Low Carb High Fat

EspressoJunkie

EspressoJunkie

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Just curious as to whether anyone else here eats this way?

I've been following a ketogenic (75% fat,20% protein, 5%carbs) way of eating for the last 4 months and I have to say I've genuinely never felt better.

It seems that science is starting to agree and on a personal level I've lost 3 stone, have way more energy,and just feel generally superb.

Anyone else?
 
If you're diabetic, your bg levels will plummet as will your cholesterol.
Tons of first person evidence online.

Edit. ..mean T2 diabetic.
 
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Yeah been doing it for nearly two years now. Its the only way i can control my blood sugars without heavy meds. Lost quite a bit of weight to start but levelled off now.
 
I've noticed a lot of dicussion about diabetes when looking for keto recipes etc. I'm lucky in that it runs in my family but it's it something I ever developed. I think if I'd kept eating the way I had been I probably would have ended up with it though.
 
EspressoJunkie said:
I've lost 3 stone, have way more energy,and just feel generally superb.
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Can you expand on what you've been doing to achieve that? Genuinely interested as i have just added 3 weeks worth of holidaying (e.g. overdoing the dinning) to my already chunky frame and want to get on top of it before the end of the year.
 
Sharky said:
Can you expand on what you've been doing to achieve that? Genuinely interested as i have just added 3 weeks worth of holidaying (e.g. overdoing the dinning) to my already chunky frame and want to get on top of it before the end of the year.
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I've basically cut out all processed food and carbs (grains,rice,potatoes,bread,pasta etc) and been focusing on eating good veg,meat,cheese,eggs,butter and nuts.

It sounds very restrictive at first (and the first week is very hard) but after that it becomes second nature and the best thing (at least for me)is that I am no longer hungry all the time. It's the first time in my life that I've not been controlled by food and that freedom is a huge revelation.

View: https://youtu.be/h6aMN6NLOTQ


This guy explains it so well and if you're anything like me you'll relate to what he says. Give it a watch. Without being overly dramatic, it could be life changing. I know it has been for me :)
 
EspressoJunkie said:
I've basically cut out all processed food and carbs (grains,rice,potatoes,bread,pasta etc) and been focusing on eating good veg,meat,cheese,eggs,butter and nuts.
<snip>
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Excellent thanks, going to do some more reading and watching :). If i manage to get on board i'll post back how i get on.
 
I've applied that method in the past, however I've never seen it as a long lasting way of healthy eating personally. It is great for motivation as there is a quick result.

I've had much better, and sustainable, results from severely reducing my portion sizes and severely increase my exercise levels.

And yes still stay away from processed crap, just eat the healthy option and cook it fresh.

Anyway that is what I do, so it is still low on carbs but also low on fat, yet varied with lots of natural vitamins and exercise.
 
If you don't exercise, then fine- give it a go and see how it works out for you.

But for someone who trains hard 5 days a week, I tend to load up on complex carbs in the morning, and then keep carb intake to a minimum in the afternoon (note: minimum, not zero).
 
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I tried the Atkin's diet (essentially the same - high protein, high fat, low carbs) and struggled. In the last couple of years, I tried the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet and it was more effective. Mainly because (after the first few weeks of being hungry), I learned to sense when I was full and hence not overeat. It meant my portions were smaller, and I didn't snack. Along with a calorie intake of 1200kcals/day on nonfasting days, I managed to lose something like 2-3 stones.

Unfortunately I got married and started going out with the missus or making desserts at home. Put a stone back on since.
 
positives and negs to all diets including what is above essentially the Atkins.

personally I have taken action myself over the last year after a so so health check.

lots of things were ok but the nurse was saying this could be lower, that could be lower, your a bit overweight (1.5 stone over)
how much do you drink etc.

so I had a good think and decided to give up processed meat so bacon, sausages anything like that.
lean chicken and pork only, stopped all soft drinks with all the chemicals in them)
more veggies and fruit, reduced my bread intake to just brown and not with meals only sarnies.
ditched pretty much all spuds except odd pub meal out, don't fry anything.

eat more oily fish.

minimal sweets and crisps with emphasis on sugar that's pretty much on the banned list
3 alcahol free days a week, usually mon-wed

and on top of that bought a new pushbike and bags more exercise.

