2500. Protein is 190-210g. I love my morning carbs. Breakfasts are 3 bowls of cereal, 1 cup lowfat yogurt.

[NDMarts]

lol once again I'm eating and no catabolism yet. My lifts keep flying up and my arms and chest are gaining in size.

The only thing I can say is different people have different preference. There is scientific B.S. I could share but some would agree some would disagree and just throw the thread off.

A majority of people cut Carbs along with calories and add protein so their meals consist of more bulk. Carbs tend to be very dense (a majority of the time i.e. cereal). 200 calories of chicken tends to be a higher QUANTITY than 200 calories from cereal.

[Lemonzest]

Yea bro if you arent eating until 4..your body is attacking your lean muscle tissue from the time meal 1 is digested to the time u begin to eat again. "catabolism"

If you're fat adapted when fasting the body spares protein and burns more fat, so if you have fat to cut, you don't have to worry about muscle catabolism

[BABYBULL92003]

Personal prefernce and results.

If you get results of moderate or high carbs then by all means do it! I would if I could but it doesnt work for me.

A keto type diet works best for me....I can eat tastier foods and hold onto muscle better...not to mention I gain strength and slight lbm gains as well on a CKD diet.

Different stroked for different folks! I know some guys who have tried low cabrs like me and feel like **** and cant hack it..for me its easy, well not easy....but the most efficient!

[hercules71185]

If you're fat adapted when fasting the body spares protein and burns more fat, so if you have fat to cut, you don't have to worry about muscle catabolism

that's what I'm hoping is true about the ketogenic diets. lol. I really don't want to lose my size.

[cyde]

Some people respond better to higher fat & less carbohydrates. Just because you don't like the concept doesn't make it pointless.

[HumanMobility]

Some people respond better to higher fat & less carbohydrates. Just because you don't like the concept doesn't make it pointless.

Whoa whoa. No hate here. I could understand low carb if you don't want to do cardio. To keep your cals low enough to lose weight without cardio means you gotta cut the carbs. That's all though.

Notice in the OP I wrote "Non-keto"

Reeeeeeelax max.

[-Aaron-]

Whoa whoa. No hate here. I could understand low carb if you don't want to do cardio. To keep your cals low enough to lose weight without cardio means you gotta cut the carbs. That's all though.

Notice in the OP I wrote "Non-keto"

Reeeeeeelax max.

Huh?

[Dolfan_714]

Personal prefernce and results.

If you get results of moderate or high carbs then by all means do it! I would if I could but it doesnt work for me.

A keto type diet works best for me....I can eat tastier foods and hold onto muscle better...not to mention I gain strength and slight lbm gains as well on a CKD diet.

Different stroked for different folks! I know some guys who have tried low cabrs like me and feel like **** and cant hack it..for me its easy, well not easy....but the most efficient!

this!

[HumanMobility]

Huh?

The original statement included the same thing. If someone is super lazy and doesn't wanna do cardio, to maintain their muscle they are going to need to eat plenty of protein, which on a low cal diet means cutting carbs and fat. That is understood. The question was, why, on a non-keto diet, choose carbs as the primary source of dropped calories?

[Guai]

Because carbs are primarily used for energy whereas proteins and fats provide other benefits of their own, like proteins maintaining muscle and fats assisting with many other functions of the body. AFAIK it makes a lot more sense to choose to drop carbs over fat or protein during a cut, but that's just me...

[-Aaron-]

The original statement included the same thing. If someone is super lazy and doesn't wanna do cardio, to maintain their muscle they are going to need to eat plenty of protein, which on a low cal diet means cutting carbs and fat. That is understood. The question was, why, on a non-keto diet, choose carbs as the primary source of dropped calories?

Again, huh?

[Beast21]

Yea bro if you arent eating until 4..your body is attacking your lean muscle tissue from the time meal 1 is digested to the time u begin to eat again. "catabolism"

Your body is attacking lean muscle tissue even before that because your meal doesn't contain any carbs. Your brain needs carbs to survive, and if you don't take any in your body converts body proteins into glucose via gluconeogenesis.

[Beast21]

Because carbs are primarily used for energy whereas proteins and fats provide other benefits of their own, like proteins maintaining muscle and fats assisting with many other functions of the body. AFAIK it makes a lot more sense to choose to drop carbs over fat or protein during a cut, but that's just me...

Carbs also spare muscle. If your body prefers to burn carbs before lean tissue, why not eat carbs?

[martina92685]

It is because when they lower carbs they end up lowering calories

Um, not true. Fat has over twice the amount of calorie per gram than carbohydrate.

[Guai]

Carbs also spare muscle. If your body prefers to burn carbs before lean tissue, why not eat carbs?

That's why you keep your protein intake high, and why you don't do insane caloric deficits. Carbs aren't the only way of sparing muscle during a cut, you just have to be smart about it.

[-Aaron-]

That's why you keep your protein intake high, and why you don't do insane caloric deficits. Carbs aren't the only way of sparing muscle during a cut, you just have to be smart about it.

Huh?

[Beast21]

That's why you keep your protein intake high, and why you don't do insane caloric deficits. Carbs aren't the only way of sparing muscle during a cut, you just have to be smart about it.

Your body doesn't want to burn protein...your body like carbohydrates, and in fact your brain can only use glucose to sustain itself. Why on earth wouldn't you eat carbs?

[HumanMobility]

Huh?

Again, huh?

Huh?

Thank you for your contributions to the thread thus far. It would be sorely lacking in thoughtful insight and stimulating discussion were it not for your timely and relevant remarks. .

I'm going for a run. No headphones, just pondering what you said.

[Beast21]

Thank you for your contributions to the thread thus far. It would be sorely lacking in thoughtful insight and stimulating discussion were it not for your timely and relevant remarks. .

I'm going for a run. No headphones, just pondering what you said.

You haven't answered any of his questions. Your posts make no sense at all. Why do you have to cut carbs if you don't do cardio?

[-Aaron-]

Thank you for your contributions to the thread thus far. It would be sorely lacking in thoughtful insight and stimulating discussion were it not for your timely and relevant remarks. .

I'm going for a run. No headphones, just pondering what you said.

I thought my intentions were apparent.

I'm simply disagreeing with the things you are saying as fact, when they are mere opinion.

[Guai]

Your body doesn't want to burn protein...your body like carbohydrates, and in fact your brain can only use glucose to sustain itself. Why on earth wouldn't you eat carbs?

Note I never said I wasn't eating ANY carbs. I said I reduced them to reduce my total caloric intake. I was still eating carbs with every meal, just smaller doses. It's a matter of choice. If you'd rather reduce fat or protein, go ahead, I just always found it more convenient to reduce carbs. It's also something that has worked for ME.