Giving Up Carbs to lose Weight Good or Bad idea what do you think ?
mpkpbk2015
Posts: 766 Member
I read this article at this link https://www.eatthis.com/giving-up-carbs-side-effects-news/
that talks about possible side effects of giving up carbs to shed pounds which include irritability, headaches, constipation, weakness, food cravings, keto flu (flu like symptoms).
If you gave up or significantly reduced your carbs, or are doing keto - What has been your experience. Please share.
that talks about possible side effects of giving up carbs to shed pounds which include irritability, headaches, constipation, weakness, food cravings, keto flu (flu like symptoms).
If you gave up or significantly reduced your carbs, or are doing keto - What has been your experience. Please share.
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Replies
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I can't afford to stop eating carbs forever, and I'm not here to make temporary changes.19
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goal06082021 wrote: »I can't afford to stop eating carbs forever, and I'm not here to make temporary changes.
Did you check out any of the things in the link, did you experience any of them. I just thought the article was a littled skewed. My thing is everything in moderation. Trying to see what others have experienced when they stopped eating carbs. Thanks
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Neutral. Some find it easier to cut cals by cutting carbs, I do to some extent, but its going to depend and one can cut carbs yet still eat carbs.1
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Have you experienced any of.the side effects in the link when u cut carbs down in your food program0
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Hi, I'm in my 4th week of low carb/ketosis. A lot of people I know who have done it have experienced the ketone flu but a large part of that I believe is detoxing from sugar carb overload. I was prepared for that to hit me but I didn't experience anything significant - maybe a headache for one afternoon about a week in. I also felt very dehydrated for a few days around week 2 but dealt with that by drinking electrolytes. What I have noticed is a massive decrease in hunger (making it a lot easier to cut calories), decrease in cravings & energy spikes & dips - my energy is fairly stable now throughout the day (no more 3pm crash & search for sugar/cafine). I also have less bloating & inflammation in my system which was causing me a lot of joint pain (barely there now). Plus - I've lost 6kgs or 13lbs in 3 weeks which is definitely a bonus!!!4
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While I haven't "given up" carbs, I have drastically cut down the last several weeks (no added sugar, dairy, beans or lentils, baked goods, very limited bread). I am always hungry. My inflammation has definitely gone down, and knee mobility has improved. No change to my insomnia or sleep quality (thus why I am posting at 4 AM). I have lost quite a bit of weight, but mostly because I have a hard time some days meeting my calorie goal and finding things I want eat. I am getting way too many calories from fat (usually 50%+) and it is generally an unpleasant way to eat for me.2
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Hi, I'm in my 4th week of low carb/ketosis. A lot of people I know who have done it have experienced the ketone flu but a large part of that I believe is detoxing from sugar carb overload. I was prepared for that to hit me but I didn't experience anything significant - maybe a headache for one afternoon about a week in. I also felt very dehydrated for a few days around week 2 but dealt with that by drinking electrolytes. What I have noticed is a massive decrease in hunger (making it a lot easier to cut calories), decrease in cravings & energy spikes & dips - my energy is fairly stable now throughout the day (no more 3pm crash & search for sugar/cafine). I also have less bloating & inflammation in my system which was causing me a lot of joint pain (barely there now). Plus - I've lost 6kgs or 13lbs in 3 weeks which is definitely a bonus!!!
"Keto flu" isn't caused by "detoxing" from sugar or carbohydrates, it's actually an electrolyte imbalance.12 -
Just one note: giving up carbs doesn't make you shed pounds. Being in a calorie deficit does. How you achieve the calorie deficit is very individual. Some people just are happy to eat less, but eat everything. Others eat less but also less carbs, fats or protein. You need to find out what works for you. One things why some keto websites peddle the weightloss thing is that carbs bind water, and hence your body holds a bit more onto water. Eat less carbs and you lose the waer (thus not bodyfat), and by peeing out the water you also pee out some electrolytes, which can make you sick. When you eat more carbs again the water comes back. It's just how our bodies work. But of course you don't want to lose a bit of water, but bodyfat.13
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I eat fewer carbs than I used to, because I eat fewer bags of potato chips and less sugar. I am not and will not cut carbs because
1-) It'd be stupid expensive. I have things I'd rather spend my money on than replacing my cheap food with much more expensive ones.