8 months down the line I am 1 stone lighter, my blood preassure is down to normal.
my measured blood sugar levels are bang in the middle of normal and I feel great.

my spin on this is its not food that's a problem its the rubbish food out there that is the problem
eat a healthy balanced diet and stay on the path and do some exercise.

I'm also not a fan of high fat that in itself just can't be good long term
 
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Agree with all of what Mr. bump says except the last bit.

Most people don't have enough healthy fats in their diet. Particularly the mono-unsaturates that come from things like nuts and avocados.

Add a large tablespoon of Flaxseed to your morning breakfast cereal. Packed full of beneficial fats. Good for hair, skin, nails, brain performance and helps your body to better regulate its own metabolism.
 
Smilingatconfusion said:
Agree with all of what Mr. bump says except the last bit.

Most people don't have enough healthy fats in their diet. Particularly the mono-unsaturates that come from things like nuts and avocados.

Add a large tablespoon of Flaxseed to your morning breakfast cereal. Packed full of beneficial fats. Good for hair, skin, nails, brain performance and helps your body to better regulate its own metabolism.
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Oh for sure, I should have been more clear when I meant high fat I meant the Atkins kind of high fat that comes with those food plans.
My main exercise is cycling now and do approx. 50-100 miles a week on my local cycle tracks so also want the oils and fat for my knees.
I also only ever use Olive Oil, I will look into that Flaxseed tho.
 
I think sustainability is hugely important for whatever way people choose to eat, and for me this is one of the benefits of LCHF. Its funny though the look of horror on some people faces when I tell them how I eat, all the while they are shoving 'diet' foods laden with sugar down their throats.

To me sugar is a real danger these days, when you stop and look at how much is in foods that aren't 'sweet' it can be really shocking.
 
@EspressoJunkie that's very true and key to my approach, my mum is a retired diabetes nurse and she has been a world of info and agree's refined suger is the real diabetes trigger now adays and all the American research is now saying the same. However I don't think the high fat side is the answer but that's just a personal thing. For me its the moderation of good carbs for energy that's been good for me. So Just brown bread buns for lunch and a bit of pasta with tea with salad or veggies and fish, I have started a real love of fish.
 
Sugars the killer, the one that causes obesity not fat. Most recent health studies are now confirming this. Saturated fat is not the demon they made it out to be.

And for some exercise and diet alone are not the answer
 
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jakeblu said:
Sugars the killer, the one that causes obesity not fat. Most recent health studies are now confirming this. Saturated fat is not the demon they made it out to be.
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It isn't for sure but also the research doesn't point to a high fat diet being healthy either so I think there is a grey area here.
It has always been said that the hunter gather approach was close to the best balance so it would have been fruit, berries, nuts, bread and maize with occasional meat and the fat with it I am pretty sure they never trimmed it :-)

however very few made it past 40 :-(
 
Mr Bump said:
It isn't for sure but also the research doesn't point to a high fat diet being healthy either so I think there is a grey area here.
It has always been said that the hunter gather approach was close to the best balance so it would have been fruit, berries, nuts, bread and maize with occasional meat and the fat with it I am pretty sure they never trimmed it :)

however very few made it past 40 :-(
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It was even on the beeb the week although I've known of the research for years.

I fancy not living much beyond 40 was more to do with voracious predators they had to cope with and of course lack of any type of medical care
 
Just for clarity, I have lived on a relatively high fat diet for the last 2 years. Mostly protein, meat, eggs nuts and cheese, no bread, cereals etc potatoes pasta or rice. Little fruit but plenty of veg. In those 2 years I have lost nearly 24 kg, my cholesterol at the last check was 3.9, my blood pressure 130/78 kidney and liver functions good. I take no medication other than 2 slow release metformin and my HbA1c at the last test were 48. Before I started this diet I had poor blood sugar control and was on a heap of medication. I'm not saying it works for everyone, some simply can't hack it, but it works for me and many others too.
 
EspressoJunkie said:
I think sustainability is hugely important for whatever way people choose to eat, and for me this is one of the benefits of LCHF. Its funny though the look of horror on some people faces when I tell them how I eat, all the while they are shoving 'diet' foods laden with sugar down their throats.

