Low Calorie vs. Low Carb?

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smalltowngirl52
smalltowngirl52 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have did both, and haven't kept it off, which is my own fault. But of course I'd love to see the fast results that low carb gives ya, but is it worth it? What's everyone's opinion? It's really hard for me to do without sweets, but I know I need to do without that on both ways of eating?

Replies

  • JohnnyLowCarb
    JohnnyLowCarb Posts: 418 Member
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    4urdux6n97p5.png Low carb is working for me!
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    Losing fat is going to happen when you stick to your calorie deficit. It has nothing to do with low carb, low fat, keto, paleo, vegan, high protein, Atkins, dukan, no sugar, clean, etc

    You'd notice "fast" results initially on low carb as carbs hold water, and when you reduce your intake a lot, you'll lose a lot of water too.

    Eating foods, or in a way you can see your self doing long term, regardless of whether you're dieting or maintaining, will be the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Slow and steady will be more sustainable!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    I satisfy my sweet tooth with fruit, which has a lot less calories than baked goods, and budget for a little high quality chocolate.

    h27zjawgvyoy.jpg
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    Neither. Obviously they didn't work. How long did you "give up" for? I bet my cookie snack before bed that had you kept a MODEST deficit for the entire time it took you to work up the courage to try again, you might be at or close to goal. Choose a deficit you can live with.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    How are you going to eat for the rest of your life?

    That's the way to eat now, but with a sensible and appropriate calorie deficit until you get to your goal weight.
  • JohnnyLowCarb
    JohnnyLowCarb Posts: 418 Member
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    I love that chart! I choose a Low Carb and it works for me. But I am a bigger believer in the Cal in vs Cal out is the biggest determinant of weight loss. You then choose the means to get to a calorie deficit. Then everyone chimes in on why their way is the best, argue about it. Whole industries and products are produced to support the specific type of diet. Studies are done to proof why one diet is better than the next. A lot of wasted energy on it. Pick the means you find the best to get to a calorie deficit and enjoy the results.
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
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    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    smalltowngirl52 wrote: »
    I have did both, and haven't kept it off, which is my own fault. But of course I'd love to see the fast results that low carb gives ya, but is it worth it? What's everyone's opinion? It's really hard for me to do without sweets, but I know I need to do without that on both ways of eating?

    If going low-carb is going to cause you to freak out and EAT ALL THE CARBZ, then don't do it. Why torture yourself? This is how I am. I cannot do low-carb, because after about a week, I'm eating all the bread in the house.

    However, by just eating a moderate calorie deficit, 1900-2000 calories per day for me, I've lost 20 pounds. I'm losing slowly, but I haven't freaked out and binged because of carb restriction. I leave 200-300 calories every night for dessert, usually chocolate or ice cream.

    My new favorite chart:

    evuj2d9wrcer.jpg

    That's a great chart.

    OP - ditto to what everybody is saying. I have a sweet tooth too. When I'm in a deficit I like to have an Enlightened ice cream bar every night (80-90 calories). They're really tasty and they're big! I also like to have an afternoon snack that's on the sweet side. So, Greek yogurt with chocolate Cheerios thrown in (I like the crunch). I've also heard that Oikos Triple Zero chocolate is really good too. I've had the peanut butter banana flavor and I highly recommend it.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Without sweets? What is this strange language that you speak?

    When I was losing weight, I was eating three meals of about 500 calories each, but on most days I would include some form of exercise. That gave me quite a few extra calories which I very happily used to satisfy my sweet tooth.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    smalltowngirl52 wrote: »
    I have did both, and haven't kept it off, which is my own fault. But of course I'd love to see the fast results that low carb gives ya, but is it worth it? What's everyone's opinion? It's really hard for me to do without sweets, but I know I need to do without that on both ways of eating?

    You don't need to eliminate sweets.....you need to reduce them (my weakness too).

