My doctor
optionsgod
Posts: 144 Member
told me to lower my carb intake, anyone follow a low carb plan?
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Replies
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What was his/her justification for low carb?0
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Do you have any medical conditions?0
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No medical condition. One potentially, going for further testing- sleep apnea.
Too help with weight loss.0 -
Eh, just cut calories. Cutting out carbs can help some people lose weight because it's easier to stop gorging yourself on chips, cake, and other tasty junk. Your goal, however, should be a lifestyle change. The last thing you want is to lose a ton of weight on a low carb diet and gain it all back again when you start to eat normally again.0
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that is true, I did the atkins diet awhile ago, it worked great but then it really messed me up. So I wouldn't go crazy. If I could just be more aware of what has a lot of carbs that could be useful ya know? Hypothetically if I'm eating 300g per day now I could go to 250. Nothing extreme.0
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Sure many of us do.told me to lower my carb intake, anyone follow a low carb plan?
In my case I can pig out on fats and protein and not gain fat but carbs seems to fill my fat cells with fat very fast. Since carbs are not required by the human body to be healthy you can cut them all you want but just make sure you eat the Fat and Protein you require to stay healthy.
Best of luck and it sounds like your doctor is just out of school or had read up on the research that has been published over the past 10 years to be giving you good advice. Some people still think one will get fat from eating fat but it does not work that way for most people.
I bought a CPAP machine off of a guy that said he lost weight and did not require it any longer so I guess sleep apnea can be prevented by weight loss based on that guy's experience.
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If it's that small of a drop, it probably won't affect your weight much at all. Low carb is usually 50g or below. Just eat a lot of whole grains and such and keep the junk to a minimum. Definitely log regularly and weigh your food if you aren't good at eyeing portions (which most people aren't). Also, as a former sleep apnea sufferer, you might want to see an ear nose and throat doctor to make sure that your weight is the only reason why you have sleep apnea. I had a lot of problems that required me to have surgery. That's not common though and it's mainly genetics.0
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GaleHawkins wrote: »
Sure many of us do.told me to lower my carb intake, anyone follow a low carb plan?
In my case I can pig out on fats and protein and not gain fat but carbs seems to fill my fat cells with fat very fast. Since carbs are not required by the human body to be healthy you can cut them all you want but just make sure you eat the Fat and Protein you require to stay healthy.
Best of luck and it sounds like your doctor is just out of school or had read up on the research that has been published over the past 10 years to be giving you good advice. Some people still think one will get fat from eating fat but it does not work that way for most people.
I bought a CPAP machine off of a guy that said he lost weight and did not require it any longer so I guess sleep apnea can be prevented by weight loss based on that guy's experience.
Actually he is old school, he is 67 years old. 30+ years exp. He believes weight has a big effect on sleep apnea. I have an appointment next Tuesday so I guess I will find out then.
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techgal128 wrote: »If it's that small of a drop, it probably won't affect your weight much at all. Low carb is usually 50g or below. Just eat a lot of whole grains and such and keep the junk to a minimum. Definitely log regularly and weigh your food if you aren't good at eyeing portions (which most people aren't). Also, as a former sleep apnea sufferer, you might want to see an ear nose and throat doctor to make sure that your weight is the only reason why you have sleep apnea. I had a lot of problems that required me to have surgery. That's not common though and it's mainly genetics.
yeah I'm having further tests done. Funny your comment came through when the mail just came and my food scale has arrived lol
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Weight loss can help with sleep apnea - it's something that has been proven. But low carb is not necessarily the answer unless you have issues with it.
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__drmerc__ wrote: »I wonder who understands your health situation better, your doctor or MFP
lol all input is welcome. It was my first time seeing this doctor. I haven't seen one in a long time because I was without any health insurance, so I always put if off.
He just recommended cutting back.
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I had sleep apnea and it went away after I lost a significant amount of weight. Sleep apnea can also hinder your weight loss.
Not everyone who loses weight loses sleep apnea if it is congenital (shape of your throat).0 -
Sleep apnea can indeed be improved with weight reduction, at least it has helped me. As for the carbohydrate count in food ... do you ever look on the ingredient and nutrition label of the foods you eat? They will list the net carbs in the portions (carbs less fiber in grams).
Here's a tip I learned about carbs ... one serving of carbs is equal to 15 grams of carb. So, if you have a sandwich, each slice of bread can actually be 1.5 servings (depending on the bread) and so that would be 3 servings right off the bat.
Today, I'm having a chicken finger submarine sandwich for dinner from a local pizza and sub shop. That 12" sub roll has 88 grams of carb ... or almost 6 servings of carb from bread before adding in the little bit that will come from the lettuce and tomato, and the lot that will come from the breading on the chicken fingers.
But ... I could still eat the whole thing if I don't mind overloading on carbs in the meal and can afford the calories that sandwich will load on my food tally for the day. ... bur I'd have to be pretty careful of any other carbs I had in the day .... no candy or chips or french fries or potatoes or ice cream today.
Of course, I only plan on eating half of that sandwich ... yeah.0 -
I had sleep apnea and it went away after I lost a significant amount of weight. Sleep apnea can also hinder your weight loss.
