Low fat vs. Low Carb?

[kdkaos]

I have always wondered since the day I started Atkins about whether Low fat diet was better for me or a Low Carb diet. This is my 7th day into Atkins (currently in the 14-day induction stage) and I have lost 6 pounds so far and I am almost happy.

Before I started this I knew their was a Low fat diet out there but I chose Low carb diet because I heard Low fat diet was bad in a way but I never got the full explanation. Low carb diet is ok but... Since there has to be a 65% fat ratio in my food.. I think its causing me some problems like for example, pimples get worse since the fat increases pimple problems (I had almost no pimples).

I was told by many people that are on the atkins diet to get the atkins book but I declined since I have done many things in my life with no book and someone said that I need to get the book in order to succeed in this diet which is pathetic when I can seek help from this forum when I need help.., I will continue my 14-day induction (without the book.. thanks) but I have some questions,

1. Why is low carb diet better then low fat diet, what are the advantages of a low carb diet?

2. Does anyone else get problems with their skin when consuming fat (I might see my dermitalogist)?

[Moochiecat]

Firstly, you need the book so that you understand the 'why' behind the diet.
Yes, you can get answers here, but the best information is always from the source, right? And if a person wants to succeed the best thing they can do for themselves is to be as properly educated as they can be. To resist doing this means they may be compromising themselves. If you are spending hours reading here, you can spend a few hours and read the book, and build yourself a good solid foundation.
Personally, I want this weight to come off as quickly as it can, and doing everything correctly is important to me. :yes I can never quite understand why someone would not want to do this correctly... :confused


The fat ratio is actually 65% (65%fat, 30%protein, 5% carbs) and Fitday can help you with this.

http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.com/viewtopic.php?t=66107

Skin problems...most people report that their skin problems go away on Atkins. Personally I was able to throw out my adult acne medication after 2 months :joy and I think it had a lot to do with the 64+ ounces of water I was drinking each and every day. I've been on this board and I've never heard of anyone having trouble with their skin for any length of time. Perhaps this is part of your body detoxing itself and it'll pass. Make sure you are drinking the correct amounts of water and give it some time.

I can't really answer which is better, low-carb or low-fat.
For me, low carb is the answer. For others, perhaps low fat is better. I would think it depends on a persons individual metabolism, and one isn't necessarily better than the other.

[not2late]

Re: Low fat vs. Low Carb?

I have always wondered since the day I started Atkins about whether Low fat diet was better for me or a Low Carb diet. This is my 7th day into Atkins (currently in the 14-day induction stage) and I have lost 6 pounds so far and I am almost happy.

Before I started this I knew their was a Low fat diet out there but I chose Low carb diet because I heard Low fat diet was bad in a way but I never got the full explanation. Low carb diet is ok but... Since there has to be a 30% fat ratio in my food.. I think its causing me some problems like for example, pimples get worse since the fat increases pimple problems (I had almost no pimples).

I was a low fat vegetarian for a number of years and I gained about 40 or so pounds. Then I became a low fat vegan, and I gained a little bit more.

Pimples aren't due to dietary fat. They are due to hormonal swings. That's why teenagers have pimples--hormones. And that's why some pregnant women get pimples---hormones. Stress can do it too, again the cause is a hormonal imbalance.

I was told by many people that are on the atkins diet to get the atkins book but I declined since I have done many things in my life with no book and someone said that I need to get the book in order to succeed in this diet which is pathetic when I can seek help from this forum when I need help.., I will continue my 14-day induction (without the book.. thanks) but I have some questions,

1. Why is low carb diet better then low fat diet, what are the advantages of a low carb diet?

2. Does anyone else get problems with their skin when consuming fat (I might see my dermitalogist)?

I hate to say it but the answers to your questions are in the book and Dr. Atkins does a better job explaining it than anyone here can.

I really don't understand your cavalier attitude to not reading the instruction manual for doing this diet safely and properly. Frankly, I think it's dangerous to rely on what others tell you because I've seen some really outrageous ideas on "how to do Atkins"--everything from the "you only eat meat, butter and eggs" lie to the "you'll never eat fruits again" lie. But it's your decision to put your life and health into the hands of others, you must have extraordinary faith and trust that others won't lead you down the wrong path.

Good luck to you in your weight loss journey.

[2big4mysize]

so you are doing a law carb normal fat ( up 30% fat is the UDSA food pyramid fat guidelime for its 200 cal a day plan) high protein plan. That isn't Atkins as Atkins is a ketogenic plan and needs dietary fats in the absence of insulin to work. SInce you are high protein eating your body in conveting protein in your liver to glucose and dumping it out into your blood stream for fuel which means your fats are not being burned for fuel so they are staying home in their fat cells.

We who are doing Atkins with our high fat ketogenic eating plan are happily burning our body fat for fuel.

I wish you much success on yournewly created plan. As Dr Atkins said in DANDR chapter 11 you will lose weight on any plan as long as the toital cals in is less then the total daily caloric burning of cals from all sources. He just felt his plan pofered us the best chance to lose the weigth with the least problems and to keep it of successfully.

Happy low carbing to you.

[kdkaos]

erm... I mean't to say 65% fat, I got it confused. I will wait a few more weeks and see if I am really giving off waste and if thats not the case.. I will go to my dermitalogist.

[ttdriver]

low fat processed foods are packed with sugar and starch. Which is why low fat diets fail ... they leave you feeling hungry and deprived, causing you to eat more.

low carb eliminates the sugars and starches and focuses on complex carbohydrates and healthy fats and proteins, all of which fill you up and keep you full, therefore you end up eating less.

For me, there's no competition!

