LCHF forever or weight will come back?
RenaTX
Posts: 345 Member
Hey everyone,
I don't believe this but it's what I'm reading so I would appreciate some input. On another forum someone claimed how after they stopped eating LC and went on a normal maintenance diet the weight came back on.
My assumption is "maintenance" is eating a calorie amount which is acceptable to maintain your current weight.
Is this not true? If it is true then how would someone go back to eating a SAD cause weight gain or significant weight gain if this person is eating within their calorie allotment ?
I don't believe this but it's what I'm reading so I would appreciate some input. On another forum someone claimed how after they stopped eating LC and went on a normal maintenance diet the weight came back on.
My assumption is "maintenance" is eating a calorie amount which is acceptable to maintain your current weight.
Is this not true? If it is true then how would someone go back to eating a SAD cause weight gain or significant weight gain if this person is eating within their calorie allotment ?
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If you go from low carb to high carb you will replenish your glycogen stores and that will result in several pounds. There are other health benefits to eating LC besides weight loss. I feel better mentally, have more energy and just naturally eat less because I'm not craving something and hungry all the time. I will always eat LC although once I'm at a maintenance weight I will add more fruits and veggies. But I really don't see myself going back to the bread, potatoes, pasta, and sugar. I always say I'm allergic to carbs - I break out in fat and a bad attitude...lol.0
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My guess would be that their idea of "maintenance" was probably anything but, and that what "came back on" first were the cravings for high carb foods which they overindulged in (not intentionally, mind you) which contributed to their weight gain. Also, the simple act of replenishing your glycogen stores by consuming a diet much higher in carbs will bring a good deal of water retention along with it (which anyone who has had more than a couple "cheat days" in a row can tell you), which in turn causes the scale to shoot up and welcomes all kinds of negative food-related emotions to creep back in (ie: the diet failed me...I'll never be able to eat like a normal person again...I'm gaining again, so what does it matter? etc)
Did they claim to still be logging ALL of their food on "maintenance"? I doubt that they did.
Anyone who takes on this WOE and thinks that once they've lost their worrisome weight it will be a carbage (<--totally stole this term from another board member...love it!) free-for-all again is setting themselves up for a big disappointment. I'm not saying that means that one can NEVER indulge in an occasional carb-heavy favorite again, but it can't be the norm. What got the weight off will keep you where you want to be in maintenance, with maybe a few more fruits & veggies thrown in to liven things up.
Personally? I don't enjoy the carb-monster battles that I initiate when I attempt to fuel with the processed crap that made me fat in the first place. But that's what's so wonderful about life...we can all make our own choices. :-)0 -
I think a lot of people who try and have success with LC are those folks with some form of insulin resistance. So yes, when they go back to the SAD, inclusive of very high levels of carb intake, they probably will gain back a lot of weight back.
I think your assumption is valid, maintenance is eating a certain amount of calories, with the right macros for your personal metabolism. What really bothers me are folks who lose on LC and then revert to SAD (with or without calorie restrictions) and proceed to trash LC as a fad or unsustainable. Um...they lost weight following it, so it does work. They just decided to ignore what they had learned and go back to eating foods which their body cannot process. Yes, there are people who can consistently lose weight eating carbs and just limiting calories. But if you've proven that your body does best with LC, why go back there. Why not follow the advise of many here on our forums and across the LCHF/Keto lifestyles who say, adjust up slowly and figure out what your personal top range is and then eat accordingly?
In the end, I always say to each their own. When I get to maintenance I have no plans/desire to go back to my carb heavy SAD. I will eat more carbs, but given what I have learned, I just don't think I will ever consistently eat over 100g a day.0 -
I'm about 20 lbs from my goal weight, so I've actually been giving maintenance quite a bit of thought lately.
I feel so much better eating this way. I no longer have migraines. I am full on less food. I eat way more vegetables and a wider variety of meats and fish. I don't crave grains, potatoes, pastas and such at all. If my family orders pizza I eat the melty cheese and other delicious toppings. That's the good part anyway. The only time I ever have cravings is during my period. But after 8 months of keto I can finally eat just a little bit of something sweet and feel satisfied. I was never able to do that before.
I might play around with my daily carb level (I'm at under 20 grams per day now) but I can't imagine actually adding in any of the breads or pastas and such. Any higher carb content will come from vegetables.
So that's my plan for now, but first I have to get to my goal weight.
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spunkyabroad wrote: »I'm about 20 lbs from my goal weight, so I've actually been giving maintenance quite a bit of thought lately.
I feel so much better eating this way. I no longer have migraines. I am full on less food. I eat way more vegetables and a wider variety of meats and fish. I don't crave grains, potatoes, pastas and such at all. If my family orders pizza I eat the melty cheese and other delicious toppings. That's the good part anyway. The only time I ever have cravings is during my period. But after 8 months of keto I can finally eat just a little bit of something sweet and feel satisfied. I was never able to do that before.
