Looking for a diet that is low carb/healthy carb AND low fat
meinco
Posts: 62 Member
Hi there!
So I have lost about 25 lbs and want to continue losing. I have had success in the past with a low carb / atkins /keto type of diet. But it wasn't sustainable for me long term because I was truly missing some things like fruits.
Now after yo yo dieting for years and then stopping for the last 2 years. I really have reached a point where I know, to be successful, I am going to have to change the way I eat.
I followed (with a Doctor's approval) a VLCD for 35 days. It was around 500-800 calories and the emphasis was on vegetables, lean meats and small bits of some fruits.
I honestly can say I have never felt better.
I am going to be transitioning (very slowly) off this diet in about 10 days. The doctor only wanted me to do it for 45 days. However am feeling lost as I transition in finding guidance.
So is there a diet/lifestyle/method out there that emphasizes both the low carb/healthy carb AND low fat. I know it is hard because any premade "low fat" type things out there tend to be loaded with sugars to offset the lack of fat and so traditional low fat substitutes are not going to work for me. But when I look up low carb books or recipes they tend to be loaded with fat (yes, healthy fats usually but way more fat than I want to be eating).
So is there anything out there that covers both? I would love to be able to read recipe books for ideas and scour the internet for meal plans without having to create everything myself.
So I have lost about 25 lbs and want to continue losing. I have had success in the past with a low carb / atkins /keto type of diet. But it wasn't sustainable for me long term because I was truly missing some things like fruits.
Now after yo yo dieting for years and then stopping for the last 2 years. I really have reached a point where I know, to be successful, I am going to have to change the way I eat.
I followed (with a Doctor's approval) a VLCD for 35 days. It was around 500-800 calories and the emphasis was on vegetables, lean meats and small bits of some fruits.
I honestly can say I have never felt better.
I am going to be transitioning (very slowly) off this diet in about 10 days. The doctor only wanted me to do it for 45 days. However am feeling lost as I transition in finding guidance.
So is there a diet/lifestyle/method out there that emphasizes both the low carb/healthy carb AND low fat. I know it is hard because any premade "low fat" type things out there tend to be loaded with sugars to offset the lack of fat and so traditional low fat substitutes are not going to work for me. But when I look up low carb books or recipes they tend to be loaded with fat (yes, healthy fats usually but way more fat than I want to be eating).
So is there anything out there that covers both? I would love to be able to read recipe books for ideas and scour the internet for meal plans without having to create everything myself.
10
Replies
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Can your doctor give you a referral to a dietician? It might be beneficial to have one walk along side you as you transition from the vlcd to something longer term.10
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Are you sure you have to eat low carb and low fat? It's usually one or the other, and even then, it doesn't always lead to success. To lose weight, you just have to eat less (take in fewer calories than you burn), but you have to do it consistently and for a long time. I think a healthy diet is balanced and varied, and a healthy lifestyle includes a healthy diet as well as a relaxed and trusting relationship with food.19
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So that leaves protein.
I agree that low-carb and low-fat is an unusual and difficult approach. Ask for a referral to a Dietician.7 -
Ask for a referral to a dietitian if you'd struggle crafting meals from foods like that yourself.
It is NOT true that low fat subs are filled with sugar except in the case of baked goods, and you wouldn't be eating those anyway since you'd be eating low carb. Low fat dairy products like cheeses don't have added sugar.7 -
Plain, non-fat Greek Yogurt is my go-to. It's got zero fat, very low sugar, high protein and lower carb. To sweeten it, I put a little bit of flaxseed-granola mix and a drizzle of organic honey. It's my favorite! A good bread source is finding a Multi-Grain bread that's packed with fiber. It's not going to be 'low carb' per say but it's the good complex carbs that your body needs. Pair that with some turkey slices and a little bit of avocado and you've got healthy fats and with protein. For a dinner option, find Tilapia or Salmon or Chicken breasts and pair that with a side of veggies like brussel sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, etc. You could also add 1/2 cup or 1/3 cup of organic quinoa- another complex healthy carb. This is my usual 'what I eat in a day' plus I eat eggs for breakfast and the yogurt is my morning snack. I also have an afternoon snack of a protein shake. Hope this gives you some ideas. This necessarily won't work for everyone, but it's what works for me!2
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No offense, but I can't imagine that if your previous diets weren't sustainable that this will be any different. It's just a new way to complicate things. A diet focused on one macro sounds very ill-advised.23
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In the first half of your post, you say keto wasn't sustainable for you, and that you're a yo-yoer.
