Considering Low Carb...help please

sassiebritches

I started doing Atkins in August with Dr.s blessing, my first week I lost 10lbs, following month I lost another 9 lbs, I back slid in October and November...I gained 1 pound back. I do eat somewhat carb conscience even when cheating...no refined sugars, flour, bread that stuff....but I may go up to 100 carbs in a day. I have always stayed about 1100 - 1800 calories a day. I do not eat lean, I do not eat low cal, I do not eat any calories from working out. I eat what I want, when I want as long as it is not over my daily carbs.....the first 2 weeks feel weird, and I had to watch my cheese and mushroom intake, cause it caused a systemic yeast issue that showed itself with a headache and stuffed up head....that soon went away when I dropped the daily cheese and mushrooms together. My hubby has also been doing this, he has lost 13lbs....we are starting back on the 14 day induction tonight.....I love low carb....

kdiamond

I also don't recommend low carb diets, your body needs carbs. Your body doesn't need grains though. That might be your answer...check out the Paleo diet. It is all whole foods, meats, fruits, veggies, nuts, but no grains or dairy (except eggs). I do a version of this but I eat a cup of dairy (in the form of yogurt or cottage cheese) a day. It is definitely good for shedding those last few "buffer" pounds.

heathersmilez

I'm just saying, if you eat 250g carbohydrates a day, and 80g protein...when you cut down to like 30g carbohydrates, you can't stay at 80g protein. It just won't work, your body needs a minimum amount of calories to function even in a catabolic state, you need calories to grow your skin, hair, nails, etc. The reason why people peak on low/no-carb diets is for this very reason, not because they're low in carb, but because they're eating almost no calories in general, and their metabolism plummets.

If you're on a diet that once you start eating normally again, you gain back like 10 lbs...there was something majorly wrong with that diet. If you're losing more than 2 lbs. a week, you're not even losing good weight to begin with. When you get down to your target weight and you still look fat and jiggly, you'll understand this folly better.

What about a reduction in carbs rather than being low-carb specific? I understand 40/30/30 is the recommended ratio for weight loss (carbs/fat/protein).

I put a whole bunch of food into my Friday diary to get to that ratio and got it as close to zero’ing out as possible (fiber is over by 13 but that’s ok and protein over by 9)

My diet would be 1190 calories, 126g carbs, 38g fiber, 42g fat, 104 g protein.

What do you think of the 40/30/30 balance?

BMillerDBQ77

I agree about not eating too few carbs. I have reduced the amount of carbs I'm eating by a large number (I ate what the average American eats- too many!) and have upped my intake of veg and meat. But I also give myself allowance to eat carbs about one day a week- things that I don't normally eat. I have lost an average of two pounds per week since mid-January to a total of 23 pounds. And I lost the most on the weeks I ate a high-carb item (like a small portion of chips). Just wish I bought more fish to round out my protein choices- can't get myself to eat salmon!

cgan

I also don't recommend low carb diets, your body needs carbs. Your body doesn't need grains though. That might be your answer...check out the Paleo diet. It is all whole foods, meats, fruits, veggies, nuts, but no grains or dairy (except eggs). I do a version of this but I eat a cup of dairy (in the form of yogurt or cottage cheese) a day. It is definitely good for shedding those last few "buffer" pounds.

Agreed (especially with the dairy... love greek yogurt for breakfast). Cutting out grains is an easy way to cut down on carbs, the extra space on your plate can be filled with a big pile of green veggies which not only have carbs necessary for functioning but are more nutrient dense and filling than grains.