I might play around with my daily carb level (I'm at under 20 grams per day now) but I can't imagine actually adding in any of the breads or pastas and such. Any higher carb content will come from vegetables.
So that's my plan for now, but first I have to get to my goal weight.
I can't imagine adding all that carbage back either. I have about 26lb to go and I'll probably slowly up my carbs to 50g net when I get there. (Not because I have to but because I LOVE eating LCHF.)But I'll still be tracking my maintenance calories. I know better than to trust myself on that account. This is one low-carber who has learned her lessons.0 -
Yeah, I'll definitely have to do some experimentation to figure out my carb limit and calorie limit. We'll see how it goes. I'm a big proponent of "do what works for you."
Good luck with the 26 lbs, may the scale be ever in your favor.0 -
The concept of maintenance has been on my mind as well. Last night I attended the memorial service for a friend who lost his final battle with the complications of diabetes. The beginning of his last battle coincided with my T2 diagnosis. For the service I had to dig in my closet for a suit I bought in 1980. The one I bought last year is no longer even an approximate fit.
My thinking today: as I am eating today my blood test numbers are good and my weight continues to move down. As my body mass decreases, my caloric needs should also decrease. Eventually there should come a time when my maintenance meal plan is my current meal plan. I may weigh the same now as when I got out of the Army in 1971 but that is still 30 pounds more than when I started college in 1965. Why should I mess with something which is working?0 -
Thanks for the feedback folks. My question is curiosity about the science behind the reason for why this would happen.
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Thanks for the feedback folks. My question is curiosity about the science behind the reason for why this would happen.
This section of the LCHF for Beginners http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf site might help explain why going back to carbage (I first heard that on Jimmy Moore's podcasts) will cause rebound weight gain:
"The problem with sugar and starch
All digestible carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the intestines. The sugar is then absorbed into the blood, raising the blood glucose levels. This increases the production of the hormone insulin, our fat storing hormone.
Insulin is produced in the pancreas. In large amounts insulin prevents fat burning and stores surplus nutrients in the fat cells. After some time (a few hours or less) this may result in a shortage of nutrients in the blood, creating feelings of hunger and cravings for something sweet. Usually at that point people eat again. This starts the process again: A vicious cycle leading to weight gain.
On the other hand, a low intake of carbs gives you a lower, more stable blood glucose, and lower amounts of insulin. This increases the release of fat from your fat stores and increases the fat burning. This usually leads to fat loss, especially around the belly in abdominally obese individuals."
Hope that helps you understand the process a bit more! I find going above 80 grams carbs per day will cause me to start craving carbs, so I try to avoid that. You just have to find the sweet spot for you that will allow you to keep on this WOE without feeling deprived. Pay attention to how you feel each day after meals and go from there. Today is my 572th day of MFP logging, mostly on the LCHF diet, and I plan to keep at it because I know I will have carb creep if I don't stick with it. My daily reward is a glass of red wine, though it is probably stalling my loss, but it keeps me sane! cheers!0 -
spunkyabroad wrote: »Good luck with the 26 lbs, may the scale be ever in your favor.
This was awesome. I have a t-shirt that says "I exercise because I knew I'd be the first to die in the Hunger Games."0 -
I am going to chime in before reading the replies about my own low carb experience. I have done EXTREME low carb, and reduced carbs, and eating what ever I want. IME if more than 60% of my diet over a 7 day period is carbs I will not lose weight and more than likely gain weight.
I am not a regular low carber, I still eat pizza and pasta but it is within an entire week of eating not just a day.
I also chose my carbs at each meal and avoid carb double up. For example, if I want a hamburger with a bun..I don't eat Fries. If I want Fries, I skip the bun and make a salad. If I want pasta, I skip garlic bread, but if I want bread I put the sauce on strips of thinly cooked egg whites.
I found that if I eat carbs without regard to the number and amount for example, Bagel for breakfast, maybe get a Burrito at Lunch, and top if off with Dinner with a double order of Mashed Potatoes and bread...I will gain weight FAST..super fast.
There is some foods that I can simply live without and be better off for it, Soda, White Bread, Bleached Flours, Pastas, Baked Goods, White Rice, Non Native Tropical Fruits, dried fruits, fruit juice, Whole Corn.
In terms of other evidence about low carb diets, most pepole lose weight and go back to their regular old eating habits at the end of XYZ many days. Not eating white bread sandwhiches on the daily is a life style. Skipping the Tortilla at the Burrito bar is a life style, asking for unsweet tea and extra lemons is a life style.
*Note I only added these extreme crap foods as examples of what people might chose on SAD*0 -
spunkyabroad wrote: »Good luck with the 26 lbs, may the scale be ever in your favor.