2-) I like carbs - I'm not NEVER eating another piece of bread or potato again, and I'm here for a long term change not a short term drop.
3-) The one morning I didn't get carbs in my breakfast I felt crappy - like blood sugar crash crappy - and I'm not interested in feeling crappy to look slightly more aesthetically pleasing slightly faster (maybe). I ate a piece of toast and felt better. No way am I pushing that further; that was ONE low carb meal.
In short I think that it may work for people who don't much love carbs as a painless way to eat fewer calories, but I'm not cutting any food group out of my diet. None of them.3 -
Neutral. Some find it easier to cut cals by cutting carbs, I do to some extent, but its going to depend and one can cut carbs yet still eat carbs.
Makes sense to me I guess it's all to what extreme you take it. I had not heard it was bad until I read the article about the side effects. Thanks for your input. Have a great day.
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Hi, I'm in my 4th week of low carb/ketosis. A lot of people I know who have done it have experienced the ketone flu but a large part of that I believe is detoxing from sugar carb overload. I was prepared for that to hit me but I didn't experience anything significant - maybe a headache for one afternoon about a week in. I also felt very dehydrated for a few days around week 2 but dealt with that by drinking electrolytes. What I have noticed is a massive decrease in hunger (making it a lot easier to cut calories), decrease in cravings & energy spikes & dips - my energy is fairly stable now throughout the day (no more 3pm crash & search for sugar/cafine). I also have less bloating & inflammation in my system which was causing me a lot of joint pain (barely there now). Plus - I've lost 6kgs or 13lbs in 3 weeks which is definitely a bonus!!!
Wow 13 pounds in 3 weeks that's fast. So you have had some of the side effects but not all. If you don't mind me asking how much are you trying to lose and do you think this is something you can sustain for a long period of time. Also how is your overall health been impacted. Thanks for educating me on this.
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While I haven't "given up" carbs, I have drastically cut down the last several weeks (no added sugar, dairy, beans or lentils, baked goods, very limited bread). I am always hungry. My inflammation has definitely gone down, and knee mobility has improved. No change to my insomnia or sleep quality (thus why I am posting at 4 AM). I have lost quite a bit of weight, but mostly because I have a hard time some days meeting my calorie goal and finding things I want eat. I am getting way too many calories from fat (usually 50%+) and it is generally an unpleasant way to eat for me.
Are you doing a modified Paleo diet ? Do you supplement with Protein shakes or do they have too much sugar? When I can't sleep I have decaffinated green tea that seems to help relax me and helps me fall asleep. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day and good luck on your insomnia.
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mpkpbk2015 wrote: »Have you experienced any of.the side effects in the link when u cut carbs down in your food program
No, but other than perhaps the irritability one or cravings (which both seem like they depend on whether your way of eating works for you) they mostly seem related to keto. Even when I briefly tried keto, I didn't experience most of them, but I ate a lot of vegetables still, so a decent amount of fiber. Much of what is mentioned sounds like keto flu (which is temporary and can be addressed if you focus on electrolytes) or the adjustment period (I run and definitely felt a difference for 10 days or so). I do think keto levels can impact certain kinds of athletic performance negatively, at least for many people, but one can do "low carb" that is still not near keto levels of carbs.2 -
I cut back on carbs when I'm cutting weight, namely because it's an easy way to cut back on calories, and I don't log or calorie count. It's nowhere near the extremes of keto though. More like I'll have one slice of toast with breakfast instead of two...skip deserts...maybe skip the starch with lunch or dinner (not usually both)...stuff like that. Keto would be far too extreme for me and frankly a diet of mostly fat is pretty unappealing to me.
