Concept2 Forum

I've been on a low carb diet (South Beach) for 2 months, and have been very happy with results. I've lost 17 pounds (9 in the first month under a more restrictive diet. In the last six weeks I've added large quantities of non or low fat dairy products and fruit. I also eat lots of vegetables and lean meats. Haven't eaten any bread, pasta, crackers, rice, potatoes during the 2 months. I have not been hungry, and though I think my total caloric intake is probably lower, I am not consciously restricting calories, just sugar and carbs.<br><br>At first (within the first 2 weeks of the new diet) I noticed elevated resting heart rate, higher heart rates for a given pace, and lower strength during workouts, although my endurance didn't seem to be affected. Since then, my heart rates mave receded to more familiar levels, and so have heart rate levels during workouts, but my strength isn't quite what it used to be. At the end of a half hour AT workout, I pushed hard and was able to get my heart rate to within 2 beats of my MHR, but the best stroke pace I saw during those last 2 minutes was 2:19. I would have expected 2:16 or even 2:13.<br><br>I'm wondering if others are combining heart rate monitoring, erg workouts and new low carb eating patterns and have stories to share. <br><br>I suspect that adding back some multi-grain bread and no sugar cereals might help me regain strength but I'd prefer to do it with workouts and strength training at a new body weight. <br><br><br>

Linda,<br><br>I'm not on a low-carb diet, but rather Weight Watchers (have been for almost a year) and while my diet isn't the same, I have had a similar experience with loss of strength while dieting. I have cut out sugar and white flour for the most part, and am eating a lot fewer carbs than I did before, and fewer calories. I'd say while the lack of carbs maybe partly to blame for your loss of strength, it's more likely that your weight loss is to blame. As funny as that sounds, I was a lot weaker when I was losing at a higher rater (more than 1.5lbs a week). I'd also suspect that you've lost some lean muscle mass in the process of losing 17lbs in 2 months. <br><br>Aren't you allowed multi-grain carbs on the South Beach Diet after the first stage? Your body needs some, so I would think eating things like oatmeal and berries would be fine and not hamper your weightloss efforts. If you're still trying to lose weight, you might want to also considering slowing the rate of loss to 1lb per week. I've found that I can do so much more and can push myself further during my workouts if I'm eating a touch more. <br><br>I'm sure you know that it will take your body longer than 2 months to adjust to the changes you've made. I've learned to be patient and remind myself I'm making a lifestyle change, and that doesn't happen overnight.

There has been a lot of discussion with regards to low carb diets and their effect on exercise. I followed the Atkins regime for about 2 years and took off about 30 lbs. However the diet was not friendly for endurance exercise. Basically I was running (cycling in this case) out of energy while out on the road. The solution was to adapt the diet so that it included carbohydrates. In actuality it was the fact that any weight loss is calories in < calories out. <br><br>I have included a link to an article on a cycling website that deals with low carb diets and cycling (it is the second link on the page). I think the information it provides gives 'food for thought'.<br><br><a href='http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id= ... s05-31#Low' target='_blank'>Low carb diet</a>

When I got my erg I went on a low carb - low fat diet supplemented with sugary stuff like fruit juice and hard candies. I didn't have any breakfast, erged in the morning, juiced through the afternoon, and had a big salad at night. <br><br>The diet worked while I was taking off the extra weight (30 pounds) however when I got down to the right weight for me I found that I had a low energy problem too. <br><br>I added some whole grain back in, and didn't gain any weight. Now, in order to erg for an hour or more I eat some whole grain carbs the night before. Eating it before the erg session slows me down for some reason. <br><br>Lastly, I keep some glucose tablets next to the erg, and have one about every 10-15 minutes. They really do the trick to keep up my energy. They are called 'Dex 4', and you can get them at any drug store.<br><br>Regards,

I just went from 84Kg to 75Kg in about 5 weeks and I was eating loads of carbs...<br><br>Atkins diet is a heap of shite... forget it...<br><br>The only way to lose weight is to combine a healthy diet with exercise.

