Has anyone lost weight not cutting down on carbs?

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  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    I've lost weight not cutting anything from my diet. So have my friends on here.
  • HealthyGinny
    HealthyGinny Posts: 821 Member
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    I've come a long way and have tried probably every diet there is along the way.

    After being off the wagon for a few months I'm now firmly back on, I'm calorie counting, around 1600/1700 a day.

    I only want to lose around a pound a week, and I'm 'hoping' I can do this whilst still eating carbs. I'm not talking sugar and white bread I'm talking about having 'proper' meals. Meat, potatoes and veg.

    Today I had sultana bran and semi skimmed milk
    Noodles for lunch
    Fish, (lots) of new potatoes and vegetables for dinner
    Yogurts & fruits for snacks


    I'm aiming for a balanced diet but I keep reading everywhere how carbs are evil.

    Just looking for opinions.... What's yours?

    I'm often over my carb goal because of fruits, vegs and beans. Calories in, calories out, and you lose weight. Altough I think the origins of the cals and the carbs is quite important, but no, carbs are not evil ;)
  • love2lift_85
    love2lift_85 Posts: 356 Member
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    When I was losing BF% before I got pregnant, I wasn't counting carbs at all. I was eating about 1700 calories per day, running 4-5 miles 5 days a week and strength training 4 days per week. I actually think my diet might have been fairly high in carbs, because at the time I was working and I'd eat 2 cups of Cheerios every night on my second break, haha... but I wasn't eating sugary junk food. I think that helped a lot.
  • BrainOnAStick
    BrainOnAStick Posts: 126 Member
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    Carbs shmarbs! I lose weight when I get my butt moving (for me this means running, cycling, spinning, or elliptical), drink plenty of water, and am mindful (rather than mindless) about how much I eat. Good luck!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,248 Member
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    I reduced carbs some, but it's more that I increased my protein and fat and by default, ate less carbs. I still eat plenty, though... between 45-50% of my calories are from carbs, and I still have bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, bagels, pizza, etc.
  • joyfuljoy65
    joyfuljoy65 Posts: 317 Member
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    I lost all my weight without counting one carb. Calories, calories, calories :)

    +1 :bigsmile:

    +2 :bigsmile:
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    I didn't cut back on a thing but portion sizes. I did learn to keep an eye out on sodium, but that was for my blood pressure. I tried cutting back on things when I tried losing weight before and all I eventually did was binge!
  • mandieschmitz
    mandieschmitz Posts: 10 Member
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    I lost all my weight without counting one carb. Calories, calories, calories :)

    This is what I do too and I've lost 54 pounds so far.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
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    Bruce Lee ate primarily carbohydrate. I doubt the steroids made him lean.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    So they aren't evil after all lol

    I want a diet I can sustain, it's pointless for someone like me to attempt Atkins (again) and live it because I fall off track and end up heavier than before. I need my carbs

    Thankyou :)

    They aren't the devil. There are a few reasons why low carb diets are so popular;

    1) Carbohydrates ultimately make you retain more water and quickly replenish glycogen stores...when people cut them, they lose a lot of weight pretty fast which can be very motivational...but the majority of those early, big losses is water and not fat...but hey, the scale is going down right? This can be quite attractive for individuals who are only concerned about what the scale says.

    2) when one cuts carbs they are essentially limiting or being very restrictive with a macro nutrient that can often be very calorie dense...by eliminating them or reducing carb intake, you are unwittingly creating a calorie defict for weight loss (unless you up everything else obviously); this results in "magic" weight loss.

    3) many overweight/obese individuals are, at minimum, insulin sensitive...this can make weightloss difficult unless carbs are reduced.

    4) sedentary individuals can benefit from reducing the carbs in their diet.

    5) certain medical conditions warrant cutting carbs and those conditions are becoming more common

    If you're active at all, more carbs are actually optimal for performance...it's pretty difficult to really kill it in the gym eating low carb...you just bonk because you don't have the glycogen stores to really kill a workout.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    The OP has 150 pounds of excess fat which means she has very good reason to keep her carbs low. Excess fat causes insulin resistance, a real medical condition which means eating carbs can hamper her weight loss goals. I'm not saying she's insulin resistant but i'm saying she has a pretty damn good chance as the AMA recommends you get tested at only 30 pounds of excess fat. She was however, in excess of 150 pounds.

