No carb dieting and maintaining caloric intake

making89

Hello everyone, I am having a major issue. I am going through a physician directed weight loss and am now going through the ketosis process which limits the intake of carbs. I lost 4 pounds the first week but was told that I didn't lose more because I wasn't eating enough. For some reason I cannot develop a menu to take in at least 1200-1300 calories without carbs. Can someone help????

inlander

What is your fat intake supposed to look like?

Breakfast can be some kind of eggs, egg whites, or an omelet with peppers and mushrooms and veggies and lean or fatty meat.
Lunch can be a salad with lots of dark greens, more veggies, a hard boiled egg, oil and vinegar for a dressing, and a grilled chicken breast on top.
Dinner can be whatever you want with a side of veggies. I really like to make fresh green beans with onion and a slice of bacon for salt/flavor. They're great with a steak, chicken breast, meatloaf, whatever.

Super easy. Just pair a meat with a veggie and you're good to go.

Edit: Snacks in between should be something like celery sticks, cucumber slices, even something like pepperoni slices if you're allowed higher-fat items, although processed foods aren't the right way to go (ever).

mrmarius

i'm doing this for the next two weeks you can look at my diary, also i've been drinking with each meal green tea and i'm using stevia to sweeten it

stroutman81

Hello everyone, I am having a major issue. I am going through a physician directed weight loss and am now going through the ketosis process which limits the intake of carbs. I lost 4 pounds the first week but was told that I didn't lose more because I wasn't eating enough. For some reason I cannot develop a menu to take in at least 1200-1300 calories without carbs. Can someone help????

Obviously I'm not your doctor and my intent isn't to question his/her authority. For curiosity's sake though, I'm wondering why carbs are being eliminated? What was discovered in you that led to that recommendation?

Secondly, you do realize that you don't need to eat zero carbs to trigger ketosis, right?

Thirdly, hopefully you realize that ketosis doesn't really have any magical effects in terms of fat loss.

And lastly... and this is probably the most important... I assume you just recently started this diet. By what mechanism does your doc propose the lack of calories is leading to a plateau? And why doesn't that mechanism exist in the research that studies very low calorie diets? Or why doesn't that same logic apply to anorexics?

making89

Thanks, that's pretty much what I've been trying to do. My schedule makes it so hard to eat 3 meals and the snacks in a timely fashion, but I am going to do it!! Thanks for the feedback.

making89

Hi Steve, good questions. Let me qualify that I can eat some carbs. I've been told to stay between the 10-20 range. I think that the doctor feels that the lack of calories may be causing my body to go into starvation mode. The ultimate goal of the program is to teach proper eating habits. The carbs will be back in a couple of weeks, and hopefully by the end of the program I will understand and follow a healthy eating plan.

traceybarbour

Hello everyone, I am having a major issue. I am going through a physician directed weight loss and am now going through the ketosis process which limits the intake of carbs. I lost 4 pounds the first week but was told that I didn't lose more because I wasn't eating enough. For some reason I cannot develop a menu to take in at least 1200-1300 calories without carbs. Can someone help????

Obviously I'm not your doctor and my intent isn't to question his/her authority. For curiosity's sake though, I'm wondering why carbs are being eliminated? What was discovered in you that led to that recommendation?

Secondly, you do realize that you don't need to eat zero carbs to trigger ketosis, right?

Thirdly, hopefully you realize that ketosis doesn't really have any magical effects in terms of fat loss.

And lastly... and this is probably the most important... I assume you just recently started this diet. By what mechanism does your doc propose the lack of calories is leading to a plateau? And why doesn't that mechanism exist in the research that studies very low calorie diets? Or why doesn't that same logic apply to anorexics?

you Rock Steve!

making89

Thanks for your response. I did get a couple of meal ideas from your diary. The biggest problem I found was the number of carbs in a few of the items. For the next few weeks I am to stick to 10-20g per day. Thanks for helping, I've already started a grocery list.

stroutman81

Hi Steve, good questions. Let me qualify that I can eat some carbs. I've been told to stay between the 10-20 range. I think that the doctor feels that the lack of calories may be causing my body to go into starvation mode. The ultimate goal of the program is to teach proper eating habits. The carbs will be back in a couple of weeks, and hopefully by the end of the program I will understand and follow a healthy eating plan.

