Not losing weight on low carb?

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  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Kmhornak wrote: »
    2013sk wrote: »
    Why are you low carbing??? Just eat less calories and move more!

    I love my carbs and need them to power my workouts!!! I love fruit too - I couldn't give this up! I would be so ratty & miserable too.

    Dieting is all about a lifestyle change, Having what you want, but in moderation. Looking at your portion control etc. Also getting the most out of your calories.

    My bmr is 1450 and I never eat under this, 1200 calories wont cut me, especially at 5 ft 9... I love my food too much!!!!

    If that works for YOU then that is great. However, the medical expert I saw has put me on this plan and I actually feel great. I am not working out with cardio every single day. I cannot do carbs in my diet. Yes, carbs if you can do a good work out, but not when I have two children and my husband travels for work. I am lucky to get a shower most days.


    This is wrong. Carbs are necessary in every diet, not just for people who work out/do cardio. I am actually quite unsure where you got that idea from. And I'm talking about more than the paltry 30g a day you say you're getting.

    Find your TDEE, subtract 20% from that number, and eat the number of calories to lose weight at a reasonable and sustainable rate. Don't cut out or demonize any food groups.

    I'd check your definition of necessary. The body can function for a long time on no more than 30g of carbs per day - if it's truly necessary, surely the body can't continue operating for years without it? Oxygen is necessary - you die pretty quickly without it. Water is necessary - a few days and you're toast. More than 30g of carbs per day being necessary? Not sure what you're talking about. You can debate what's optimal for any particular individual and their specific circumstances, but what's optimal and what's necessary aren't even close to the same.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Well technically, no, carbs aren't "necessary" and you can work out/do cardio on low carb. Although, if you truly eat "no carb" you aren't eating veggies, and limited on dairy selections. But, carbs are not essential like proteins and fats are.
    ETA Parks you beat me to it.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    Kmhornak wrote: »
    So bombsell, you honestly eat poptarts for breakfast and chips for lunch and you don't get fat? Really...how does one do that? Even when not dieting, I don't eat like that. Unless you work out all day?

    I am not being scammed by an expert at a hospital. The purpose is to not feel hungry and that part is working.

    A calorie deficit is required to lose weight, but how you get there can be different. For some, cutting carbs is not only a lifestyle but a requirement (those with PCOS or other medical conditions). But those who do not have medical conditions can incorporate candy, poptarts, etc... and still lose weight. While I do not eat poptarts (i prefer toaster strudel), I do frequent eat candy, chocolate, etc..

    Since you discussed spikes in insulin, are you diabetic or do you have a medical condition?

  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
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    Kmhornak wrote: »
    So bombsell, you honestly eat poptarts for breakfast and chips for lunch and you don't get fat? Really...how does one do that? Even when not dieting, I don't eat like that. Unless you work out all day?

    I am not being scammed by an expert at a hospital. The purpose is to not feel hungry and that part is working.

    My diary is open. You're welcome to cruise the past week or so. I generally do have a poptart (especially since pumpkin pie season!) And chips I save for evening snacks some days....mainly cheetos.

    I've been losing at about .5 lb a week average on my current intake and I'm recovering from an injury, so I assure you I don't "work out all day". Even prior, I only do weightlifting 3x a week for maybe an hour tops.

    calorie surplus makes you fat, it's that simple.

    Getting the right balance of macros/micros is for body composition and overall health.

    I'm not advocating eating nothing but these foods. Absolutely prioritize nutrient dense whole foods in your diet. I'm saying that they totally can be apart of a balanced diet and you CAN still lose weight while consuming them.

  • Kmhornak
    Kmhornak Posts: 42 Member
    edited October 2014
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    LAWL @ a nutritionist being a "medical expert". You do know there are no legal requirements you need to call yourself a nutritionist, right? None. Zero. So this "professional" may very well have exactly zero idea of what he's talking about. And based off what he's telling you, I'm gonna have to go with "Ignorant Fool Blowing Smoke for $200" please. You are being grossly mislead by this idiot. Please see a registered dietitian. That is the only title truly qualified to give in-depth diet and weight loss advice. Everyone else is 9/10 going to tell you some pretty ridiculous, non-science-based crap.

