Weight loss coach explains reality of low carb dieting

[FireDragon76]

Richa Prasad has a great channel of diet tips that are science based. She's been helpful in helping me understand phenomena like weight loss plateaus, and how sometimes you need to eat more to lose weight.

In this video, she explains how low carb diets actually work, and what parts are only marketing. The dramatic initial weight loss is almost always water weight. She also talks about the political origins of junk foods and low carb diets (she's probably been reading Marion Nestle's work on the subject: the livestock and agribusiness industries were critical in shifting the conversation away from whole foods and dietary patterns to isolated nutrients).

 

[timewerx]

I have lost trust in information concerning diet. There is much money to be made in the food industry and all the industries it involves so there's probably a strong hand of money in it.

There are so many contradictory results by so-called "unbiased studies".

I just avoid junk, processed foods, soda pop, and drastically limit my alcohol intake.

There's only few things all these experts agree on and that is avoiding junk food and processed foods and the benefits of fasting. That's why I do intermittent fasting.

That said, I'm on a high carb diet (cheap is the main reason I'm on high carb diet) and have maintained ~7% body fat (Navy Method) since 2021. At least 5 hrs of exercise each week (excluding resting period in between sessions) and intermittent fasting helped.

 

[Laodicean60]

I just avoid junk, processed foods, soda pop, and drastically limit my alcohol intake.

This is key! Where processed foods are concerned the macronutrient profile of a piece of white bread is approx—14g net carb per slice. One can of Miller Light has about 3 grams of carbs. 4 grams of carbs = 1 tsp of white sugar, so I can drink three beers to equal one slice of white bread. I'm not sure about the carb content of pasta or rice. When I drink beer I eat beef jerky because the video is correct protein slows the metabolism of glucose in the gut. I've heard that the gut places importance on protein metabolism first.

That said, I'm on a high carb diet (cheap is the main reason I'm on high carb diet) and have maintained ~7% body fat (Navy Method) since 2021. At least 5 hrs of exercise each week (excluding resting period in between sessions) and intermittent fasting helped.

Everyone's lifestyle here is probably better than most Americans. I like intermittent fasting because it's easy for me. Exercise is key and I wish I had your discipline.

In this video

I liked the part about glucose metabolism. For me as a Type 2 Diabetic it makes sense, too much glucose in the blood equals too much sugar intake. Reducing sugar has helped me lower my A1C and brought back some insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance is the root cause of most of our diseases.

 

[timewerx]

Everyone's lifestyle here is probably better than most Americans. I like intermittent fasting because it's easy for me. Exercise is key and I wish I had your discipline.

Ironically, exercise allows me to be less disciplined about food. I don't measure calories for instance and rather consume large amounts of brown sugar per day (two spoonfulls) in addition to sweet corn, white rice, and white bread. Lots of carbs! Unlike most people, sugar is rather filling for me. I don't experience "sugar crash".

Exercise combined with intermittent fasting makes it much easier to achieve daily calorie deficit (burn more calories than you eat). I've been at it since Jan 2023 and been maintaining a weight range of 117 to 126 lbs for over a year now. I'm currently at 117 lbs.

 

[ozso]

I'm reminded of the "twinkie diet" where a nutrition professor lost 27 lbs on a steady diet of snack cakes and dorito chips. The key was cutting his calorie intake.

Whenever I've lost a significant amount of weight, it's simply been a matter of taking in less calories and getting more exercise.

 

[Laodicean60]

Exercise combined with intermittent fasting makes it much easier to achieve daily calorie deficit (burn more calories than you eat). I've been at it since Jan 2023 and been maintaining a weight range of 117 to 126 lbs for over a year now. I'm currently at 117 lbs.

In the last three months, I've quit going to the gym 3 times a week and my walks and have gained ten pounds, so I know what I need to do. I remember before you said you can achieve ketosis with your diet, is that still true especially with all the carb intake?

 

[FireDragon76]

In the last three months, I've quit going to the gym 3 times a week and my walks and have gained ten pounds, so I know what I need to do. I remember before you said you can achieve ketosis with your diet, is that still true especially with all the carb intake?

In my experience, being in ketosis has more to do with overall energy balance, and not necessarily macronutrients.

 

[Laodicean60]

In my experience, being in ketosis has more to do with overall energy balance, and not necessarily macronutrients.

From what I understand is that your glycogen stores need to be depleted before the body uses fat for keytons is what Keto people do. They operate in deep ketosis utilizing ketons for energy. Your body is always in a low grade form of ketosis especially when we sleep. The body is good about energy source conservation.

