The FastDay Forum

Hey all been a while since ive posted. I'm motoring on.. albeit slowly. Gained some if not most of original weight lost but at least I'm not 5kg more so celebrating that. And feeling great, possibly due to my 5 day vegetarianism. Loving it..

On Facebook Im forever seeing people elated about their LCHF diets .. wondering if people here, particularly those who have gone off the rail favour this kind of dieting. I believe too many studies show long term health issues, though short term, weight loss is good.

Any good solid Scientific references (not media hoo-haa ) would be welcome.

Hi@Julianna.Rivers

Have a look at the work of Jason Fung. There's lots on the internet and an excellent book called The Obesity Code.

Have a look at https://intensivedietarymanagement.com

It's not scientific, but I have had a lot of success introducing LCHF on my non-fast days. I found 5:2 didn't work for me as I consistently overate on non-fast days, but since I started LCHF, I can control this better AND feel less hungry on fast days. Weight loss now 1 and a half stone so far.

Yes but.. there are issues with coronary disease, heart attacks and stroke.. You will lose weight but at what risk.
Low carb diets impair aerterial function in your body.

People will have no warning if there is an underlying issue. It's grim but true.

Many links on line.. articles and videos.

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/low-car ... ign=buffer

Be mindful in striving for lower weight.

Been a while since posting on here.

Wondering if any further input anyone can make on the LCHF debate. I see it a lot on facebook groups and it can get very passionate on both sides of the camp. There seems to be no middle ground it seems and each side cites scientific research to back up their claims.

So what is the truth? Or is more research needed. ?

[carorees]

Been a while since posting on here.

Wondering if any further input anyone can make on the LCHF debate. I see it a lot on facebook groups and it can get very passionate on both sides of the camp. There seems to be no middle ground it seems and each side cites scientific research to back up their claims.

So what is the truth? Or is more research needed. ?

The opposition to LCHF by the old guard of medicine/science with vested interests in promoting continued consumption of sugar and refined grains is immensely strong and backed by decades of poorly conducted observational studies. A review of only well-conducted trials (i.e., randomised controlled trials where participants were randomly assigned to low carb or low fat diets and the statistics were properly done) found that low carb diets are more successful for weight loss. In addition, recent work has shown no link between higher fat intake (where that fat is not trans-fats such as in margarines and seed oils) and any cardiovascular outcomes. Indeed a study looking at actual degree of atherosclerosis (cardiovascular disease) through body scans (giving a measure of the coronary artery calcium score) found that fasting blood glucose correlates best with degree of coronary artery disease. And what drives fasting blood glucose? Carb and sugar intake!

However, it's important to understand that these studies are in large groups of people. On an individual level, the amount of carbs that any person can tolerate will vary. The more insulin-resistant you are (and insulin resistance will be high if you have diabetes/pre-diabetes or a large waist; and also insulin-resistance worsens with age and hormone changes), the less carbs you can tolerate. The middle ground would be the Mediterranean diet, which works for many people who are not too insulin-resistant.

More research is always needed though!

Hi @Juliana.Rivers!

I certainly don't have the knowledge of carorees, but while I agree that minimising refined carbs is a good thing, I believe there is evidence that whole grains do have a place in a balanced diet, as do starchy vegetables. I don't know if you have seen the links that some other members have posted to the Precision Nutrition website, but I found the articles there interesting. For example, http://www.precisionnutrition.com/low-carb-diets. They maintain that although low carb may be good for weight loss, it may not be best for your health, especially for older women - possibly along the lines of the link you gave (haven't looked at it yet, but will do). They also say that no-one should just assume they are insulin resistant (and hence cut carbs) because they are overweight or have large waist etc; you should consult a doctor and be tested for it before excluding nutritious whole foods from your diet.

They also note that the term "low carb" is often used without defining what is included as carb. This leads to confusion of course.

As carorees infers, each individual has to find what works / is right for them. We need to think about whether what seems to work short term, Is in our longer term best interests.

I have reintroduced some grains into my diet after seeing a dietician and feel better for it. And I never excluded starchy vegetables. I would more often rather have a potato or some quinoa than coconut oil - as carorees well knows!!