Hi low carb or Atkins people?

michcakes

Man I wish when people are looking for support specifically for low carb the naysayers would stay away. There is nothing hard about sticking to low carb and contrary to what some believe it is not calories in and calories out for everyone, if that were the case I'd still be 118 lbs. I'm a life long low carber. I have primary CI (carbohydrate intolerance) and it took me a long time to come to terms with that but since I've been doing what I am supposed to do my weight is falling off and my allergies have disappeared, I don't get heartburn anymore, as for the energy thing, I workout 2 hours a day, 7 days a week, work 2 part time jobs, am a full time student and a single mom, my energy is not lacking. Feel free to add me, we can all use all the support we can get.

Wow you have done awesome (looking at your ticker)!!

I just switched to low carb and this is day 5. I had been just counting calories, eating convenience foods like lean cuisines and other stuff but still staying under my 1500 calorie limit. I had two separate weeks where my weight stayed the same, and I had bad IBS symptoms and my face broke out when I never break out.. I had done Atkins before and it solved many problems so I decided to give it another shot. And my gut issues haven't been back yet, weight is coming right off and my breakout is clearing up. So I disagree with the poster who said as long as you eat less than you burn, you will lose. NOT true for everyone!

chasingbabes

research some on insulin. it promote a fat storage state when its coursing through your veins. i keep my carbs 50g-100g most of the time and it works for me. if your healthy fat intake is right you wont feel an energy loss. the human body is a machine and it adapts to the energy sources its given. weeks and months later, i do fine on less carbs. but starting out, i def felt the energy drag and the mental fog. read up on insulin and what it does to aging your body and other factors like inflammation. it shouldnt be overlooked. there was a recent study ..2 days of low carb dieting resulted in more fat loss than a week of regular higher carb dieting. its no doubt an intensifier. BUT calories rule. you can drop lbs eating mcdonalds if your in a deficit. period.

can you tell me more, or send me a link to what you were reading? THANKS!!

Dustinryan24

im keeping my carbs 50-100g a day because im trying to cut.. this shouldnt be a long term goal for anyone.. at least thats how i feel about it

sun33082

I do low carb/lower carb (under 100g) because I have PCOS. Feel free to add me.

angng

I cut out grains a few months ago and feel great. So many IBS and blood sugar symptoms are gone, and I had never previously had any reason to think I had issues with them. Gave my gut a chance to heal and now I feel and look better.

I don't worry about counting carbs but they've obviously dropped. This isn't a diet for me, it's learning how my body reacts to certain things and making lifestyle changes.

This is great: have you been tested for Celiac? I thought I had IBS for about 20 years until I realized that wheat was the culprit.

kewasmar

I tried Atkins a few years ago and lost 25 lbs. I found it very difficult to maintain for the long run and gained it all back. I am starting to watch my intake again and have lowered the Carbs to something more reasonable for the long haul , but definately staying away from the 'bad' carbs like white sugar and bread and pasta.

BigMike915

I'm in week three of a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet, or CKD. I love it so far. It seems to agree with me better than a lot of others that try it. I didn't have the metallic taste in my mouth, the lose of energy, weak in the gym, etc. Since passing the induction phase I have more energy now then before. I do not plan to stay on it forever though, just to continue cutting. I will introduce carbs back into my diet once I start a bulking phase which is still a goods ways off.

TheVimFuego

I've been restricting the carbs (and upping fat/protein) for the last couple of weeks, I can honestly say I feel full of energy and more in touch with what my body needs fuel-wise.

The weight seems to be going without an issue, I no longer worrry about exercising for weight loss (exercise does, of course, has other positive points).

I don't follow Atkins or any diet, I just know what my body likes and I fuel it accordingly, with Real Food.

The problem being, as others have said, that our bodies have been drowning in carbs for so long that we lose touch with it.

I've cut wheat out (the Frankenwheat that is, that will drive your blood sugar higher than a Snickers bar) and no longer feel the need to snack. Don't miss it a bit.

The insulin rollercoaster has been derailed, I wish I knew all this years ago.

I don't see all this as a fad, it's a lifestyle change and one I am happy to follow.

Yes, calories are important but not as important as understanding how your metabolism works.

If it was only about calories then eating 1200 of them in Snickers Bars would result in the same thing as eating 1200 in, say, tuna. And that is an absurd notion. It is not just a maths exercise.

Recommended Reading:
Why We Get Fat And What To Do About It (and it's bigger brother: Good Calories, Bad Calories)
Wheat Belly

Recommended Watching (YouTube):
Sugar, The Bitter Truth (Short Version)

Unknown

I would not just do the Atkins, it allows too much fat. You do however want to make sure you eat enough protein because protein feeds your muscles. If you do not eat enough protein your body will consume lean muscle and fat in approximately equal proportions and it is lean muscle that burns calories so you really don't want to lose that.

