Low Carbs, More fat
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tasha12004
Posts: 232 Member
So I have never been "skinny" , I have however been "fit". Both of my parents have been overweight most of their life. My dad got gastric bypass in 2010 and was told by his doctor from then on to focus on low carbs and higher fats. Obviously he lost weight because of the bypass surgery but he always says that the low carbs and high fat made him lose weight faster.
I just want to know if other people have tried this and if it works.
I just want to know if other people have tried this and if it works.
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Replies
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i'm doing keto right now and loving it. i didn't have a lot of weight to lose, but i just feel better being low carb. check out this group for a lot of good info:
community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group5 -
Many people mistakenly believe that low carb is faster weight loss. When you start low carb your body starts using up glycogen stores for energy. This is water weight......not fat loss. If/when you go back to eating carbs again, this water weight returns.
I would never eat low carb for the rest of my life, so I don't eat low carb for weight loss. For me, I have to do permanent changes. I've lost weight & regained it, this unfortunately makes me part of the majority.6 -
Low-carb works for me for several reasons.
1.) I find fat and protein much more filling than carbs, meaning I don't get hungry as often.
2.) You experience a ton of early weight loss from all your water retention "whooshing" out of your body. It can be a nice little jump start to your diet but keep in mind that it's only water.
3.) Bloating/gas disappears. It makes your waist look flatter which is nice, and who doesn't love less gas.
4.) No jittery/gnawing/grumbly hunger pains. Hunger levels are very gradual and mellow.
5.) As with hunger, energy levels are very stable. I don't go through periods of crashing or bouncing off the walls. Constant energy levels throughout the day are great.
So I mean... compared to "anything" dieting, I do feel there are some benefits. But only if you ENJOY this way of eating. If you hate eating tons of meats, fats and vegetables, it won't work for you. Luckily, there are lots of great keto dessert and faux-carb recipes to tide me over and keep me from missing carbs too much.6 -
Many people mistakenly believe that low carb is faster weight loss. When you start low carb your body starts using up glycogen stores for energy. This is water weight......not fat loss. If/when you go back to eating carbs again, this water weight returns.
I would never eat low carb for the rest of my life, so I don't eat low carb for weight loss. For me, I have to do permanent changes. I've lost weight & regained it, this unfortunately makes me part of the majority.
THIS . I was gluten free for 6 months one time and within a year, gained it all back even though I was still tracking calories...just because I added carbs back into my diet. It's better to go slow and steady in my opinion. Now I am kinda the opposite doing a vegetarian diet and i actually feel better than ever! I was surprised my bloat also went away with this diet...sooooo not sure but do what works for you and what you can sustain over the long term. Healthy carbs from vegetables and whole grains/low glycemic options ( ezekiel , quinoa, brown rice) are not the enemy
Refined carbs are (white rice,bread, cakes, etc.) and yes, healthy fats are great (nuts, avocado) in any diet. 0 -
Just for the record, I've played around with different carb levels, and even at a higher carb level (but a healthful diet) most of this does not apply to me:1.) I find fat and protein much more filling than carbs, meaning I don't get hungry as often.
I don't have a hunger issue on higher carb (not high carb, I mean 40-50%, but I've done lower fat plant based and was if anything the fullest on the lowest calories doing that). I find both protein and fiber and whole foods in general pretty filling. I don't find fat filling at all -- a high fat breakfast is the most likely to leave me hungry before lunch, whereas protein + carbs (carbs with some fiber) don't.2.) You experience a ton of early weight loss from all your water retention "whooshing" out of your body. It can be a nice little jump start to your diet but keep in mind that it's only water.
I expect this is true for most.3.) Bloating/gas disappears. It makes your waist look flatter which is nice, and who doesn't love less gas.
Lots of people don't have issues with gas or bloating even without doing low carb.4.) No jittery/gnawing/grumbly hunger pains. Hunger levels are very gradual and mellow.
Lots of people have no hunger pains normally. If I eat a sensible diet and have an established schedule, I certainly don't. (I also have no problem running first thing in the morning without eating first, even 8-10 miles, as some seem to think this also is only possible on low carb.)5.) As with hunger, energy levels are very stable. I don't go through periods of crashing or bouncing off the walls. Constant energy levels throughout the day are great.
I also have constant energy levels even at higher carb levels. The only times I have an issue with energy crashing like this is when I wasn't sleeping and was eating highly refined carbs as a pick me up (without much protein with it) and then I'd crash later. But eat a sensible diet of nutrient dense foods, and I never have this happen, even at higher carb levels than I normally eat.
Anyway, for the OP, low carb high fat works as any diet does if you eat at a calorie deficit. For SOME (not all, but if you are curious experience and try it for yourself), it can make it easier to eat at a calorie deficit or it may simply be more enjoyable if you like the foods you eat more than what you would otherwise eat. It would drive me nuts to try to eat that much fat and to be at a keto level I'd have to cut foods I think are healthy for me and which I enjoy, so it wouldn't work for me, but it does for many.3 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Just for the record, I've played around with different carb levels, and even at a higher carb level (but a healthful diet) most of this does not apply to me:1.) I find fat and protein much more filling than carbs, meaning I don't get hungry as often.