It would make sense that people would experience those negative effects given that ketones are really the human body's all else fails backup plan so you won't die in the absence of carbohydrates. Constipation makes sense because adherents to the keto diet are often very low on fiber...they get some from veg and the very limited amount of fruit they could eat, but those numbers are pretty low compared to the fiber you get from things like oats and other whole grains, legumes, lentils, root vegetables, etc...none of which you can really have in any meaningful quantity on a keto diet. To that end, keto is extremely restrictive as to what you can eat. That would be very difficult for me to adhere to just in my day to day eating, never mind going out or social occasions.
The rapid weight loss initially experienced by keto adherents is largely water...every gram of carbohydrate holds roughly 4 grams of water...so cutting carbs to keto levels is going to result in a very large water dump. It's not particularly unusual to see someone start keto and drop 10 Lbs in a week or so. The flip side to that is when you get to whatever arbitrary goal weight that has been set and you go off keto, you're going to put those same 10 Lbs back on right away. This massive water dump is also what is responsible for "keto flu" as it results in major electrolyte imbalances that will eventually correct, but the immediacy of that initial drop is too much for the body to handle and keep things balanced out in the short run. To minimize these symptoms, it is usually recommended to significantly increase sodium.
Keto was originally a medical diet for epileptic patients. One of my aunts was epileptic and on a keto diet for most of her life and it certainly didn't appear to be a particularly enjoyable way to eat. She also ended up with heart disease in her mid 40s due to the high fat content presumably. She ultimately succumbed to a brain tumor in her early 50s...nothing to do with keto, but I throw that out there because there are some keto zealots who make all kinds of claims about the diet, including curing cancer...which in this case, it obviously didn't.
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mpkpbk2015 wrote: »Have you experienced any of.the side effects in the link when u cut carbs down in your food program
No, but other than perhaps the irritability one or cravings (which both seem like they depend on whether your way of eating works for you) they mostly seem related to keto. Even when I briefly tried keto, I didn't experience most of them, but I ate a lot of vegetables still, so a decent amount of fiber. Much of what is mentioned sounds like keto flu (which is temporary and can be addressed if you focus on electrolytes) or the adjustment period (I run and definitely felt a difference for 10 days or so). I do think keto levels can impact certain kinds of athletic performance negatively, at least for many people, but one can do "low carb" that is still not near keto levels of carbs.
Thank you learning so much. Appreciate your insights and sharing of your experience. Have a great day. 1 -
I only ketoed in pre-contest dieting. 16 weeks long. And with the exceptions of headaches, I dealt with all the above. HATED DIETING FOR CONTESTS.mpkpbk2015 wrote: »I read this article at this link https://www.eatthis.com/giving-up-carbs-side-effects-news/
that talks about possible side effects of giving up carbs to shed pounds which include irritability, headaches, constipation, weakness, food cravings, keto flu (flu like symptoms).
If you gave up or significantly reduced your carbs, or are doing keto - What has been your experience. Please share.
And after a contest was over, I'd go have the celebratory post-contest gorge of pizza, burgers, and ice cream. The next day I could be 10-15lbs heavier because of all the low carbing previously.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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mpkpbk2015 wrote: »While I haven't "given up" carbs, I have drastically cut down the last several weeks (no added sugar, dairy, beans or lentils, baked goods, very limited bread). I am always hungry. My inflammation has definitely gone down, and knee mobility has improved. No change to my insomnia or sleep quality (thus why I am posting at 4 AM). I have lost quite a bit of weight, but mostly because I have a hard time some days meeting my calorie goal and finding things I want eat. I am getting way too many calories from fat (usually 50%+) and it is generally an unpleasant way to eat for me.
Are you doing a modified Paleo diet ? Do you supplement with Protein shakes or do they have too much sugar? When I can't sleep I have decaffinated green tea that seems to help relax me and helps me fall asleep. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day and good luck on your insomnia.
I am doing it for medical reasons to try to get off the meds I was taking - not sure what it is called I just have a list of what to eat and not - it’s very low carb and low sugar. It’s supposed to be anti inflammatory. I have been taking a protein shake the last few days.2 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I cut back on carbs when I'm cutting weight, namely because it's an easy way to cut back on calories, and I don't log or calorie count. It's nowhere near the extremes of keto though. More like I'll have one slice of toast with breakfast instead of two...skip deserts...maybe skip the starch with lunch or dinner (not usually both)...stuff like that. Keto would be far too extreme for me and frankly a diet of mostly fat is pretty unappealing to me.
