Getting used to the low carb thing

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GingerPwr
GingerPwr Posts: 1,979 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I'm trying to cut out white, starchy carbs - bread, white rice, pasta, potatoes. I'm HUNGRY and starting to feel a little crabby about it. It's only been a few days. I hear friends say that it takes a while for my body to start feeling full on protein and veggies.

If you're on a low carb or no carb diet, can you tell me how long it took you to adjust to it? Am I only hurting my system by denying myself? Will my body react badly if I do indulge once in a while? I don't want to think of a world where I can't eat pasta EVER again.
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Replies

  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    Unless you're medically restricted, it doesn't matter. You get more nutrition with whole grain carbs, but I'm not sure if you're cutting those out too. If you're trying to cut out all carbs, your body will be depleted of glycogen and you'll get a false sense of weight loss. Once you eat carbs again, it will all come right back until depleted. Your body burns carbs for energy more efficiently than protein, so I wouldn't deny myself - but I'm a biased, athletic carbivore (~300g/day).

    Eat what you want, eat in moderation, and try to hit your macros.
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
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    I cut out bread and grains a couple months ago and I love it. I felt pretty crappy for a few weeks actually, but now I feel great. If I do eat really carb-y items, like bread, I just feel bloated and icky. Sometimes it upsets my stomach a little but nothing awful. It's reduced my sugar cravings, and when I used to eat a meal with a lot of bread (like pizza) I just felt hungrier after. I don't have that problem anymore.

    I'm not low carb per se, but my carbs mostly come from fruit and veggies... and alcohol. :blushing:
  • faeryblights
    faeryblights Posts: 6 Member
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    Maybe unrelated, but try, Explore Asia black bean spaghetti. It's a great substitute for pasta. I found it at our local co-op.
  • faeryblights
    faeryblights Posts: 6 Member
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    :smile:
  • Alpina483
    Alpina483 Posts: 246 Member
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    Took me about a week I guess. More water, protein and fiber = less hunger. An occasional piece of bread.. erm... yeah, bloated might be the word. You don't want it, after a while :) not such a big fan of pasta, so no tips here.
  • Alpina483
    Alpina483 Posts: 246 Member
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    {oops}
  • Chokis
    Chokis Posts: 131
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    Shiritaki Noodles? They're low carb and many people like them as a substitute for pasta.
    ANother option is to use spaghetti squash instead of pasta.
    They also sell low-carb tortillas.

    As far as breads, there are so many recipes for low-carb bread and deserts, you just have to get some low-carb cookbooks or even go to low-carb websites. You can use soy flour, almond flour, flax-seed meal, etc.

    Are you eating enough fats? They're supposed to make you feel full and satiated. If you're hungry, it means you're not eating enough.
  • KarenisPaleo
    KarenisPaleo Posts: 169 Member
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    Everyone is different, you can get through it!

    Substituting beans for pasta will keep you craving carbs.

    Eat more healthy fat to satiate yourself.

    And of course you can cheat and eat spaghetti, but not while you're still struggling during this initiation phase.

    When I eat pasta, very rarely, I don't crave it the next day. The next day, Back on the horse, so to speak =))
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Do it how you like, that is all that matters. It takes a week sometimes two to get over that initial hump. 40% of the people here will want to burn you like a witch for wanting to LC, the other 40% will cheer you on. Then that last 20, they won't care anyway!
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
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    I've adjusted to low carb rather well. I'm doing keto, or at least trying. The first two days I had a headache and I'm a bit sleepy every now and then and sometimes suffer from "poo-brain" or fogginess, but I haven't been all that hungry because I make sure my fats are high and my protein is moderate. So try to get to up the fats some more.
  • poohpoohpeapod
    poohpoohpeapod Posts: 776 Member
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    why cut out whole food groups? Low glycemic good carbs are useful. Think baked sweet potato, quinoa, whole grain , spelt bread these are veryy easy on the body. It is very difficult to maintain a meat and veggie only diet. If you re on a diet fine, if you want to change your weight and be mopre satisfied, and maybe be able to maintain it, you may want to rethink things. Good luck!
  • lmarshel
    lmarshel Posts: 674 Member
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    I started a low-carb program a couple of weeks back. My main reason was to combat side effects of a thyroid disease. The disease tends to create increased appetite, and the low-carb plan seems to help with that. I haven't been hungry at all. Of course, I'm eating about 2500-3000 calories a day. And a great side effect is that I have lost 6 pounds in the process! :bigsmile:

    Did you cut out starchy foods and just continue eating everything else you wer eating? Or did you replace those calories normally from carbs with something else? Are you eating plenty of vegetables with very meal? Those are the kinds of things that have helped me. I also try to get a little dairy every day, aside from the cheese. Low-carb yogurt and cottage cheese are great options.