Betty

[2big4mysize]

whew good to know but to avoid more posts like ours you might want to go edit that opening post of yours and correct the fats error cause some buysy folk only read the first post and then answer your post without looking for any updates from you.

good to know you are doing Atkins and not one of those high pro/low carb plans.

as to your skin make sure you are washing it well and if you are using any products on your skin make sure they are non pore clogging. they have a fancy name non-comedogenic on the labels. I uses one lotion cause it was free as a teen and broke out all over in pimples that week. WHo cares if an expensive lotion is free if it does that!

Happy low carbing.

[Nutri_Nut]

I tried the low-fat and low-calorie ways to lose weight and succeeded - - BUT I was always hungry.

On Atkins, my skin cleared up. Now that I'm off (trying to get back on), it's breaking out again.

[Fluffynomore]

It is possible that your skin problem is from actually eating better than you are used to. That has happened to me before. It is temporary and if you keep eating well and drinking the water your skin will be great!

[tickletussler]

low-carb is definitely better than low-fat, because low-carb products tend to be more processed and artificially modified. Also if you check your labels/nutritional panels and compare the "normal" and low-carb/diet options of the same product, you will find that they have increased the amount of sugar in low-carb/diet foods. You can verify this yourself, try milk, cream, sour cream etc. Our society never tells us lots of sugar is bad (unless you're diabetic), but it goes on about too much fat, so go figure!

Therefore foods in their natural states ie butter vs margarine, are much more natural and wholesome for you than feeding yourself with something that has been modified. You will find that having moderate fats/oils in your diet makes you less peckish after meals, leaves you more satiated, and you find that after a while, you don't crave, graze or go hungry, and fats becomes a natural appetite suppressant because you are more satiated at meal-times.

I normally get pimples around the time of the month, and found that ever since I have been on Atkins, it hasn't happened!

[will7128301]

Re: Low fat vs. Low Carb?

I was told by many people that are on the atkins diet to get the atkins book but I declined since I have done many things in my life with no book and someone said that I need to get the book in order to succeed in this diet which is pathetic when I can seek help from this forum when I need help.., I will continue my 14-day induction (without the book.. thanks) but I

Sounds like your being lazy, Knowledge is power. So you mean to tell me that if your confronted about atkins that you will simply say you don't know and buckle under? Atkins doesn't need that its already a hot topic.

What are you gonna do if someone is curious about atkins and you have to say you don't know. Your on it and you don't know then you not only look lazy but you come off as an idiot as well.

You have done many other things in life with out books or instructions? I guess you started driving by hopping in the trunk.
I bet (if you have kids) a few of their toys have been put together wrong and you had to redo it. becuase you refused to read the instructions.

Same with atkins your gonna do it wrong becuase you didn't know and since you didn't know you didn't question it and so you didn't come here for advice. All becuase you didn't know you made a wrong turn somewhere. Why might one ask becuase it was too pathetic to read a book. Its all about commitment if you can't even commit to read a little book, how in the world are you gonna commit to changing your lifestyle's WOE.

There really is no excuse not to read the book, except your lazy and lacking in commitment. with that attitude I'm sorry to say your headed for failure.

I may sound harsh but its the truth if you can't go all the way, why even bother to leave it half-done You will just add it to the list of diets that didn't work for you. Do yourself a favor and read the book!

[tickletussler]

Yep, I agree, you need the book. :yes

I started Atkins without the book, just using the website for guidelines. But one of the doctors recommended I read the book, and I don't regret it one bit.

Not only does the book tell you WHY and HOW Akins works, it gives you enough knowledge to stay motivated and gives you the whole picture. There was so much in the book that I didn't get from the atkins website and I am glad that I did read it.

[snorkelman]

low fat processed foods are packed with sugar and starch. Which is why low fat diets fail ... they leave you feeling hungry and deprived, causing you to eat more.

low carb eliminates the sugars and starches and focuses on complex carbohydrates and healthy fats and proteins, all of which fill you up and keep you full, therefore you end up eating less.

For me, there's no competition!

Betty

Actually I should point out that it's not always black and white. In general, many low-fat products do have lots of sugars and processed stuff. However, you CAN lose weight without being hungry with low-fat just like low carb.

For low carb, you tend to eat a decent amount of fat. Fat makes you feel full. Feeling full makes you eat less calories.

You can do the same with low fat. Just eat protein when you eat your carbs, try and reduce or eliminate sugars and white breads, pastas etc. Also eat every 3 hours (small meals such as 400 calories) Then you will not be hungry.

Whatever plan you do, the key is calories. No matter what anyone tells you, however you try and look at it, the key is always calories.

If you put in more calories than your body uses, you will get fatter. if you take in less calories than you expend, you will lose weight.

Most people get confused by Atkins' explanations, but the real reason Atkins works is because the fat makes you feel full and you take in less calories. Think about how people talk about how they used to eat 2 oranges and not feel full , but after Atkins (when they could actually eat more carbs) they are satisfied with just part of an orange.

the same can be true with a law-fat diet. the key is to eat small meals throughout the day and you will eat less at each sitting, and it will keep your metabolism going.

I know that this is not the Atkins plan, I am merely answering your question.

In general, Low carb plans will usually result in weight loss. But please realize not all no-fat plans are perfect, and that is why sometimes if you do low-fat you may not lose weight. It all comes down to calories.

[matawguro]

Coca Cola has zero fat, yet you'll have trouble convincing me you can lose weight by consuming it.

[snorkelman]

of course. I never said the only factor was calories (I said that the "key" was calories), otherwise you could eat 1500 calories of candy bars, and we all know that you will not lose weight on that kind of diet. I was talking about a low fat diet in general.

As for Coke, that's where the sugar comes in. I said reduce or eliminate sugars and white flour products.

I know this is an Atkins board, but i promise you that you CAN lose fat if you eat small frequent meals of low fat and yes, you can drink DIET coke daily, or the rare (once a week) full sugar coke.