    Well, since you are on the internet, I will take you as the expert on these boards. I am sure you know way more than he could possibly know, right? I'm sure you've made millions off of your diet theory.

    Right.....
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    MelRC117 wrote: »
    tameko2 wrote: »
    MelRC117 wrote: »
    Kmhornak wrote: »
    A lot of the fat I do get is from eggs and cheese. All the meat I eat is lean.

    Added - I also eat almonds every day - exactly 28 (1 oz) of them. Ha ha!

    And, don't I need the fat if I am eating low carb?

    My 63% of fat yesterday still only gave me 1,287 calories for the day.

    Knowing your ratios now, its not what I was originally imagining. However, if you do want to add more calories in, there is nothing wrong with regular bacon, adding full fat dressing, or eating ground beef that has a higher fat content. There is nothing wrong with eating meat that isn't lean. Don't forget to count the oils/butters you are cooking with.


    Why would she want to add MORE calories in? She's not losing weight on the calories she IS eating. So she needs to eat fewer of them, not more.

    Its common to stall after a few weeks of eating low carb. Then after another week or 2 the loss continues. Just like other diets, there may be stalls, then drops again. If she is genuinely eating 1200 calories (weighing/measuring). Are you suggesting she goes below that even? I would actually hardly consider 1 week of no loss a stall.

    I read it as saying she ate ~1300 calories JUST of fat. And then another 37% of her calories in protein and carbs.

    Which means she ate roughly 2000 calories. And since she's never weighed any of her food, odds are pretty good that she's eating more like 2400-2500 calories.

    I'm not a "YOU MUST WEIGH EVERY BITE TO SUCCEED" person (I only weigh for baking these days - and that's just so the recipe turns out) - but you do need to weigh most stuff, at least in the beginning, to get an idea of what an ounce (or 3 or 4) looks like. Like a lot of people think a single chicken breast is a 4oz portion when typically they're between 6 and 10 ounces, depending on how big they are. I've even seen some massive freakish ones for sale that were like 13-14 oz. So if you've NEVER weighed your chicken breasts, you might be quite surprised by how very small a 4 oz portion is.

    And well - odds are good that no one ever got fat from eating too much chicken breast (because bleh, who can eat more than 6-8 ounces in one sitting anyway?), but that whole idea applies to everything - and ESPECIALLY in the case of someone eating a lot of cheese.

    The first time you see how much an ounce of shredded cheese actually is, it makes you want to cry a little.
  • Kmhornak
    Kmhornak Posts: 42 Member
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    Kmhornak wrote: »
    So bombsell, you honestly eat poptarts for breakfast and chips for lunch and you don't get fat? Really...how does one do that? Even when not dieting, I don't eat like that. Unless you work out all day?

    I am not being scammed by an expert at a hospital. The purpose is to not feel hungry and that part is working.

    My diary is open. You're welcome to cruise the past week or so. I generally do have a poptart (especially since pumpkin pie season!) And chips I save for evening snacks some days....mainly cheetos.

    I've been losing at about .5 lb a week average on my current intake and I'm recovering from an injury, so I assure you I don't "work out all day". Even prior, I only do weightlifting 3x a week for maybe an hour tops.

    calorie surplus makes you fat, it's that simple.

    Getting the right balance of macros/micros is for body composition and overall health.

    I'm not advocating eating nothing but these foods. Absolutely prioritize nutrient dense whole foods in your diet. I'm saying that they totally can be apart of a balanced diet and you CAN still lose weight while consuming them.

