Coming off of a low carb diet

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SammyAlbon
SammyAlbon Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!

My first post on the forums, but I really need some advice. After doing a lot of research, I decided to start a low carb diet of my own creation - very strict initially, but I've incorporated healthy carbs etc.

I'm now nearing my final 6-10 pounds, and I wanted to know what's the best way to come off of a LC diet - Atkin's fans suggest 5g increments, but this seems tedious and difficult to gauge! I'm tempted to see what happens if I go straight into a low fat, medium carb, healthy diet, although I'm one of these people that is obsessed with what the scales say. I really don't want to see a 10 pound increase due to glycogen and water stores!

Any advice is priceless,
Thanks again!

Replies

  • dschafer34
    dschafer34 Posts: 4
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    I have been doing a low carb diet for several months now, with a couple "cheat" periods, and once where I went off the diet completely (financial reasons).

    Why exactly do you want to go off the diet? Research has shown a lot of health benefits of low carb diets. A couple important long term benefits are possible cancer inhibition and much less free radical creation.

    I would recommend slowly increasing your carb intake so you can have more foods you want, and simply maintain your weight rather than continue to lose. You ideally want to stay in a state of mild ketosis, and not knock yourself completely out of ketosis and become carb adapted again. Thats kind of where I am right now, after losing ~50lbs on keto.

    Whatever you decide you want to do, I'll tell you this. going off the diet sucks. Eating lots of carbs again affects different people differently, but for me (and most low carbers I know, with a couple exceptions), you start feeling like crap for a week or two before you fully carb adapt. This is kind of similar to the week or two when you first started keto, but its worse. For me, I get indigestion, gas, heartburn, diahrrea, and reduced athletic performance for a week or so.
  • SammyAlbon
    SammyAlbon Posts: 6 Member
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    Thanks for your reply - I want to come off of LC because I'm a student and I've lost 85pounds and just want to maintain my weight by watching calories. I visit the gym every week day and run 2 or 3 miles a day so I know I will be creating a calorie deficit.

    I agree completely with what you are saying, but I also want to be able to enjoy things I can't right now - I'd also like to see an increase in my cardio ability which I know ketosis hinders!

    I know this diet makes me feel good, but Christmas is just round the corner, and I don't want to be the only one soldiering on with celeriac and swede mash whilst they have their delicious roasties!

    These aren't my only reasons, but I would also like to save a little money too - my wages over the summer paid for my diet, but now I'm in my final year of uni, I can't afford to keep up the increased protein - gone are the days of a bowl of rice and veg!

    Thanks
  • dschafer34
    dschafer34 Posts: 4
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    I understand the financial issue making it harder to stay on the diet. Thats what happened to me, too. It is definitely more expensive.
    So try to increase your carb intake gradually, and make them healthy carbs to minimize the crappy feeling I described.

    As far as cardio, there is research that indicates that cardio ability is actually increased on keto. You tyically have more endurance simply because you dont crash after running your glycogen reserves low. You have a nearly unlimited supply of energy in your body fat that burns much faster now that you are in keto. There are several olympic athletes on keto.
  • SammyAlbon
    SammyAlbon Posts: 6 Member
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    Okay, made a pea soup last night using petit pois - went over my usual 9gram per hour of carb rule, no weight gain, going to up it a bit today! If anyone else has done this, still looking for experiences! Thank you :)
  • mogletdeluxe
    mogletdeluxe Posts: 623 Member
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    Hi there,

    I came off a low-carb diet earlier this year (pre-MFP days) and basically gently shifted it to a low-GI diet. I didn't measure the carbs I was eating, but was just sensible - no days full of bread and pasta and potatoes just because I could!

    I incorporated them meal by meal - usually my evening meal. I'd add sweet potato, some of the veggies I had to steer clear of. Then, as I adjusted, reintroduced porridge for breakfast..

    Slow and steady worked for me, with no adverse effects.

    All the best!
  • SammyAlbon
    SammyAlbon Posts: 6 Member
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    Ah lovely, thanks for sharing your experience! I intend to research low-GI diets, I just want a little more freedom, and not to look stupid going into restaurants with friends and family only being able to order a salad!

    I'm starting with pees and carrots and some more onion and tomatoes, how long before you added sweet potato? And how long till you started to eat whole grains - if you do?

    Sorry for all the questions, but people's experiences are far more helpful than other sources out there! Thanks again.

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