Cut Carbs Lose Weight -- then again....

[MuddyWaters]

The problem is, people generally are in denial about how poor thier shape is. Its protecting their ego.
I like seeing pictures of people from around WWII, and pictures today.
The majority of americans today are horribly, horribly overweight

When they think they need to lose 10 lbs, they really need to lose about 50.

[JAK]

Average adult Americans are about one inch taller, but nearly a whopping 25 pounds heavier than they were in 1960, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The bad news, says CDC is that average BMI (body mass index, a weight-for-height formula used to measure obesity) has increased among adults from approximately 25 in 1960 to 28 in 2002.
The report, Mean Body Weight, Height, and Body Mass Index (BMI) 1960-2002: United States, shows that the average height of a man aged 20-74 years increased from just over 5'8" in 1960 to 5'9½" in 2002, while the average height of a woman the same age increased from slightly over 5'3" 1960 to 5'4" in 2002.

Meanwhile, the average weight for men aged 20-74 years rose dramatically from 166.3 pounds in 1960 to 191 pounds in 2002, while the average weight for women the same age increased from 140.2 pounds in 1960 to 164.3 pounds in 2002.

Though the average weight for men aged 20-39 years increased by nearly 20 pounds over the last four decades, the increase was greater among older men:

Men between the ages of 40 and 49 were nearly 27 pounds heavier on average in 2002 compared to 1960.
Men between the ages of 50 and 59 were nearly 28 pounds heavier on average in 2002 compared to 1960.
Men between the ages of 60 and 74 were almost 33 pounds heavier on average in 2002 compared to 1960.
For women, the near opposite trend occurred:

Women aged 20-29 were nearly 29 pounds heavier on average in 2002 compared to 1960.
Women aged 40-49 were about 25½ pounds heavier on average in 2002 compared to 1960.
Women aged 60-74 were about 17½ pounds heavier on average in 2002 compared to 1960.
Meanwhile, the report documented that average weights for children are increasing as well:

The average weight for a 10 year-old-boy in 1963 was 74.2 pounds; by 2002 the average weight was nearly 85 pounds.
The average weight for a 10-year-old girl in 1963 was 77.4 pounds; by 2002 the average weight was nearly 88 pounds.
A 15-year-old boy weighed 135.5 pounds on average in 1966; by 2002 the average weight of a boy that age increased to 150.3 pounds.
A 15-year-old girl weighed 124.2 pounds on average in 1966; by 2002 the average weight for a girl that age was 134.4 pounds.
According to the report, average heights for children increased as well over the past four decades. For example:

The average height of a 10-year-old boy in 1963 was 55.2 inches; by 2002 the average height of a 10-year-old boy had increased to 55.7 inches.
The average height of a 10-year-old girl in 1963 was about 55.5 inches; by 2002 the average height of a 10-year-old girl had increased to 56.4 inches.
In 1966, the average height of a 15-year-old boy was 67.5 inches or almost 5'7½"; by 2002 the average height of a 15-year-old boy was 68.4 or almost 5'8½".
In 1996, the average height of a 15-year-old girl was 63.9 inches; by 2002 the average height of a 15-year-old girl had not changed significantly (63.8 inches).
Average BMI for children and teens has increased as well:

In 1963, the average BMI for a 7-year-old boy was 15.9; in 2002 it was 17.0. For girls the same age, the average BMI increased from 15.8 to 16.6 over the same period.
In 1966, the average BMI for a 16-year-old boy was 21.3; in 2002, it was 24.1. For girls the same age, the average BMI increased from 21.9 to 24.0 over the same period.
The BMI is a single number that evaluates an individual's weight status in relation to height. BMI is generally used as the first indicator in assessing body fat and has been the most common method of tracking weight problems and obesity among adults.

[JAK]

I could lose 50 pounds. People think I'm crazy but I know I could. That's about what my grandfather weighed and he was an inch taller.

[colorado_rob]

Interesting numbers, JAK. To be perfectly fair though, since heights went up a bit, some of that weight gain is because of the height increase. Looks like about 6 lbs/inch for men (from the "healthy weight" tables), and 4 lb/inch for women. Still, way too much weight gain in 50 years.

Here's the solution for you all: Move to Colorado! The leanest state (but still with an obesity problem, alas):

http://mojosimon.wordpress.com/2010/...s-lean-vs-fat/

[Creek Dancer]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this, but women in particular have to deal with "vanity sizing". I generally wear the same size I wore when I was 20 years old, either an 8 or a 10. The difference is that now I weigh about 30 pounds more. There is no way the old size 8 is today's size 8. I know - I have compared the two. This makes some women (not me) think that they aren't as big as they really are. The clothing manufactures have changed the sizing to appeal to our vanity. Crazy.

[fredmugs]

At 6' 3" I try to have a weight around 195 for hiking season. It seems like when I go above 200 I can tell. Once hiking season is over I workout maybe once or twice a week and eat whatever the hell I want. this past year I have developed a love for craft beers which are very high in calories. After putting on an insance amount of weight every I enter a Biggest Loser contest at work, go back into training mode, and win the contest regardless of who my partner is.


Over an 8 week contest I limit myself to 150g of net carbs per day the first 4 weeks. I consume around 1500 - 1600 calories a day and actually it's hard to eat that many. I try to also limit my fat to around 50g and eats lots and lots of protein. Over the second half of the contest I cap the carbs at 100g a day. Not exactly low carb but certainly low enough. I try to eat 3 meals a day between 400 - 600 calories each and my workouts are cardio on a recumbent bike at night where I do about 60 minutes and burn about 650 calories. Post workout I eat two slices of turkey breast. Contrary to conventional wisdom a drink a ton of diet sodas in addition to water.

