low carb or not?

ereiam

So I've been watching what I eat since the middle of May. First, I did Medifast for two months. It was REALLY expensive and I was only eating around 800-1000 calories a day. I did lose a lot of weight though. Since then, I've been following a Medifast type plan that I've made on my own and lof here in mfp. I eat 6 meals a day. Four of them are Atkins bars or shakes and two of them are a protein and a vegetable. I've also started running. I'm still losing weight. I've lost 58 pounds since May. (I know, a lot to lose so quickly.)

My problem now is I am really sick of the blah of my diet. Plain chicken and salad get old day after day. Over the weekend, I went off my food plan and ate pizza and raisin bread. Nothing disastrous, just extra calories and carbs. I decided yesterday that I need to do something or I will get so sick of this diet that I give up altogether, and that is not an option. So I added some carbs in yesterday in the form of an apple and some All-Bran. And I gained a stinking pound.

I know if I stay with low carb, I will continue to lose. Do I stay with low carb and remind myself that it's temporary? Or do I try to add some more carbs back in and go for slower weight loss?

I would love to hear your opinions.

siabevis

Try to get ur carbs from mostly fruits, veggies, and whole wheat/grains. I typically eat low carb, but what really matters is the KIND of carbs u eat. Ur body NEEDS carbs for muscle growth and energy!

LovingMe19

bump

cheri868

Completely agree siabevis, I do exactly the same thing. I have started eating brown rice, whole wheat pasta and multigrain breads and wraps and I find that it really does make a difference.

sleepytexan

Low carb or not?


NOT.

blessings.

Eleisabelle

Adding carbs into your diet did not make you gain a whole pound. What it probably did is make you gain water weight. When you change your diet, that's how your body will often respond.

Introduce change slowly, and be patient with your body as it adjusts. It can take up to two weeks to normalize, but it will. Just keep within your calorie limit, but eat the foods you love. Otherwise, the lifestyle change that has brought you so much success will slip. The way to maintain weight loss is to make it feasible to continue long after the pounds and inches are gone.

Pocket_Pixi

once you lose low- carb its kind of a lifestyle, and not really temporary. You will add carbs in slowly but you will never beable to eat carbs like you used to or your weight will go back up.

I personally cannot do the atkins induction - it is way to restricted for me as I like my fruit. BUT I do low carb on my own, I eat between 50g - 100g net carbs a day and I find I am happy. I am losing weight - slowly but it is still losing, and I can still have the ocassional sandwich, or bread, or pasta if I want to have it - just not all the time or at every meal and as long as I plan for it.

There is tons of info out there - The Primal Blue Print, Paleo, Atkins, Spike etc. Whatever you choose you need to be happy with it forever. If you do not think you can do low-carb (which is a lot more than just plain chicken and salad btw) than I would look at switching plans. I know a lot of people who are against low carb, and a lot who are for low carb, both of which are successful and happy - the key is they have chosen their way of life based on their personal preferance and experience with the diets.

As for adding in carbs and gaining weight - chances are its a fluctiation from the weekend that has just caught up to you and it will go back down again.

noneya2010

I do best on low carb and am really watching my carbs, keeping it to less than 50 a day. It is getting boring because I feel like I eat the same things over and over. So I'm really trying to mix it up -- making soups, and incorporating some lower carb fruit and adding beans. Although beans do have carbs, they have a lot of fiber so it ends up not being so bad.

I eat a lot of cheese, eggs, meats -- chicken, fish, beef -- green beans and veggies, greek yogurt with garlic salt, paprika, and dill weed as a veggie dip, or I mix in almond butter with greek yogurt and some sweetner for a delicious creamy treat. My all time favorite is to take jalepenos and slice them lengthwise, cut out the seeds and then fill them with weight watchers cream cheese, wrap in foil and toss on grill for about 10 minutes. Delicious!

But it is hard keeping it mixed up!

djmullins

I think you should watch and see how your body responds. My body responds more drastically to carbs then calories, I can control my cals and not lose a pound. My husband is the opposite, he can control his calories and eat all the carbs he wants and still not gain. By now you should be noticing what is affecting your body more. If not use the MFP reports feature and look at what you were doing when you lost more weight, was it carbs or cals that affected you. And don't get caught up in the multi-grain, whole grain craze. Read your labels. Most of the time what is touted as more nutritious really isn't, and they're often even higher in carbs! So make wise informed decisions and shoot for a lifestyle change of eating healthy and exercise that you can stick to.

shimmergal

I hear you ereiam. I did Dukan (low carb where carb sources are mainly from Veges and 1-2 servings of LF/FF diary) for couple of weeks and lost 5 lbs. When I started allowing carbs from mainly grains, lentils (couple of servings), I gained the 5 lbs in just 1 week (my calorie intake was no where to 5X3500 to gain back the 5lbs. But the scale did show the 5lbs gain!) . I exercise regularly and try to eat healthy most of the time.

Anyways, I hadn't lost 5 lbs in a long time. So Dukan did help me break the plateau...What I have realized is that my body does not do well with carbs. Infact, that is only diet that has really worked or showed some results. There are some bodies where carbs don't go well and I belong to this category.