    I guess that's why I came on here to ask this question - I have gone under my calorie intake every single day this week. And to not lose a pound, I figured it was something I was doing wrong.
  • Kmhornak
    Kmhornak Posts: 42 Member
    edited October 2014
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    MelRC117 wrote: »
    Well technically, no, carbs aren't "necessary" and you can work out/do cardio on low carb. Although, if you truly eat "no carb" you aren't eating veggies, and limited on dairy selections. But, carbs are not essential like proteins and fats are.
    ETA Parks you beat me to it.

    Right, I showed that I was eating carbs, but keeping them low. I am not overloading on carbs to make me hungry. And my body is busy fighting my fat and not my overload of carbs.
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
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    Kmhornak wrote: »
    Kmhornak wrote: »
    So bombsell, you honestly eat poptarts for breakfast and chips for lunch and you don't get fat? Really...how does one do that? Even when not dieting, I don't eat like that. Unless you work out all day?

    I am not being scammed by an expert at a hospital. The purpose is to not feel hungry and that part is working.

    My diary is open. You're welcome to cruise the past week or so. I generally do have a poptart (especially since pumpkin pie season!) And chips I save for evening snacks some days....mainly cheetos.

    I've been losing at about .5 lb a week average on my current intake and I'm recovering from an injury, so I assure you I don't "work out all day". Even prior, I only do weightlifting 3x a week for maybe an hour tops.

    calorie surplus makes you fat, it's that simple.

    Getting the right balance of macros/micros is for body composition and overall health.

    I'm not advocating eating nothing but these foods. Absolutely prioritize nutrient dense whole foods in your diet. I'm saying that they totally can be apart of a balanced diet and you CAN still lose weight while consuming them.

    I guess that's why I came on here to ask this question - I have gone under my calorie intake every single day this week. And to not lose a pound, I figured it was something I was doing wrong.

    I'm sorry if its been asked before. Are you weighing your food on a food scale? If you've stalled for several weeks, I would check to make sure you're as close to accurate as you can. Especially since your intake is already on the low side.

    Nutrient dense foods like avacado, nuts, bananas, lean meats, fruits, peanut butter, quinoa, for example are very calorie dense. They're great for you but if you rely on eyeballing or measuring cups can add an extra 100+ calories each if you aren't weighing. Avacado was a huge shocker for me. My 80g for lunch today wad over 100 calories alone. Doesn't seem like much but it does add up
  • Kmhornak
    Kmhornak Posts: 42 Member
    edited October 2014
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    I haven't weighed my food but I will start doing it, thanks.

  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Kmhornak wrote: »
    LAWL @ a nutritionist being a "medical expert". You do know there are no legal requirements you need to call yourself a nutritionist, right? None. Zero. So this "professional" may very well have exactly zero idea of what he's talking about. And based off what he's telling you, I'm gonna have to go with "Ignorant Fool Blowing Smoke for $200" please. You are being grossly mislead by this idiot. Please see a registered dietitian. That is the only title truly qualified to give in-depth diet and weight loss advice. Everyone else is 9/10 going to tell you some pretty ridiculous, non-science-based crap.

    Well, since you are on the internet, I will take you as the expert on these boards. I am sure you know way more than he could possibly know, right? I'm sure you've made millions off of your diet theory.

    Right.....

    Okay, I'm going to get long winded here but bear with me.

    I ate low carb a few years back and lost 90 lbs. I didn't count calories and didn't know about MFP. I thought it was great being able to eat full fat dressings, chicken wings, and cheese since "dieting" to me was always making fat out to be bad.

    I did fine at maintaining until I got pregnant and I "ate for two". Thats when I found MFP. I was ADAMANT that I wasn't eating low calorie when I was low carbing the first time, thinking "how could I be eating lower calories if I'm eating sour cream and cheese, etc?" But, after reading more and listening more on what was on the forums and other sites, I realized that gee, that whole time I really was eating in a calorie deficit and that showed in my diary that I was usually around what MFP gave me for my calorie allowance.

    Low carb is just a way to create that calorie deficit. It is easier to stick to that TDEE minus 20% when you feel full. Eating higher fats and moderate protein will keep you more full, which leads to a calorie deficit by eating less. Although you may not like the wording he/she used, and carbs are technically "necessary", TDEE minus 20% isn't a theory. Well, a scientific theory that is proven over and over.