To me sugar is a real danger these days, when you stop and look at how much is in foods that aren't 'sweet' it can be really shocking.
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How about everything in moderation. My grandmother used to say; everything with too in front is not good for you ;) too much sugar, too much fat, etc. just balanced and in moderation with exercise.
 
dejongj said:
How about everything in moderation. My grandmother used to say; everything with too in front is not good for you ;) too much sugar, too much fat, etc. just balanced and in moderation with exercise.
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Thats a good point, moderation is key but I can't take carbs even in moderation, which is a real pita as I really love bread :(
 
I know a couple who have been on the atkins for about 10 years and they love it as well, skinny as rakes the pair of them.
 
jakeblu said:
Thats a good point, moderation is key but I can't take carbs even in moderation, which is a real pita as I really love bread :(
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I found bread and pasta and rice really hard. But I've significantly reduced my intake of those products nowadays.

Sainsbury in some more multi-cultural areas do a fantastic fresh full grain tagliatelle, that one works really well. But yes still some carbs...
 
dejongj said:
How about everything in moderation. My grandmother used to say; everything with too in front is not good for you ;) too much sugar, too much fat, etc. just balanced and in moderation with exercise.
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For many people that will work, but for a large amount of people it simply doesn't ( I speak from experience here!). A lot of it has to do with how tolerant your body is to insulin and its effects.
 
I'd say my diet is predominantly protein based. Breakfast will be a protien shake, then around 1/2hr later, porridge with a handful of mixed unsalted nuts and a handful blueberries mixed with protein powder and hot water. Then an apple a few hours later plus a protein shake, then lunch time will be a grilled salmon or tuna steak plus dry fried stir fry veg, onions and peppers with egg noodles. (chicken breast will replace the fish on some days) This will be washed down with another protein shake. Dinner will be a repeat of lunch purely because it's easy to cook two lots in one go. During the day will also be a pre-workout protein shake but with a couple of tomatoes an apple and some frozen pineapple, raspberries and blueberries added and mixed in a blender. There will also be a similar shake post workout. I may eat the odd jacket spud with a meal when eating out, but otherwise not and I haven't eaten bread in about 8yrs. It was only after I stopped eating it I realised it made me feel bloated and my stomach actually swelled after eating it.
I have a medical at work every couple of years and everything is fine apart from my weight which would have me classified as obese for BMI but that is due to weight training rather than over eating.
 
Mr Bump said:
I know a couple who have been on the atkins for about 10 years and they love it as well, skinny as rakes the pair of them.
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Dr. Charles Clark's low carb regime http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-New-High-Protein-Diet/dp/0091917336 is less restrictive than Atkins and is based on foods easily sourced in the UK.

I find that the low carb approach has the big advantage that I never feel hungry. The problem I do find is boredom with the food. I miss rice, bread, spuds and pasta. OK, you can have small amounts of those, but having a couple of spoonfulls of rice on your plate is just torturing yourself. Having none is easier.

The low carb authors I have read maintain that you will not go below your natural size. I cannot get below a 35" waist on low carb and reckon about 33" would be better.

Really good news when carb counting ........... Red wine (not sweet) and dry white have almost no carbs.
Other good news - generous plate of bacon and eggs for breakfast.
 
Smilingatconfusion said:
If you don't exercise, then fine- give it a go and see how it works out for you.

But for someone who trains hard 5 days a week, I tend to load up on complex carbs in the morning, and then keep carb intake to a minimum in the afternoon (note: minimum, not zero).
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I have been eating two meals a day for the past four months and have lost around eight kilos.
I haven't really been cutting out any foods, but as I eat breakfast around 7AM, I have been eating the carbs then - homemade bread/toast with eggs/cheese/homemade jam. I make sure that I drink plenty of water during the day, and then have the final meal around 5PM.
I have cut out all takeaways, snacks (didn't eat biscuits, sweets, crisps, ice cream anyway), and have cut down a bit on the alcohol.
 
arclight said:
I find that the low carb approach has the big advantage that I never feel hungry. The problem I do find is boredom with the food. I miss rice, bread, spuds and pasta. OK, you can have small amounts of those, but having a couple of spoonfulls of rice on your plate is just torturing yourself. Having none is easier.
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This. I really miss bread but its pointless having even the smallest amount as my blood sugars spike and i just want more :(
 
EspressoJunkie said:
Just curious as to whether anyone else here eats this way?