    Elimination can be a great tool short term, but maintenance is not a short term thing.....it's forever. Elimination still leaves you without any coping skills when it comes to sweets after you get to goal.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,023 Member
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    You just need to eat at a calorie deficit. As that awesome chart shows, how you do that is up to you. I would never give up sweets. I have lost ~70 pounds and am currently maintaining. I believe I have eaten something chocolate every day since I started on mfp. I did have a few foods I had to keep out of the house in the beginning. But there is a difference between not having a package of Oreos or a gallon of ice cream in the house and never having sweets again. I think that to lose weight and keep it off the way you eat while losing has to be basically the same as the way you eat when maintaining. You just have a few more calories to play with in maintenance. One reason so many people lose weight and then regain it is because they change how they eat when they are "dieting" and then when they are "done" they go back to their old way of eating.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    smalltowngirl52 wrote: »
    I have did both, and haven't kept it off, which is my own fault. But of course I'd love to see the fast results that low carb gives ya, but is it worth it? What's everyone's opinion? It's really hard for me to do without sweets, but I know I need to do without that on both ways of eating?

    What you need is a way of eating that you can sustain long term not fast results.
    Start with your normal eating preferences and log everything for awhile.
    Stick to a reasonable sustainable calorie deficit not the most aggressive calorie deficit possible.
    If you find it easier to stick to your calorie deficit by moderating or limiting certain foods then do so.


    I probably do a moderate carb type diet. I use the goals MFP gave me. I look at calories and protein and find that if I am meeting those goals then I am not eating cookies or bread all day.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Low carb is just one of many ways that people put themselves into a calorie deficit (in most cases). An energy (calorie) deficit is what causes weight (fat) loss. It doesn't have anything to do with carbs. One caveat would be that when one does low carb they tend to see larger initial losses due to water loss and declining glycogen stores...but it's water, not fat.
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
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    I dont believe in low carb, If you want to see progress pics timeline of me on a high carb diet over the past 11 months send me a message. Their quite startling really, Considering i have PCOS and was told LOW CARB or you wont lose weight by a nutritionist and a lady doc XD Works for some but personally bread and potatoes and baked goods are all things that satisfy me, So i built my diet around them :P
  • JohnnyLowCarb
    JohnnyLowCarb Posts: 418 Member
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    @JaydedMiss & OP Low Carb, Low Fat, Paleo, Vegan, All Water (ok I made that one up and that would be pretty bad), it does not matter, what matters, is calorie deficit and ensure proper nutrients are being consumed. Everyone is different.
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
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    johnnylew wrote: »
    @JaydedMiss & OP Low Carb, Low Fat, Paleo, Vegan, All Water (ok I made that one up and that would be pretty bad), it does not matter, what matters, is calorie deficit and ensure proper nutrients are being consumed. Everyone is different.

    why are you tagging me in that i literally just said i dont believe in low carb
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    JaydedMiss wrote: »
    I dont believe in low carb, If you want to see progress pics timeline of me on a high carb diet over the past 11 months send me a message. Their quite startling really, Considering i have PCOS and was told LOW CARB or you wont lose weight by a nutritionist and a lady doc XD Works for some but personally bread and potatoes and baked goods are all things that satisfy me, So i built my diet around them :P

    I have PCOS too, I also had a bad case of prediabetes. While both of these conditions benefit from low carb I just did what was sustainable to me, and that was relatively high carb. No longer pre-diabetic and PCOS is well managed, all as a result of weight loss alone with no carb reduction. So I'm chiming in that sustainable is the key, level of carbs is irrelevant beyond deciding what is easier for the person.

    OP: if low carb feels easier for you than simply reducing calories then do that. Any way of eating that involves calorie reduction (and yes, that can include low carb) works as long as you stick to it, so pick something that you can stick to.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,694 Member
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    I have lost weight with both. Low carb wasn't sustainable for me long term though, because I really like fruit, grains, bread and sweets. I also have limited tolerance for eggs or meat for every meal. So I always ended up gaining the weight back, sooner or later. I do better just limiting treats and exercising enough to be able to eat a reasonable (for me) diet. As others have said, if you limit yourself too much, you won't be able to sustain the way of eating.

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