Then you go on to ask for advice on how to formulate a very restrictive and unsustainable diet to start.
Do you see the problem here?
Forget "diets". You can eat whatever you want and if you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. It all comes down to calories.22 -
Forget "diets". You can eat whatever you want and if you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. It all comes down to calories.
Personally, I don't think it's okay to 'eat whatever you want' even in a calorie deficit. You can still eat food that won't help you. Eating 100 calories or oreos is way worse than 100 calories of vegetables.
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I guess my first question would be, "What do you consider 'low' when talking about low carb and low fat?"7
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Forget "diets". You can eat whatever you want and if you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. It all comes down to calories.
Personally, I don't think it's okay to 'eat whatever you want' even in a calorie deficit. You can still eat food that won't help you. Eating 100 calories or oreos is way worse than 100 calories of vegetables.
Worse nutritionally, sure. But if you're craving a couple Oreos, you could easily fit those 100 calories into your daily calorie goal. If you tell yourself "I'm not allowed to have Oreos anymore, they're unhealthy", you're way more likely to end up binging on them. I think it's better to allow yourself those little treats than demonize them.
I'm certainly not suggesting that people should eat only Oreos.21 -
It sounds like you'd enjoy more of a low *processed* carb and moderate fat diet, based on what you've said. You can just limit your grains and anything with added sugar; eat lots of plants; enjoy your leaner cuts of meat and fish, and don't worry about glopping everything with extra cream and butter. I've done the keto WOE twice and it just was not sustainable for me either, for most of the same reasons you gave. I love my fruits and a huge variety of veggies and legumes rather than just the low carb ones. And so many of the keto/low carb recipes are drenched in extra fat because that's really the premise - high fat, low carb. A lot of people really love it, which is great! However, I found my nirvana in moderate fat, moderate carbs from plants, and moderate protein. I feel my best when I eat around 30p/30f/40c with most of it from less processed stuff. So yeah, while I can lose weight on lower calories of all Pop Tarts, I'm going to feel like hell compared to the same calories of meat, veggie, fruits, etc.6
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Forget "diets". You can eat whatever you want and if you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. It all comes down to calories.
Personally, I don't think it's okay to 'eat whatever you want' even in a calorie deficit. You can still eat food that won't help you. Eating 100 calories or oreos is way worse than 100 calories of vegetables.
I'm certainly not suggesting that people should eat only Oreos.
Sad that this disclaimer is necessary to prevent people from accusing you of that
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Forget "diets". You can eat whatever you want and if you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. It all comes down to calories.
Personally, I don't think it's okay to 'eat whatever you want' even in a calorie deficit. You can still eat food that won't help you. Eating 100 calories or oreos is way worse than 100 calories of vegetables.
In the context of a diet where one is meeting calorie goals and nutritional needs, having 100 calories of cookies sometimes is no big deal.14 -
It was around 500-800 calories and the emphasis was on vegetables, lean meats and small bits of some fruits.
If you feel great doing this, just keep the same kinds of foods, but scale the portions up to a more sustainable calorie goal.9 -
johnslater461 wrote: »It was around 500-800 calories and the emphasis was on vegetables, lean meats and small bits of some fruits.
If you feel great doing this, just keep the same kinds of foods, but scale the portions up to a more sustainable calorie goal.
The diet she was on was intended as a very short term measure. Unless you have some kind of credentials, this advice isn't necessarily wise, thus the previous advice to consult a dietitian.4 -
I think if you focus on whole foods (and avoid processed foods), you will find success in what you're trying to do. That said, I agree with getting the advice of a dietitian, and trying to figure out what exactly is contributing to the yoyo/weight loss and gain cycle from a mental perspective. Just to make sure that there isn't something going on that you can work on to make it easier for you to maintain a healthy weight.1
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johnslater461 wrote: »It was around 500-800 calories and the emphasis was on vegetables, lean meats and small bits of some fruits.
If you feel great doing this, just keep the same kinds of foods, but scale the portions up to a more sustainable calorie goal.