My advice to you is to see where you are in your journey. If you have a long way to go to get to your goal, stay on course till you get to your goal. I think it is still okay to have a cheat meal once a week where you allow some carbs.
Cheers!

carolinarollergirl

Depending on your hormones and metabolic environment, you may need to continue doing low carb to lose weight. Not everyone responds favorably to oatmeal, fruit and whole grains.

That said - whatever you decide to do, give your body time to adjust. If you're going to introduce carbs, start with low-glycemic carbs - berries, yams / sweet potatoes that will not spike your insulin.

Jenna70

I agree with prettypixidaisy... low carb is really a way of life, not a diet. The people who lose weight eating a low carb lifestyle typically have bodies that are insulin resistant. To learn about how eating processed carbs affects your blood sugar and how/why low carb eating works you should get the New Atkins for a New You book from the library and read the first few chapters. Or, visit their web page for excerpts from the book: http://www.atkins.com/Program/ProgramOverview/HowandWhyAtkinsWorks.aspx

You are already eating low carb (according to your post) so it is working for you. If your issue is boredom with what you are eating, you need to research low carb recipes! Feel free to visit my profile page where I have several websites listed that have low carb recipes and advice! Also, I hope you are taking a multi-vitamin and calcium daily to replace what you are not eating!

And good luck to you! :happy:

jemachharo

The key is changing eating habits for good even if it means slowing your loss. I've lost 50-60 pounds several times. It always comes back and more when go back to normal eating.

This time I think I am doing it right. I never feel deprived, I am always satisfied, and I enjoy EVERYTHING I put in my mouth. I am watching carbs, but I do each them. WHOLE GRAINS! My 10 year old is thrilled with the change in dinners now. They eat exactly what I eat. I am very careful about sugar. I read labels like crazy. I do eat fruit. I have a apple every day.

I tried Medifast - yuk. I've done Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem - boring and they don't teach you to eat. I have been following a combination of two books by Jorge Cruise - Belly Fat Cure and 3-hour diet. I eat every 3 hours - keeps my blood sugar even though the day.

If you don't eat real food, you'll never learn how to eat. Keep the bars for snacks only. I use Extend Delights that have very low sugar. They taste very good and are satisfying in the afternoon.

Hope this helps.

Jean

KeepItOff4Life

I just made the decision today to go back to low carb, because I am not getting the results I wanted doing everything else. I work out 6 days a week, and have been watching my calories, but it's just not doing it for me! Anyway... I ate really well when I did low carb the first time, so maybe you should look up more recipes to choose from. I never got bored of eating low carb once I got over the first week hump. I found a GREAT low carb pizza recipe on food.com (I think). The thing to remember is, Google is your friend when you need a change...there is a lot out there to choose from. Good luck in whatever choice you make!

CoraGregoryCPA

I would think the carbs would be good for your running. If u are training, i think ur levels should be 50% carbs. 25% protein and 25% fats. If u arent training but running, then i will do 40%, 30%, 30% respectively. Im not sure why, but this is what ive seen in my research. I like looking at other's diaries to get food ideas! This has helped me to stay interested and excited to eat healthy because im looking forward to my next new meal!

Good luck!

Jess5825

I've been eating very few carbs for 9 months. No pasta, bread maybe once or twice a week. I hit a plateau almost 2 months ago and I just had a sit down with a trainer at my kickboxing place, who is wanting to help me. She said to eat carbs, low glycemic, multi grain and whole grain. A few things she said though is none about 2 hours prior to working out, and none 3 hours prior to bed. What I'm doing right now is not working so I'm changing things up.

LilMissFoodie

I'm on the pro-carb side but don't really like to debate these things on here because they tend to get very heated!

I just noticed that a lot of people have said that low carb needs to be a lifestyle or you will gain the weight back so I wanted to mention that I have seen a lot of patients (and people on MFP) that have started out low carb and had a pretty good boost to the start of their weight loss then switched to include carbs and count calories and succeeded in losing more weight. I can imagine it would get very boring after a while - since I moved to the UK I can't seem to tolerate a lot of wheat products and I get bored out of my brain trying to have mostly rice and potato (as well as all the other food groups of course) let alone not being able to have any at all. Of course if you go from low carb to eating whatever and however much you want then you will gain the weight back - but that's the same for any plan.

Best of luck to you.

LowCarbForLife

Try to get ur carbs from mostly fruits, veggies, and whole wheat/grains. I typically eat low carb, but what really matters is the KIND of carbs u eat. Ur body NEEDS carbs for muscle growth and energy!

No, it doesn't.

shakybabe

If the weight that eating carbs cause is water weight.. why not try taking water tablets either they day you want carbs or day after to get rid of the extra water?.. then can have treat days without undoing your weight success?

Truecullers72

any opinions on south beach vs atkins. Im thinking of trying out the low carb lifestyle and not sure where i should start. I have had sucess with WW in the past but now im kind of stuck.

LowCarbForLife

If the weight that eating carbs cause is water weight.. why not try taking water tablets either they day you want carbs or day after to get rid of the extra water?.. then can have treat days without undoing your weight success?