I forgot to ask earlier but what is low carb to you and I may have missed it on the video. How many grams?

 

[FireDragon76]

From what I understand is that your glycogen stores need to be depleted before the body uses fat for keytons is what Keto people do.

And that's a big oversimplification of human metabolism. Glycogen stores don't necessarily have anything to do with whether you are in ketosis.

If you want to burn up glycogen (to help manage diabetes, for instance), the best exercise would be something like high intensity interval training or weight lifting. If you want to lose body fat, the best exercise would be low intensity activities like walking or cycling.

I forgot to ask earlier but what is low carb to you and I may have missed it on the video. How many grams?

I don't count grams of carbohydrate, I go by percentage of energy in calories. If I'm a fat loss phase, I try to consume less than 20 percent of energy from fat.

IMO, too much of the problem people have with "carbs" is just consuming processed foods, many of which are actually fried or baked in oils or made with alot of fat (a donut for instance is about 50 percent of calories from fat). These foods are designed to be hyperpalatable or addictive, and they can interfere with our natural hunger cues. People seeking to lose weight would be better off eating whole foods like oatmeal, whole-grain rice, or potatoes, instead of baked goods like cookies, crackers, donuts, bread, etc.

You could eat a dozen bowls of oatmeal every day and still be in a calorie deficit. In fact "the oatmeal diet" has been used as a short term treatment for diabetes. I eat several bowls of oatmeal every day, the only thing I use is salt and water.

 

[Laodicean60]

And that's a big oversimplification of human metabolism. Glycogen stores don't necessarily have anything to do with whether you are in ketosis.

I'll have to post a link to explain myself. Glycogen stores were meant for deep ketosis.

7 fast and effective ways to get into ketosis

During ketosis, the body burns fat instead of carbs for fuel. Learn ways to encourage ketosis, who should avoid it, and more.

www.medicalnewstoday.com

I don't count grams of carbohydrate,

What was low carb according to the video some say 100 or 50 is a low-carb diet

 

[timewerx]

In the last three months, I've quit going to the gym 3 times a week and my walks and have gained ten pounds, so I know what I need to do. I remember before you said you can achieve ketosis with your diet, is that still true especially with all the carb intake?

If you only lost 10 lbs in 3 months, I think you're still doing great unless that 10 lbs gained made you overweight. Though we still need exercise for bone and muscle strength, cancer prevention, etc.

Yup, I still undergo ketosis even with high carb diet. I have a 14 to 16 hr fasting period from an early dinner up to my next meal the day after. I make it a goal to have dinner by 6 to 7pm. Dinner calories is also less compared to previous meal to avoid high blood sugar situation in the morning (also the reason for having an early dinner as well as sleeping early).

I also exercise within that fasting period after 12 hr fast when most of the liver glycogen is used up. Exercise will be 30 mins to 1 hr of moderate intensity cardio followed by 10 minutes of high intensity cardio. On strength training days, there will be 5 minutes of lifting weights and calisthenics first thing before cardio workouts. Saturdays, I do 4 to 5 hrs of moderate intensity cardio continuously.

I don't eat nor drink anything before and during exercise which would probably completely empty liver glycogen forcing the body into ketosis.

When the body adapts to such routine, it will save the use of glycogen entirely for exercise and you'll be in ketosis more than 12 hrs each day even on a high carb diet.

 

[FireDragon76]

This is key! Where processed foods are concerned the macronutrient profile of a piece of white bread is approx—14g net carb per slice. One can of Miller Light has about 3 grams of carbs. 4 grams of carbs = 1 tsp of white sugar, so I can drink three beers to equal one slice of white bread. I'm not sure about the carb content of pasta or rice. When I drink beer I eat beef jerky because the video is correct protein slows the metabolism of glucose in the gut. I've heard that the gut places importance on protein metabolism first.

I don't believe this is approaching food in a holistic way.

Alcohol is technically a carbohydrate, but it has almost twice the calories per gram compared to other carbohydrates. It also is something the liver must immediately burn as fuel, which puts fat burning on hold until it is cleared by the liver.

If you have diabetes, you're better off minimizing alcohol consumption.

 

[timewerx]

I'll have to post a link to explain myself. Glycogen stores were meant for deep ketosis.

7 fast and effective ways to get into ketosis

During ketosis, the body burns fat instead of carbs for fuel. Learn ways to encourage ketosis, who should avoid it, and more.

www.medicalnewstoday.com

About every article about ketogenic diets say the diet is risky.

Fortunately, there are alternatives to reaching ketosis with non-keto diets. Simply exercise without eating within the fasting window in intermittent fasting. It makes the body use ketones and save glycogen for exercise.