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MyFitnessPal Community

Low carb or calorie deficit more effective?

Msdwyer17

Low carb more effective for weight loss with a deficit, or just a deficit?

Replies

thavoice

Low carb more effective for weight loss with a deficit, or just a deficit?

A deficit is going to be better for you long term, and much easier to do. You can pretty much eat any thing you want and just stay under the limits, whereas low carb you really have to watch what you eat, and if (when) you trip up it can spiral you upward.

I did low carb before, and it worked, but when there were times when I ate "normally" and the weight seemed to jump back quicker..
On the low calorie it is a simple numbers game and the times I go over it doesnt sabatoge me so much.

Ainar

Just a deficit if you want to lose fat. Deficit with low carb if you want to lose fat and also water weight.

WendyTerry420

Eating less of any macronutrient only helps if those calories are not replaced by another macronutrient. Without a calorie deficit, it's impossible to lose weight. Eating less food is required, regardless of which food you choose to eat less of.

aetzkorn14

I have to agree. Low-carb can set you up for failure if your not careful. You will loose a lot of water weight which people mistake for fat loss and as soon as you slip and have a carb day you will gain some water weight back. Low-carb does put your body in a fat burning zone since it takes a lot more energy for your body to break down protein for fuel. However, I slip up on low carb and cant stay that restricted. I love me some pop-tarts

farrellz

I have used a low carb diet in the past and lost 20 lbs in 4 months on 3 different occasions. Then each time I gained it back over the next 6 months.

I have been on low carb for the past 2 months and dropped 10 lbs. 2 weeks ago I stumbled on MFP. I am now trying to focus on my net calories and keep my carbs low if I can. On many days my carbs have exceeded my max target of 25 grams, but I have dropped 3 lbs in these 2 weeks.

I have 9 more to lose to meet my goal. I think the combination of exercise and net calories will help me lose the weight and maintain it.

Booksandbeaches

Here are 23 studies comparing low carb and low fat. http://authoritynutrition.com/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets/
You can draw your own conclusions from it.

I low carb. I eat vegetables every day. It's not some protein feast as some would believe.

TeaBea

Eating less of any macronutrient only helps if those calories are not replaced by another macronutrient. Without a calorie deficit, it's impossible to lose weight. Eating less food is required, regardless of which food you choose to eat less of.

This!^

I prefer to make lifestyle changes. I don't want to lose the weight "one way" and then figure out how to keep it off when I eat "regular" food again. A few permanent changes will go a long way.

BlueBombers

Cutting calories is what has worked for me.

Edit as I can't spell today

CovingtonDavid

I like low carb. Nothing is faster to get the weight off and get ripped. Discipline and exercise will keep it off no matter what method you used to get it off. Just my opinion.

swaggityswagbag

I find low carb helps with discipline. Low calorie can turn into "I'll have a cheat day" which turns into "I'll have a cheat week". Low calorie usually means "a couple extra calories isn't bad!" Low calorie is "I ate all 1500 calories I'm supposed to but I'm STARVING!"

Low carb, for me, avoids all that. Yes, I actually have foods that I restrict myself from eating, unlike low calorie, but that just means that everything I eat is nutritious and filling and not calories that don't keep me full.

chloematilds

calorie cutting.

Low carb can be deceiving in a way you will lose water which creates the illusion that you are losing fat by losing weight

Glycogen binds with water. So if you deplete your glycogen stores, you lose the water which create weight loss but NOT fat loss if you do not create a deficit. Creating a calorie deficit "burns" stored fat.

Try going low carb for a few days, weight your self, then eat your carbs at the same calorie amount and your weight shoots up

adamsgifty

Low carb worked for me at sometime. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and was to count and monitor my carb grams intake. I lost about 5lbs in a week. yes, if you start eating 'normally' again, the weight gain seems quicker

Jestinia

You still have to eat at a deficit to lose weight no matter what you eat. But low carb helps some people have less appetite. Some don't even have to count calories, they stay under without double checking. When I'm on low carb I do still count, though.

helizi

The idea of 'eat what you want and still lose weight' on low-carb is a holdover from the Atkins days, and it's untrue. Whatever diet you go on, there'll be no weight loss without a calorie deficit.

ladymiseryali

For me, it's both. The low carb helps keep my calories down, but it also helped budge some stubborn inches and lbs.

Branstin

I prefer just a calorie deficiency because I don't like having my foods restricted. I am fine with eating less but I don't want to be confined to certain foods with low carbs.

MityMax96

Low carb more effective for weight loss with a deficit, or just a deficit?

Make sure you are in caloric deficit any way you go.

chloematilds

I think people need to do away with the "weight loss" mentality and shift to "fat loss". After all, it is the excess fat that is harmful.

Technically many people who are muscular are likely to be categorized as overweight or obese but many of them have ideal body fat percentage so they do not suffer the diseases related to obesity (being overfat)

To summarize in a pic

DeadliftAddict

for most, eating low card is going to put them in a caloric deficit which caused the weight loss. They didn't replace the calories from the carbs with anything else. So it's still all about the deficit.

ChristineMiller2

You have to have a deficit to lose weight. You have to burn more calories than eat. I tried low carb....yeah not happening. I do low calorie and the pounds shed.

parkscs

calorie cutting.

Low carb can be deceiving in a way you will lose water which creates the illusion that you are losing fat by losing weight

Glycogen binds with water. So if you deplete your glycogen stores, you lose the water which create weight loss but NOT fat loss if you do not create a deficit. Creating a calorie deficit "burns" stored fat.

