Can someone help me please? lower cals or lower carbs

24

Replies

  • wyllden
    wyllden Posts: 48 Member
    Curious, how did you manage zero carbs? what do you eat?
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    most likely meat
    and high fat foods.....
  • sillyli234
    sillyli234 Posts: 124 Member
    Low carb, high fat, moderate protein made me drop some weight quickly and safely. Definitely look into paleo/keto/primal eating!
  • wyllden
    wyllden Posts: 48 Member
    thanks, it is beginning to get a bit clearer.

    My calorie goal is set at 1400 at the moment, i've been exercising most days burning off typically 250 calories and so far had atleast 300 calories left at the end of the day most days. So is my deficit 300? or is it the figure i get when i deduct my food intake from my RMR (don't know much about this but done a calcualtion on a site where it saud 2530???)


    If you allowed MFP to set your calories, then it works like this. It calculates your amount of calories to lose weight NOT including exercise. Then when you do exercise, you need to eat more fuel for that. When you choose "I want to lose X pounds per week" this is what determines how many calories deficit. It subtracts 500 calories per day for 1 pound a week, 1,000 calories per day for 2 pounds per week, etc.

    You are still maintaining the same calorie deficit, even when you eat back exercise calories.

    Example:

    2000 (number of calories you need to maintain not including exercise)
    -1500 (number of calories MFP says to eat to lose 1 pound per week)
    500 (this is your calorie deficit)

    1500 (number of calories you eat)
    -500 (amount you burned in exercise)
    +500 (more food you eat for exercise calories)
    =1500 (this is still a 500 calorie deficit to lose weight)

    editing to add: the numbers above are just examples for ease of explaining, your numbers are different.

    The other calculator you saw where it said 2500, this may have been a TDEE calculator. If so, TDEE means total daily energy expenditure, this is the number of calories where you would not gain or lose any weight, aka "maintenance" calories.
  • Sarah4fitness
    Sarah4fitness Posts: 437 Member
    I'm shuddering at 50g carbs or less a day. I get rampagey and stabby at 100g a day.
    To lose fat, eat fewer calories than you burn. Dropping your calories more than 300 below maintenance for your current weight will eventually lead to a purge, or a slowed metabolism. If you're 200+ lbs, don't do extremes. You don't need to. Just eat a little less than normal and exercise more, preferably lifting weights.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    I'm shuddering at 50g carbs or less a day. I get rampagey and stabby at 100g a day.
    To lose fat, eat fewer calories than you burn. Dropping your calories more than 300 below maintenance for your current weight will eventually lead to a purge, or a slowed metabolism. If you're 200+ lbs, don't do extremes. You don't need to. Just eat a little less than normal and exercise more, preferably lifting weights.

    Yeah I do a variation of carb/calorie cycling with what I do....and on days I do low carbs (100 or less) I get a little "punchy" I guess you could say....more moody than anything. :bigsmile:
  • latte4jayne
    latte4jayne Posts: 2 Member
    I love low carb diet. I eat 5 mini meals about every 2 1/2 and one main meal of greens and protein consisting of fish, chicken beef for dinner. I eat a white omelettes with 2 tbsps of bacaon bits for breakfast. I have instant oatmeal with a splash of sugar free flavoring. I love the crunchy puffs from Trader joes for afternoon snack, low in carbs. To keep me honest I weight them out and bag them for my snack. I also seek out great low carb bars with low sugar content. I also love almonds for snacks, but wiegh them out, it is easy to go overboard.
  • wyllden
    wyllden Posts: 48 Member
    I'm shuddering at 50g carbs or less a day. I get rampagey and stabby at 100g a day.
    To lose fat, eat fewer calories than you burn. Dropping your calories more than 300 below maintenance for your current weight will eventually lead to a purge, or a slowed metabolism. If you're 200+ lbs, don't do extremes. You don't need to. Just eat a little less than normal and exercise more, preferably lifting weights.

    Yeah I do a variation of carb/calorie cycling with what I do....and on days I do low carbs (100 or less) I get a little "punchy" I guess you could say....more moody than anything. :bigsmile:

    I was wondering whether switching week by week could be a solution - as in low carb 1 week, then low calories the next, alternating. (although i have been keeping an eye on the calories even when on low carb anyway)

    This might help me to have the carbs like porridge, potatoes and bread to look forward to for the weeks when i'm on low carb, then look forward to the high fat things like cheese and bacon for the weeks when i'm on low carb.

    So do you do it on a weekly, daily or other cycle?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    If you're going low carb do it and stick to it for at least 6 weeks. There's a transition to go through where you might be a bit headache prone or light headed, where extra salt intake helps.

