Calling the low carbers, no carbers, paleos etc.

mycupyourcake

Hello all,

Please only people who are on this diet or who have eaten this way reply. I'm wondering what brought you to this type of diet/eating style and if it is the "only way" you lose weight. Had you tried simple calorie counting before and either it didn't work or was not as easy to stick to?

Just wondering because I'm thinking about trying it but I remember being super hungry on the south beach diet years ago.

Thanks,
Elizabeth

neanderthin

I consume a higher protein diet and I like fat, so carbs are kept lower by default. It works for me, and I consume around 200g's of carbs (mostly whole) a day and represents about 25% of my calories. No carb or paleo doesn't make much sense to me.

peggy_polenta

i lost 126 pounds more than 3 years ago by eating only protiens and veg. i gave up all white food, sugar, flour, rice, pasta, potatoes. i did it because i have/had pcos which makes me insulin resistant and i found that it works best for me. also, i find it very easy to stick to...in that, i can go anywhere and eat anything i just don't eat the white...ie, i can make chicken and rice and veg for supper for me and my boyfriend, and i just skip the rice...etc. everyone is eating hamburgers? well....instead of a bun, i eat mine between lettace leaves....etc. dont eat the potato with my steak, instead double up on salad. i have come to the conclusion that i am someone who just can't eat carbs. i've excepted it as a fact and oh well....my life could be worse.

as an fyi, i keep my carb intake to about 40 grams a day, split between 4 sittings. and you shouldn't get hungry. your body goes into ketosis this way and it totally kills your appetite...in fact, sometimes the thought of food repulses me and i have to force myself to eat because i know i have to. i do watch my calorie intake and try to keep it at between 1200 and 1400 calories per day. watch your potassium levels and get them tested if you can...(i get lots of leg and toe cramps) and if you have kidney issues...this is not the diet for you

MsStang02

I try and stick to low carb as much as possible. I count my calories, and the only micro I try to track is my carbs and protein.
I have PCOS, so carbs have a very bad impact on my diet. It is what causes me to gain. It was difficult for me to adjust in the beginning, but now I love it. Carbs make me hungry and zap my energy. Once you get used to it, you'll be fine.

mycupyourcake

Is this how you naturally eat or did you make a conscious decision to eat this way? Did you lose more weight by doing so?

navydentalchic

I had a glucose tolerance test done with my doctor beacuse after a year of watching caloroes (I was eating about 1700 a day while doing insanity and weight training), and only dropped about 10 pounds give or take. It turns out I am insulin resistant. My body doesn't respond to well to the carbs. So I have been recently (last two weeks) been put on a very low carb diest (below 30 NET), and in the first week dropped 2.5 pounds. That is the most I have dropped at once in a year! As much as I am craving my normal stuff, Just seeing that two and a half pound in a way made it worth it, even if it might only be water weight..

tzig00

I do a lower carb but I still like my pastas so I'm not going to cut them out all together. Counting calories did work for me, not as well and I was more tired. With the lower carb high protein, I wake up in the morning and I don't usually need coffee or anything to wake me up. I have more energy and I'm ready to go all day.

mycupyourcake

These replies are great. I'm starting to see a pattern. For the most part it would seem that people who have PCOS and insulin resistance don't easily fit into the whole calories in and calories out category but they do very well by keeping the carbs low.

bookyeti

I eat ketogenic --> it's a high fat/adequate protein/very low carb way of eating (25-30g of net carbs per day) with one or two "carb-ups" per month (free food days)... I guess it's more or less a Cyclical Ketogenic way of eating. My macros are set at 5% carbs, 20% protein, and 75% fat. If you would like to see what I eat, feel free to friend me and you can take a look at my food diary. I eat mostly whole foods, prepared myself, and I garner most of carbs from green veggies. Contrary to popular belief, eating keto is sustainable AND enjoyable!

Initially it was difficult because I LOVE rice (I'm half-Chinese and I grew up on it), whole grain seedy bread, and especially whole-grain pasta which I used to eat every day - I mean, they fit into my macros with no problem, so why not, right? Besides, they were "healthy" carbs. Unfortunatley my body disagreed. I would regret every bite afterward; I would feel miserable and my belly always ended up looking like I was 6-mths pregnant afterward. I was never able to lose weight while eating even healthy whole grain carbs, despite working-out and counting every morsel of food that went into my mouth. Personally, I am so willing to avoid such foods, if it improves my well-being... which it truly has!

Many will say that carbs are not the issue when it comes to weight -- but for some of us, they truly are. Especially for those of us dealing with Metabolic issues. As you aptly said, for some of us, it's not as simple as calories in vs. calories out.