    What your body is doing while eating low carb is using fat as its primary fuel instead of carbs. That's what ketosis is. You can be in a calorie deficit while eating higher carb and still lose weight (and fat). Like someone else had mentioned, you did mention insulin spikes, are you diabetic or pre-diabetic? Because then your macro ratio DOES make a difference.

    To go back to your original post though, it is common to stall especially around week 3 or 4 of low carb eating but the loss will begin again. You can also weigh/measure your foods to make sure you're really eating what you think you're eating.

  • Kmhornak
    Kmhornak Posts: 42 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Yikes tameko, definitely not 2000 calories. I did lose weight my first 2 weeks. It's just the last week of doing this has stalled me.


    MelRc- this phase I am on is to help my cravings and hunger. I tried Weight Watchers 3 times and lost around 20 lbs. each time, but I was hungry ALL THE TIME. I thought about food ALL the time. It was because I was eating so many wrong foods. Processed foods that were high in carbs.
    The phase I am on, advised by the expert, is not a permanent phase. It's to help get me into ketosis, which I am at. Phase two will start after today.

    I haven't had a soda in 3 weeks. I tried so many times to cut out soda, but I couldn't. I had it while on WW, but just added it to my points. This nutritionist told me to get through the first 3 days. To just give it a chance. She said I would start to have less cravings, less thoughts about food. She was right. I used to nap every single afternoon when my toddler napped. Now, I have energy and am getting stuff done in my house. Again, I feel great! Now I just have to continue with the weight loss.

  • BlackTimber
    BlackTimber Posts: 230 Member
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    MelRC117 wrote: »
    Well technically, no, carbs aren't "necessary" and you can work out/do cardio on low carb. Although, if you truly eat "no carb" you aren't eating veggies, and limited on dairy selections. But, carbs are not essential like proteins and fats are.
    ETA Parks you beat me to it.

    While it is true that you can survive on VLC for quite a while, it is not sustainable. I do think that it is probably good for you for a short while. Being in ketosis for a prolonged period will make you insulin resistant and will mess with your gut biome.

    Being able to survive VLC/No carb is a survival response by your body.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    MelRC117 wrote: »
    Well technically, no, carbs aren't "necessary" and you can work out/do cardio on low carb. Although, if you truly eat "no carb" you aren't eating veggies, and limited on dairy selections. But, carbs are not essential like proteins and fats are.
    ETA Parks you beat me to it.

    While it is true that you can survive on VLC for quite a while, it is not sustainable. I do think that it is probably good for you for a short while. Being in ketosis for a prolonged period will make you insulin resistant and will mess with your gut biome.

    Being able to survive VLC/No carb is a survival response by your body.

    How many years does it take before something is considered sustainable? Just wondering, as I have friends who have done low carb for over 10 years and that sounds pretty sustainable to me. As for making you insulin resistant, that's an oversimplification and, like most oversimplifications, is inaccurate when applied in such a generalized manner. Most people who drop weight on a low carb diet drastically improve their insulin sensitivity, and to the extent you can swing back the other way, that involves maintaining a low carb diet for a lengthy period of time when you're already quite lean. For that average overfat person looking to drop weight on a low carb diet, your advice is, well, wrong.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    Kmhornak wrote: »
    Thank you for the input everyone.

    Well, let me explain what I mean by low fat. When I eat a burger without the bun, I eat a turkey burger. When I have cheese with my burger or lettuce wraps, I have a slice of naturally slender cheese. When I have dressing, I prefer a balsalmic vinagarette over ranch. Even with butter on my one slice of low carb toast, I use whipped, light. So I am definitely getting fat in my diet.

    Yesterday, I was 63% fat, 22% protein, and 15% carbs. So, I guess I am just choosing my fats wisely.

    Not sure if that helps at all?

