Starting again, changing from slow carb to keto.

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xcc670
xcc670 Posts: 98 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I've been on an eating plan promoted by Dr. Ludwig with his book "Always Hungry". I started Dec. 3, 2018. I have been very good at adhering to the plan and I haven't lost any weight. I've cut back portions to the point that I am pretty hungry. I stopped exercising so I could try to figure out exactly how much food my body needs to maintain. I try to eat 1220 calories, but sometimes go up to 1400. The only thing I can figure is that I am on a drug called Prednisone that usually causes weight gain. Also I've been eating no sugar/clean foods for most of my life so the new plan wasn't that much of a change other than cutting out most gluten. My DH (a sugar addict) lost 15 pounds right away.

My plan now is to switch to Keto. I've never done Keto so there will be a learning curve. I'm going to start eating at 5% net carbs and try to stay as close to 1220 calories. I'll continue to educate myself on the keto lifestyle.

My reason is that obesity doesn't fit my lifestyle and as I age I may have to cut out my fun things like hiking in the mountains, scuba diving, and other adventures. Even though I can keep up with the group on these adventures, there is a bias against obese people. I'm 62 and I don't think I will be able to do active fun things in ten years unless I do something now. Thanks for the support.

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  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,583 Member
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    zeejane03 wrote: »
    Seems like you're jumping from one plan to another-have you thought about just eating the foods you enjoy, in the correct calorie intake for your weight management goals?

    Bingo. This is what matters.



  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Jumping from one plan to another is not consistent with the term lifestyle. Try keto for a time, but if it doesn't feel like it can be FOREVER, then it's not a lifestyle. Maintenance will be forever.

    Taking in fewer calories than maintenance = weight loss ....period. You don't have to "eat clean" (whatever your definition is) or lower carbs, or eliminate anything. You just need to measure calories accurately and reduce them.

    To find an estimate of your maintenance google TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). Here's a link to a popular one: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • Kathryn247
    Kathryn247 Posts: 570 Member
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    Do you LIKE eating just protein and fat? Does it keep you feeling full? If not, give yourself a break and just count the calories of foods you enjoy and that help you feel full. Use a food scale for everything.

    You didn't give your current weight or how much you want to lose, but 1220 is likely to be too low. Use the goal MFP gives you when you enter your data.
  • jdsass82
    jdsass82 Posts: 19 Member
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    Two things to think about here: 1) Unless you are pretty petite, 1200 calories isn't going to cut it and will probably be too low to let your body do good things for itself, and 2) Low carb/Keto is not a magic bullet weight loss. If you are not creating a calorie deficit, you are not going to lose weight. Your best bet is to eat foods you enjoy in moderation and try to keep a balanced a diet that keeps you in a calorie deficit.
  • kristensposato
    kristensposato Posts: 1 Member
    edited February 2019
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    I just started the keto diet in mid January and I've lost 16.5 lbs (from 173 down to 156.5). The reason keto works so well is precisely that you don't feel as hungry- the higher fat content along with moderate protein intake leaves you feeling satiated and you basically eat less without strict hunger-inducing calorie restriction. When you constatly feel very hungry from only calorie restricting without making other changes to types of calories (not all calories are created equal), that is when you fail the diet, binge eat, etc. Keto helps prevent this.

    Even when I do give into a temptation to eat a "cheat food" like at a party, I find myself eating a tiny amount and feeling satisfied. Prior to starting this diet I would not consider myself a disciplined person. The other thing is, as you eat fewer and fewer carbs, you crave them less. I was a huge lover of french fries, mashed potatoes, fried foods, ice cream, pasta, white rice...I still love those foods when I think about it but I'm just not craving them like I used to because the keto diet is so satiating. So, I say go for it and good luck!

    For the record, calorie deficit is obviously still important for weight loss so I track my intake and stick to a deficit. I'm just saying keto is the perfect complement to this because the types of foods you get to eat keep you feeling full and satisfied much longer making the calorie deficit easier to adhere to over the long term. If you just keep eating the standard American diet with the only change being a calorie deficit and no changes to more satiating foods nd the TYPE of calorie then you are bound to give into binge eating and other temptations far more easily and feel like crap from the constant hunger.

    Best of luck as you embark on your keto lifestyle and I hope it works as well for you as it has for me!
  • RebeccaRose2016
    RebeccaRose2016 Posts: 2 Member
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    Kathryn247 wrote: »
    Do you LIKE eating just protein and fat? Does it keep you feeling full? If not, give yourself a break and just count the calories of foods you enjoy and that help you feel full. Use a food scale for everything.

    You didn't give your current weight or how much you want to lose, but 1220 is likely to be too low. Use the goal MFP gives you when you enter your data.

    "Protein and. Fat" isn't all you eat on Keto. Please educate yourself before informing others
  • zeejane03
    zeejane03 Posts: 993 Member
    edited February 2019
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    RebeccaRose2016 wrote: »
    Kathryn247 wrote: »
    Do you LIKE eating just protein and fat? Does it keep you feeling full? If not, give yourself a break and just count the calories of foods you enjoy and that help you feel full. Use a food scale for everything.

    You didn't give your current weight or how much you want to lose, but 1220 is likely to be too low. Use the goal MFP gives you when you enter your data.

    "Protein and. Fat" isn't all you eat on Keto. Please educate yourself before informing others

    There's only three macros and with keto you're keeping your carb intake to around 20g, so pp is correct-it is a predominantly protein and fat diet.

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