Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I'm currently trying to do VLC but am confused as to why there is a sweeping "one size fits all" recommendation. For instance, around "30 grams" is thrown around on here and on various blogs as low-carb. But is this for everyone? Should it be even less for me? I've had 26 grams already today, but I'm wondering if it is too much.

I'm a fairly short woman (5'4"), and I imagine that my VLC daily carb intake should look different than someone who is say, a 6'5" bodybuilder taking in more calories than me.

edited Mar 28 2012 at 22:16

asked Mar 28 2012 at 19:45

Sunny Beaches
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Beck · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-30 22:37:58Z UTC

Your brain requires 120 g/day of glucose. If you're in ketosis, then the daily glucose need is reduced to about 30 g because the brain can use ketone bodies as fuel. The remaining 30 g glucose requirement can be manufactured from either glycerol (fat) or amino acids (protein). If you eat both VLC and low protein, your body will begin breaking down your muscles for fuel.

I think the "30 g of carbohydrates per day" guideline is intended to be high enough to prevent muscle wasting (since gluoconeogenesis from protein stops somewhere between 15-50 grams/day) but low enough to force the liver to create ketone bodies (which will start at anything under 100 g/day). And it's the same guideline for everyone because your brain is the only organ that requires glucose, and human brain sizes are pretty much the same, regardless of height or weight.

CaveDad · Answer 2 · 2012-03-28 20:05:07Z UTC

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The very best advice anyone can give you is to keep reading and keep an open mind. There is a good deal of conflicting information and the Paleo/Primal/PHD world is young and changing rapidly.

Personally, I don't recommend you count carbs (or anything). When I want to lose weight, I ditch starch all together. I eat meat and veggies.. all I want. I also eat eggs and some dairy (but dairy can cause other issues for some people).

If you are VERY active, you might need some starch even while trying to lose weight. Personally, I don't think being VERY active is a great way to lose weight.

answered Mar 28 2012 at 20:05

CaveDad
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	My carb today was from a banana. When you say you ditched starch, does that mean that you no longer needed to count carbs because you never eat them? Are you zero-carb? – Sunny Beaches Mar 28 2012 at 20:14
	solid answer . – Todd Mar 28 2012 at 20:14
	Sunny Beaches, if I really want to be strict and lose weight quickly, then I might eat a sweet potato or a banana in a day and the rest meat and veg. I eat more carbs when I am at a normal weight, if I eat too many I start to crave them more. I have tried going zero carb and it is a great way to lose weight fast. I think it is OK to switch things up once in awhile. – CaveDad Mar 28 2012 at 21:48
	@CaveDad, thanks! Someone else suggested just eating carbs in the morning, which is what I am doing. I had a banana today. However, I am just concerned that since I'm shorter in physique than others (and being female), LC with 30 g or less might be different for me...hence, maybe a banana is too much. Thanks for the suggestion of switching things up for a bit. I don't think I could completely go ZC, but maybe just having greens for a carb might be good every once in a while. – Sunny Beaches Mar 28 2012 at 22:09
	Agree with not counting. A bit neurotic with me. I eat two meals a day, and if you're anything like me (normal satiation signals, and a mouth, not a vacuum cleaner, even with potatoes/starchy carbohydrates + veggies at each meal...it's somewhat hard to get over 100-150 grams of carbohydrates. Then again, I'm a 5'9'' lean asian guy. I could be mispeaking. But proportionally and by hunger, things should work out. And even if they don't, 300 g of carbohydrates from real food vs. processed SAD junk is hardly the same. – Knarf Apr 3 2012 at 23:47

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Todd · Answer 3 · 2012-03-28 20:20:01Z UTC

Context always applies.

Why are you trying to limit your carbs? is it for weight loss? I am recently recovering from a knee surgery and as such cant do any soccer, walking or running. I had been consuming between 250 - 400 carbs a day (I was fairly active, weights 3 times a week, soccer 2-3 times a week) mainly in the form or potato and rice. I feared I was going to have to change my ratios in order to keep the weight off while being more sedentary. Not the case at all. I haven't changed a thing and am actually leaner than ever. This jives with CaveDad's response that being very active isn't the most ideal way to lose weight.

<30 grams…but why isn’t height, sex, and body weight taken into consideration on VLC?

3 Answers