It would make sense that people would experience those negative effects given that ketones are really the human body's all else fails backup plan so you won't die in the absence of carbohydrates. Constipation makes sense because adherents to the keto diet are often very low on fiber...they get some from veg and the very limited amount of fruit they could eat, but those numbers are pretty low compared to the fiber you get from things like oats and other whole grains, legumes, lentils, root vegetables, etc...none of which you can really have in any meaningful quantity on a keto diet. To that end, keto is extremely restrictive as to what you can eat. That would be very difficult for me to adhere to just in my day to day eating, never mind going out or social occasions.
The rapid weight loss initially experienced by keto adherents is largely water...every gram of carbohydrate holds roughly 4 grams of water...so cutting carbs to keto levels is going to result in a very large water dump. It's not particularly unusual to see someone start keto and drop 10 Lbs in a week or so. The flip side to that is when you get to whatever arbitrary goal weight that has been set and you go off keto, you're going to put those same 10 Lbs back on right away. This massive water dump is also what is responsible for "keto flu" as it results in major electrolyte imbalances that will eventually correct, but the immediacy of that initial drop is too much for the body to handle and keep things balanced out in the short run. To minimize these symptoms, it is usually recommended to significantly increase sodium.
Keto was originally a medical diet for epileptic patients. One of my aunts was epileptic and on a keto diet for most of her life and it certainly didn't appear to be a particularly enjoyable way to eat. She also ended up with heart disease in her mid 40s due to the high fat content presumably. She ultimately succumbed to a brain tumor in her early 50s...nothing to do with keto, but I throw that out there because there are some keto zealots who make all kinds of claims about the diet, including curing cancer...which in this case, it obviously didn't.
Very insightful information - much better than the original article I read that lead me to post & to ask about the question I posted. Thank you very much. Which just confirms to me it's not about dieting it's about healthy choices and going the distance. 1 -
I used to do very low carb a long time back...staying below 20g carbs ( not net) and I lost a lot of weight and had great self control...didnt feel hungry at all. Then I got pregnant and Of course I couldn't sustain it then...and after I had my baby, with the stress and lack of sleep and focus, It was a rollercoaster and I ended up eating all the carbs and gained back everything and even more! Now I'm trying to keep it around 100g...but I still feel a huge lack of control. I think keeping my protein higher has helped with no side effects. I prefer salty and spicy food so sweets arent really a problem for me, but I love carbs way too much...not really sure how to stay within calorie deficit because of that! It's a daily struggle. If I eat a bit of rice I want ALL OF IT.2
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mpkpbk2015 wrote: »I read this article at this link https://www.eatthis.com/giving-up-carbs-side-effects-news/
that talks about possible side effects of giving up carbs to shed pounds which include irritability, headaches, constipation, weakness, food cravings, keto flu (flu like symptoms).
If you gave up or significantly reduced your carbs, or are doing keto - What has been your experience. Please share.
Speaking only for myself here:
I myself do a low carb and low cal diet when cutting every spring. (Generally about 30lbs in 4-5 months) For me personally, it's the easiest way to do it for me. For myself, I find the more rigid the routine, the easier it is for me to follow. Of course, Low carb is generally not a sustainable diet for most. But it has it's place in the restrictive diet regime for many.
I myself haven't had any issues with "Keto Flu", as was said be others this is likely due to the sudden stoppage of sugar intake. I can be a bit "floaty" (brain fog) for the 1st week though.
The 1st chunk of weight that comes off is indeed water, but there's no magic here, no formula needed. Most ppl when they do keto or any diet for that matter increase their water consumption in a big way. The more water you consume, the less water you retain. It's that simple. The evidence for this has been born out in countless studies. I myself drink 3-4 litres of water a day. Whether I'm dieting or not.
In terms of constipation: Certainly if you're not consuming enough greens etc, this can be an issue. It's has not been for me personally, however I do supplement with bulk Psyllium Husk. You can get at most Health Food stores in bulk and it's cheap. Coupled with salads I eat with every meal.
