Giving up carbs for lent...

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annekejohnson
annekejohnson Posts: 49 Member
in Motivation and Support
So I'm giving up sugar and carbs for lent and am promising myself that I will go to the gym at least three times a week during this time as well. I have been slacking this past month and need to get back on track. I have been stuck at the same weight for MONTHS and was going to the gym regularly and not losing so I got a little unmotivated. I am on a MISSION now to lose as much as possible during this lent period and get my eating back to a healthier track of less carbs and more protein and veggies. I'm doing an atkins induction type diet until Easter. I would love to have some moral support, especially on the weekends and maybe a little healthy competition to keep me motivated!

Replies

  • Mommy08
    Mommy08 Posts: 73 Member
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    I think it's great that you are participating in lent but do you really think giving up mostly all your carbs is the healthy way to go? Sure you will probably lose some weight but it will not be a healthy way of doing it. Your body physically needs them to function properly. how about just processed or simple carbs??? Keep your complex carbs like whole grains and such. You will still lose weight I promise! Good luck to you!
  • salee
    salee Posts: 3
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    Wow! You've lost 92 lbs!!! That's soooo amazing. I have about 80 to lose and I get so discouraged at the 1-2 lbs a week, I just give up (many times over and over). It just never seems to come off as fast as I put it on! I know it's a "head thing" and to stay motivated, I have to change my negative thinking. I've been overweight all my life (not this much though), so I know all the "right" things to do...just can't seem to get them done!

    I have a friend that lost over 100 lbs on the Atkins in 6 months...however, she's gained it all back plus some. It really messed up the way her body now processes carbs...seems like she can't eat any without gaining weight. I would just caution you in using this diet method.

    I wish you great success! :happy:
  • janrobinson
    janrobinson Posts: 25
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    wow, 92lbs lost. That is great.. I'm sure you will do fine over the lent period. That should help to get you back on track. It is so darn easy to get off track in the winter.
    I need suggestions on eating healthy on a budget... it seems healthy food it so expensive these days.
    Best of luck to you!
  • mvl1014
    mvl1014 Posts: 531
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    ...how about just processed or simple carbs??? Keep your complex carbs like whole grains and such. You will still lose weight I promise!...

    Listen to Mommy!
  • karmasBFF
    karmasBFF Posts: 699 Member
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    ...how about just processed or simple carbs??? Keep your complex carbs like whole grains and such. You will still lose weight I promise!...

    Listen to Mommy!

    I agree..Mommy knows best!
  • SugarHi
    SugarHi Posts: 452
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    You said you were giving up most of your carbs, I am sure you will choose the proper ones to keep. Good job! I am giving up chocolate. This will hard for me, and a mental trip as well. But we can do it!!!
  • sweetteacher123
    sweetteacher123 Posts: 178
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    I agree. Maybe just change to unhealthy carbs and keep the "good" carbs like fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Especially if you are trying to workout, keep those healthy energy sources!
  • SoldierDad
    SoldierDad Posts: 1,602
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    So I'm giving up sugar and carbs for lent and am promising myself that I will go to the gym at least three times a week during this time as well. I have been slacking this past month and need to get back on track. I have been stuck at the same weight for MONTHS and was going to the gym regularly and not losing so I got a little unmotivated. I am on a MISSION now to lose as much as possible during this lent period and get my eating back to a healthier track of less carbs and more protein and veggies. I'm doing an atkins induction type diet until Easter. I would love to have some moral support, especially on the weekends and maybe a little healthy competition to keep me motivated!

    I truly wouldnt give up all carbs (your body needs them) but giving up sweets, sodas and fast food would be a good idea. Just a suggestion.
  • lt_mrcook
    lt_mrcook Posts: 389 Member
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    First: Congrats on those first 92 lbs. THAT'S AWESOME!!

    Second: Low/No carbs is a fad diet, and not the lifestyle change you need to make so this will be permanenet. Please don't get sucked into that black hole of lies. Follow the good advice of others and give up the junk carbs (refined sugar, refinded flour, High Fructose Corn Syrup) and I think you'll notice a big difference. Don't try to not eat carbs, and don't start tracking sugars on here and stop eating fruit because it has too many "sugars" for you. The sugars in fruit are bound with fiber, which makes them more difficult to digest and thus take longer to get into your blood stream. Fruit juice, however, lacks that fiber and is similar to soda. HFCS is pure evil, refined sugar is a close second, and refined white flour is almost the exact same to your body as white sugar (it's just a quick shot of glucose).