Not everyone who loses weight loses sleep apnea if it is congenital (shape of your throat).
he told me my tonsils were big, uh oh.
Either way weight loss can at least help it at minimum. HE wasn't worried it was severe case, mild at worst.
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Sleep apnea can indeed be improved with weight reduction, at least it has helped me. As for the carbohydrate count in food ... do you ever look on the ingredient and nutrition label of the foods you eat? They will list the net carbs in the portions (carbs less fiber in grams).
Here's a tip I learned about carbs ... one serving of carbs is equal to 15 grams of carb. So, if you have a sandwich, each slice of bread can actually be 1.5 servings (depending on the bread) and so that would be 3 servings right off the bat.
Today, I'm having a chicken finger submarine sandwich for dinner from a local pizza and sub shop. That 12" sub roll has 88 grams of carb ... or almost 6 servings of carb from bread before adding in the little bit that will come from the lettuce and tomato, and the lot that will come from the breading on the chicken fingers.
But ... I could still eat the whole thing if I don't mind overloading on carbs in the meal and can afford the calories that sandwich will load on my food tally for the day. ... bur I'd have to be pretty careful of any other carbs I had in the day .... no candy or chips or french fries or potatoes or ice cream today.
Of course, I only plan on eating half of that sandwich ... yeah.
I do look. I am going food shopping now.
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I do "lower" carbs. Meaning I max out at 150g. I've gone through all the testing, 13 viles of blood drawn, physical exam, etc. My doctor couldn't figure out why I wasn't losing weight. I feel way better going from 500g of carbs to 150g. The trick is to find subsitutes. I steam way more veggies, maybe skip the rice at supper. I have never been a fruit eater, so I increased my veggie intake instead. Lots of water and green tea. Good luck! Add me if you need me lol my diary is open.0
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I was sent to a specialist who sent me home with a tester overnight. I was recently retested. That's the only way to know for sure.
http://1800cpap.com/home-sleep-apnea-test-device-kit.aspx0 -
that is true, I did the atkins diet awhile ago, it worked great but then it really messed me up. So I wouldn't go crazy. If I could just be more aware of what has a lot of carbs that could be useful ya know? Hypothetically if I'm eating 300g per day now I could go to 250. Nothing extreme.
I don't "low carb," but I have reduced my carb intake a bit because I'm a little sensitive (due to PCOS). I am aiming for about 40% carbs/ day (with 25% protein and 35% fat) and find it to be pretty easy to hit as long as I lay off the bread/ pasta/ rice a bit and lean toward whole grains when I do eat those things. I also try to take it easy on the sweets (as they are a major source of carbs) and limit myself to just having a small something after dinner on most days. Don't get me wrong, I still eat these things, I just don't go overboard with it. For instance, today I had a bagel sandwich for lunch and I'm sure I'll have something sweet after dinner, but most of the rest of my day will be filled up with fruits/ veggies, dairy, and lean proteins.
I think another thing that makes reducing carb intake easier is to try to steer away from boxed meals as much as possible. They tend to have some kind of carby component (like rice or pasta) and I just find it easier to control my intake if I prepare fresh food and only have a hamburger helper once in a great while. Also be careful to moderate snack cakes, muffins, and other pastries as they are also quite carb heavy.
You can custom set your macros on MFP to whatever carb intake you need. I do that and then just monitor it from day to day to see how close I am to my goal and what foods are contributing the most. Over time it becomes second nature to make small changes here and there in order to stay close to goal.0 -
I was sent to a specialist who sent me home with a tester overnight. I was recently retested. That's the only way to know for sure.
http://1800cpap.com/home-sleep-apnea-test-device-kit.aspx
I think that is what they are going to have me do.
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that is true, I did the atkins diet awhile ago, it worked great but then it really messed me up. So I wouldn't go crazy. If I could just be more aware of what has a lot of carbs that could be useful ya know? Hypothetically if I'm eating 300g per day now I could go to 250. Nothing extreme.
I don't "low carb," but I have reduced my carb intake a bit because I'm a little sensitive (due to PCOS). I am aiming for about 40% carbs/ day (with 25% protein and 35% fat) and find it to be pretty easy to hit as long as I lay off the bread/ pasta/ rice a bit and lean toward whole grains when I do eat those things. I also try to take it easy on the sweets (as they are a major source of carbs) and limit myself to just having a small something after dinner on most days. Don't get me wrong, I still eat these things, I just don't go overboard with it. For instance, today I had a bagel sandwich for lunch and I'm sure I'll have something sweet after dinner, but most of the rest of my day will be filled up with fruits/ veggies, dairy, and lean proteins.
I think another thing that makes reducing carb intake easier is to try to steer away from boxed meals as much as possible. They tend to have some kind of carby component (like rice or pasta) and I just find it easier to control my intake if I prepare fresh food and only have a hamburger helper once in a great while. Also be careful to moderate snack cakes, muffins, and other pastries as they are also quite carb heavy.