    I was insulin resistant and diagnosed type 2 diabetic in 2009 and had over 300 to lose when I started my journey and worked with a Dietician through my Endo dr. and never once did she mention low carb. She had me set to eat 60-70 grams at my main meals and 20-25 at my snacks which averaged 240 to 290 grams of carbs a day... I have since lost a few pounds and my Carbs make up over 50% of my macro intake today which puts me over 400 grams a day... My A1c's the last 2 years have averaged 5.3........ OP there is nothing wrong with your plan as long as you are losing weight and exercising you will achieve your goals.... Best of Luck.....

    Yes, the amount of calories still matter but it is easier to lose weight on low carb if you are insulin resistant. You are just making it harder on yourself by including carbs in your diet. Link below to read more on the topic.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/insulin-sensitivity-and-fat-loss.html




    In addition to that, abnormal spikes in glucose levels still cause damage to your microvascular system(tiny arteries) even if it's just a 2 hour high spike.

    http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/20/2/71.full


    .

    Lol well we will agree to disagree then because I have been monitored every 3 months (A1c checks....and every 6 month lipid panels done) for the last 4 years with my Endo dr. and checking in every 4 weeks with my (the same) dietician who approves my meal plan and I had lost 312 lbs. in alittle over 3 years (been in maintenance for the last 9 months.... So I don't see where it as made my weight loss any harder.... but maybe I am just a special snowflake.......
  • Sarahloulalou
    Sarahloulalou Posts: 60 Member
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    So they aren't evil after all lol

    I want a diet I can sustain, it's pointless for someone like me to attempt Atkins (again) and live it because I fall off track and end up heavier than before. I need my carbs

    Thankyou :)

    They aren't the devil. There are a few reasons why low carb diets are so popular;

    1) Carbohydrates ultimately make you retain more water and quickly replenish glycogen stores...when people cut them, they lose a lot of weight pretty fast which can be very motivational...but the majority of those early, big losses is water and not fat...but hey, the scale is going down right? This can be quite attractive for individuals who are only concerned about what the scale says.

    2) when one cuts carbs they are essentially limiting or being very restrictive with a macro nutrient that can often be very calorie dense...by eliminating them or reducing carb intake, you are unwittingly creating a calorie defict for weight loss (unless you up everything else obviously); this results in "magic" weight loss.

    3) many overweight/obese individuals are, at minimum, insulin sensitive...this can make weightloss difficult unless carbs are reduced.

    4) sedentary individuals can benefit from reducing the carbs in their diet.

    5) certain medical conditions warrant cutting carbs and those conditions are becoming more common

    If you're active at all, more carbs are actually optimal for performance...it's pretty difficult to really kill it in the gym eating low carb...you just bonk because you don't have the glycogen stores to really kill a workout.

    That post is very informative so thankyou.

    I am indeed very active, I lead an active lifestyle, go to aerobics classes and have just started again on the 30 day shred. I have previously been a lover of low carb diets for the first week massive weight loss.

    Thanks for this :)
  • Sarahloulalou
    Sarahloulalou Posts: 60 Member
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    The OP has 150 pounds of excess fat which means she has very good reason to keep her carbs low. Excess fat causes insulin resistance, a real medical condition which means eating carbs can hamper her weight loss goals. I'm not saying she's insulin resistant but i'm saying she has a pretty damn good chance as the AMA recommends you get tested at only 30 pounds of excess fat. She was however, in excess of 150 pounds.

    I was insulin resistant and diagnosed type 2 diabetic in 2009 and had over 300 to lose when I started my journey and worked with a Dietician through my Endo dr. and never once did she mention low carb. She had me set to eat 60-70 grams at my main meals and 20-25 at my snacks which averaged 240 to 290 grams of carbs a day... I have since lost a few pounds and my Carbs make up over 50% of my macro intake today which puts me over 400 grams a day... My A1c's the last 2 years have averaged 5.3........ OP there is nothing wrong with your plan as long as you are losing weight and exercising you will achieve your goals.... Best of Luck.....

    Yes, the amount of calories still matter but it is easier to lose weight on low carb if you are insulin resistant. You are just making it harder on yourself by including carbs in your diet. Link below to read more on the topic.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/insulin-sensitivity-and-fat-loss.html




    In addition to that, abnormal spikes in glucose levels still cause damage to your microvascular system(tiny arteries) even if it's just a 2 hour high spike.

    http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/20/2/71.full


    .

    Lol well we will agree to disagree then because I have been monitored every 3 months (A1c checks....and every 6 month lipid panels done) for the last 4 years with my Endo dr. and checking in every 4 weeks with my (the same) dietician who approves my meal plan and I had lost 312 lbs. in alittle over 3 years (been in maintenance for the last 9 months.... So I don't see where it as made my weight loss any harder.... but maybe I am just a special snowflake.......