Andy,<br><br>I would like you to qualify your answer. <br><br>I understand the Atkins is a lifestyle change as opposed to a diet. The premise that Atkins spelled out in his book was hard to resist. Basically as a society we eat too much and part of that is carbohydrates and more important, carbohydrates that provide no benefit to us as an efficient fuel. That being said, yes I agree with you. Weight loss is achieved through a combination of healthy eating and exercise. But, Atkins also agrees with you. He just happened to take a different path to get to the same goal. <br><br>Did you happen to read Atkins book?

Any diet will work short term, a balanced healthy diet, loads of fresh fruit/veg and unprocessed foods will help keep you healthy long term as well.<br><br>I agree that if you do no exercise then carbs are maybe not as important. <br><br>I also think that you should not worry too much about weight, your body fat % is more important. My BMI for example is 24 (over 25 is considered overweight), yet I am 74.9Kg and 8% body fat. If I wasn't rowing I'd aim for 78Kg which would make me overweight apparently. If I can get to 8% body fat on a high carb diet that I can maintain long term and pretty much eat what I want (as long as I don't eat junk food, which I very rarely do now) then why would I consider a potentially unhealthy diet that would also leave me with no energy.<br><br>Atkins may work for some people, if so good luck to them, but not anybody who is serious about exercise and fitness I wouldn't recommend it. Depends on your goals, do you just want a lower reading on the scales at any cost? then go with Atkins (or any other restrictive calorie diet)... or do you want to be fit and healthy and look good without worrying about your weight all the time? then eat healthy and get some exercise.<br><br>I haven't read Atkins book, no. Have you read any long term studies of people using Atkins diet for 5, 10, 20 years?<br><br>Anita Bean's book on Sports nutrition is really good.

I was a skeptic (about the health benefits and nutritional value) of low carb eating styles before I read the South Beach book, and saw what the eating changes did for my parents. Mostly, I was ill-informed about the theory and had misconceived notions about what foods were included and what not. I thought it cut out fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Wrong. Most fruits (especially berries) are staples of my diet. I eat every vegetable. (I'll even eat a few new potatoes in early July when our garden produces them.) Oatmeal too - at least once a week. <br><br>It's clear that different people have different metabolic rates and process the foods they eat differently. Despite years of regular exercise (on the erg and off), I've struggled with weight gain. Low carb eating has been the easiest weight loss plan I've ever tried. The high glycemic index theory works for me. Keeping a constant blood sugar rate just makes good sense. If it's a good plan for diabetics, that should be a good indicator it's a good plan to prevent diabetes. And if so, how can low carb eating be deemed unhealthy? <br><br>Janice, thanks for the reminder to be patient with the lifestyle change I've made. That, and your experience are helpful to me. Yes, I think I probably have lost some lean muscle mass along with the weight, despite keeping up my exercise regime. <br><br>Miker, thanks for the link to the cycling/low carb site. Very helpful too.<br><br>I've also struggled with high cholesterol in the past. I'm scheduling a doctor's appointment soon to do a check-up and blood work. I bet that losing 17 pounds even while eating nuts, many more eggs, more meat and cheese than I used to will translate to a lower overall cholesterol count. <br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br>

I agree with Andy and the Atkins diet is not only shite but very dangerous. Now dont ask me to say why because I cant remember but I do know that I have read a lot about it recently in fitness magazines etc and it is frightening what they are saying about it. The reason I cant remember exact details is that Im very lucky and dont need to diet and therefore Im not interested in diets so dont need to remember the details but I do know that if you read the articles then you wouldnt bother with Atkins. <br><br>Im sure if you goto www.ultra-fitmagazine.com for more details you will be able to find the articles. I suggest you read them. <br><br>Andy is also right that you need to forget about weight and just concentrate on being a fitter healthier person and this is best done through exercise and a healthy BALANCED diet! <br><br>This is just my opinion and not ment to cause offence!