This was awesome. I have a t-shirt that says "I exercise because I knew I'd be the first to die in the Hunger Games."
That was terribly awesome! I want that shirt!0 -
christiec2015 wrote: »
I honestly think I'm literally allergic as I sneeze the morning after carbs!0 -
You gain about 5 lbs of water weight back when you switch from low carb to moderate carb. You'll gain more of course if you overeat calories. I switch back & forth all the time between low and moderate.
If you don't plan to eat very low carb in maintenance then following the Atkins plan is a good move. You slowly add back carbs 5 grams at a time in a particular order and just one or two foods at a time so you know what triggers cravings and how much of it.
Those who lose weight quickly on extended very low carb and just go back to eating moderate carb without gradually adding carbs back tend to gain it all back.
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totaloblivia wrote: »christiec2015 wrote: »
I honestly think I'm literally allergic as I sneeze the morning after carbs!
Very interesting. I used to sneeze after each meal I ate with carbs in it. Chinese meals which I LOVE put me to my knees sneezing.
My take on long range LCHF. I did this for 10 years back in the 70's. I maintained my weight loss easily and after about a year of the WOE I was able to let a few more carbs , maybe 50 a day, into my WOE but as Denise said the carbs can and DO creep back. then I changed living arrangements and lifestyle and started gaining weight. Yes it was slow at first because I was pretty careful for several years. And then it was all over for me and I totally lost the LCHF WOE. Now I am back and this time it is much harder for me to lose the weight. It is going off slowly and I am having body changes. I am feeling better. A person can or should never say never but at this time I plan on staying on this WOE for ever. Amen
I believe I am also severely sensitive to carbs.0 -
My rampant family history - on both sides - of DM2 and heart disease led me to it. Eating carbs with ever increasing fasting glucose and A1C to go along with the expansion of my behind, it wasn't if I'd get a formal diagnosis of DM2 but when.
The last straw was when my doc threatened me with additional BP meds if I didn't "do something" (sounds awful, but she's a tough-talking sweetheart.) A year of eating LCHF decreased everything I was concerned about: Weight, BMI, BP, A1C, fasting glucose... I am team LCHF forever.0 -
oyadancing (*)0
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This section of the LCHF for Beginners http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf site might help explain why going back to carbage (I first heard that on Jimmy Moore's podcasts) will cause rebound weight gain:
"The problem with sugar and starch
All digestible carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the intestines. The sugar is then absorbed into the blood, raising the blood glucose levels. This increases the production of the hormone insulin, our fat storing hormone.
Insulin is produced in the pancreas. In large amounts insulin prevents fat burning and stores surplus nutrients in the fat cells. After some time (a few hours or less) this may result in a shortage of nutrients in the blood, creating feelings of hunger and cravings for something sweet. Usually at that point people eat again. This starts the process again: A vicious cycle leading to weight gain.
On the other hand, a low intake of carbs gives you a lower, more stable blood glucose, and lower amounts of insulin. This increases the release of fat from your fat stores and increases the fat burning. This usually leads to fat loss, especially around the belly in abdominally obese individuals."
Hope that helps you understand the process a bit more! I find going above 80 grams carbs per day will cause me to start craving carbs, so I try to avoid that. You just have to find the sweet spot for you that will allow you to keep on this WOE without feeling deprived. Pay attention to how you feel each day after meals and go from there. Today is my 572th day of MFP logging, mostly on the LCHF diet, and I plan to keep at it because I know I will have carb creep if I don't stick with it. My daily reward is a glass of red wine, though it is probably stalling my loss, but it keeps me sane! cheers!
Yes Thank You! That makes sense. I had cravings for ice cream when I was eating ice cream which led to it being nearly every night I would have some.
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You gain about 5 lbs of water weight back when you switch from low carb to moderate carb. You'll gain more of course if you overeat calories. I switch back & forth all the time between low and moderate.
If you don't plan to eat very low carb in maintenance then following the Atkins plan is a good move. You slowly add back carbs 5 grams at a time in a particular order and just one or two foods at a time so you know what triggers cravings and how much of it.
Those who lose weight quickly on extended very low carb and just go back to eating moderate carb without gradually adding carbs back tend to gain it all back.
Thank you. That makes sense. I know from experience... avoid Ice cream LOL
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Great replies. So glad to have found this group. I feel like I'm doing the right thing. Finally.
I've only done it for two wks tomorrow and have almost 100 pounds to lose. But my usual way of eating sucked. I ate Subway a lot, egg whites etc. Low fat, but still gained. Now I eat lots more fat and lose. Amazing.0 -
I think in maintenance you just have to be mindful and add carbs slowly and see how they affect you. You can't just consider yourself "FIXED" and go back to eating whatever. It will backfire on you! That is why I love the Atkins website it lays it all out. Free. I just disagree with the products and artificial sweeteners. But the information piece is good.0
This discussion has been closed.