I don't know what to eat.

[Ericreichelt81]

If overall calories are in line with your goals, what makes carbs bad? Your body is more effective than at breaking down carbs sources for fuel than fats. Unless restricted for medical reasons I see no real reason to be carb phobic. At 60, critical thinking should be guiding you. Try both for a stint and see how you feel personally. Let that guide you.

[johnnys]

It seems to me that a lot of the dietary advice we see is the unfortunate result of applying "population health" correlations as individual guidance. On average, that works well, but might be exactly wrong in any one case. BMI generally indicates fat and sedentary-ness well, for example, but is far less helpful for mid to long term strength trainees. Cholesterol (total/LDL) seems to be a similarly misleading individual metric.

I decided to eat what made sense to ME and stopped focusing on eating carb-heavy, low-fat stuff as I approached 50. I eat eggs, dairy, meat, vegetables and fruit as much as is convenient, but don't go much out of my way. My cholesterol is high enough that my Dr. pushed me to start statins. I reluctantly started, and then found out about getting a Calcium Score that actually measures the plaque in coronary vessels for less than $200. After seeing my 0 score, Dr agreed that statins weren't needed. And I've just made it to obese BMI at 222lbs, wearing the same pants as my much weaker 184lb normal BMI self.

[Geoffc]

I think that the right diet is very individual and the best way to find it is to run your own experiments. For me a low carb breakfast and lunch of meat, eggs and veggies with no snacks keeps me sharp and active during the day. I eat all my carbs at dinner, that puts me to sleep fast and gives me plenty of energy for my morning lift or run.

[Dalton Clark]

The crux of this argument is conflating carbohydrates with processed foods. The two are not the same thing. As someone who has done low carb diets with success, I can look back on them and realize why they were successful at losing weight. Because I wasn't eating anything. When you say "low/no carb" all of the easy sources of carbs that we have on the grocery store shelves go away. Crackers, chips, breads etc. So essentially you are now forced to eat less due to fewer options that you are familiar with. However, most people notice that on a low carb diet your training takes a major hit. I have also been on a 1000 calorie diet as a 5'10" male and the havoc that wreaked on my body was insane. Some people prefer a diet higher in fats, some higher in carbs. It is all about compliance and what allows the individual to stick to what they need to be getting. A diet of whole food/single ingredient fats/carbs tends to work out to be about equivalent to each other. Also the insulin argument against carbs is horse shit because proteins also illicit the same response. Just saying.

[Geoffc]

If I eat 800 calories of steak and eggs for breakfast it sets me up for a much higher energy day than 800 calories of oats and whey does. It could be wildly different for you hence the need to experiment.

[testee]

Also the insulin argument against carbs is horse shit because proteins also illicit the same response. Just saying.

Only if you replace carbs with protein. And that's not the way LC is typically advised at all.

[Dalton Clark]

If you consume proteins, your insulin spikes. If you consume carbs, your insulin spikes. I don't believe that your body cares if you replaced carbs in your diet with proteins (which is stupid), but if you eat a pure protein meal your body still displays an insulin response.

[testee]

If you consume proteins, your insulin spikes. If you consume carbs, your insulin spikes. I don't believe that your body cares if you replaced carbs in your diet with proteins (which is stupid), but if you eat a pure protein meal your body still displays an insulin response.

Nice, but doesn't make LC diets and lowering carbs bullshit. Reread my previous post.

[Dalton Clark]

I never said that lowering carbs is shit. I said that the argument that low carb diets work because they reduce insulin responses is shit. Lowering carbs (and fats) works for reducing body fat because you are putting your body into a hypocaloric state. I never once suggested that this isn't the case. In fact, I never once said anything on the efficacy of low carb diets. I simply addressed the demonization of carbohydrates as a result of confusing them with processed carbohydrates and attributing the success of lowering carbs to reducing an insulin response. I read your previous post multiple times, my friend, now please read mine with the same amount of care. I never said what you believe I said. In fact, I said that I have done low carb diets with success.

[Masher]

Hey johnnys,

Can't agree with you more.


As a kid, I could eat anything I wanted, and mostly I did. In my 30's I had high cholesterol and it was either change my diet and routine or go on pills. I gave up meats and made other lifestyle adjustments back then.

Now in my mid 40's I get rosacea from certain food allergies, I can't digest whey protein powder or milk.

These days I eat mostly vegetables, healthy fats (mostly olive oil) and the carbs I keep to whole grains most of the time. I don't eat meat much at all, and get protein from eggs and fish a couple of times a week. I use rice protein powder, which seems to work as well as any other.