    Good luck to you in your pursuit of a LC lifestyle! :flowerforyou:
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
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    The first week stinks--we are used to eating lots of high carb low nutrition garbage. It will get better, just drink lots of water, broth, and it is ok to eat non-starchy veggies. Most of your initial weight loss will be water (dropped along with your glycogen stores from your liver). Don't expect the weight to drop as quickly as it does the first 1-2 weeks.

    Stick with it, the cravings eventually decline significantly.
  • jojo86xdd
    jojo86xdd Posts: 202 Member
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    I did the low carb thing at first, but the minute i had a bite of pasta on vacation i gained like 3lbs. so now i substitute pasta and bread with whole grain pasta and bread. i eat bread every day and i also enjoy my regular pasta from time to time and it hasn't slowed my progress a bit. try to be realistic and don't cut out things you know you can't stay away from. just have them in moderation and if you can, make substitutions :)
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    Takes a week or two. Then it's all good.

    For those saying that low carb is not sustainable, I can't argue with that other than to say I have been doing it for 17 months. Does that count as sustainable?
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
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    And what is wrong with whole wheat and brown rice?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    carbs don't make you gain weight, eating more than you burn makes you gain weight...thats all I got ...
  • eileen0515
    eileen0515 Posts: 407 Member
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    Compliance is essential to successful weight loss. If you're miserable, compliance will fly out the window. Find a way to meet your caloric goals and include your favorite foods. Learn to prepare them healthier, and eat them in the proper portions. Not necessary to cut out entire food groups.

    weigh your food, track your food, eat at a caloric deficit. Watch those empty calories, they'll mess you up for sure. Try to not drink your calories.

    Good luck
  • JisatsuHoshi
    JisatsuHoshi Posts: 421 Member
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    there is not one diet out there that will work for everyone... If OP wants to do low carb approach then let them experiment...

    Anyways I do a cyclical ketogenic diet. I eat less than 25g net Carbs for 7~14 days then have a 24 hr carb refeed (I lift often which is why I do this carb cycle to restore muscle glycogen and keep strength up for gym). Rinse and repeat.

    When starting low carb you have to give your body time to adjust. Can be a matter of 2~3 Weeks. The first week will be hell. Fatigue, lethargic, weakness... But as the body adjust you'll pull free away from those systems.

    The degree of those symtoms depends on "how" low carb you go. Keto (50g Carbs or less a day), 100g, 150g?
  • astartig
    astartig Posts: 549 Member
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    your diary is closed so I can't see what you've been eating but the fats and proteins should be filling you up. They did for me right for the start. Are you eating enough? I start the day (usually) with half a carton of egg whites and cheese with some veggies and it keeps me going for 5 or 6 hours before I start feeling hungry.

    it's the main reason I go with a low carb high protein diet. the low fat low calorie diets usually have me starving. but different diets for different folks. If you're not feeling full and having the ketosis appetite suppressant effect it might not be worth it for you.

    I think (and I am sure others will correct me if I am wrong) that you need the high protein in combination with the low carb to get the appetite suppressant effect of ketosis. are you getting enough protein? it should be something like at least 80 or 90 grams a day. combined with very low carb (from all sources) A lot of people complain that they don't feel the appetite suppressing effects of keto if they go over 30 or 20 carbs a day. I am averaging 35-50 carbs per day after fiber deducted and have been remaining in keto.. So get some keto sticks to know where you're at.
    If you're not maintaining a diary I recommend you do. the first day I was on this I thought I was well under 20 grams of carbs but I was pushing 50. You don't realize what you're eating until you see it in front of you. (at least true for me)

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