    And, I am low carbing because I saw a medical nutritionist at a hospital who has advised me to do this. Low carbing is initially done to kick start your metabolism. I will soon be adding healthy carbs into my diet, like fruit.

    LOL ummm no you cannot 'kick start" your metabolism. If your "nutritionist" told you that, then I suggest getting a second opinion...

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    Kmhornak wrote: »
    Kick-start your metabolism? I'd see a new nutritionist. Your metabolism should always be functioning...unless you're dead. In fact, eating in a calorie surplus for extended periods actually help metabolism, so unless you have a medical condition, you should be in a prime position FOR weight loss without doing anything special to your diet, outside of a calorie deficit.

    The purpose of a low carb diet is so that your body stops feeling hungry and burns the fat in your body. The lack of carbs help my blood sugars so that I am not feeling hungry all the time. High carbs diets lead to insulin spikes. It is working on that level. I don't have hunger cravings and I am not tired 24-7. I actually have energy. I have a call with my nutritionist today and will begin the next phase of this plan.

    more LOLZ ..yes, please see a new nutritionist if they are feeding you this...

    pretty much every food that you eat is going to cause an insulin spike..

    and you can burn fat by just having a negative energy balance, i.e. eat in a 500 per day calorie deficit...

    I hope you are not paying this "nutritionist"
  • MomforNoah
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    I have been successful in the past doing low carb. I am also back to weighing my food. I sent you a FR
  • Kmhornak
    Kmhornak Posts: 42 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kmhornak wrote: »
    Kick-start your metabolism? I'd see a new nutritionist. Your metabolism should always be functioning...unless you're dead. In fact, eating in a calorie surplus for extended periods actually help metabolism, so unless you have a medical condition, you should be in a prime position FOR weight loss without doing anything special to your diet, outside of a calorie deficit.

    The purpose of a low carb diet is so that your body stops feeling hungry and burns the fat in your body. The lack of carbs help my blood sugars so that I am not feeling hungry all the time. High carbs diets lead to insulin spikes. It is working on that level. I don't have hunger cravings and I am not tired 24-7. I actually have energy. I have a call with my nutritionist today and will begin the next phase of this plan.

    more LOLZ ..yes, please see a new nutritionist if they are feeding you this...

    pretty much every food that you eat is going to cause an insulin spike..

    and you can burn fat by just having a negative energy balance, i.e. eat in a 500 per day calorie deficit...

    I hope you are not paying this "nutritionist"


    The idea behind the low-carb diet is that decreasing carbs lower insulin levels, which causes the body to burn stored fat for energy and ultimately leads to weight loss.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    Kmhornak wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kmhornak wrote: »
    Kick-start your metabolism? I'd see a new nutritionist. Your metabolism should always be functioning...unless you're dead. In fact, eating in a calorie surplus for extended periods actually help metabolism, so unless you have a medical condition, you should be in a prime position FOR weight loss without doing anything special to your diet, outside of a calorie deficit.

    The purpose of a low carb diet is so that your body stops feeling hungry and burns the fat in your body. The lack of carbs help my blood sugars so that I am not feeling hungry all the time. High carbs diets lead to insulin spikes. It is working on that level. I don't have hunger cravings and I am not tired 24-7. I actually have energy. I have a call with my nutritionist today and will begin the next phase of this plan.

    more LOLZ ..yes, please see a new nutritionist if they are feeding you this...

    pretty much every food that you eat is going to cause an insulin spike..

    and you can burn fat by just having a negative energy balance, i.e. eat in a 500 per day calorie deficit...

    I hope you are not paying this "nutritionist"


    The idea behind the low-carb diet is that decreasing carbs lower insulin levels, which causes the body to burn stored fat for energy and ultimately leads to weight loss.

    and barring a medical condition you can do the same thing with a low calorie diet and eat carbs...

    Low Carb does not = fat burning ...
    negative energy balance = fat burning...
    Low Carb does not burn fat, all you have accomplished is that you replace more calorie dense foods with less calorie dense foods and create a calorie deficit...

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