Not eating large meals I believe allows me to keep a constant burn rate going. The lower carb intake combined with the cardio turns me into a fat burning machine. I hydrated up to 237 for the weigh in. Weighed 230 on Jan 24th. Weighed 219.8 this morning. Plan to weigh 190 at the end.

I'm not sure what I do would be considered low carb or not. I used to focus on calories and fat and I would still lose the weight but still have noticeable belly fat. Cutting the carbs helps get rid of that extra 5 pounds of belly fat for me.

[RedBeerd]

Eat balanced and exercise regularly. Easy squeezy japanesey. Aren't carbs only bad if you don't use them?

[JAK]

Aren't carbs only bad if you don't use them?

Depends on what you mean. Carbs can be bad even if you are not gaining weight. If you are burning most of your calories at like 60% VO2 Max or less then you should be burning at least as much fat as carbs, maybe twice as much. If you are doing alot of your activity at 70% VO2 Max or higher, like 1000-2000 calories a day, then those calories can be more carbs than fat, maybe twice as much or more. I say eat what your body wants and don't make it do too much conversion of carbs into fat, fat into carbs, protien into fat, protien into carbs. Also, try to make at least half of you carbs slow carbs, and none of your fats should be trans fats.

[Pedaling Fool]

If you are burning most of your calories at like 60% VO2 Max or less then you should be burning at least as much fat as carbs, maybe twice as much. If you are doing alot of your activity at 70% VO2 Max or higher, like 1000-2000 calories a day, then those calories can be more carbs than fat, maybe twice as much or more. ...

JAK, I've heard this before, but now I'm hearing this isn't true, the % of fat burned does drop as your aerobic effort goes up, but the overall amount of fat burned (in the big picture) goes up, as does the amount of carbs. People misunderstood the research, which led to this false conclusion, or myth of: Exercising in the Fat Burning Zone, to burn more fat.

(If I understand you correctly, correct me if I'm wrong). http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-l...ed?page=single

Excerpt:


THE MYTH:
EXERCISE IN THE FAT-BURNING ZONE

THE TRUTH:

The "fat-burning zone" lies between 50 and 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. When you exercise at this low intensity, your body draws energy from fat. As your heart rate goes up, more energy comes from carbs. So it seems logical that to lose fat you should keep your heart rate low, says Jason Karp, Ph.D., owner of Runcoachjason.com. But that's not the case.

"Running at higher intensities causes you to burn a lower percentage of fat calories in favor of carbs," says Karp, "but you use more total calories." And that's the key to slimming down. Plus, since you torch more total calories, the absolute amount of fat burned actually increases, too. So it pays to pick up the pace.

Of course, lower intensity exercise still has its place. Long, slow runs build aerobic fitness and endurance. But to kickstart a pokey metabolism, you need intensity. Karp suggests interval training (condensed runs that mix in intense efforts with recovery) because studies have found these workouts burn more calories during and after exercise (see "Torch Calories" below for Karp's interval workout). "It also cuts down on boredom," he says, "which makes it more likely you'll stick with your program."

[MuddyWaters]

High intensity intervals
done on an empty stomach in morning after fasting for last ~10 hrs
You have no carbs to burn after a couple of days on sub-maintenance calorie intake, glycogen is depleted
particularly if follow low carb intake
when you hit ketosis, stay there for a full day and burn fat all day.

[Nytro]

Cutting carbs isnt a bad idea if your life is sedentary. I am not a supporter of cutting carbs to the point of going into Ketosis, but if you wish to drop weight look into the zone diet or going paleo. I got into it early last year and began slimming to the point where I could see my abs. And I never saw my abs so for me it was worth it. 150g of carbs a day if you plan to be active the following day or 75g of carbs on days where you will be mostly sedentary the following day.

[Helas]

Here are really nice and most informative post. Actually you have done a great job. I am really impressed and wants to appreciate you that you share this article here with us. I hope you will continue that and post more threads here. Anyway i would like thanks to you that you share this post here with us.

[Odd Man Out]

I say eat what your body wants and don't make it do too much conversion...

Absolutely. Eat less food, eat better food, eat a variety of food, exercise more. Your body will take care of most everything else.

...fat into carbs...

One minor correction. You can't turn fat into carbs.

[Dogwood]

Oh my Oh my Oh my talk about an entire biz subsector that has grown up around one idea with more misleading info skewed for marketing purposes - LOSING WEIGHT! WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I could max out my AMEX card at Barnes & Noble and still not have ALL the books, tapes, CDs, DVDs, etc dedicated towards this topic.

[Dogwood]

THE VAST MAJORITY who go down this road for whatever reason(s) tend to be more interested in hearing about who said the latest regarding it rather than actually applying it. Most just like their ears tickled with some bit of new info. RAMPANT.

Simple Simple Simple idea/formula/medical breakthrough/diet strategy/ discovery, etc etc etc - Eat less food, eat better food, eat a variety of food, exercise more. Doctors have been telling that to patients for yrs yet, for the most part, they don't do it! if they are not willing to do that they probably aren't going to do other things to lose wt. NO MAGIC FORMULA or RECENT BREAK THROUGH or DISCOVERY NEEDED just your own action.

[MuddyWaters]

Most people dont have the willpower to eat less, at least not over a long period of time.

Ask them to eat less, and to break a sweat for 20 min 3-4 times a week,... you might as well have asked them to cut their head off. It aint happening.

So they wallow in their lardly-ness, and complain "x doesnt work for me, I need something special. Im different from everyone else. "

And look for excuses, and magic diets.

[Dogwood]

DRUGS come in many forms. And, they aren't all obtained at the pharmacy or on the street corner being sold by minorities and white trash either.