Thinking to do Low carb...advice please

Finallyfit1976

Hi guys,

I lost about 65 pounds in 1 year and half and now with watching my intake and working out 3-5 days a week ( ~ 45 minutes) I suffer from a horrible plateau for more than a year now.

SW: 229
last summer: 165
Now: 165
Height: 5 7"

So I'm thinking to shake things up and do low carb to reach my ultimate goal which is 148

Do you recommend that for me? and if yes, what kind of low carb diet that you recommend??

Thanks in advance

NOha

mydeloo78

Can you open your diary so we can look?

easto_79

well first of all, amazing work at getting the weight off and keeping it off. I would suggest exercise and maybe looking at fat %, it seems not a horrible weight for your height, what is your goal weight?

emmaedwards7528610

It's the only diet that works for me. Also keeps my IBS under control. I do eat some carbs but only wholegrain or complex carbs (such as sweet potatoes), and only in the mornings. I also eat lots of fruit in the mornings, which is actually full of sugar, but without it I find a carb free diet leaves you pretty bunged up!!

Still make the bulk of your meals fresh veggies and salads, and then add in good quality proteins (not processed meat and cheese), and don't be afraid of good fats like coconut oil, avocados and nuts (nuts will also add in good fibre, make sure they are raw and unsalted).

Avoid eating carbs in the evenings like the plague, going to bed on a bowl of pasta or mound of mash is going to seriously slow down a diet. Also avoid any sugary drinks, keep booze low and watch out for added sugar (in most processed foods).

I am not a nutritionist and this is only based on my own experiences of weight-loss tried and tested over the years, so you may want to check with someone more professional before you do it

If I stick to these rules I can usually maintain a healthy weight and keep tummy bloat to a minimum, I also snack less as the protein keeps me feeling full and my blood sugar levels don't crash.

jsuaccounting

I like low carb and have really good energy levels with it. However, after losing my initial weight, I haven't lost much this year - just maintaining (which is ok for me). Low carb also helps with some skin issues and with keeping your blood sugar and insulin levels steady. Good luck - hopefully, you will get some good advice and not a lot of flamers.

Finallyfit1976

Well, I haven't posted in here recently but I calculate everything I'm eating and burning about 400-600 a day. I follow " myfitness pal" guidance in calorie recommended.

Finallyfit1976

easto_79 : my fat % is the same for the past year, my goal weight is 148

danofthedead1979

hi, have you tried decreasing your calorie intake? or increasing/changing your exercise/activity level?
i dont see how decreasing carbs will help you lose fat. it will probably help you lose weight. but losing body fat and losing weight are two different things.

auntiebabs

All of your foods fall into 1 or more of 3 macro nutrient categories
FATS • CARBS • PROTIENS
... I personally think it's unwise to severely restrict any one of these categories.
Instead of eliminating or limiting the amount focus on the quality...

Eat...
HAPPY FATS (Plant and fish based)
COMPLEX CARBS (unprocessed or minimally processed)
LEAN PROTEINS

emmaedwards7528610

hi, have you tried decreasing your calorie intake? or increasing/changing your exercise/activity level?
i dont see how decreasing carbs will help you lose fat. it will probably help you lose weight. but losing body fat and losing weight are two different things.

If you eat carbs and don't burn them off straight away they turn to glucose in your body, which is then stored as fat.

Eating more protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer as it takes longer to digest (plus nutritionally we need protein for cell repair) so you're less likely to need to snack or eat big portions, therefore easier to eat less calories. Eating protein and fruit/veg and avoiding carbs/sugar also helps stablise your blood sugar so you don't get those slumps in the day where you reach for a snack. Once you cut out carbs and refined sugar you stop craving it so much.

Also gaining muscle helps you burn fat, and you need protein for muscle repair?

I may be wrong on all this. Although I am outwardly quite lean and I've lost a bit of weight, my fat% is still quite high at the moment so I may have to reassess myself.

danofthedead1979

hi, have you tried decreasing your calorie intake? or increasing/changing your exercise/activity level?
i dont see how decreasing carbs will help you lose fat. it will probably help you lose weight. but losing body fat and losing weight are two different things.

If you eat carbs and don't burn them off straight away they turn to glucose in your body, which is then stored as fat.

Eating more protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer as it takes longer to digest (plus nutritionally we need protein for cell repair) so you're less likely to need to snack or eat big portions, therefore easier to eat less calories. Eating protein and fruit/veg and avoiding carbs/sugar also helps stablise your blood sugar so you don't get those slumps in the day where you reach for a snack. Once you cut out carbs and refined sugar you stop craving it so much.

Also gaining muscle helps you burn fat, and you need protein for muscle repair?

I may be wrong on all this. Although I am outwardly quite lean and I've lost a bit of weight, my fat% is still quite high at the moment so I may have to reassess myself.

your not wrong, but if you maintain a calorie deficit, the carbs you eat will be burned off anyway. there is no magical formula to losing weight. as far as i am concerned the only thing that matters as far as losing weight is calories in < calories out.
for me it doesn't matter what form those calories take, as long as you burn more than you consume. of course for some people eating certain foods will make this process easier, but i've personally found that eating a high protein diet seriously reduces my fibre intake which makes me constipated, and doesn't mean i lose more body fat anyway if i'm consuming the same calories. but protein foods do fill me up. i think finding a balance to get everything you need is better than cutting certain foods out altogether in the hope it will speed the process up.

inshapeeasy

Low carbs should mean moderate carbs. You never want to eliminate carbohydrates from your daily eating. We need carbs for energy, if you are low on carbs, you will begin to eat away at lean muscle mass. Be careful from doing this. I have a link here that you can visit to help you make some good food choices.


http://www.isefitness.com/eating-clean-healthy--meals