Starvation mode does not work like this. At all. And there are reams of research that backs this up.

I'm sorry, but using extreme dieting tactics to "teach" proper eating habits seems very counter intuitive.

I probably shouldn't pike my head in here, since I'm generally hesitant to refute people who are under the supervision of a doc. But in my experience, which you can take for what it's worth, a number of things aren't adding up here.

_GlaDOS_

I have no suggestions for eating so little carbs, but my advice here would be to get a second opinion on this type of diet from a nutritionist, dietitian, or even just a different doctor.

stroutman81

I have no suggestions for eating so little carbs, but my advice here would be to get a second opinion on this type of diet from a nutritionist, dietitian, or even just a different doctor.

I concur. If you're going to rely on a medical professional to design a diet, I'd refer to a dietitian.

aab2011

Hello everyone, I am having a major issue. I am going through a physician directed weight loss and am now going through the ketosis process which limits the intake of carbs. I lost 4 pounds the first week but was told that I didn't lose more because I wasn't eating enough. For some reason I cannot develop a menu to take in at least 1200-1300 calories without carbs. Can someone help????

Obviously I'm not your doctor and my intent isn't to question his/her authority. For curiosity's sake though, I'm wondering why carbs are being eliminated? What was discovered in you that led to that recommendation?

Secondly, you do realize that you don't need to eat zero carbs to trigger ketosis, right?

Thirdly, hopefully you realize that ketosis doesn't really have any magical effects in terms of fat loss.

And lastly... and this is probably the most important... I assume you just recently started this diet. By what mechanism does your doc propose the lack of calories is leading to a plateau? And why doesn't that mechanism exist in the research that studies very low calorie diets? Or why doesn't that same logic apply to anorexics?

I am doing a similar diet plan and I get into ketosis easily. I can eat 20-25 g of carb and got into ketosis and stay there, so that is false information. Being in Ketosis has allowed me to lose 17lbs of fat and no muscle. But the lack of calories shouldn't be causing you not to lose, right now I am only eating 750-800 calories and am still dropping. The first 2 weeks of my diet I didn't lose much, but after week 2 I kept dropping. I love the low carb lifestyle and will continue with it once I get to my goal weight.

With that said everyone's body is different and somethings to work the same as they do for others.

stroutman81

I am doing a similar diet plan and I get into ketosis easily. I can eat 20-25 g of carb and got into ketosis and stay there, so that is false information.

What exactly are you referring to being as false?

I never claimed that you can't get into ketosis easily.

I never claimed you can't eat carbs if you want to be in ketosis.

I suggest going back and rereading what you quoted from me.

Being in Ketosis has allowed me to lose 17lbs of fat and no muscle.

Just to let you know, I'm not speaking as a matter of opinion here. I've researched the ketogenic pathways relationship to fat loss extensively and the available data doesn't show there being any sort of metabolic advantage to being in a ketogenic state.

Correlation is not causation.

It may have helped you control calories, which directly resulted in you losing weight. But if you could have found a way for you to control your calorie intake without the ketosis, you also would have lost your weight.

Please know that I'm not knocking your diet and your results. That's great that you've succeeded. I'm simply maintaining the integrity of information here.

Acg67

Hi Steve, good questions. Let me qualify that I can eat some carbs. I've been told to stay between the 10-20 range. I think that the doctor feels that the lack of calories may be causing my body to go into starvation mode. The ultimate goal of the program is to teach proper eating habits. The carbs will be back in a couple of weeks, and hopefully by the end of the program I will understand and follow a healthy eating plan.

Starvation mode does not work like this. At all. And there are reams of research that backs this up.

I'm sorry, but using extreme dieting tactics to "teach" proper eating habits seems very counter intuitive.

