Okay, so which one is actually better for weight loss? I've tried both, have succeeded with both. I am currently doing low carb, but am getting extremely bored with the restriction of food. I think low fat would be better for me personally, but want to do what is going to work best. Any suggestions???
I don't usually post here - I usually hang out up in Diet & Nutrition and the Diabetes board. But I will jump in here because I am passionate about this subject
The best, healthiest way to lose weight is to balance your ratio of carbs, fat, and protein to optimize the health of your body. These ratios are best acheived at the meal level, not just the daily level. Your body is a very interesting and complex machine - if you really start to look at the things that make it tick, you would know that ANY extreme (low carb, no carb, high carb, high protein, low fat, etc) is VERY unhealthy.
Everyone needs to personalize their ratios based on their own metabolism and health, but most people do well with 50% carbs, 25% protein, and 25% fat. Some people find it easier to use 50% carb, 20% protein, 30% fat, and others will do well with 40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat. Any of these formulas are acceptable. The ratios are based on total calories consumed, so you need to do a little bit of math, but its rather simple, once you figure it out. The key is to maintain this ratio by reading labels and measuring portions - eventually you WILL learn by eye, but it is a learning process in the beginning.
As you know, calories consumed is always a critical component in a weight loss program - and you must know how many calories are appropriate for your body. Nobody can tell you how many calories you should eat without knowing some key info - your age, height, weight, gender, and activity level. Once you know how many calories you should be consuming its easy to determine the carb, protein, and fat grams you should be eating at each meal.
The primary goal in a weight loss plan should be to preserve the health of the body, protect your vital organs, and stabilize your metabolism while you are losing weight.
Ooh, and I forgot to mention - you won't get bored - you can eat a large variety foods!
I wish I could answer your question? I am too wondering the same thing! Low-Carb does get annoying after a while of eating meat and greens....argh!! Although Low-Fat seems like starvation!! I have been considering going to Weight Watchers? What do you think of WW? Have you tried it before? You can eat a variety of foods but the weightloss seems to be slower than the typical Low-Carb and Low-fat diets? I think about 2lbs a week? If you can handle slower weightloss (if your like me and have alot to lose slow weightloss is depressing ) I do think it would be easier to do WW and probably more healthy? Just my input as I am in the same boat!!
GOOD LUCK ,
April
Last edited by achilders; 06-26-2004 at 10:18 AM.
Reason: Typo and needed to add text
Hello, I used to do low carb. Until I finally got fed up with the having to go grocery shopping every week, making sure I had the food, etc. And when I had the food I wanted "A sandwhich" my weight would backfire on me. I eat healthy, and I try to get all the major food groups into my meal.
If I am wanting something sweet I'll have, whole wheat bread (grain), with some PB (protein), and 2 marshmallows (treat & sugar). That is a typical lunch for me. I workout 5 times a week, cardio, aerobics, weight training, and of course my kickboxing. hi-yah!~
With this program, I was able to lose weight. I don't believe it's fat, as the body is 80% water weight. I lost inches 7 to be exact. I have alot more to go, but I'm taking it easy, going balanced, and living healthy.
I haven't tried Weight Watchers - was considering trying it. My other problem is that I can't exercise much. I have really bad arthritis in my knees and elbows. I walk a bit, but not that much before the pain in my knees makes me stop. I know I need to exercise, but it's hard knowing what to do. I'm checking into water aerobic programs right now.
jdimassimo - you seem to really be on top of this. What kind of weight loss have you had with this program?
I wish I could answer your question? I am too wondering the same thing! Low-Carb does get annoying after a while of eating meat and greens....argh!! Although Low-Fat seems like starvation!! I have been considering going to Weight Watchers? What do you think of WW? Have you tried it before? You can eat a variety of foods but the weightloss seems to be slower than the typical Low-Carb and Low-fat diets? I think about 2lbs a week? If you can handle slower weightloss (if your like me and have alot to lose slow weightloss is depressing ) I do think it would be easier to do WW and probably more healthy? Just my input as I am in the same boat!!
GOOD LUCK ,
April
I started weight watchers a couple of months ago and can confirm that I have lost on average 2 lbs a week, but would still recomend WW to anyone. It helps by regulating your food consumtion by allocating everything a certain number of points. Yes I would like to loss the gut faster, but on the other hand I have been told that gradual weight loss is better and tends to stay off,unlike weightloss achieved with a fad diet like Atkins.
jdimassimo - you seem to really be on top of this. What kind of weight loss have you had with this program?
I don't like to post my own specific success because I am supersticious but I will say that it is 60+ lbs with no hunger, no boredom, no muscle loss, no energy loss, reversal of diabetes, and cholesterol returning to normal.
I'm fond of balance with a lower caloric approach. For health reasons I think, though, that if one has a tendency to enjoy low fat, one should definitely go with it. The health benefits of low fat eating are, to me, fully proven.
So my Ideal is something like 50% Carb (little sugar), 30 protein (I'm trying to build muscle on a large frame), 20 fat (of which 1/3 or less is saturated.)
If I stay below 2200 calories I lose weight; maintain at 2400 and gain at 2800 (RAPIDLY above 3000), so I adjust appropriately and try to make up for any mistakes ASAP. I am a do-it-yourselfer and straight calorie counting is my choice, but anyone who wants the group thing a conversion to points (WW), or blocks (Zone) will be doing pretty much the same thing with different names.
Ther's no denying the fast weight loss results of the ultra low carb diet (whether for caloric or other reasons) but I don't think it's sustainable for health or palatability reasons. I spent on Atkins 18 months DYING for pasta, mangoes and peaches and getting REAL sick of heavy cream! (Then I got a stent)
Regarding Weight Watchers, I've known several people who have gone on it and were very successful with losing the weight they wanted and then some. WW is a great program, as far as I can tell. The only problem, though, is all of these people gained their weight right back after leaving WW. A few of them said it's because they "forgot" how to eat. So you either have to REALLY learn how to eat on WW and stick to it even after you've gone off the program or just stay with WW the rest of your life.
I agree on the issue of balance. Pretty soon the low carb fad will go the way of the low fat fad. People will be more carb conscious than they were before it all started (which is a good thing, hypothetically anyway), but they won't be obsessed. The body needs fat, and it needs carbs (just because it can get by without either does not make it healthy). No point in depriving it of either.
Low Fat or Low Carb 
Re: Low Fat or Low Carb 
) I do think it would be easier to do WW and probably more healthy? Just my input as I am in the same boat!!
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Re: Low Fat or Low Carb 
hi-yah!~