I've decided to eat this way due to PCOS and insulin resistance. Counting calories along with the typical low-fat/whole grain diet along with rigorous daily exercise have never been enough to help improve my health, even while taking Metformin. I've discovered that my body thrives eating limited healthy carbs (non-grain sourced), protein, and a lot of yummy fats. It is the only way I can see weight/inches loss, combined with daily exercise.

I feel so much better eating this way: no more sluggishness, brain fog, and bloating. My blood tests are finally where I want them to be. I haven't lost a lot of scale weight, but I have lost BF% and inches, and most importantly have rediscovered my long-lost energy levels! I still work-out (mostly ketttlebells, Zumba, and HIIT) and truly enjoy it. My voracious appetite, most likely due to my insulin resistance, is finally 'normal'....this way of eating is especially affective at curbing big appetites. I especially love no longer being a slave to my blood sugar levels. ;-)

I'm not in this to lose weight - I'm in this to FEEL BETTER. Weight loss will naturally follow, once your body starts working the way it should.

EDIT TO ADD: To the low-carb bashers --> if you do not have metabolic issues, then eating low-carb is not really necessary to see weight/inches loss and improve health. But please keep in mind that for some of us with metabolic issues (ie. insulin resistance, diabetes), this is not a choice but a necessity. If my body functioned the way it should, I could eat a more balanced diet including a lot of whole grains and lose weight. Unfortunately, that's not the case. :-/

Louisa1979

I lost 1.5 stone on it which really worked. I stuck to the Dukan diet. For me it worked because I felt full all the time and I actually started counting calories because I wasn't eating enough. As I didn't have a huge amount to lose I seemed to plateau on Weightwatchers fairly quickly. The low carb, high protein restarted my system However, I think its important to find something that works for you and this won't be for everyone. The one negative I find is that I don't always have enough energy for the High intensity training at the gym and you have to watch how your breath smells! But then you can always eat a bowl of oatbran porridge to top things up!

StephanieE3456

Another low carber here. I eat around 20 -30 grams a day. Also have PCOS. This is the only way that works long term for me. I know that carbs just don't work for my body. I feel that best I have ever in my life. I have more energy and my blood work is awesome. No more high cholesterol even though I eat lots of protein and fat. My glucose level is actually on the low side but it doesn't affect me negatively. I work out 6 days a week and stamina is not an issue anymore. I do have slips now and again and it always reminds my why I need to low carb. The bloating, the cravings afterwards and the energy dips are not worth it to me.

belleflop

Don't go on a low-carb diet to only lose weight. Go on a low-carb lifestyle change.

Going low-carb to lose weight will work but the problem is once you relax the carbs (usually means go back to how you were eating before low-carb) the weight will creep back on quick and frustration will set in.

The best way to embrace low-carb lifestyle is to do it realistically and in moderation. Define what is (low) to you and what makes you feel good. I have friends that are hardcore and do less than 10g per day, they feel great and it works for them. I have a modest approach and usually NET around 30-60g a day, which I consider 'low'. My energy levels are great, I'm not hungry all the time, I don't have stomach or gas issues anymore, my blood pressure levels are very normal and this all adds up to me wanting to stay the path. The weight is coming off as well but I'm not really focused on this, but more just being healthy overall. I workout moderately between 5 and 6 days a week, both strength and cardio workouts around 30min to an hour daily.

Finding food alternatives that are low-carb is really fun if you have the time (or an amazing wife/husband) to cook homemade meals that not only taste good but also have little to no bad carbs. My favorite thus far is homemade all cheese pizza, so filling and tastes 10X better than any pizza I've ever had from a store.

RunForChai

I find that starting my day with a protein breakfast----and then smaller amounts of protein snacks throughout the day--along with lower carbs [about half of what MFP] suggests has helped me maintain a healthy weight and feel much better with a ton more energy than when I ate lots of pasta and potatoes. It works for me, it doesn't work for everyone.

The increased protein, especially at breakfast [whether I feel like it or not] has helped me immensely.

Good luck!

bookyeti

My favorite thus far is homemade all cheese pizza, so filling and tastes 10X better than any pizza I've ever had from a store.

Yes! It's sooo good. I have it every day for lunch.

GeeGirl82

I am a former Atkins dieter. I kept my carbs under 20 a day for a year and lost 23 lbs in 3 months. You can only live on meat, fat and veggies for so long before you freak out. I craved pasta, chips, potatos, alcohol, rice and desserts all the time so I gained 30 lbs back in the following 2 years. I recently started seeing a trainer and eating low carb again and my weight didn't budge. I finally gave into calorie counting and started seeing results instantly. I enjoy the freedom to eat whatever I want now and my cravings are much lower. I could never go back to cutting out certain foods completely again.