In terms of Keto being restrictive; All diets are restrictive by design. It's how they work. That being said, the best "diet" is the one you can stick to! If it's low cal, low carb, Carb Cycling, Intermittent Fasting, or whatever. You're only going to get out of it what you put into it. You're either dedicated to your cause, or you're not.
Ultimately it's all about moderation, and healthy choices. Cutting out refined sugar, bread, packaged food etc, is only going to be a positive for us.
Hope this helps in some small way. Regardless of our own experiences, I am sure we all want to see each other succeed in our goals.
Thanks for sharing everyone.
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11Templars wrote: »mpkpbk2015 wrote: »I read this article at this link https://www.eatthis.com/giving-up-carbs-side-effects-news/
that talks about possible side effects of giving up carbs to shed pounds which include irritability, headaches, constipation, weakness, food cravings, keto flu (flu like symptoms).
If you gave up or significantly reduced your carbs, or are doing keto - What has been your experience. Please share.
Speaking only for myself here:
I myself do a low carb and low cal diet when cutting every spring. (Generally about 30lbs in 4-5 months) For me personally, it's the easiest way to do it for me. For myself, I find the more rigid the routine, the easier it is for me to follow. Of course, Low carb is generally not a sustainable diet for most. But it has it's place in the restrictive diet regime for many.
I myself haven't had any issues with "Keto Flu", as was said be others this is likely due to the sudden stoppage of sugar intake. I can be a bit "floaty" (brain fog) for the 1st week though.
The 1st chunk of weight that comes off is indeed water, but there's no magic here, no formula needed. Most ppl when they do keto or any diet for that matter increase their water consumption in a big way. The more water you consume, the less water you retain. It's that simple. The evidence for this has been born out in countless studies. I myself drink 3-4 litres of water a day. Whether I'm dieting or not.
In terms of constipation: Certainly if you're not consuming enough greens etc, this can be an issue. It's has not been for me personally, however I do supplement with bulk Psyllium Husk. You can get at most Health Food stores in bulk and it's cheap. Coupled with salads I eat with every meal.
In terms of Keto being restrictive; All diets are restrictive by design. It's how they work. That being said, the best "diet" is the one you can stick to! If it's low cal, low carb, Carb Cycling, Intermittent Fasting, or whatever. You're only going to get out of it what you put into it. You're either dedicated to your cause, or you're not.
Ultimately it's all about moderation, and healthy choices. Cutting out refined sugar, bread, packaged food etc, is only going to be a positive for us.
Hope this helps in some small way. Regardless of our own experiences, I am sure we all want to see each other succeed in our goals.
Thanks for sharing everyone.
Thank you - very well put - eating like life you get out of it what you put into it. Yes, what you said helped me tremendously put things into prespective as I read and reread your post. Have a great day. And thank you for sharing. 👍1 -
SunnyBunBun79 wrote: »I used to do very low carb a long time back...staying below 20g carbs ( not net) and I lost a lot of weight and had great self control...didnt feel hungry at all. Then I got pregnant and Of course I couldn't sustain it then...and after I had my baby, with the stress and lack of sleep and focus, It was a rollercoaster and I ended up eating all the carbs and gained back everything and even more! Now I'm trying to keep it around 100g...but I still feel a huge lack of control. I think keeping my protein higher has helped with no side effects. I prefer salty and spicy food so sweets arent really a problem for me, but I love carbs way too much...not really sure how to stay within calorie deficit because of that! It's a daily struggle. If I eat a bit of rice I want ALL OF IT.
Thank you so much for sharing, you are not alone in your struggle. I am helped with mine by blogging about it and with my accountability friends. But I still struggle or I wouldn't be here. Good luck on your journey and Peace be with you.🌹0 -
I have never even attempted low-carb as it's something I could never maintain long-term. Also, not all carbs are created equal, so it's always odd to me how healthier carbs like broccoli and quinoa, for example, get lumped in with Twinkies.
