Zero Carbs

[immelting]

I just posted in the Other Plans forum, but I thought I would bring the discussion out into a bigger section of people.

Is anyone doing a Zero Carb type program?

How does it work?

Potty issues?

Boredom?

Please, no "you have to eat your veggies" people, I am just curious.

Thanks for the info,
immelting

[JBo]

Here's the end all of "zero" (less than 5 per day)

ESSAYS 1

I've done it for awhile and may do it again. You do feel pretty good,
but I like my meat rare.

[JoSkids]

Nope, don't do zero carbs - I have actually grown to like veggies - sometimes that is all I might have for dinner.

[erickajean]

This is similar to Atkins 72

[jezzie]

Zero. Sounds too difficult to me. Even eggs have carbs.

[haystar]

Yikes-- way too extreme for me. Hope someone else can help you, though.

[LadyJulieAnn]

I think you just make your body more sensitive to carbs if you restrict them severely, and there really is no need to do it in order to be successful in weight loss.

[JuliaL]

Zero carbs is not healthy, period.

[miraclemom]

Originally Posted by immelting

I just posted in the Other Plans forum, but I thought I would bring the discussion out into a bigger section of people.

Is anyone doing a Zero Carb type program?

How does it work?

Potty issues?

Boredom?

Please, no "you have to eat your veggies" people, I am just curious.

Thanks for the info,
immelting

I too would like to know the answer to that without all the lectures.

[Samantha42]

I have done very low carb, but zero is nearly impossible... With tea and eggs and a dash of condiments, I'd say 5-10 grams is more plausible. I belong to another excellent website that is focused on zero/very low carb, and carnivore eating (active no-carber... can I post that here?).

I feel great on <20 g of carbs usually. That carb withdrawal is more intense and may take a few weeks to really get used to. But if I eat too many veggies I start to crave carbs, so I need to limit them.

What you are referring to is basically M/E (meat egg)-- so do a search for that here at LCF and you should find a plethora of information.

Potty issues at first (as with induction, for me) but eventually normalize. No boredom because deep ketosis quelches any cravings. Food becomes just that, food... not an obsession, not an addiction, but sustenance to live by. It's quite miraculous, actually!

[Nursie_Stacie]

Oh I have done it. I could tell you a story about it. End result lead to binges which totally screwed up my labs and my metabolisim. It got to a point that I was so carb sensitive that I was gaining a lot of weight every time I tried to add carbs back in. I ended up following atkins by the book. Restarting with induction and working my way up carb ladder as directed. I can honestly say nothing good comes out of that extreme lowering of carbs long term.

[rhlong]

Low carb works. I think some people think if they lose weight on eating less carbs say 50grams or less a day, they will loose more if they just eat zero carbs. I have never seen that to be the case. It is not possible to eat zero carbs and maintain a healthy diet imo.

[makeup]

Very interesting thread...

Does anyone have any references as to why zero carb is unhealthy or how it effects your ability to eat carbs ever again without gaining?

Thanks in Advance

Makeup

[cleochatra]

Zero carbs still was never 0 carbs, even back in '72.

[haystar]

Originally Posted by miraclemom

I too would like to know the answer to that without all the lectures.

You're probably always going to get a lecture along with this kind of topic- simply because its generally believed to not be very healthy.

[Samantha42]

http://www.biblelife.org/stefansson1.htm

This is a lengthy series of info from Donald Stefansson-- a man who lived with and studied the Eskimo people. He, along with Blake Donaldson M.D. (who wrote an amazing all-meat book called "Strong Medicine") advocated that the only 2 pure things to consume in this world were beef and water. Now, in this day and age of technology, hormone use, and cattle practices, meat should only be considered pure and natural depending on the source. But that is besides the point. It doesn't change how our bodies are adapted to our environment.

A study was conducted where Steffansson and his friend, Anderson, spent a year at Bellevue hospital where they were studied and tested while following a fatty meat-only diet. They thrived on the plan!

So for anyone who suggests that a meat-only diet is bad for your health-- seriously, where are you getting that info? Because, haven't we already determined that traditional medical advice is faulty? Where is the open-mindedness that we all, as lowcarbers, claim to have.

Who is to say that any of us knows better than the next guy?

[erickajean]

True, even on Atkins 72 induction (which I am on) you eat some carbs. Eggs are 1 carb each!! If you limit to 2 cups salad a day and two eggs, no cheese, you should be around 5-6 carbs a day. I am personally only allowing 1 oz of cheese a day on my eggs in the a.m and that's it. I'm at about 5-10 carbs a day and I am losing fast, I feel healthy, no hunger, and I have a lot of energy! If it's low carbs you want, check out Atkins 72.

[erickajean]

Well said Samantha

[cleochatra]

Truedat on the carb numbers, haystar. You're talking about how many carbs you can eat while your body pays it no mind whatsoever. Dr Atkins determined that number, originally, to be biologically 0. Through the years he amended his previous plan because new information was made available. I am not going to lecture because I lubs you, but if science and Dr Atkins found something which undid prior scientifically unsound data, shouldn't it be considered?

I lose just as much now following the 2002 version of Atkins as I did following the 'biologically 0' version of Atkins in the 80's.