Qarol

I aim for high protein in my diet, like 100g or more daily. This, by default, tends to keep my carbs on the lower side.

amy1612

I eat in a mostly primal way. I didnt star it for weight loss, but because I thought it would encourage me to be more imaginative with my food and eat more veg, etc. I also find it helps moderate my IBS well Plus I love meat/fish.....I'd much rather eat a big plate of meat than pasta.

Tw1zzler

I had 2 grandparents with diabetes. And although I didn't fit the profile I had gestational diabetes, thankfully it went away after my son was delivered. I have a sensitivity to wheat, too much causes me tummy issues. I find that I do better eating higher (healthy) fat and lower carb. Wheat, corn & beans hurt my tummy,....

castadiva

Question for all of you: I'm managing to keep my carbs in the 70-90g zone (from a 160-200/day average), having cut out grains and simple starches, but would like to try lowering them even further, as I'm not seeing the sort of results I expected (2.5lb loss in four weeks - this was intended to be a temporary, experimental thing for me, and I was expecting at least double that loss over that period, as this seems to be the general result.) What do you eat???!!!???!!! Meat/fish/eggs are all well and good, but most vegetables and fruits show up carbs - some quite a lot - as do nuts and dairy (absolute non-negotiable for me due to family health history). I'm running out of ideas!

ETA. I've never had any problem eating wheat etc - no stomach issues, except for an excess of size! I have some of the symptoms, but not the major ones, of PCOS, and had hit a plateau of over a years' duration - hence trying this.

amberecochran

I have been eating low carb since March, averaging between 20-25 Net Carbs per day. I have lost 23 lbs so far. I have tried counting calories, WW, HIIT training, Shakeology, low fat, and even diet pills, but nothing has stayed off permanently. This is not a diet, this is a lifestyle change. I realized, earlier this year, that I am obviously carb sensitive. Cutting out the starchy carbs not only makes me lose weight, but I feel SOOOO much better. I usually have scrambled eggs with cheese and two strips of bacon for breakfast. For lunch its usually a big salad with green peppers, black olives, ham, boiled egg, cheese, broccoli, and ranch dressing (full fat). Then at dinner I have some kind of protein (fish, chicken, beef) and steamed or saute'd veggies. I don't get hungry at all. I drink 8-10 glasses of water every day. I still have my coffee in the morning with creamer and stevia. I just be sure to count all my net carbs (carb-fiber) and stay within range. I don't count calories at all. Just remember high protein and high fat! Oh and when I get a sweet tooth, I take 1oz of cream cheese and add one drop of vanilla and 1/2 a packet of stevia. Mix it real good with a spoon and it tastes just like cheese cake. Awesome late night treat!

kgoodman0108

1. Keeps my eating under control. By doing simply low calorie, it gives me too much freedom. IIFYM does NOT work for me. I cant just eat one piece of chocolate, or one cup of rice. Carbohydrates are my weakness.

2. I have PCOS and insulin resistance. Carbs spike my insulin levels, and wreak havoc on my ovaries as a result. Limiting carbs for the rest of my life will have a positive impact on my overall health. Eating low carb will help me lose weight much easier until I reach my goal weight.

3. I like to eat a massive top sirloin steak cooked in Kerrygold unsalted butter 4-5 times a week. :drinker:

bookyeti

castadiva --> Here is a list of ketogenic foods if you're interested:
http://www.ketogenic-diet-resource.com/low-carb-food-list.html

The veggies recommended are mostly leaft greens - lowest in carbs and nutrient dense. Other veggies are not ruled out in entirety - you can eat them, but in moderation.

I eat a wide variety of foods, including pizza (keto-friendly pizza of course) and cheesecake! YUMMY! :-) I eat around 25-30g of net carbs a day. I also keep a close eye on my protein and fat macros, set at 20% and 75% respectively. I make sure I definitely get those in. I don't eat too much protein, because an access of protein can be converted into glucose. The body can convert 100% of carbs, 58% of protein and 10% of dietary fat into glucose.