Because you really aren't gaining or losing anything but water when you chemically remove water from your system so what's the point? I personally try to avoid treat or cheat days but its not because of the water weight I'm likely to gain since that will be gone again in a few days. The last couple of times I've cheated I just felt sluggish afterward.

lockef

Depending on your hormones and metabolic environment, you may need to continue doing low carb to lose weight. Not everyone responds favorably to oatmeal, fruit and whole grains.

That said - whatever you decide to do, give your body time to adjust. If you're going to introduce carbs, start with low-glycemic carbs - berries, yams / sweet potatoes that will not spike your insulin.

Awesome post!

It's rare to see such an informed, unbiased post on these forums, especially when it comes to discussing carbs.

*golf clap*

smarterthanyoda

My dr. recommended South Beach for me, since it has less bad fat than Atkins. I think it's a good balance. It's considered "low-carb" but isn't nearly as restrictive as Atkins in terms of the carbs you can eat.

The biggest thing you need to look at is the kinds of carbs you are eating. Your weight gain probably was water weight, and may have been because the pizza had more salt than you realized.

I wouldn't recommend that you tell yourself "it's only temporary" and try to tough it out. The term "lifestyle change" gets thrown around a lot, but you really do want to look for something you can stick to for the rest of your life not just until you get down to your goal weight. The most important thing is that you find one that matches your preferences enough that you can stick with it forever. There are lots of diets out there that have worked for a lot of people, and there's no reason you can't try all of them until you find the one that works for you.

fatguyweightloss

Try to get ur carbs from mostly fruits, veggies, and whole wheat/grains. I typically eat low carb, but what really matters is the KIND of carbs u eat. Ur body NEEDS carbs for muscle growth and energy!

I agree getting carbs from real foods like vegetables and limited fruits is a good way to go. I found eliminating wheat made me feel better and not be hungry. Your body does not need carbs for anything unless you are so underweight and need to desperately gain fat.

Brandicaloriecountess

I say no-ish. I eat carbs, but not lots of potato or white bread carbs. I eat fruit, sandwich thins or other low cal bread and sometimes pasta or brown rice. I have lost 90 pounds since January of this year, so it has obviously not held me back.

fatguyweightloss

Depending on your hormones and metabolic environment, you may need to continue doing low carb to lose weight. Not everyone responds favorably to oatmeal, fruit and whole grains.

That said - whatever you decide to do, give your body time to adjust. If you're going to introduce carbs, start with low-glycemic carbs - berries, yams / sweet potatoes that will not spike your insulin.

Couldn't agree more, I recommend anyone to read "Why we get fat" or watch "Fat Head" to get a better understanding how this works and try it out. If not for weight loss but for health benefits.

joejccva71

Try to get ur carbs from mostly fruits, veggies, and whole wheat/grains. I typically eat low carb, but what really matters is the KIND of carbs u eat. Ur body NEEDS carbs for muscle growth and energy!

CHO is not an essential macronutrient. Not for muscle building nor energy. Period.

Acg67

Depending on your hormones and metabolic environment, you may need to continue doing low carb to lose weight. Not everyone responds favorably to oatmeal, fruit and whole grains.

That said - whatever you decide to do, give your body time to adjust. If you're going to introduce carbs, start with low-glycemic carbs - berries, yams / sweet potatoes that will not spike your insulin.

Couldn't agree more, I recommend anyone to read "Why we get fat" or watch "Fat Head" to get a better understanding how this works and try it out. If not for weight loss but for health benefits.

only read that book if you want your head filled with nonsense (besides his writing on the lipid hypothesis)

Grokette

My dr. recommended South Beach for me, since it has less bad fat than Atkins. I think it's a good balance. It's considered "low-carb" but isn't nearly as restrictive as Atkins in terms of the carbs you can eat.

The biggest thing you need to look at is the kinds of carbs you are eating. Your weight gain probably was water weight, and may have been because the pizza had more salt than you realized.

I wouldn't recommend that you tell yourself "it's only temporary" and try to tough it out. The term "lifestyle change" gets thrown around a lot, but you really do want to look for something you can stick to for the rest of your life not just until you get down to your goal weight. The most important thing is that you find one that matches your preferences enough that you can stick with it forever. There are lots of diets out there that have worked for a lot of people, and there's no reason you can't try all of them until you find the one that works for you.

Your doctor is very misinformed as saturated fats are not BAD fats. Actually that processed low fat cheese, low fat salad dressings, and frozen south beach food is not healthier than Atkins or the Paleo way of high fat eating.

http://www.health-report.co.uk/saturated_fats_health_benefits.htm

Please have a read by a very well known and well educated Doctor, not a Doctor that was trying to "bite" the coat tails of the late Dr Atkins.

Grokette

Try to get ur carbs from mostly fruits, veggies, and whole wheat/grains. I typically eat low carb, but what really matters is the KIND of carbs u eat. Ur body NEEDS carbs for muscle growth and energy!

Carbs do not promote muscle growth. Muscle growth comes from protein, not carbs.

Lift_hard_eat_big

I eat chocolate, cake, ice cream etc. on the regular and I still lose weight.