    Third: Your body uses energy like this - glycogen stored in the muscle for very short term use (couple minutes), glucose stored in the liver (30-60 minutes), carbs, proteins, fats. As you become more fit, you increase your bodies ability to store glycogen and glucose, and to replenish those stores more quickly. Now if you don't provide carbs to replenish those, your body will go to proteins and fats for it's energy replenishment. The sticky point here is those are much harder to break down, which is why having some at every meal with your carbs makes you feel full longer (more level blood sugar over time), so if your body needs energy for essential things (brain function, breathing, heart pumping, etc) it will get it from where ever is easiest. Unfortunately, it is easier for you body to get energy from the amino acids and proteins that make up your existing muscle tissue that to break it down from the protein and fat you just ate. The reason these "fad" diets start off working well (for some people, others feel the immediate lack of energy no carbs produces) is that since they are harder to break down, proteins and fats are also harder to store as fat. However, once your body gets used to tearing down your muscle to get it's needed energy, that food you eat (even proteins and fats now) will be excess and stored as fat. Plus you will now have less muscle than before, which will burn less calories, which will ensure that you store more as fat or that you just get sick as your body rebels against the un-natural state you are trying to place it under.

    Do a little research and you'll find out how bad any "fad" diet is for you in the long run. You think they want them to work? They lose you as a customer if they work, and that's not good business.

    Read "Food Rules" by Michael Pollan. There are 65 super simple rules, and TONS of things better for you to give up (see sugar, flour, and HFCS above) for Lent. Trust me, you'll find it's a sacrifice and pretty dang difficult to avoid those three so don't think because it's good for you it can't be worthy of a Lent sacrifice.
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    Second: Low/No carbs is a fad diet, and not the lifestyle change you need to make so this will be permanenet.

    Nonsense. Low carb is just as much a lifestyle change as "clean" eating, becoming a vegetarian, etc.

    Keep in mind that "low carb" is defined as consuming less than 200 g of carbs a day. That is completely doable for the long term and allows you to eat plenty of veggies and fruit, whole grains, beans, etc.
    Third: Your body uses energy like this -
    There is so much misinformation mix in here, I don't even know where to begin!

    For one thing, while your body is designed to get quick, easy energy from your glycogen stores, it is designed to burn fat as well, particularly when you are engaging in longer-lasting exercise such as going on a two hour run. Studies have shown that athletes who consume protein with their carbs when exercising for more than an hour perform better than athletes who just consume carbs. Studies have also shown that you are always burning both fat and glycogen and what changes over time is the ratio. That's the way it's supposed to work.

    And your body is not going to break down your muscles when there is nitrogen (from protein) readily available in your blood stream from your food. Your body isn't that stupid.
  • ivykivy
    ivykivy Posts: 2,970 Member
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    Good Luck!! I found I can have an abundance of veggies and dairy even oatmeal and still stay under 100 net carbs. I've been eating lentils daily (this week). While they are not veggies they are full of fiber and keep your regular. And only 70 calories per serving and 10 net carbs.
    And your body is not going to break down your muscles when there is nitrogen (from protein) readily available in your blood stream from your food. Your body isn't that stupid.

    :laugh: :laugh:
  • annekejohnson
    annekejohnson Posts: 49 Member
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    Basically I'm doing Atkins induction phase until Easter. I have done Atkins before and lost 60 or 70 pounds in 4 months. This time I am adding exercise. At Easter I will slowly begin reintroducing carbs such as whole grains and fruits. I am determined to stick with this and tend to have more success when I have short term goals and can say this will all be over in ____ days. Then take a short break and work on maintaining the new weight and then begin to drop again. I have gradually lost almost 100 pounds and have kept most of that off for over six months now staying at the same weight for several months. I need to jumpstart my body back into weight loss mode and I find that by being seriously restricted for a while it changes my eating habits and shrinks my stomach. I am finally at a place where I know myself and my body and what works for me and what doesn't. For a very long time I just didn't care. Now, I love me!
  • mursey
    mursey Posts: 191 Member
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    Low carb is the only way to go for me, it has always been the reason for any success I had. And no I never was tired even when I was doing cardio and strength training, even when I did it for 2 hours a day. I love this article that came out recently:

    http://www.details.com/style-advice/the-body/201103/carbs-caffeine-food-cocaine-addiction?currentPage=3

    Here's a few others on studies that come out in favor of low carb. It's not a fad. Think about what cavemen ate. They did not drop dead because they couldn't find Panera Bread or a bakery. We weren't made to eat that crap.

    http://med.stanford.edu/news_releases/2007/march/diet.html

    http://health.msn.com/health-topics/cholesterol/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100211098

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