How carbs and insulin make you fat and/or ill!

[ATZ]

I'm not saying there's stuff I haven't learned from Nu, I enjoy the way he questions the popular held views with reagrds to issues such as fat intake - I learned a boat load about the health benefits of low CHO diets and saturated fat. I just feel his vitriol towards carbs has gone too far.

Protein stimualtes insulin, so should I discontinue with eating that too?

[NU_nutrition_TS]

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I can only sustain low carb for short periods of time, mebies 3 weeks tops, after that i feel weak hungry and worst of all bored.

Obviously not giving it long enough to adapt - it took me a couple of months!

[NU_nutrition_TS]

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Protein stimualtes insulin, so should I discontinue with eating that too?

As I took pains to point out in detail protein stimulates both glucagon and insulin, which balance each other - for the most part the insulin response to protein is modest compared to carbs.

It's not vitriol against carbs as such - a certain amount of glucose will always be vital to proper physiological function (brain, red blood cells, kidney, etc.), it is against foods considered carb foods because that's what they mainly contain and tend to be things like grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables that are considered healthy but are actually not in staple quantities!

[ATZ]

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Why not say X did Y on Z? How is any less valid than If I'd done it?

Because they tend to be the minority. I'm sure all the olympians we see breaking WR's are low CHO...

[NU_nutrition_TS]

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Because they tend to be the minority. I'm sure all the olympians we see breaking WR's are low CHO...

How is that relevant? If they excel they have proved the point - that they are in the minority just shows there are more sheep in the world than independent thinkers!

[SpiderDan]

All I know is I tried low carb (i.e. less than 30g a day) for three weeks whilst splitting 40/60 P/F on 3600 calories a day, for the entire period I was depressed and had a constant headache (not dehyrdation) admittidley my gym performance did not suffer but my life did, Im not repeating it again its just not worth it.

I rarely eat grains, starch or cereal or high suger fruit as it is but I do enjoy on rare occasions my

oatmeal protein pancakes once a week
Quinoa or millet
bananas
the (very) rare bowl of muesli
A baked sweet potato on occassion
sometimes a subway sandwich
going out for a chinese and having some special fried rice
having some boiled potatoes when my dad cooks me dinner
Even a piece of birthday cake on my birthday

poor choices, over consumption, nutritonally poor food and inactivity are far greater enemies than that single macro nutrient.

[Ripped Barbarian]

High carb diets are not unatural, or should i say 'a good prorportion of carbs diet'

High grain, sugar, fructose and whatnot with excessive calories yes.....

If you are anti carb in the sense of modern carb consumption you get nothing but agreement from me.

[ATZ]

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If you are anti carb in the sense of modern carb consumption you get nothing but agreement from me.

Same here.

[Nicholars]

I agree there, NU you have taught me quite a few really usefull things and obviously know a lot about nutrition, only thing I would say though is you keep saying carbs are terrible etc. but this forum is mainly people involved in sports or bodybuilding and tbh carbs are very important for athletes and bodybuilders.

Starchy type carbs might not be that dense in nutrients but they do serve theyre purpose perfectly.... which is being the ideal energy source for aerobic or strength exercise.

I have tried low carb and yes you do lose loads of fat quicky but also your muscles shrivvel up to a rubbish size, you lose most of your strength and energy, and your mood suffers as well.

Tbh if you asked a professional athelete like a track runner or something to cut out all theyre carbs for a month then try and beat theyre personal best I guarantee they wouldnt be able to lol

I also think all these stupid fad diets are just well... stupid.... its all about balance.... dont eat ALL fat and NO carbs or the other way round just eat what you need for your purpose... eg. if you were trying to lose fat eat less carbs etc. I think you really cant go wrong with a diet somewhere around 40/40/20 maybe a bit more fat...

As ripped barbarian said its more about which carbs you eat... I try and eat only 2 or 3 peices of fruit earlier in the day and just eat grains for breakfast and after workouts... but tbh I think saying carbs are evil is not right...

[SpiderDan]

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Same here.

thirded