[Samantha42]

Originally Posted by cleochatra

Truedat on the carb numbers, haystar. You're talking about how many carbs you can eat while your body pays it no mind whatsoever. Dr Atkins determined that number, originally, to be biologically 0. Through the years he amended his previous plan because new information was made available. I am not going to lecture because I lubs you, but if science and Dr Atkins found something which undid prior scientifically unsound data, shouldn't it be considered?

I lose just as much now following the 2002 version of Atkins as I did following the 'biologically 0' version of Atkins in the 80's.

Maybe all he found was how to be more agreeable with other doctors and how to sell a book more easily

[cleochatra]

Dr Atkins was never known for pulling punches to be politically correct. This is the man who spent time in a congressional hearing having to defend his weight loss plan!

Dr A never rolled over for anyone.

Science changes with the times, and we know more now in 2007 than we knew in 1972. Dr Atkins knew that and used that information to formulate the following books. I believe that were he alive today, he would have probably penned another edition with more findings than he knew of in even 2002!

[moonmirror]

I did meat and egg for four days once. I felt good by the third day; energetic even, but here's my take on it: From the outset it bothered me that I wouldn't be taking in fiber, so I took a fiber supplement + water.

Later when I reflected on it, I realized the fiber supplement was a little silly considering the fact that veggies are essentially: fiber + water + vitamins + phytonutrients.

So if you do meat, egg, fat and veggies, you're better off. And doing standard lowcarb at the same time.

[Samantha42]

Originally Posted by cleochatra

Dr Atkins was never known for pulling punches to be politically correct. This is the man who spent time in a congressional hearing having to defend his weight loss plan!

Dr A never rolled over for anyone.

Science changes with the times, and we know more now in 2007 than we knew in 1972. Dr Atkins knew that and used that information to formulate the following books. I believe that were he alive today, he would have probably penned another edition with more findings than he knew of in even 2002!

Listen, I don't know Dr. Atkins entire history of editing all his books. All I know is that he *and his company* changed some things that seemed to make the diet "look better" for all the critics. Dr. Atkins was a fan of pure, natural food-- so don't you find it a little contradictory that he came up with a bunch of "products" made out of soy, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols?

I smell money somewhere. That's all I'm sayin'


Yes, he defended his diet plan in court, but a lot of the tweakings have been in the direction of standard american diet.... HENCE why so many people appreciate the older versions of the book. Because they work better and are cleaner, more meat-based plans.

[makeup]

Originally Posted by makeup

Very interesting thread...

Does anyone have any references as to why zero carb is unhealthy or how it effects your ability to eat carbs ever again without gaining?

Thanks in Advance

Makeup

OK OK yes I'm bumping myself LOL. I would really love to read why zero carb is unhealthy. Has Dr Atkins actually gone on record with this?

[haystar]

Originally Posted by Samantha42

Stefansson 1 - Eskimos Prove An All Meat Diet Provides Excellent Health.

This is a lengthy series of info from Donald Stefansson-- a man who lived with and studied the Eskimo people. He, along with Blake Donaldson M.D. (who wrote an amazing all-meat book called "Strong Medicine") advocated that the only 2 pure things to consume in this world were beef and water. Now, in this day and age of technology, hormone use, and cattle practices, meat should only be considered pure and natural depending on the source. But that is besides the point. It doesn't change how our bodies are adapted to our environment.

A study was conducted where Steffansson and his friend, Anderson, spent a year at Bellevue hospital where they were studied and tested while following a fatty meat-only diet. They thrived on the plan!

So for anyone who suggests that a meat-only diet is bad for your health-- seriously, where are you getting that info? Because, haven't we already determined that traditional medical advice is faulty? Where is the open-mindedness that we all, as lowcarbers, claim to have.

Who is to say that any of us knows better than the next guy?

I think it has more to do with the fact that it is not sustainable and will almost always lead to some sort of binge, or even just a carb creep up. I also don't think its mentally healthy to ONLY eat meat. Eventually, you'll break and I just don't feel thats healthy. ALSO, you can't get all of your vitamins and nutrient solely from fatty meat- that is where veggies become important and necessary. I don't think you really need to reference medical studies and such to know that thats true...just my opinion though.

[haystar]

Besides the fact, I will never defray from eating green, vitamin packed veggies...I truly do not believe that a diet of meat and eggs alone is healthier than a diet of meat, eggs, and veggies. I just do not. Sure, maybe some people lose weight faster and "feel better" and so on and so on...but some many valuable vitamins and nutrients come from veggies that you can't get elsewhere (besides maybe a bottle).

[CarolynF]

This is a very interesting/slightly controversial subject..There is a man out there called The Bear who has been on an all-meat diet for years. He is 72 years old. Really, it is NOT about the meat, it is about the fat.

Dr. Barry Groves said that a good diet is 80 percent fat/20 percent protein. But, we like veggies, so the percentages change that up a bit.

I have heard many times that you don't need carbohydrates in your diet as long as you are getting enough fat/protein. On a LC diet we are turning our bodies into fat burners not sugar burners. Dr. A. allowed us to add enough carbs to make it pleasant while still be fat burners..The metabolic advantage..that we all know about.

If you eat alot of carbs, you have to watch your calories (WWers)..If you don't eat alot of carbs, you can eat more calories and still lose weight.

[haystar]

Originally Posted by CarolynF