You can custom set your macros on MFP to whatever carb intake you need. I do that and then just monitor it from day to day to see how close I am to my goal and what foods are contributing the most. Over time it becomes second nature to make small changes here and there in order to stay close to goal.
thanks for the advice.
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If your doctor also mentioned that fat loss requires a calorie deficit, then the advice to lower carbs is fine. But if all he said was reduce carbs, and he didn't assess your current intake, i'd be skeptical.
Sleep apnea seems to be an overdiagnosed condition. Expect to be told you have it.0 -
Cherimoose wrote: »If your doctor also mentioned that fat loss requires a calorie deficit, then the advice to lower carbs is fine. But if all he said was reduce carbs, and he didn't assess your current intake, i'd be skeptical.
Sleep apnea seems to be an overdiagnosed condition. Expect to be told you have it.
Cherimoose where did you come up with that idea?
sinusitisblog.com/2014/08/obstructive-sleep-apnea-diagnosed/
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__drmerc__ wrote: »I wonder who understands your health situation better, your doctor or MFP
This is what I was thinking as well.
NY, it's good you have an appointment with your doctor. We at MFP don't know your medical history or anything about you.
In any event, I would ask your doctor about his reasoning for cutting carbs down. 0 -
If you're not sure what he meant, call the office and see if they can refer you to a dietitian. They'll know!
A lot of people have success with the South Beach diet - I think it's low carb.
Sleep apnea very often improves when people lose weight, so lots of hope there.
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Compared to the average American diet, mine is "low carb," but folks focused on low carb wouldn't consider it so. I just don't have starches (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta) at every meal and I usually only have one fruit a day. Most of my meals are protein and veggies, preferably on the grill, but that is a very personal choice on taste. For pasta, most of the time I just have the high nutrient part of it. For example, last night I sauteed some onions and green peppers, added a serving of pasta sauce and served it with parmesan cheese. Voila, lower carbs, all the flavor.
When I do have "carbs" (ie, grain based foods) it is mostly whole grain: steel cut oats for breakfast (with fruit, a half serving of almonds and cinnamon) or a sandwich on whole grain bread.
The reasons it helps me:
1) I feel fuller if I reach my calorie goals with mostly protein and vegetables. Last week my big starch was birthday cake. Day after day of eating it serving by serving. Some of those days it was real hard to stay within my goals and leave enough for 300 calories of cake. But homemade lebkuchen was worth the sacrifice.
2) I don't do french fries in moderation. Well, that is, I CAN as long as I mostly eat as described above. Then the french fries are a rare treat. If I make them a regular part of my diet, then I eat more and more and more. The same goes for desserts. Some people even say to go whole grain because no one will sit down and eat a whole loaf. HA! Yes I can. I prefer it to the white stuff! "Moderation" for means cutting way back so that I am more conscious of when I am approaching these foods.0 -
techgal128 wrote: »Eh, just cut calories. Cutting out carbs can help some people lose weight because it's easier to stop gorging yourself on chips, cake, and other tasty junk. Your goal, however, should be a lifestyle change. The last thing you want is to lose a ton of weight on a low carb diet and gain it all back again when you start to eat normally again.
Exactly this! I lost them gained as soon as I started eating carbs..
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So, you started eating more calories, a lot of which happened to come from carbs, therefore you gained weight.prettyface55 wrote: »techgal128 wrote: »Eh, just cut calories. Cutting out carbs can help some people lose weight because it's easier to stop gorging yourself on chips, cake, and other tasty junk. Your goal, however, should be a lifestyle change. The last thing you want is to lose a ton of weight on a low carb diet and gain it all back again when you start to eat normally again.
Exactly this! I lost them gained as soon as I started eating carbs..
It's not the carbs themselves that cause the weight gain, or the lack of carbs that cause weight loss, but the amount of calories you eat for your desired result.
I love my carbs, especially breads. I used to cut all kinds of things out of my diet, but I have been most successful when I keep all the foods I love but eat them in moderation.
Like, I just had a piece of my homemade Irish Soda Bread--weighed, logged, ate, and it was GOOD!
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Cherimoose wrote: »If your doctor also mentioned that fat loss requires a calorie deficit, then the advice to lower carbs is fine. But if all he said was reduce carbs, and he didn't assess your current intake, i'd be skeptical.
Sleep apnea seems to be an overdiagnosed condition. Expect to be told you have it.
its an under diagnosed condition, not over. Countless people are living with it and do not have a clue.
He told me to reduce carbs to lose weight. He didn't dive in. I am getting the sleep apnea test, along with blood work and we are taking it from there.0 -
techgal128 wrote: »Eh, just cut calories. Cutting out carbs can help some people lose weight because it's easier to stop gorging yourself on chips, cake, and other tasty junk. Your goal, however, should be a lifestyle change. The last thing you want is to lose a ton of weight on a low carb diet and gain it all back again when you start to eat normally again.
Sorry, I had to chuckle.
"Don't listen to your stupid doctor that you personally went to see and talk to. Listen to a perfect stranger like me! I certainly know what's better for you."
How about accept what his doctor has told him, and help him with what he's asking?
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