What is a “No-Carb Diet”?
Sunday April 23, 2006
Fairly frequently I hear people talking about going on a “no-carb” diet, or asking me about it. What does this mean? Is it possible? Is it a good idea? I’ve recently updated my FAQ on the subject.
Related FAQs:
Related FAQs:
Comments
I need a NO carb, no sugar, no cafein diet. Doctor’s orders. Lots of protein is prescribed. Help! Thanks.
Phyllis, I would ask this question in the Forum where you can get more feedback than here in comments. I also would get very clear on exactly what your doctor was ordering. Sometimes when people say “no carb” they mean “no high-carb foods”, and would think that, for example, vegetables and nuts would be OK.
Best wishes, and I hope to see you in the Forum!
If its not from an animal then it has carbs….lol but its the truth. All protein no bread, sweets, no salad dressing, mayo etc. I was on this diet lost a ton of weight but veered off of it and now going back on it. My sugar level balanced out (low-blood sugar) felt great when I was on this diet. It will work but you have to have a ton of will power.
Not quite true, Fredia. Olive oil has zero carbs.
Actually, a lot of plant food has very little carbohydrate, and some animal foods (e.g. oysters, and even eggs) have a little. The trick is to put it all together in a way that works for you. The Forum really is a good place to talk about it.
Try the Fat Flush diet – it’s no carb, no caffiene, no sugar, no wheat, no dairy, no preservatives or artifical sweetners.
It works!
What is the fat flush diet?
No carb diets are a stupid idea. carbs are the main source of energy for the body. The body burns fat after carbs, true, but it will burn protein if your body gets desperate. that is in extreme. ]
breakfast is meant to be the biggest meal of the day for a reason. it prepares you for the energy needed throughout the day. carbs is an important part of that.
take up aerobics if you want to lose weight. go swimming and tone your body. not go on a no carbs diet.
Kelsey, carbs are the main food for bodies that are not “keto-adapted” — in other words, bodies that are used to running on carbs. But after a few weeks on a carb-restricted diet, the body uses fat for energy just fine, and needs very little glucose.
There are individuals that have an enzyme deficiency that makes eating carbohydrates potentially deadly, so it is well documented that the body runs just fine on an extremely low-carb diet. That being said, not getting enough vitamins and minerals (or too many) can also be deadly over time. The fat-soluble vitamins (including A and E) are very common in animal tissue and can be toxic at high levels.
Most people would benefit greatly from just eliminating added sugar from their diets. Try to avoid foods with added sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, cane juice, honey, maltose, apple juice (mostly sugar, not really nutritious), fructose, molasses, glucose, and sucrose. Try to not just substitute artificial sweeteners, as they just maintain the ‘habit’ of eating sweetened foods, and may be bad for you in and of themselves. The starches, complex carbohydrates, and other sugars (most notably from dairy products) will help maintain energy and won’t hurt the diet.
I am on this no carbs, no sugar diet for about a mont now. I lost nearly 8 pounds all naturally (I don’t exercise and sometimes just walk for 10 mins a day). My sister asked me how I can loose all that fat when I was eating very high calories and protein. I told her about the diet. It works for her too. Hey you always can use splenda if you miss the sweetness and if you miss hamburger, buy one, smell it and throw the burger away, eat the ham. I’m enjoying the diet because it works and I can eat a lot without counting calories. Imagine, just replace the sugar and carb by the foods of your choice. That’s simple. It’s ur call to make. It really works for me. Doesn’t hurt to try! Good luck.
I had previously tried every fad diet out there and was at a point of total frustration when a friend of mine made a bet that he could stick to the low carb diet longer than I. Being the competitive person I am I went to a bookstore and found this awesome pocket carb diary which had a list of all foods and carb content in the back of the book. Each page made you complete what you ate and how many carbs you consumed in a day. It also asked about exercise and water consumption. At the end of each week you were to register your weight. I was amazed that after the initial adjustment period of one week I did not feel hungry. I lost 65 pounds in 4 months without exercising. It was truly amazing. Strangly enough it is when you put something in your mouth that is high in carbs that your body craves it for the rest of the day. Avoid the carbs and avoid the hunger – and yes… there are plenty of options out there… I ate more food then I ever did on any other diet – another tip – do not see it as a diet but a way of life – diets come to an end – but good eating habits last forever. Good Luck – Smiles
Hey Donna… do you recall the name of this book. It sounds like something that would be really helpful for my Hubby. I have never been one who needed to lose weight, a few pounds here or there… But I was turned on to a No Sugar / No Carb Diet… and I am trying to find what I can do to help my hubby on this. We are both on the Diet together… So he is not alone and I am not eating things in front of him that he misses and can’t enjoy. I have more self control in the food arena. If you could get me the name of that book it sounds great!
I have been on the no carbs diet, It’s the best diet I have ever been on. I have been on the diet for 13 weeks I have lost 10 kgs.
i need a no carb and no caffeine diet to make me in perfect shape for summer. help!
Be careful about calling a “no carb” diet healthy. You are generally eating more foods that are high in fat which is not good in the long run for your heart. I know that it works however, when you choose not to eat vegetables and fruit – is that a good thing? And what is wrong with exercise. Losing weight and bragging about not doing any exercise is a bit severe. If you can, get out and walk every day. It is not only good for you but you feel so much better after. Moderation folks!
I was on a no carb diet for a while, eating protein. Yes, it worked for a while until one day it dawned unto me that my heart has weakened by cholesterol from all the protein that I took.
Wishful thinking to hope for weight loss without exercise. Now I stick to exercising and eating a balanced diet, and if I’m trying to lose some pounds, just go for a smaller portion and avoid sugar in food and drinks.
Carbohydrates in the form of glucose can be synthesized in the body from other sources. Once a person is switched to a Low-to-No carb diet, this process initiates and becomes easier for the body to accomplish.
Protein, as far as sciences knows thus far, cannot be synthesized inside the body.
Low-t-No carb diets rely on the fact that the body is in a ketogenic state (ketone producing) that utilizes fat as the preferred energy source. In a non-ketogenic state, it is carbs that are the main source.
That being said, being ketogenic is not “normal” for most humans and therefore is not “safe” for some.