The diet she was on was intended as a very short term measure. Unless you have some kind of credentials, this advice isn't necessarily wise.
That doesn't mean it's necessarily wrong, though. Most (none?) of us have credentials, but we're all here giving advice anyways.
Appropriate quantities of lean meats, vegetables and fruits is probably better advice than 75% of what's on MFP.11 -
johnslater461 wrote: »It was around 500-800 calories and the emphasis was on vegetables, lean meats and small bits of some fruits.
If you feel great doing this, just keep the same kinds of foods, but scale the portions up to a more sustainable calorie goal.
The diet she was on was intended as a very short term measure. Unless you have some kind of credentials, this advice isn't necessarily wise.
That doesn't mean it's necessarily wrong, though. Most (none?) of us have credentials, but we're all here giving advice anyways.
Appropriate quantities of lean meats, vegetables and fruits is probably better advice than 75% of what's on MFP.
I said it wasn't "necessarily wise" and I did edit to add what previous posters have said about it being a good idea to consult a dietitian. I am still interested in her answer to your previous post about how low she thinks her carbs & fat should be. It sounds like fat has been almost non-existent in her VLCD.0 -
Personally, I don't think it's okay to 'eat whatever you want' even in a calorie deficit. You can still eat food that won't help you. Eating 100 calories or oreos is way worse than 100 calories of vegetables.
Why does it have to be either/or? How is it way worse? Context, dosage, and frequency is what's relevant here. Often when I see these kinds of comments, it's always black and white thinking. There is an area that exists between cutting them completely out and eating them for three square meals a day. To think otherwise is just silly. I think you'll find around these parts that the people who've found the most success have figured out how to achieve balance in their lives. That means that they eat a variety of healthful foods and find ways to fit treats into their lives. I had a huge, beautiful salad with dinner yesterday (barbecue chicken pizza! gasp!) and then I had a fudge brownie afterward. And guess what? I hit my macros for the day AND I was down .6 pounds this morning. I would have never lost almost 58 pounds so far if I hadn't managed to strike balance in my life.12 -
Forget "diets". You can eat whatever you want and if you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. It all comes down to calories.
Personally, I don't think it's okay to 'eat whatever you want' even in a calorie deficit. You can still eat food that won't help you. Eating 100 calories or oreos is way worse than 100 calories of vegetables.
I call *kitten*, and so does the 100lbs I lost managing a calorie deficit only.14 -
iWishMyNameWasRebel wrote: »It sounds like you'd enjoy more of a low *processed* carb and moderate fat diet, based on what you've said. You can just limit your grains and anything with added sugar; eat lots of plants; enjoy your leaner cuts of meat and fish, and don't worry about glopping everything with extra cream and butter. I've done the keto WOE twice and it just was not sustainable for me either, for most of the same reasons you gave. I love my fruits and a huge variety of veggies and legumes rather than just the low carb ones. And so many of the keto/low carb recipes are drenched in extra fat because that's really the premise - high fat, low carb. A lot of people really love it, which is great! However, I found my nirvana in moderate fat, moderate carbs from plants, and moderate protein. I feel my best when I eat around 30p/30f/40c with most of it from less processed stuff. So yeah, while I can lose weight on lower calories of all Pop Tarts, I'm going to feel like hell compared to the same calories of meat, veggie, fruits, etc.
Yes this exactly. I really do enjoy (like other than the low calorie part it doesn't even feel like a diet to me). I mostly eat lean chicken, grilled chicken, super low fat hamburger meat, ground turkey ect...a steam vegetable, apples, strawberries, tons of leafy greens ect...I do eat non fat greek yogurt with some vanilla protein powder mixed in. Sometimes I use that as a dip for my apples, YUM!
It does feel like this is the fit for me.I guess my first question would be, "What do you consider 'low' when talking about low carb and low fat?"
So what I am thinking is around 40-60 grams of carbs (per day, mostly from complex grains or whole fruits) and 20 grams of fat, the rest being protein.johnslater461 wrote: »It was around 500-800 calories and the emphasis was on vegetables, lean meats and small bits of some fruits.
If you feel great doing this, just keep the same kinds of foods, but scale the portions up to a more sustainable calorie goal.
The diet she was on was intended as a very short term measure. Unless you have some kind of credentials, this advice isn't necessarily wise.
