Low carb-good or bad?
beths4kids
Posts: 22
Hello there!
Notice I didn't start my question with the word "diet" in it? I believe that the approach should be more life style change than diet.
My question is this: I recently ran into a friend who was never really fat but was like me, gaining a few (20) pounds due to slowing down and getting older, and probably hormones, too. My husband and I argued that my wine intake was totally to blame for my weight gain. However, I haven't had any wine in about two week and still haven't lost one pound. I ran into this friend, who was now, "high school" skinny. When I inquired as to how she got this way, she said that she and her husband had been eating low carb for the past year. Now I was thinking she must have meant strictly meat and vegetables. But this wasn't the case. She was eating bacon, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, eggs, peanut butter from a spoon, cheese cubes, onion rings and NO ALCOHOL. Now I didn't run right out and start eating a bunch of fried meats, but I have had some bacon here and there and tonight I had some chicken wings and some veggies. After logging my food into MFP, I did go over my 1200 calories by only 50 calories or so, but what was surprising, was that I only had eaten 37 carbs for the day. From what Ive read, this is around where you wanna stay in order to get into ketosis and lose weight. However, this goes against EVERYTHING I have ever learned about nutrition and weight loss. And honestly, I'm scared! What if I only get fatter? Would love some input on this subject, especially by anyone who has done this kind of eating and lost weight. Both my parents have been eating low carb (they're very bland version) for about month and both have lost roughly 20 lbs. But I don't want to do something, especially if its bland, b/c I know I won't stick with it
Notice I didn't start my question with the word "diet" in it? I believe that the approach should be more life style change than diet.
My question is this: I recently ran into a friend who was never really fat but was like me, gaining a few (20) pounds due to slowing down and getting older, and probably hormones, too. My husband and I argued that my wine intake was totally to blame for my weight gain. However, I haven't had any wine in about two week and still haven't lost one pound. I ran into this friend, who was now, "high school" skinny. When I inquired as to how she got this way, she said that she and her husband had been eating low carb for the past year. Now I was thinking she must have meant strictly meat and vegetables. But this wasn't the case. She was eating bacon, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, eggs, peanut butter from a spoon, cheese cubes, onion rings and NO ALCOHOL. Now I didn't run right out and start eating a bunch of fried meats, but I have had some bacon here and there and tonight I had some chicken wings and some veggies. After logging my food into MFP, I did go over my 1200 calories by only 50 calories or so, but what was surprising, was that I only had eaten 37 carbs for the day. From what Ive read, this is around where you wanna stay in order to get into ketosis and lose weight. However, this goes against EVERYTHING I have ever learned about nutrition and weight loss. And honestly, I'm scared! What if I only get fatter? Would love some input on this subject, especially by anyone who has done this kind of eating and lost weight. Both my parents have been eating low carb (they're very bland version) for about month and both have lost roughly 20 lbs. But I don't want to do something, especially if its bland, b/c I know I won't stick with it
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Replies
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Eat fat to lose fat while keeping carbs and insulin in check. It's as simple as that, I don't even count calories.0
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Hi! Everyone's different and here's some pix
of one man's LCHF way of eating:
http://tinyurl.com/pxywkcg
Welcome, too!0 -
You can see for yourself that eating what you did, you still were at 1250 calories (which is pretty low, and given you don't have much to lose, you may want to adjust your settings to give yourself more wiggle room...what is your weekly loss goal?) so you shouldn't gain if you're honest about your logging.
You are on a forum that has people that eat keto and low carb, so you will hear probably all good things. I eat this way for me because I stay full and I see results (which is why I think many people stick with it). People think its so hard and "you shouldn't cut out entire food groups" but honestly, there is no need to eat bread, chips, etc. They taste good, but the problem comes when its time to stop at the serving you allotted yourself and you proceed to eat the whole bag of chips or sleeve of Oreos.
Another thing I like about low carb is the energy I feel. I feel more alert and energetic, after even a day or so I notice the difference. You might feel the "carb flu" and people feel sick or tired when first starting low carb but if you get through it (which like I said I never had that issue and I'm assuming I'm not the only one), you'll see results.
Will I never eat a donut again? No, those things are delicious, but through trial and error, I have found for myself that low carb is the best way for me to eat, while not beating myself up if I have a piece of cake on my birthday. The struggle is after that going back to low carb and not having the mindset "well, I already screwed up, might as well have a big mac and chocolate shake" which can happen with any way of eating.0 -
Well I started it to get control over my long time diabetes (7.9 HgbA1c while on maximum Metformin dosing) and I have! Feel free to read my profile to get the details. My husband is now down 48 lbs of which he lost 37 on LCHF just since Father's Day (less than 2 months) without exercising and I am now down 24 lbs but mine is much slower being a diabetic with menopausal hormones and being female (lots of complicating factors for me personally).
We will N E V E R go back to eating grains or any carb loaded anything ever again in our lives because it is what ruined our health in the first place. We LOVE eating this way (see my profile again) and I tell people when contemplating dietary changes to stand in front of a mirror and look at themselves while they consider what their dietary composition has been then decide whether they are happy with the results looking back at them. If you are not, then obviously what you are doing didn't work well and you need to adjust something. It really is a sleuthing game.
Also, in my profile I list some essential reference materials that you should get for both you and your parent's sake so you understand what it is all about, how to do things properly and safely (especially for the geriatric or on medication population) . It is a fascinating area of nutrition science and you will see how very duped and used the public has been by big food and big pharma. It is far more despicable than what big tobacco did because everyone eats.
Our energy is through the roof and brain clarity is fabulous! My glucose levels are normal now and no medications. I no longer have GERD, IBS or aches, pains and stiff muscles. My husband just had a lipid panel and his markers ALL improved with his total being only 119, LDL dropped and is converting to "fluffy" large particles (VERY good) , triglycerides dropped (carbs make them go up), HDL increased and his ratio dropped to Excellent. He is hypertensive and already stepping down his meds for that and sees far better results so far than 6 years ago when he dropped 60 pounds by biking to work every day (he had gained it all back eating, you guessed it, lots of carb laden foods). If this lifestyle protocol (I don't call it a diet either even though a diet is what you consume and a weight loss diet it temporary- too many people confuse those) can do that with less weight loss and without the exercise, imagine what it will do when he gets that fully back in gear! I get my blood work done next month and I can't wait until my endocrinologist and primary care physician see the results-mwuahhhhaaa!0 -
No! It's amazing! Like you I doubted what I was hearing at first as it was so opposite what I learned. I found www.dietdoctor.com/lchf and it put it all in perspective for me. Watch the video! It's long, but worth it and gives me so much fuel for when doubting Debbie's start harassing me. I started this way of eating officially on Friday. Started counting calories two weeks ago tomorrow. And started working out a month and a half ago. In two weeks I've lost 10.8 pounds as of today with about half just in the last few days! I know it's mostly water weight, but it took me about 2 months on ww to get here! I love the food and I've been able to turn sweets away, which I've always craved to distraction before. I have insulin resistance so I was always hungry after eating, but now I can go hours beyond what I used to even at a few days in. I'm lucky in that I didn't get carb flu, but I drink a butt ton of water and get my salt in. Now for me my goal is 50g or less total carbs but I'm still learning what to eat. As far as bland... Butter equals delicious lol.0
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She was eating bacon, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, eggs, peanut butter from a spoon, cheese cubes, onion rings and NO ALCOHOL.
I'd just like to point out that breaded fish sticks, chicken nuggets, and onion rings are not low carb unless made with alternatives to the breading.0
