is low carb worth it

sarahjw87
sarahjw87 Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I'm new so please be nice :-)

I am trying to lose about 14 pounds and have been trying for about a month or so. When I first started i was calorie counting and MFP said i should aim for around 1200 cals a day which i found really difficult. In the past two weeks, I have been cutting my carbs but not really following a low carb diet. I average around 50-100g carbs per day and i am actually sticking to the 1200 cals a day and its a lot easier than it was before.

Since i started trying to lose weight I have lost about 4 pounds but i guess thats just water weight?

What I want to know is if i should carry on the way I am or if i should try to really drop the carbs to around 30g and see if that makes a big difference? are there any people here that lower their carbs and see results without drastically cutting them and going into keto? generally i feel fuller and more alert but i guess the weight loss is more the fact that I am eating less in general than the fact that I am eating less carbs as I dont think im anywhere near keto...

Replies

  • glp724
    glp724 Posts: 48 Member
    In my experience, when I reduce carbs (relying more on fats & proteins for my calories) but stay within a calorie goal, I definitely lose and do better adhering to my diet because I'm more satisfied and less hungry. The fewer carbs I have, the less I crave them as well.

    If you're the sort of person who will die without noodles or crackers, a low carb approach may ultimately backfire with a carb binge in 2 weeks.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Protein and fat are both satiating macronutrients so getting more of your calories from that will help you stay full. That being said you don't have to go very low carb, just set good minimums to hit for fat and protein each day and fill the rest of your calories with carbs. Going very low carb will get you fast up front weight loss due to water, and if and when you go back to a more balanced diet, you will see a bump in weight gain due to carbing up again.
  • jmoneycgt
    jmoneycgt Posts: 80 Member
    Whatever makes the change more sustainable to you, go for it. Protein tends to stay with people longer, and keep them from being hungry.

    I try to focus on hitting my protein goal (about 70-75% of my body weight, in grams, so 155*0.75=116g or so) so I don't lose as much muscle, and sort of let fat/carbs fall into place as they may.

    Eating more fats than carbs keeps me more full, but damn it sometimes I want me some carby goodness.

    1200 calories is also probably too low. If you only have 14 pounds to lose, you should dial it down to the lose a 0.5/lb a week setting, in order to keep from falling off the wagon and make this a "lifestyle change" and not a diet that makes you angry at food for having calories.
  • gmstarr1
    gmstarr1 Posts: 66 Member
    I think the low carb is worth it. I've been doing low carb since the end of February, and I keep hearing 'it's so much harder, it's too restrictive.' The weight I've lost between February and now has been the easiest weight loss I've ever lost. I didn't lose anymore than I did on a moderation diet, but now I'm not struggling with wanting to go eat a whole pizza and a 2 liter of coca cola.

    Is it sustainable? I don't know yet, but the moderation lifestyle change hasn't been sustainable for me for the last 10 years.

    You can play with the amount of carbs until you find what works best...I played with mine a lot over the last month. Still playing with them, trying to set myself at a comfortable level. I've set mine at 45 grams, but occasionally I'll bump it up a bit if we're going out to eat....tonight we are, and I bumped mine up to 75.

    Good luck!
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    I'm still in the process of transitioning back to what dropped weight the last time, which was following a good chunk of the details of a diet originally made for my mom who has diabetes. I don't think it would qualify as Atkins-level carb dropping but shifting into something more permanent was painless and it wasn't until getting slapped with a post-surgery activity restriction that I gained any of it back, and even then I didn't gain much. If what you're doing works, don't fix it.
  • breeshabebe
    breeshabebe Posts: 580
    I would research it more and make sure it's for you. Really, the first 2 weeks you'll see a bigger than normal loss on the scale... but its really just water weight from your glycogen stores. You can lose the exact same amount keeping carbs in your diet.
  • chelso0o
    chelso0o Posts: 366 Member
    Instead of doing "low carb" I decided to do "more protein" and it seemed like the higher protein I was eating, in order to stay within my daily goals I was just naturally eating less carbs. Plus I feel fuller for longer than when I was eating more carbs.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
    Instead of doing "low carb" I decided to do "more protein" and it seemed like the higher protein I was eating, in order to stay within my daily goals I was just naturally eating less carbs. Plus I feel fuller for longer than when I was eating more carbs.

    That's been my experience as well. I'm not "low carb" by any means, but I did customize my macro percentages so that my carbs only make up about 40% of my diet. I put a lot of focus on getting plenty of protein to help maintain what muscle I have and stay fuller longer, so I tend to stay at or below my carb goal most of the time.
  • Brandolin11
    Brandolin11 Posts: 492 Member
    For me, foregoing most 'simple' carbs was key because most of my trigger foods (i.e., foods that made me crave and want to eat all day long) were simple carb-based, like sourdough bread, cupcakes, saltines, pasta, cookies, etc. By abstaining from these foods, I found my powerful cravings left me and I was able to enjoy all manner of nutritious things, even complex carb-oriented foods like quinoa and starchy veggies. :) In that way, I was able to stick to my daily calorie allotment a lot more easily, because I wasn't constantly obsessing over food. I lost the weight because I ate at a deficit, not because I ate low simple carb, I want to make that clear. But at least I wasn't hungry and craving all day like I usually was on typical diets.
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
    Personally I don't think going into keto is a good idea. But hey thats just me and I'm sure some would disagree. Do what is sustainable for you. In my experience I absolutely LOVE bread I would take it over chocolate in a split second, so low carb for me is not sustainable - therefore I eat carbs!

    Go with your gut - but just know it is ABSOLUTELY NOT necessary to go low carb to lose weight. People choose low carb because it fits their lifestyle, and its really just the calorie deficit that will change your weight.

    Having said that, I would agree that carbs trigger cravings, particularly sugar and processed grains (i.e. white bread).
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I would research it more and make sure it's for you. Really, the first 2 weeks you'll see a bigger than normal loss on the scale... but its really just water weight from your glycogen stores. You can lose the exact same amount keeping carbs in your diet.

    This!^

    It's really not just losing weight you need to consider. After the weight is gone, you will get fewer calories for life. How will you maintain?

    1200 is MFP's minimum....just a default lowest number. You might have a too aggressive weekly goal, which is why MPF bottomed out at 1200. Also, 1200 is a NET number. MFP doesn't include exercise up front....so exercise gives you calories back. You "earn" extra calories for exercise. This fuels your workouts & helps you retain lean muscle.
  • monicapatituccijones
    monicapatituccijones Posts: 68 Member
    You might want to give it a shot and see how you react. I have had some success with going lower carb than before, although not necessarily low-carb. I eat between 50-60 g carbs a day on most days, and I find that keeps me fuller longer.

    If it doesn't work for you, you can always stop.
  • SharonNehring
    SharonNehring Posts: 535 Member
    I'm keeping carbs to under 135gm/day, but average 100-120gm normally. This is for type 2 diabetes. There are suggested rules for making the carbs work for you. For example, always have a protein with your carbs. It slows digestion and moderates the sugar spike afterwards. This way you aren't craving carbs in a hour after your sugar rises then crashes.

    I also need to keep a balanced amount of carbs in my system, again to keep sugars on an even keel. So 15gm for snacks, 30-45gm for meals (if I want a snack later, meals decrease to 30gm).

    A non-diabetic doesn't have to be so careful but it's definitely working for me.

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