LOW CARB DIETS

If you're not limiting fruits you probably aren't eating low carb. Are you at least logging the fruit?

If you're not limiting fruits you probably aren't eating low carb. Are you at least logging the fruit?

^^This.

Simply not eating "starch" and grains is NOT eating low carb. Fruit (although there are nutritional benefits) has a similar effect on your body, and blood sugar, as eating starchy carbs...

You're not likely to gain weight if you continue to eat the same amount of total calories, but that is much easier said than done once you reintroduce carbohydrates to your diet. The main benefit to eating low-carb is appetite control. If you are currently eating less than 40 grams of carbohydrates a day, it's likely that your body is producing a sufficient amount of the ketone body beta-hydroxybutyrate (BOHB) to fuel most of your brain's energy needs (about 75%), thereby removing the issue of hypoglycemia from your life. That's a really big deal since hypoglycemia is a driver of appetite. It also provides you with a 300 calorie advantage over other dieters since you're largely feeding your brain endogenously. When you reintroduce carbs to a point where your body is no longer producing sufficent BOHB, food consumption can easily spin out of control, especially for people who suffer from so-called "reactive hypoglycemia."

ETA: You could easily eat a cup of blackberries, cup of strawberries, cup of mushrooms, 100 grams of spinach, and a red bell pepper, and still be right around 40 grams of carbs a day. That's more fruits and vegetables than 90% of the American public eat each day.

Given that you're already eating fruits and vegetables (GOOD) you won't really "gain weight" if you stay under your calories. You'll likely see the scale go up a couple (2-5) LBS when you re-introduce grains like bread. But that will be water balancing out. It's why people who do "South Beach" diet see the stall right when moving from the strict phase 1 to the balanced part of the diet, and why the doctor/author now says it's okay to skip phase 1 if you don't have a lot of carb cravings.