I probably shouldn't pike my head in here, since I'm generally hesitant to refute people who are under the supervision of a doc. But in my experience, which you can take for what it's worth, a number of things aren't adding up here.

imo the only legit reason for a doc to suggest such a diet would be if the op was morbidly obese and put on a doc supervised PSMF

whatwentwrong

i'm on low-carb too, and sometimes have trouble reaching my goals i eat a lot of eggs, cheese, and nuts- both cheese and nuts have some carbs, so if your carbs are that low then eat them sparingly. i've been trying to get all my meals up to at least 300 calories a piece, and then have 300 calories extra for in-between meal snacks

stroutman81

Hi Steve, good questions. Let me qualify that I can eat some carbs. I've been told to stay between the 10-20 range. I think that the doctor feels that the lack of calories may be causing my body to go into starvation mode. The ultimate goal of the program is to teach proper eating habits. The carbs will be back in a couple of weeks, and hopefully by the end of the program I will understand and follow a healthy eating plan.

Starvation mode does not work like this. At all. And there are reams of research that backs this up.

I'm sorry, but using extreme dieting tactics to "teach" proper eating habits seems very counter intuitive.

I probably shouldn't pike my head in here, since I'm generally hesitant to refute people who are under the supervision of a doc. But in my experience, which you can take for what it's worth, a number of things aren't adding up here.

imo the only legit reason for a doc to suggest such a diet would be if the op was morbidly obese and put on a doc supervised PSMF

Yup, that's one possibility. But even then, the doc's information about starvation mode is flat our wrong.

ninjanoni83

You've gotta watch those low carb and no carb diets. Your brain need atleast 100 carbs, daily, just to function properly. Have you started feeling sick or having a malaise? It's your body telling you that your not consuming enough of something it needs, plus once your brain gets into that mode it turns on fat storing mode and holds on to everything you eat. It thinks there is like a starvation and it needs to hold on to everything for use at a future time. Using this website offers you a healthy amount of carbs and everything to keep yourself balanced. Just be careful with all that low carb stuff. I was on the adkins diet for like 8-9 months and when I went to a nutritionist she told me I had been basically starving my body form things it needs.

aab2011

stroutman81 - Sorry reread the post. I thought you said you need to eat zero carbs to get into ketosis. I apologize, this is what happens when you chase a 7 month old around all day you go cross eyed.

I have actually tried many different calorie levels before and nothing worked untill I dropped the carbs. So for me it has something to do with the carbs. I could eat 1200 cals or 800 cals with carbs and not drop a pound. This is just my personal experience.

stroutman81

You've gotta watch those low carb and no carb diets. Your brain need atleast 100 carbs, daily, just to function properly. Have you started feeling sick or having a malaise? It's your body telling you that your not consuming enough of something it needs, plus once your brain gets into that mode it turns on fat storing mode and holds on to everything you eat. It thinks there is like a starvation and it needs to hold on to everything for use at a future time. Using this website offers you a healthy amount of carbs and everything to keep yourself balanced. Just be careful with all that low carb stuff. I was on the adkins diet for like 8-9 months and when I went to a nutritionist she told me I had been basically starving my body form things it needs.

Your brain needs glucose. Not carbs. And it can derive this glucose from non-carb sources. There's no such thing as an essential carbohydrate.

And no, starvation mode does not work like that.

aab2011

I have been doing about 20-30 carbs a day for over 8 weeks now and do not feel anything like pp said before. I have way more energy, I stay fuller longer, and have been dropping weight consisitenly.

stroutman81

stroutman81 - Sorry reread the post. I thought you said you need to eat zero carbs to get into ketosis. I apologize, this is what happens when you chase a 7 month old around all day you go cross eyed.

Haha, I know it well. I've a 15 month old who's a holy terror.

I have actually tried many different calorie levels before and nothing worked untill I dropped the carbs. So for me it has something to do with the carbs. I could eat 1200 cals or 800 cals with carbs and not drop a pound. This is just my personal experience.

I don't really want to dive into that as it would detract from the thread but two thoughts:

1. It could have something to do with the carbs but not the ketosis. It could have something to do with insulin resistance and the fact that the lower carbs led to lower circulating levels of insulin helped you.

2. If you were eating 800 calories per day, each and every day, assuming you have no medical conditions screwing with metabolic rate, that would imply that your body is producing/maintaining energy out of thin air. Your body tissues are stored forms of energy. If you need X number of calories and you're consistently consuming WELL below X... something has to give eventually.

That or there's something magical going on and your body holds the key to all the world's energy shortage crises!



Possibly something to do with the car