That doesn't mean it's necessarily wrong, though. Most (none?) of us have credentials, but we're all here giving advice anyways.
Appropriate quantities of lean meats, vegetables and fruits is probably better advice than 75% of what's on MFP.
I said it wasn't "necessarily wise" and I did edit to add what previous posters have said about it being a good idea to consult a dietitian. I am still interested in her answer to your previous post about how low she thinks her carbs & fat should be. It sounds like fat has been almost non-existent in her VLCD.
I was thinking of just upping the portions. And I absolutely know what to eat when I keep it basic. I guess I was just hoping for like a specific name of a food method...like if you google keto recipes you get a ton of things you can try. I just kind of wanted a keyword name of a diet so I could find fun recipes too.
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And how long are you planning to do that?
That's lower in both fat AND in carbs than what most would suggest as healthy and sustainable long term. Are you including fruits and vegetables in that carb count? Or do you mean net carbs and/or processed carbs when you say 40-60g total?
I would think that simply adding a bit of dairy, legumes, and/or cooking oil to your diet would help in all aspects.
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I said it wasn't "necessarily wise" and I did edit to add what previous posters have said about it being a good idea to consult a dietitian. I am still interested in her answer to your previous post about how low she thinks her carbs & fat should be. It sounds like fat has been almost non-existent in her VLCD.
I was thinking of just upping the portions. And I absolutely know what to eat when I keep it basic. I guess I was just hoping for like a specific name of a food method...like if you google keto recipes you get a ton of things you can try. I just kind of wanted a keyword name of a diet so I could find fun recipes too.
I think you're really just looking for high protein meals. You might have to select/deselect meal options based on the sides and/or type of protein (fattier vs lean).0 -
And how long are you planning to do that?
That's lower in both fat AND in carbs than what most would suggest as healthy and sustainable long term. Are you including fruits and vegetables in that carb count? Or do you mean net carbs and/or processed carbs when you say 40-60g total?
I would think that simply adding a bit of dairy, legumes, and/or cooking oil to your diet would help in all aspects.
I was planning to keep with that....Why is it not healthy to both limit carbs and fat? I mean I am not cutting them out completely. I tried googling low fat/ low carb but all I get is comparisons between the two, not what both together specifically looks like. Before I lost any weight I had high cholesterol and I worry about my heart so limiting fats makes sense to me. But I also need to be careful with carbs because of insulin resistance....1 -
And how long are you planning to do that?
That's lower in both fat AND in carbs than what most would suggest as healthy and sustainable long term. Are you including fruits and vegetables in that carb count? Or do you mean net carbs and/or processed carbs when you say 40-60g total?
I would think that simply adding a bit of dairy, legumes, and/or cooking oil to your diet would help in all aspects.
I was planning to keep with that....Why is it not healthy to both limit carbs and fat? I mean I am not cutting them out completely. I tried googling low fat/ low carb but all I get is comparisons between the two, not what both together specifically looks like. Before I lost any weight I had high cholesterol and I worry about my heart so limiting fats makes sense to me. But I also need to be careful with carbs because of insulin resistance....
Many times, losing the extra weight is enough to improve cholesterol/glucose numbers, without having to do anything extra. I was a pre-diabetic before I lost 50lbs and now see normal numbers consistently. What I eat doesn't affect my numbers though, it's completely tied to my weight (I have over 5 years of data that shows this). Just throwing that out there, though I still suggest connecting with a dietician to help you through this
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And how long are you planning to do that?
That's lower in both fat AND in carbs than what most would suggest as healthy and sustainable long term. Are you including fruits and vegetables in that carb count? Or do you mean net carbs and/or processed carbs when you say 40-60g total?
I would think that simply adding a bit of dairy, legumes, and/or cooking oil to your diet would help in all aspects.
Why is it not healthy to both limit carbs and fat? I mean I am not cutting them out completely. I tried googling low fat/ low carb but all I get is comparisons between the two, not what both together specifically looks like. Before I lost any weight I had high cholesterol and I worry about my heart so limiting fats makes sense to me. But I also need to be careful with carbs because of insulin resistance....