I've been following a ketogenic (75% fat,20% protein, 5%carbs) way of eating for the last 4 months and I have to say I've genuinely never felt better.

It seems that science is starting to agree and on a personal level I've lost 3 stone, have way more energy,and just feel generally superb.

Anyone else?
Click to expand...

Getting back into this myself after a long lapse of eating carbs. I started today and felt bad from carb withdrawals earlier. Drinking plenty of water helps.
I find a slow cooker really useful too. Beef/lamb and sometimes add low carb sausages with casserole veggies, garlic, tomato puree etc makes a great meal that you can portion up for lunches/dinners. Heck make good low carb sausages in different flavours.
Cooking with coconut oil is also beneficial.

As you say not feeling hungry and having more energy are great incentives as well as the weight loss. I find I get less colds/viruses etc when I'm low carbing too.
 
there was a study recently hat showed that high fat low carb diets don't loose as much weight as a "normal diet" however what ever diet makes you loose weight and you can stick to is the right diet.
 
I don't wish to lose weight, complete opposite really and my current diet, as I mentioned earlier, plus exercise regime seems to be working just fine. :)
 
canon_togger said:
Getting back into this myself after a long lapse of eating carbs. I started today and felt bad from carb withdrawals earlier. Drinking plenty of water helps.
I find a slow cooker really useful too. Beef/lamb and sometimes add low carb sausages with casserole veggies, garlic, tomato puree etc makes a great meal that you can portion up for lunches/dinners. Heck make good low carb sausages in different flavours.
Cooking with coconut oil is also beneficial.

As you say not feeling hungry and having more energy are great incentives as well as the weight loss. I find I get less colds/viruses etc when I'm low carbing too.
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The first week is the hardest! But at least if you've done it before you know what to expect.

I find that adding coconut oil to my coffee and mixing it up in a blender is absolutely delicious, and having that for breakfast means I don't get hungry until about 8 in the evening.

As much as I totally accept that its not a way of eating that will suit everyone,I do wish that some people were more open minded. I think there's a lot of people who were like I was (fat,tired,and hungry) who could genuinely benefit from this but who are stuck in the same cycle of dieting and low fat foods over and over.

I do think science is coming round though and I think that the advice society receives regarding what to eat will change dramatically in the next few years.
 
I'm in the process of a high fat high carb diet. Most enjoyable. I'll let you know how i get on.
 
POAH said:
there was a study recently hat showed that high fat low carb diets don't loose as much weight as a "normal diet" however what ever diet makes you loose weight and you can stick to is the right diet.
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And I bet somewhere there's a study which proves the opposite, just like a glass of red wine is good for you/lethal.

I agree with your second point wholeheartedly :-)
 
viv1969 said:
And I bet somewhere there's a study which proves the opposite, just like a glass of red wine is good for you/lethal.

I agree with your second point wholeheartedly :)
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actually there isn't as far I know but the health aspects of eating to much fat isn't great for the body
 
EspressoJunkie said:
http://authoritynutrition.com/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets/

Also science is now telling us that there really is no detrimental effects from high fat consumption as long as sugars and carbohydrates are cut to allow the body to process the fat as it should.
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actually no it doesn't. I had a quick scan of those "publications" and they deal with obese and or diabetics in quite small numbers. Not enough to get any real data from it just like the study I noted above.

not eating enough carbs is pretty bad for you in the long run.

like I said above, if a diet works for you then its the diet you should use to loose weight.
 
After two and a half days of carb 'flu' I am now in ketosis and feel more energetic.
Hopefully I can stick with this long term.
 
canon_togger said:
After two and a half days of carb 'flu' I am now in ketosis and feel more energetic.
Hopefully I can stick with this long term.
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You're over the worst of it! I'd highly recommend trying bulletproof coffee in the mornings. I went the whole hog and added butter as well as coconut oil this morning and it was lovely. That was 7am and I'm still not hungry!
 
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