Also, I try not to gauge my progress by the number on the scale. I take monthly photos and measurements. I pay attention to how my clothing fits and how I feel (endurance, energy, strength, etc.). So many times the number on the scale might say we're not making progress, but the smaller clothing sizes/measurements say otherwise. It's not all about the number on the scale.

amberecochran

Question for all of you: I'm managing to keep my carbs in the 70-90g zone (from a 160-200/day average), having cut out grains and simple starches, but would like to try lowering them even further, as I'm not seeing the sort of results I expected (2.5lb loss in four weeks - this was intended to be a temporary, experimental thing for me, and I was expecting at least double that loss over that period, as this seems to be the general result.) What do you eat???!!!???!!! Meat/fish/eggs are all well and good, but most vegetables and fruits show up carbs - some quite a lot - as do nuts and dairy (absolute non-negotiable for me due to family health history). I'm running out of ideas!

ETA. I've never had any problem eating wheat etc - no stomach issues, except for an excess of size! I have some of the symptoms, but not the major ones, of PCOS, and had hit a plateau of over a years' duration - hence trying this.

I don't do nuts but I do use heavy cream in a lot of my recipes. The carbs that I do eat are from veggies. I have a list of foods and which are higher in carbs than others. Mostly, I eat whatever veggies I like, though. I tell myself that they are the good carbs so its still better than bread, pasta or other starchy carbs.

LauraDotts

Question for all of you: I'm managing to keep my carbs in the 70-90g zone (from a 160-200/day average), having cut out grains and simple starches, but would like to try lowering them even further, as I'm not seeing the sort of results I expected (2.5lb loss in four weeks - this was intended to be a temporary, experimental thing for me, and I was expecting at least double that loss over that period, as this seems to be the general result.) What do you eat???!!!???!!! Meat/fish/eggs are all well and good, but most vegetables and fruits show up carbs - some quite a lot - as do nuts and dairy (absolute non-negotiable for me due to family health history). I'm running out of ideas!

ETA. I've never had any problem eating wheat etc - no stomach issues, except for an excess of size! I have some of the symptoms, but not the major ones, of PCOS, and had hit a plateau of over a years' duration - hence trying this.

You could lower your carb intake to around 50g net a day. Net is carb minus fiber. That will allow you to eat most vegetables and a limited amount of fruit. Your fruit choices can have the biggest impact on the amount of carb you are eating. Berries are your best choice. Increase your fat intake. Healthy oils and animal fat are all good.

xLoveLikeWinterx

I aim for about 50-60 net g of carbs per day, but it's not set in stone. I mostly just aim for high protein (100+ g a day), so by virtue of doing that, my carbs are much lower. The carbs I do get are from dairy, veggies, very limited amounts of fruit, etc.

I should aid I'm insulin resistant, though, and have reactive hypoglycemia, so eating this way is the only thing that keeps me from feeling like utter crap.

het1986

I have adopted the paleo lifestyle for myself and that seems to be working really well for me. One of my friends did this as well, only she called it the "hunter gatherer" diet. At first it didnt make any sense to me, but I saw her results, and they were phenomenal. So, I decided to do some research and started this as well. In the past I had lost weight with Medifast. I lost a total of 42 lbs with Medifast. That really worked, but I found that I was over-obsessing about my calories and was weighing myself everyday and if I didn't lose any weight the day before, it would really make me worry. when I ran out of Medifast and lost my job, I couldn't afford it anymore, and put the weight back on and then some. I tried diet pills and exercise, weight watchers, vegetarian, and pretty much anything else you can think of. I did lose weight with all of these, but it wasn't a significant amount of weight and when i stopped doing them, i packed the weight back on. Paleo has worked and I know this because I am not scared to eat a piece of cake if I want to. I have been doing Paleo for a little over a month now, and have gone from 224 lbs and 110 lbs! It is a little hard to stick to at first because that's usually when everything you see tempts you, but once you start feeling the pounds shed off , you feel great. Wish everyone the best of luck in their weight loss journeys

Delicate

I think 'no choice' came into it

PCOS diagnosed since before 16 years old, told i was prediabetic a few years later (just to go with the hyperglycemia), got told to cut my portions and carbs (I was eating large fruit salads and i may aswell of been eating chocolate bars even though i thought i was being good)

carbs are 20% which works out at 72g but my dr said to get 70 and under (gross, not net), so my protein and fat are just increased that way. I train alot so its high protein 150g+ a day

It probably helps that i didnt particularly like breads, pastas (did have a bit of a weakness for sourdough but that quickly died away) and legumes.

Did notice, I am alot more imaginative in the kitchen now, where as i used to stick with bread/pasta/noodles cause I thought i had to eat it it got dull. Constantly experimenting now!