Having said that, I eat a lot less refined carbs or "white" foods than I used to, mainly because I think they're more filling.3 -
Speakeasy76 wrote: »I have never even attempted low-carb as it's something I could never maintain long-term. Also, not all carbs are created equal, so it's always odd to me how healthier carbs like broccoli and quinoa, for example, get lumped in with Twinkies.
Having said that, I eat a lot less refined carbs or "white" foods than I used to, mainly because I think they're more filling.
Thank you for your insight and pointing that distinction out, I don't know why they lump them all in the same category either. Have a wonderful afternoon.✔3 -
My nutritionist told me to lower my carbs but said our brains need some carbs to work efficiently. She said to remember healthy carbs come from fruit etc. Not doughnuts and candy. Lol She had my number for sure.2
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My nutritionist told me to lower my carbs but said our brains need some carbs to work efficiently. She said to remember healthy carbs come from fruit etc. Not doughnuts and candy. Lol She had my number for sure.
Yea there are good and bad carbs for sure. She sounds like my mom. Thanks for sharing. Have a good evening. 1 -
Speakeasy76 wrote: »I have never even attempted low-carb as it's something I could never maintain long-term. Also, not all carbs are created equal, so it's always odd to me how healthier carbs like broccoli and quinoa, for example, get lumped in with Twinkies.
I don't think they are. For low carbing, broccoli fits in fine (unless one is a big veg eater like me and struggling with some of the claimed keto requirements, but one can easily low carb and include any non starchy veg like broccoli, and if someone is low carbing I'd push them to get most carbs from non starchy veg). If one is merely low carbing and not trying to hit keto numbers, one can also fit in whole grains and whole food starchy carbs and the like. I think claims that quinoa is somehow superior to those foods are wrong (I think quinoa is fine but often overrated, but it would similarly fit). I'd classify Twinkies with dessert type junk foods that should be generally minimized and aren't that tasty anyway, but that would have little to do with low carbing--I'd say the same if not low carbing. And I don't know about Twinkies since I think there are way too many far superior dessert type foods (like gelato), but most of it is fat+carbs and weird to classify as simply "carbs." I like this very dark chocolate that is low sugar and carb but high cal and, well, a low nutrient dessert food, so even when low carbing I limit it.5 -
Speakeasy76 wrote: »I have never even attempted low-carb as it's something I could never maintain long-term. Also, not all carbs are created equal, so it's always odd to me how healthier carbs like broccoli and quinoa, for example, get lumped in with Twinkies.
I don't think they are. For low carbing, broccoli fits in fine (unless one is a big veg eater like me and struggling with some of the claimed keto requirements, but one can easily low carb and include any non starchy veg like broccoli, and if someone is low carbing I'd push them to get most carbs from non starchy veg). If one is merely low carbing and not trying to hit keto numbers, one can also fit in whole grains and whole food starchy carbs and the like. I think claims that quinoa is somehow superior to those foods are wrong (I think quinoa is fine but often overrated, but it would similarly fit). I'd classify Twinkies with dessert type junk foods that should be generally minimized and aren't that tasty anyway, but that would have little to do with low carbing--I'd say the same if not low carbing. And I don't know about Twinkies since I think there are way too many far superior dessert type foods (like gelato), but most of it is fat+carbs and weird to classify as simply "carbs." I like this very dark chocolate that is low sugar and carb but high cal and, well, a low nutrient dessert food, so even when low carbing I limit it.
not to but in - but I think Twinkies are waste of dessert calories. If your gonna have dessert have something that at least taste like something other than cardboard with filling. Just my humble opinion. Sorry just had to say that now I will go away. Night ladies. 2 -
No need to give up carbs. Track your calories, exercise a bit and have a bit of what you like so its sustainable. No fad will stick as a lifestyle change.1
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elmusho1989 wrote: »No need to give up carbs. Track your calories, exercise a bit and have a bit of what you like so its sustainable. No fad will stick as a lifestyle change.
Right on - Fads come and go. There's a new diet, diet pill, challenge, cleanse every year. It's a billion dollar industry. And the only winners are the people inventing the newest thing. 👍
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