<!--QuoteBegin-Cran+Jun 4 2004, 12:56 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='genmed'><span class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></span> (Cran @ Jun 4 2004, 12:56 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The only way to lose weight is to combine a healthy diet with exercise.<!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><br>Absolutely.<br><br>And there is no better, or more comprehensive, "lifestyle change", then combining a healthy diet with exercise.<br><br>I heartily recommend reading *and studying* Covert Bailey's book "Smart Exercise". The only thing better than someone who eats right and exercises is someone who is informed about what s/he's eating and how s/he's exercising.

Physiologically, Atkins and South Beach are the only two diets that I know of that work with your body to lose weight. although, endurance exercise will do the same thing. The main goal here is to shift your body to fat consumption instead of carbohydrates. Atkins-style diets do this by shocking your body - taking away all the carbs so that what is being put in - protien and fat - is what is burned first. this is why you will get the weird breath - fat ketones are being released. <br><br>However, by switching to low intensity, long distance exercise, and monitoring your food intake so that Cal in < Cal out you will acheive the same results, without any decrease in performance, in fact, you will now have amazing base fitness. Seems a good trade.<br><br>Although it must be said that this might make you more prone to putting weight on after you stop rowing. This is because you will have been burning fat a lot during exercise and when you stop, you will continue to add the fat which you had previously been burning. However, since you aren't burning it anymore, it may accumulate. <br><br>Hope this helps

>The only way to lose weight is to combine a healthy diet with exercise. <br><br>The only objection I have to that statement is to change the phrase to "effective way". There are many ways to lose weight. Most of them are ineffective. Some are even dangerous. If you burn up more calories than you take in, you'll lose weight. It's that simple. And if you lose weight without exercising as many people do, you'll end up losing muscle as well as fat. The object is not to lose weight per se. It's to lose fat while retaining and adding muscle.

Congratulations on losing the 17 pounds! <br><br>I wouldn't worry about your heart rate vs speed in the last two minutes. A better test would be to row 30:00 at an even pace and check your heart rate at the end. Otherwise, certainly 17 pounds would give more weight to the handle in 2:00, but it's not as likely to be maintained, and the resulting HR would likely be higher over distance.<br><br>I agree Atkins is a terrible diet, harmful, and dangerous.<br><br>Better is the DASH diet, which means diet alternatives to stop hypertension. I think this is similar to the South Beach Diet, but not sure.<br><br>I followed the RICE Diet some 15 years ago, and went from 170 (highest I have weighed) to 133 pounds in 4 months. This is the diet that was used for more than 50 years by Walter Kempner, assisting very heavy people to lose weight and become healthier. For example there were many 400 to 800 pound people who returned to normal weights and health with the diet.<br><br>The Rice Diet consists only of rice, apples, water, and nothing else, and is <b>90 percent carbohydrates.</b><br><br>By the way I have followed an 80-90% carbohydrate diet for the last 30 years.<br><br>The last time I checked, my cholesterol was 123.<br><br>My blood pressure ranges from 96/62 to 100/54.

<!--QuoteBegin-sekitori+Jun 4 2004, 11:42 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='genmed'><span class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></span> (sekitori @ Jun 4 2004, 11:42 AM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Most of them are ineffective. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><br> I think you mean...Most of them are <b>effective</b>, don't you? <br><br>The best way to lose weight is to stop eating. It's a very effective diet. Even more so than the low carb fad diets. If you follow any diet that reduces calories compared to caloric need for a day, you'll lose weight. Whether the diet is dangerous or if you're losing fat rather than muscle has nothing to do with the fact that they cause you to lose weight.<br><br>

A friend of mine got her cholesterol checked a few months ago from a lab. They drew several vials of blood, the cost was $70, and it took more than a week for results.<br><br>Many drug stores have periodic cholesterol checks. <br><br>They poke the end of your finger, it costs around $15, and you have the results in 2 minutes.<br>