    Your diary is closed so can't see what you've been eating.

    If you can't stick to 50g of carbs per day then maybe just a calorie limit would serve you better.
  • lfabbric
    lfabbric Posts: 17 Member
    Regardless of being in ketosis or not (below 30-50g of carbs a day), you still need a calorie deficit.

    Don't focus on being in ketosis unless you are very strict, just focus on getting your daily protein requirements and filling the rest with fat and carbs.

    Have fun with it.
  • kaleysmom71
    kaleysmom71 Posts: 4 Member


    Wat? Clean eating has nothing to do with weight loss

    For women, nutrition absolutely has to do with weight loss. And clean eating is good nutrition. It's not rocket science. I was sharing what has worked for me, I'm also a women in my thirties. Weight loss is totally different for men than it is for women.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    I'm shuddering at 50g carbs or less a day. I get rampagey and stabby at 100g a day.
    To lose fat, eat fewer calories than you burn. Dropping your calories more than 300 below maintenance for your current weight will eventually lead to a purge, or a slowed metabolism. If you're 200+ lbs, don't do extremes. You don't need to. Just eat a little less than normal and exercise more, preferably lifting weights.

    Yeah I do a variation of carb/calorie cycling with what I do....and on days I do low carbs (100 or less) I get a little "punchy" I guess you could say....more moody than anything. :bigsmile:

    I was wondering whether switching week by week could be a solution - as in low carb 1 week, then low calories the next, alternating. (although i have been keeping an eye on the calories even when on low carb anyway)

    This might help me to have the carbs like porridge, potatoes and bread to look forward to for the weeks when i'm on low carb, then look forward to the high fat things like cheese and bacon for the weeks when i'm on low carb.

    So do you do it on a weekly, daily or other cycle?

    For me I do Intermittent Fasting (LeanGains protocol)
    So for right now, 2 days a week (usually Wed and Sat) are my rest days....so low carb, high protein, and higher fat
    The other 5 days are workout days, so High protein, High carb and low fat.

    Also rest days are low calorie, ~2200 - 2300
    Workout days are high calorie, ~2800 - 3000
    but that is what I do
  • kaleysmom71
    kaleysmom71 Posts: 4 Member

    sigh, its the calorie deficit that you created by eating clean that dropped the weight..

    eating clean, non processed, and/or complex vs noncomplex carbs has nothing to do with it...

    "sigh" actually I was eating MORE calories, but higher quality calories.
  • wyllden
    wyllden Posts: 48 Member
    i appreciate you all taking the time to reply and try to help me, thank you:smile:
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member


    Wat? Clean eating has nothing to do with weight loss

    For women, nutrition absolutely has to do with weight loss. And clean eating is good nutrition. It's not rocket science. I was sharing what has worked for me, I'm also a women in my thirties. Weight loss is totally different for men than it is for women.

    Energy balance applies to both genders. Create and sustain an energy deficit and you will lose weight.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member


    Wat? Clean eating has nothing to do with weight loss

    For women, nutrition absolutely has to do with weight loss. And clean eating is good nutrition. It's not rocket science. I was sharing what has worked for me, I'm also a women in my thirties. Weight loss is totally different for men than it is for women.

    No it's not. I'm in my 30s and lose weight with a simple calorie deficit (and adequate protein and lifting).
  • 33Freya
    33Freya Posts: 468 Member
    As i understand it, Calories from food are made up of macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. For each gram of protein there are 4 calories. For each gram of carbohydrates there are 4 calories. For each gram of fat there are 9 calories.

    Protein feeds and protects your muscle, carbs give the body energy, and fats uh... lube the body, satisfies appetite, and thus also very important.

    My goal is to burn fat and build muscle so I eat at a 40/40/20 ratio, with my calories at a (nonaggressive) deficit.

    Read up on it. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto is a great book to read on this topic... good luck!
  • RWonka5
    RWonka5 Posts: 3 Member
    You need to keep your carbs between 50 - 80 grams a day otherwise you can experience something called "diet-flu" which will zap your energy and possibly make you sick. If you take in between 50 - 80 carbs and focus more on eating protein, your body will achieve ketosis. Meaning that your fat cells will actually start letting go of the fat and pass it through your urine. You can even measure this with Keto-strips. The strips will let you know how much fat your body is shedding through your urine. After months of being stuck on a plateau, I started doing this and have finally started losing weight again.