    312 pounds! WOW. You are amazing. And to maintain too... Massive well done. Xx
  • goingbackdown
    goingbackdown Posts: 5
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    I have never cut down on carbs, and I've successfully lost weight before and am losing it now. I've heard that cutting carbs really only helps with water weight, though I have no scientific knowledge to back that up. All I know is that just counting calories has worked perfectly fine for me.
  • ewrob
    ewrob Posts: 136 Member
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    I needed to cut down on calories and carbs are usually the most calorie-dense portion of my meals, so they were the first thing to go.

    Since fat is around 9 calories per gram and carbohydrates and protein are about 4 calories per gram, I am perplexed by this statement.
  • vswilliams
    vswilliams Posts: 13 Member
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    Sure, I lost some weight by just counting calories and exercising but lately just choosing one meal to have a carb with has helped me lose another 10 lbs
  • amoymh
    amoymh Posts: 44
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    I've lost all my weight consuming lots and lots and lots of carbs. The key is that I eat complex carbs 75% of the time over simple carbs. You see, complex carbs usually contain my fibre and make the body work harder to break them down keeping me full longer without the spike in blood sugar levels that simple carbs are notorious for.
    By complex carbs I'm talking fruits, vegetables, brown rice, wild rice, whole grain breads and pastas and whole grains in general. Carbs are good for you, your body needs them but just like everything else, in moderation.
    Hope this helps. Cheers :)
  • emc916
    emc916 Posts: 77
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    I lost all my weight without counting one carb. Calories, calories, calories :)

    Same. Currently I do eat lower carb than when I was cutting cals, but I never counted them while losing weight.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    The OP has 150 pounds of excess fat which means she has very good reason to keep her carbs low. Excess fat causes insulin resistance, a real medical condition which means eating carbs can hamper her weight loss goals. I'm not saying she's insulin resistant but i'm saying she has a pretty damn good chance as the AMA recommends you get tested at only 30 pounds of excess fat. She was however, in excess of 150 pounds.

    I was insulin resistant and diagnosed type 2 diabetic in 2009 and had over 300 to lose when I started my journey and worked with a Dietician through my Endo dr. and never once did she mention low carb. She had me set to eat 60-70 grams at my main meals and 20-25 at my snacks which averaged 240 to 290 grams of carbs a day... I have since lost a few pounds and my Carbs make up over 50% of my macro intake today which puts me over 400 grams a day... My A1c's the last 2 years have averaged 5.3........ OP there is nothing wrong with your plan as long as you are losing weight and exercising you will achieve your goals.... Best of Luck.....

    Yes, the amount of calories still matter but it is easier to lose weight on low carb if you are insulin resistant. You are just making it harder on yourself by including carbs in your diet. Link below to read more on the topic.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/insulin-sensitivity-and-fat-loss.html




    In addition to that, abnormal spikes in glucose levels still cause damage to your microvascular system(tiny arteries) even if it's just a 2 hour high spike.

    http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/20/2/71.full


    .

    Lol well we will agree to disagree then because I have been monitored every 3 months (A1c checks....and every 6 month lipid panels done) for the last 4 years with my Endo dr. and checking in every 4 weeks with my (the same) dietician who approves my meal plan and I had lost 312 lbs. in alittle over 3 years (been in maintenance for the last 9 months.... So I don't see where it as made my weight loss any harder.... but maybe I am just a special snowflake.......


    Congratulations but no, you're not a special snowflake. Just anecdotal evidence. You only tried one diet and that's the only diet you know, so you have nothing to compare it to. Let me be clear here, if you are strict enough with your calorie counting than anyone can still lose weight even if they are insulin resistant but real scientific peer reviewed research that contains more than one participant shows that insulin resistant people feel better and lose more weight on a lower carb diet. How do you know you wouldn't have lost faster on a lower carb diet? You don't because you only did one approach to it and there was only one participant in your research, yourself. Get it?


    As for your lipids test, great job, but I would not take the risk of spiking my glucose levels knowing that there's evidence that I could be damaging my arteries and I'm sure many people would not go the same route if they had that information either. That is why i posted it. (We're talking about insulin resistant people and type 2 diabetics here. Normal people should not have this problem)

    http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/content/20/2/71.full#ref-25
  • kganc001
    kganc001 Posts: 317
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    ME. I carb it up, jack. Lost 31 pounds. Have nice muscle definition. It's possible. :)

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