I don't have a hunger issue on higher carb (not high carb, I mean 40-50%, but I've done lower fat plant based and was if anything the fullest on the lowest calories doing that). I find both protein and fiber and whole foods in general pretty filling. I don't find fat filling at all -- a high fat breakfast is the most likely to leave me hungry before lunch, whereas protein + carbs (carbs with some fiber) don't.2.) You experience a ton of early weight loss from all your water retention "whooshing" out of your body. It can be a nice little jump start to your diet but keep in mind that it's only water.
I expect this is true for most.3.) Bloating/gas disappears. It makes your waist look flatter which is nice, and who doesn't love less gas.
Lots of people don't have issues with gas or bloating even without doing low carb.4.) No jittery/gnawing/grumbly hunger pains. Hunger levels are very gradual and mellow.
Lots of people have no hunger pains normally. If I eat a sensible diet and have an established schedule, I certainly don't. (I also have no problem running first thing in the morning without eating first, even 8-10 miles, as some seem to think this also is only possible on low carb.)5.) As with hunger, energy levels are very stable. I don't go through periods of crashing or bouncing off the walls. Constant energy levels throughout the day are great.
I also have constant energy levels even at higher carb levels. The only times I have an issue with energy crashing like this is when I wasn't sleeping and was eating highly refined carbs as a pick me up (without much protein with it) and then I'd crash later. But eat a sensible diet of nutrient dense foods, and I never have this happen, even at higher carb levels than I normally eat.
Anyway, for the OP, low carb high fat works as any diet does if you eat at a calorie deficit. For SOME (not all, but if you are curious experience and try it for yourself), it can make it easier to eat at a calorie deficit or it may simply be more enjoyable if you like the foods you eat more than what you would otherwise eat. It would drive me nuts to try to eat that much fat and to be at a keto level I'd have to cut foods I think are healthy for me and which I enjoy, so it wouldn't work for me, but it does for many.
Oh for sure, everyone's experience will be different. That's why I said these things work for me. And maybe low-carb is a bit too general - these are the pleasant side effects I get specifically from the keto diet, which is around 20g net carbs per day.2 -
I just started a low carb high fat diet Sunday and I am loving it so far. In the past I've tried weight watchers and South Beach and just plain counting calories. I was always hungry. I haven't felt hungry in the last 5 days. I've actually felt FULL. Like right now it's 644pm and I couldn't eat another thing and I probably will just close the night with my green tea.
I've lost 5lbs. It's the first week so that seems typical.
But I'm so happy to not feel hungry. I have been eating 1300-1600 calories and previously it was a struggle to eat 1500 low fat, 'healthy' calories.
I hope it sticks. I am thrilled with this plan and the way I feel. I just hope I lose weight and don't go making my heart explode3 -
Calorie deficit is all you need for weight loss1
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I do really well on a low carb/high fat/moderate protein diet. I have PCOS with insulin resistance plus MS (so I follow some of the Wahls protocol for MS principles as well, which is also LCHF) and this way of eating can have benefits for both conditions. I absolutely lose weight faster when I go low carb, for whatever reason; I'm sure part of it is that when I eat high carb (possibly because of the insulin issues) I feel hungry all the time and crave carbs, so LCHF is way easier for me to stick to. I do plan to eat this way for life, because I feel much better on it. It had some great bonus benefits for me, too, like dramatically reduced joint pain, reduced acid reflux/GI issues, and more regular cycles. YMMV of course.4
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Those with IR can lose a bit more weight on a LCHF on equal calorie diets, but it is just a bit. Only about 6 lbs.
Many of us find it easier to lose on a LCHF diet due to it's appetite blunting effect and dampened carb cravings. Not everyone experiences it but for those of us who are not good at moderating carbs, it is quite liberating.
I've eaten LCHF, mostly ketogenic) for almost 2 years. I lost 40lbs, my health and energy improved, and my cravings are under control. I imagine I'll do some form of LCHF for the rest of my life.3 -
Why do medical conditions get dragged into threads where op has not referenced any medical condition????4
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Relevance. Medical conditions may affect weight loss. Obese people often have IR, or other health conditions, which can affect weight loss.4
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Why do medical conditions get dragged into threads where op has not referenced any medical condition????
Yes, like @nvmomketo said, relevance. PCOS, for example, is actually relatively common and I've had it for years but it wasn't until I found other PCOSers on here that I found out low carb/LCHF can be helpful for people with that condition.
I'm also mentioning it when sharing my own experience b/c that might affect why it works well for me, especially since a lot of people on here can be adamant about "It's all about CICO/there's nothing special about low carb."3 -
macchiatto wrote: »Why do medical conditions get dragged into threads where op has not referenced any medical condition????
