Low-carb is really just going back to basics. Being a bit of an old mare these days when I was young diets were always based on cutting back on sugars/starches. Rice was something you made puddings with and the only mainstream pasta was Heinz spaghetti hoops.
About five years ago I lost about 4 stones on a reduced carb calorie counted plan. Went off plan for a while but ate the same kind of food and maintained the weight. Then one day I decided, after being convinced by loads of weight loss articles, that low-fat high carb was the way to go and the weight piled back on instantly.