SadKitty27

Question for all of you: I'm managing to keep my carbs in the 70-90g zone (from a 160-200/day average), having cut out grains and simple starches, but would like to try lowering them even further, as I'm not seeing the sort of results I expected (2.5lb loss in four weeks - this was intended to be a temporary, experimental thing for me, and I was expecting at least double that loss over that period, as this seems to be the general result.) What do you eat???!!!???!!! Meat/fish/eggs are all well and good, but most vegetables and fruits show up carbs - some quite a lot - as do nuts and dairy (absolute non-negotiable for me due to family health history). I'm running out of ideas!

ETA. I've never had any problem eating wheat etc - no stomach issues, except for an excess of size! I have some of the symptoms, but not the major ones, of PCOS, and had hit a plateau of over a years' duration - hence trying this.

As a rule of thumb I eat no root or starchy veg. I eat mostly leafy greens and no fruits except an occasional avocado (too much sugar in the rest imo, but I do know some who eat certain berries and what not.)

Some of my favorite veggies to nom on are :

Asparagus
Broccoli
kale
Spinach
Green Beans
Brussel Sprouts

I also like green peppers and mushrooms but I don't eat those often.

I eat no pastas or breads, but I hear you can substitute regular noodles for Shirataki Noodles, and there are bread substitutes out there as well ( crackers made of flax seed, or chia seed, and almond flour of course.) I personally don't miss noodles or bread so much to where I feel the need to make substitutions. I have made flax crackers before though, and they were pretty good.

I don't completely abstain from dairy, because I LOVE CHEESE! I don't drink cow milk though, but that's ok, because I totally love almond milk (I actually prefer it.) However, I do enjoy my whipping cream

As far as meats go, there are tons of different cuts and flavors out there (steak, bacon, eggs, fish, pork chops, chicken breast, etc... come to mind as they're my favorites)

There are so many ways to make this stuff you can really get creative (cheese encrusted meats, meats (chicken works great for this) breaded in almond flour, sauteed in oil, butter, simply baked etc...)

The best part of the diet for me is the fat...I love all the different oils out there that give meals that extra "something." You can use a ton of different oils to accent dishes or salads:

Sesame (my favorite)
Olive
Coconut
Black Walnut
Sunflower (oh so yummy)
etc...

Also, the condiments ! I love cream cheese, sour cream and mayo (so good!)

Some of my favorite snacks include pepperoni, kale chips, cheese and pork rinds or simply a bowl of veggies (usually asparagus or brussel sprouts.) There is an awesome mock cheese stick recipe out there that involves mozzarella sticks and pork rinds (it's delicious lol.) Also, sugar free jello pudding mixed with heavy whipping cream is fantastic. I have also been known to eat super dark chocolate (no less than 86-90% cocoa) on occasion.

Now as far as how to lower your carbs even more....Just eat the stuff that's higher in carbs in moderation, and make sure you weigh everything out to the letter. Remember that the number you shoot for is your "net carbs" (you get this number by subtracting your fiber intake from your carb intake.)

If you keep your fat high, and protein moderate the carbs will naturally be lower.

I usually aim for around 15 net carbs, and usually get that most days (forget it when it's that TOM, or when I'm trying to shake it up to so that when I go super low again it spurs weight loss though lol.)

That said, there is plenty room for tasty variety (even dessert) in a low carb lifestyle. It's not nearly as limited as people would think.

AuntieKT

I follow a paleo diet. The reason I started doing this instead of just watching my calories is that I had some major...um, let's call them "digestive" issues last summer and eating like this was the only thing that made me feel better. After I was over my issues, I tried introducing these things back into my diet and was greeted with a whole bunch of other problems, so I just kept eating this way and I feel great!

pluckabee

I do what I suppose will be classed as 'lower carb'

I average around 100g of carbs a day but I'm not trying to reach a particular number.

I chose to try and lower carbs because I have PCOS and had a blood test that suggested I might be insulin resistant.

I haven't lost weight any faster than normal calorie counting (losing about 1.5lbs a week.) and times when I go lower than about 70g of carbs I dont function very well.

castadiva

Thank you all, especially bookyeti and SadKitty27 - your responses are very helpful, especially the carbs-fiber gives you a net carb measurement factoid that is completely new to me! A shame most of the vegetables I like aren't on the list...not a big fan of green things in general, except Broccoli and rocket, but happy to eat red/yellow/orange/other colours until the cows come home! Almond flour is a good tip as well - I've been trying coconut, but it doesn't work for everything. Also a shame I don't like cream or mayonnaise much, or cream cheese - clearly these are very useful additions to this sort of diet! Yoghurt it is, then.

Food for thought (no pun intended!).