Yes, like @nvmomketo said, relevance. PCOS, for example, is actually relatively common and I've had it for years but it wasn't until I found other PCOSers on here that I found out low carb/LCHF can be helpful for people with that condition.
I'm also mentioning it when sharing my own experience b/c that might affect why it works well for me, especially since a lot of people on here can be adamant about "It's all about CICO/there's nothing special about low carb."
Since we're talking purely in terms of weight loss (which is what the OP was asking about, and didn't claim any medical conditions):
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/ketogenic-low-carbohydrate-diets-have-no-metabolic-advantage-over-nonketogenic-low-carbohydrate-diets-research-review.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16685046/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22935440/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/27385608/2 -
macchiatto wrote: »Why do medical conditions get dragged into threads where op has not referenced any medical condition????
Yes, like @nvmomketo said, relevance. PCOS, for example, is actually relatively common and I've had it for years but it wasn't until I found other PCOSers on here that I found out low carb/LCHF can be helpful for people with that condition.
I'm also mentioning it when sharing my own experience b/c that might affect why it works well for me, especially since a lot of people on here can be adamant about "It's all about CICO/there's nothing special about low carb."
CICO still matters because you have to address energy balance requirements in order to lose weight. That is absolutely universal. Addressing those factors can be very personal and some people (like @nvmomketo ) may have additional variables that need to be addressed. Additionally, people have to consider how their body responds to carbs vs fat; and while protein and fiber is largely universal for satiety, carbs and fats aren't. I am carb cycling, although probably not much longer, because I still can't get through my low carb days. It's just not enough volume for me and fats have no impact on my hunger signals.
Personally, I believe everyone should play around with macros a bit to see what will enable them to sustain their diet. Having said that, if you are looking at what will maximize calories out, it's exercise and a high protein/fiber diet, because carbs and fats half almost no impact.
http://www.stephanguyenet.com/meta-analysis-impact-of-carbohydrate-vs-fat-calories-on-energy-expenditure-and-body-fatness/
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Right, I'm certainly not saying CICO doesn't matter but that, like you were saying, for some of us, macro ratios do make a difference as well. I agree with you that it's worth experimenting with since we're all different. That's why I mentioned my own medical issues, to put my reply and experience in context.2
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Yes, I lost so much faster on low carb. I started low carb over 1 year ago after tracking calories alone for more than 2 years prior. At the same calorie level, I lost 5 times faster with low carb. I started with 150g daily and continued to cut for several months until Oct. when I plateaued at about 20g-30g per day. As I continued to cut carbs, I continued to lose weight much more quickly than at the same calorie levels before carb reduction. In Oct., I stopped cutting carbs and stopped losing weight for several months. Starting Mar. 1, I reduced carbs further and now aim for 0g (usually end up with trace amounts below 10g daily). Weight loss has started to pick up again... at the same calorie levels.
Yes, this worked for me. Will it work the same for everyone? I'm not sure. I've heard lots of stories of how people lose quickly (what I consider quick, but most consider a reasonable pace) with high carb diets by just cutting calories. That just didn't work for me. I could never lose more than about 0.2-0.3 lbs. per week on average no matter how low my CI was, unless I cut carbs.2 -
Those with IR can lose a bit more weight on a LCHF on equal calorie diets, but it is just a bit.
Same studies tend to show that others lose more on LF, but overall I think it's not enough of a difference to outweigh choosing a diet based on what feels more enjoyable and sustainable.
This is a good discussion of one such study, from a pro LCHF source: http://caloriesproper.com/chris-gardner-strikes-again/ and http://caloriesproper.com/insulin-resistance-is-a-spectrum/
The study involved only overweight and obese patients, who were divided into groups (50/50) based on how IR or IS they were.In Gardner’s recent study, he chose the first path, ie, included all patients, and divided them in half based on insulin levels during an OGTT.
Nuance #1. half of their population had “insulin resistance,” by definition. Not: “most” of the overweight/obese; “half,” by definition.
They showed this half lost about 20% more if assigned to low carb (LC) than if they were assigned to low fat (LF); and the other half lost about 20% more if assigned to LF than LC.
This didn’t reach statistical significance:
“Small sample size.
There will be outliers.
Don’t overthink it.”
However, some markers of health significantly improved in people assigned to their insulin-appropriate diet (LC for IR, LF for IS). And a bigger, more statistically-powered follow-up study is underway, so we’ll have a clearer picture how this particular intervention pans out on a larger scale in the not-too-distant future.1 -
They did not mention a medical condition, but they did ask:I just want to know if other people have tried this and if it works.
A few of us, for whom a LCHF diet worked well, answered this question but we have medical issues. To be very fair and honest we disclosed that LCHF may have worked better for us than it does for others due to our medical conditions.6
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