    Good luck!
  • phillynavy
    phillynavy Posts: 8
    The Keto Diet works well but you dont gain much muscle mass. I plan to do this as my last stage of weight loss. the last time i did it it worked wonders. I found that Step the Fitness skater is a great guide shes on youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kuA-GC3RQE
  • Heliconia
    Heliconia Posts: 166 Member
    What is PCOS? Thanks.
  • wyllden
    wyllden Posts: 48 Member
    You need to keep your carbs between 50 - 80 grams a day otherwise you can experience something called "diet-flu" which will zap your energy and possibly make you sick. If you take in between 50 - 80 carbs and focus more on eating protein, your body will achieve ketosis. Meaning that your fat cells will actually start letting go of the fat and pass it through your urine. You can even measure this with Keto-strips. The strips will let you know how much fat your body is shedding through your urine. After months of being stuck on a plateau, I started doing this and have finally started losing weight again.

    Good luck!

    thanks, that gives me a bit more leeway on carbs, will try that
  • CJBateman81
    CJBateman81 Posts: 6 Member
    Hi there,
    I recently adjusted my diet for a lower carb type too per my doctor's recommendation because I wasn't losing weight just lowering calories alone... She said "Don't necessarily lower your calories, but cut your carbs a bit and up your protein"... I was already cutting calories to between 1200-1600, that's why she said don't lower my calories anymore. So for me, I changed all my macro goals (Carbs, Fat, Protein) in MFP to 30% Carbs, 30% Fat, and 40% protein... 50 is REALLY low though... A low carb diet is anything from 50-150 grams per day... so you're on the very low end. You may be just cutting out too many. Make sure you're getting enough protein too!
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    forget fad diets, hit your macros and have a sensible calorie deficit and you will be fine. Keeping carbs to low will mean your body is going to start burning muscle. Balance is the key to this.
  • lfabbric
    lfabbric Posts: 17 Member
    Keeping carbs to low will mean your body is going to start burning muscle.

    -1

    As long as you are eating sufficient fat and protein, why would you start burning muscle?
  • wshultz14
    wshultz14 Posts: 63 Member
    It really depends on your body.. I don't believe in the low carb diets of 30 grabs daily. I think at least 100g of carbs might be about right. For me I noticed to many carbs does a couple of discouraging things to me. 1. I get Hot Flashes when I eat to many carbs. 2. To many Carbs puts me to sleep. I have been following the suggested Carbs grams the MFP has in my Daily Food Journal. It works for me... No Hot Flashes and I can stay awake. A person just has to find what works for them. I think MFP has a pretty balance suggested values of Carbs, Proten, Sugar, etc. Takes the mystery out of it for me as I record my food each day.
  • Missycvt
    Missycvt Posts: 422 Member
    I just started Atkins diet I am on Phase 1 Induction. I have heard that this usually helps lose weight fast. I used to weigh almost 200 pounds as well and I would eat special k with berries in the morning with no milk, for lunch i would have a salad plain with no dressing, and for dinner chicken tenders or breast, not breaded, pan fried with veggies, your choice of green beans, or broccoli Normandy. and of course plenty of water. I would alternate my meals and you can eat what you wish but cut out breads, sweets, sodas as well. any kind of soda even diet. and i stopped drinking alcohol for 6 months. i dropped 30 pounds in one year, and the next year another 30. I was so happy I went from a size 15 to a size 5!!! Now I have moved away from home and moved to Vegas where there are lots of buffets and awesome restaurants and I have put on 15-20 pounds over the last 6 months. So I am trying to lose those pounds now. I'm seriously trying everything to get back into my size 5. You can do this too. Working out is fun and challenging. Try to look up YouTube videos on working out some cardio and start out slow maybe low impact. That is working great for me. I am on day 3 of induction and I have already lost 2.4 pounds. Must be water weight but hey! That's a start right? Good luck and add me if you want, we can definitely motivate each other.
  • Sarah4fitness
    Sarah4fitness Posts: 437 Member
    Advising a rookie dieter to go into ketosis doesn't seem logical or responsible. At her current weight, only a slight calorie deficit is needed in addition to increased activity. Not freakin' ketosis.
  • ginnmaya
    ginnmaya Posts: 3
    Very well said! Thanks__:smile:
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    forget fad diets, hit your macros and have a sensible calorie deficit and you will be fine. Keeping carbs to low will mean your body is going to start burning muscle. Balance is the key to this.

    100% NOT true. Don't spread false information please. That's not cool. I've been on keto since July and haven't lost what muscle mass I have. In fact, now I can see muscles in my arms!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    forget fad diets, hit your macros and have a sensible calorie deficit and you will be fine. Keeping carbs to low will mean your body is going to start burning muscle. Balance is the key to this.

    100% NOT true. Don't spread false information please. That's not cool. I've been on keto since July and haven't lost what muscle mass I have. In fact, now I can see muscles in my arms!
    where did that person say keto is a fad diet? Sensitive, are we?

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