Low Carb Dieters

I am not on any specific low carb diet. But I do hunt for the lowest calories, sodium, and carbs in all the items I purchase so it does become low carb.

I have somewhat of a carb addiction so it was difficult the first week but once I came to read all the labels at the grocery store and track everything here, it really helped.

I lost weight fast the first two weeks...probably because of the low sodium preventing water weight gain and low carbs. I am still losing but it slowed a little. I've lost around 17 pounds in the past 5 weeks...average it out to 5 pounds a week if you want but its more like 1-2 pounds a week now But that's still weight loss so its fine with me.

I am sort of low carb. I have cut out all the white starchy carbs, so no bread, flour, pasta, rice, potato and no processed sugars (as much as possible) I limit my high GI fruit and don't drink soda or fruit juice.

I do eat a lot of vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes etc and Heaps of lean protein, eggs, dairy.

I find that the high starchy carbs are wasted calories. They are only really a "carrier" for the rest of the meal (the good bits inside the sandwich etc) so I have either found a replacement (cabbage for pasta, riced cauliflower for rice) or just cut it completely.

I find it much easier to stay within calories if I haven't wasted 600+ each day on the starchy carbs!

I try to stay on a diet that allows all of the food groups that our bodies need. By eating a Low Carb diet, you do not provide sufficient carbohydrates to your body for daily function. Therefore it will start burning the stored carbohydrates (glycogen) for energy. When your body starts burning glycogen, water is released. Therefore the drastic initial drop of weight at the beginning is only water you lose as a result of burning glycogen. I guess it would be okay if you were planning on drastically restricting carbs for the rest of your life, but if you start eating them again the weight comes right back on. I don't mean to be a downer - if you're happy doing it and it's working for you, more power to ya. :-) I just think it's healthier to have a balanced diet and exercise.

Good luck!!

I restrict my carbs. When I first started I used a carb curfew - no starchy carbs (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes) after 6pm. Its meant I fill up on healthier chicken and fish with salads or veg and then fruit or yogurt if still hungry.

Encouraged by the weight loss I now eat carbs (cereal or wholemeal toast and eggs) for breakfast but not for lunch or dinner. At lunch I'll normally have a salad, but if a sandwich or baked potato were the only choice I'd have them rather than go without.

I've lost 86lb in total and have 5 to go to get to goal. When I'm at goal I intend to re-introduce carbs at lunch but still restrict after 6pm so it remains a lifestyle change for me.

Not only has it shifted the pounds but I rarely get cravings for bread, cheese, chocoloate or crisps as I used to. On a weekend I'm a little more relaxed but try and get more excercise if I'm eating carbs.