Remember the less feet the better. Zero feet protein, nuts, beans, fish... are best, then 2 feet such as chicken and finally 4 feet, which you should keep very lean and to a minimum. Eat lots of colors every day. I noticed by having a variety of fruits and vegetables I don't seem to be craving any sweets like I used to. The natural sugar in the fruits seem to satisfy my sweet tooth. There are different phytonutrients in each color so the more colors the better. You don't have to have a lot. Personally I have a container I use and I prepare two at a time. I put in 1/2 apple, 1/2 orange, 1 regular carrots (not baby carrots, just regular carrots cleaned but not pealed), 2 celery stalks ( carrots and celery I cut into popcorn size pieces so it is nibble food), then a chunk of red cabbage, a little cauliflower, couple chunks of pineapple and a couple chunks of watermelon and about 6-8 red grapes. I also have blueberries in my smoothies a couple times a week as well.

Also... water, water, water. You should be drinking 1/2 your body weight in fluid ounces. If you weigh 200 # you should be drinking 100 oz. of water a day. As you lose weight you need the water to flush your system and help reduce free radicals in your system. So, if you have any places doing weight Loss Challenges, sign up for one, they have great information and it will get you off to a good start. I'm almost down forty pounds and I don't feel like I'm dieting and I'm not hungry!!

Best of luck

Linda860

I've been a low carber for almost a year now. My doctor told me to cut my carbs because I was becoming insulin resistant -- a condition that eventually leads to diabetes if not controlled. (I've since learned that millions of people have this condition but most don't find out until they are diabetic. The key is to get an insulin test, as blood sugar tests can often remain normal for years while developing this disease.) Anyway, it was quite a challenge at first, but now it's a way of life and I will not ever go back to the way I ate before. I did experience very low energy for a number of days but that went away. I'm a jogger now, so the notion that active people can't tolerate this way of eating is absurd. I do track everything I eat and keep my carbs under 70 grams per day and it works for me. Everyone is different, though -- some can tolerate more carbs and some much less. I've never followed a specific diet like Atkins -- didn't really need to. I lost 56 pounds and am keeping it off (4 months on maintenance now). It's the only way to go if you have problems processing carbohydrates. My insulin level, which was double what it should have been, is now normal. With the help of my husband, the cook, we've figured out new ways of preparing desserts (sugar alcohols are the way to go IMHO), have found low carb versions of favorite foods (pasta, bread) and are trying all kinds of new low carb recipes. Probably the hardest part has been dealing with insensitive family members. Here to help if you need it!

wftiger

I'm on month 6 of restricted carbs (<75 net) and I have no trouble maintaining my lifestyle. I do not consider it a "diet" but a new way of life. I have metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance) and have to do this for life (maybe a few more carbs in maintenance phase). I eat almost all of my carbs I do eat in vegetables (fruit and whole grains very rarely as they are so high in carbs).

While Atkins does work for many I tried it and found it too restrictive. Also, because of high cholesterol in my family I thought eating that much fat was likely not a good choice for me to make. Just make certain you follow the new Atkins and not the old plan where you could eat as much fat/protein as you wanted. The key to losing weight is a calorie deficit and if your BMR is 2000 and you eat 3000 you will not lose even if eating no carbs.

If it works for you good luck. If it doesn't just modify it to suit your needs. The plan I follow is closer to South Beach as I focus on low fat items as well as low carb (and low sodium). It is very doable long-term.

I should note that I have lost almost 80lbs in the little over 5 months I have followed my new eating plan.

WIFGirl

I actually just started Atkins on April 1st and have lost 12.8lbs so far. I'm trying to do it as healthy as possible. Not as much fat intake. Looking into many different recipes. Haven't started exercising yet. I always loved Atkins as a start to any weightloss plan because of the quick results in the beginning. That gets me excited and more motivated to keep it up. I know being in this ketosis stage and in the strict carb level is not forever. And eating the right carbs is the most important.

laddyboy

50-100 gms a day is the winning number or carbs. Keeps you energized and optimizes fat loss. I love my carbs but I keep them low to lean out.

AbsoluteNG

I tried Atkins a few years ago and lost 25 lbs. I found it very difficult to maintain for the long run and gained it all back. I am starting to watch my intake again and have lowered the Carbs to something more reasonable for the long haul , but definately staying away from the 'bad' carbs like white sugar and bread and pasta.

Did you assume that the Atkins diet means no carbs at all? If you did, that's probably why you failed. The first two weeks of the Aktins diet is the only time frame in which there are no carbs in the diet. As the weeks progress, you are suppose to be adding carbs back to your diet when doing Atkins.

VanessaMFaulkner

Joints no Longer hurt, no more frequency migraines, asthma is under control, blood pressure & heart rate all normal after lifelong problems. Low carb, atkins, (i actually do low fat, low carb, low starch). It isn't a diet...IT'S A LIFESTYLE CHANGE! I no longer crave all the goodies like pizza, fries, etc. & now...everything seems to taste better. I eat almost all raw veggies, fruits & lean meat...nothing processed. I have plenty of energy (enough to take walks, chase a toddler, clean a house, & love a husband).

mom2lakenjj

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