I am not an expert, but our bodies primarily burn carbs & fats for energy. If you cut both to the levels you are proposing, it won't be fueling your body properly. Our bodies need healthy fats to function properly, including for heart health- it's not a case of less necessarily being better. I believe the recommendation is no less than 20% fat in a diet.4 -
MerryMavis1 wrote: »
And how long are you planning to do that?
That's lower in both fat AND in carbs than what most would suggest as healthy and sustainable long term. Are you including fruits and vegetables in that carb count? Or do you mean net carbs and/or processed carbs when you say 40-60g total?
I would think that simply adding a bit of dairy, legumes, and/or cooking oil to your diet would help in all aspects.
I was planning to keep with that....Why is it not healthy to both limit carbs and fat? I mean I am not cutting them out completely. I tried googling low fat/ low carb but all I get is comparisons between the two, not what both together specifically looks like. Before I lost any weight I had high cholesterol and I worry about my heart so limiting fats makes sense to me. But I also need to be careful with carbs because of insulin resistance....
Many times, losing the extra weight is enough to improve cholesterol/glucose numbers, without having to do anything extra. I was a pre-diabetic before I lost 50lbs and now see normal numbers consistently. What I eat doesn't affect my numbers though, it's completely tied to my weight (I have over 5 years of data that shows this). Just throwing that out there, though I still suggest connecting with a dietician to help you through this
^ This. I slashed my cholesterol & triglycerides just by losing 40 lbs, without any huge dietary changes or cutting out food groups/macros.2 -
Forget "diets". You can eat whatever you want and if you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. It all comes down to calories.
Personally, I don't think it's okay to 'eat whatever you want' even in a calorie deficit. You can still eat food that won't help you. Eating 100 calories or oreos is way worse than 100 calories of vegetables.
But the point is not to eat perfectly 100% of the time. The point is to LEARN how to manage calorie intake while improving your overall diet.
I can eat dark chocolate and lose weight OR I can eat chocolate chip cookies and lose weight. The point being I can't have chocolate and cookies and ice cream all in the same day or I will miss out on important nutrients.
The key to moderation also includes a sustainable deficit.3 -
And how long are you planning to do that?
That's lower in both fat AND in carbs than what most would suggest as healthy and sustainable long term. Are you including fruits and vegetables in that carb count? Or do you mean net carbs and/or processed carbs when you say 40-60g total?
I would think that simply adding a bit of dairy, legumes, and/or cooking oil to your diet would help in all aspects.
I was planning to keep with that....Why is it not healthy to both limit carbs and fat? I mean I am not cutting them out completely. I tried googling low fat/ low carb but all I get is comparisons between the two, not what both together specifically looks like. Before I lost any weight I had high cholesterol and I worry about my heart so limiting fats makes sense to me. But I also need to be careful with carbs because of insulin resistance....
I have cholesterol issues too (in fact, I have familial hypercholesterolemia) and I can safely eat more fat that than a day, and you should too. Some fat is essential for hormone function and vitamin absorption from all of those vegetables you eat. Try upping your fat intake to at least .45 grams per pound of a healthy body weight for yourself.3 -
And how long are you planning to do that?
That's lower in both fat AND in carbs than what most would suggest as healthy and sustainable long term. Are you including fruits and vegetables in that carb count? Or do you mean net carbs and/or processed carbs when you say 40-60g total?
I would think that simply adding a bit of dairy, legumes, and/or cooking oil to your diet would help in all aspects.
I was planning to keep with that....Why is it not healthy to both limit carbs and fat? I mean I am not cutting them out completely. I tried googling low fat/ low carb but all I get is comparisons between the two, not what both together specifically looks like. Before I lost any weight I had high cholesterol and I worry about my heart so limiting fats makes sense to me. But I also need to be careful with carbs because of insulin resistance....
Why is it not healthy to both limit carbs and fat?
1)Bodies need a minimum of 0.4g fat/lb body weight for hormone synthesis. Lower than that creates endocrine & satiety problems
2)That leaves protein. A high protein diet has risks.
- constipation short term
- Kidney disease long term
- It’s expensive
I tried googling low fat/ low carb but all I get is comparisons between the two, not what both together specifically looks like.
That’s because low carb OR low fat diets are recommended. Low carb AND low fat diets are not recommended. Try eating equal calories from all three macros. It’s a moderately low carb approach. See how you feel and how sustainable it feels to you and adjust from there.8
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