Try going low carb for a few days, weight your self, then eat your carbs at the same calorie amount and your weight shoots up

Read the OP - the question was low carb + deficit or just deficit by itself. Low carb with a caloric deficit will produce fat loss over time and oftentimes does so while allowing people to stay very satiated at an aggressive caloric deficit.

Muscle glycogen depletion is probably the least persuasive reason why you should consider a low carb diet and only really occurs during the first 1-2 weeks of the diet. When your weight "shoots up" on a carb refeed, that's simply water weight and nothing to be concerned over. In short, dropping or adding that water weight isn't a big deal.

vytamindi

I prefer low-carb + deficit. I find that eating most of my daily calories in fat and protein keeps me from being a ravenous food vacuum. But that's me.

In all honesty, it comes down to what's sustainable for you. I don't push a way of eating on anyone (and will totally make high carb sides for my fiance to enjoy) because we all have to find what will work for ourselves. Experiment and see if you do well on it.

Jestinia

I think people need to do away with the "weight loss" mentality and shift to "fat loss". After all, it is the excess fat that is harmful.

Technically many people who are muscular are likely to be categorized as overweight or obese but many of them have ideal body fat percentage so they do not suffer the diseases related to obesity (being overfat)

To summarize in a pic

Problem with this is, BMI calculators are a rough estimate of bodyfat percentage, too. Bodyfat scales, so far as I can tell, are garbage, and other methods of getting bodyfat percentage are expensive.

But I still agree with you.

Acg67

Here are 23 studies comparing low carb and low fat. http://authoritynutrition.com/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets/
You can draw your own conclusions from it.

I low carb. I eat vegetables every day. It's not some protein feast as some would believe.

Good thing the OP asked about low fat vs low carb. Either way that link is garbage. How many of the studies controlled protein and cals? How many relied on self reported intake? How many actually measured fat loss (hopefully not by BIA)?

chloematilds

I think people need to do away with the "weight loss" mentality and shift to "fat loss". After all, it is the excess fat that is harmful.

Technically many people who are muscular are likely to be categorized as overweight or obese but many of them have ideal body fat percentage so they do not suffer the diseases related to obesity (being overfat)

To summarize in a pic

Problem with this is, BMI calculators are a rough estimate of bodyfat percentage, too. Bodyfat scales, so far as I can tell, are garbage, and other methods of getting bodyfat percentage are expensive.

But I still agree with you.

For the sedentary person, probably. But for active person? Highly doubtful. The BMI does not differentiate lean body mass from fat mass as well as water weight. And there goes the problem with people who are more muscular since muscle is far more denser than fat.

This is why there is such thing as "normal weight obesity". People under normal BMI but have the metabolic diseases of obese/overfat people. If you google around, there are studies showing that measuring once waistline is a better indication of one's health than BMI alone. The rationale behind this is the visceral fat -- a metabolically active fat that secretes toxins in the body

Body fat estimation can be inexpensive -- body calipers. While not exactly accurate, they're a good gauge of progress. In fact, even the most expensive body fat equipment are prone to errors. The only way to accurately gauge body fat is autopsy where they scrape all your fat and weight i. LOL

Less fixation on the scales. Just get a tape measure and measure your progress with inches or centimeters. It is less frustrating since unlike the scales, it is more linear.

Jestinia

I think people need to do away with the "weight loss" mentality and shift to "fat loss". After all, it is the excess fat that is harmful.

Technically many people who are muscular are likely to be categorized as overweight or obese but many of them have ideal body fat percentage so they do not suffer the diseases related to obesity (being overfat)

To summarize in a pic

Problem with this is, BMI calculators are a rough estimate of bodyfat percentage, too. Bodyfat scales, so far as I can tell, are garbage, and other methods of getting bodyfat percentage are expensive.

But I still agree with you.

For the sedentary person, probably. But for active person? Highly doubtful. The BMI does not differentiate lean body mass from fat mass as well as water weight. And there goes the problem with people who are more muscular since muscle is far more denser than fat.

This is why there is such thing as "normal weight obesity". People under normal BMI but have the metabolic diseases of obese/overfat people. If you google around, there are studies showing that measuring once waistline is a better indication of one's health than BMI alone. The rationale behind this is the visceral fat -- a metabolically active fat that secretes toxins in the body

Body fat estimation can be inexpensive -- body calipers. While not exactly accurate, they're a good gauge of progress. In fact, even the most expensive body fat equipment are prone to errors. The only way to accurately gauge body fat is autopsy where they scrape all your fat and weight i. LOL

Less fixation on the scales. Just get a tape measure and measure your progress with inches or centimeters. It is less frustrating since unlike the scales, it is more linear.

<--- sedentary and small boned (at 130 pounds I'm chubby)

I forgot about body calipers, though. Was thinking of the space pod and the full body immersion fat baptism!

lindsey1979

I think it's really a personal choice. From what I can tell, they're both legitimate paths to success -- it will just depend on the individual's preferences and specific issues.

Some hate to restrict carbs, so generally a low-carb calorie deficit isn't going to be a good match for them. And if they take weight off in a reasonably similar manner with a calorie deficit alone, then there is no real benefit for these folks.

However, others find it much easier to maintain a sizeable calorie deficit when they low carb. High fat, moderate protein and low carb diets are highly satiating. So much so, that some don't feel the need to count calories at all. For others, they may have a carb sensitivity issue (like insulin resistance), so a low carb diet is near mandatory to create the calorie deficit.

I personally like low carb myself as it helps reduce cravings and I feel great on it (but I also have insulin resistance and some gluten intolerance issues -- so I avoid a lot of grains for that reason alone). However, I don't restrict carbs to the extent where it's a keto diet -- I keep carbs at 50-80g per day as a general fule. I find it far more effective for weight loss than a calorie deficit alone. But, my experience isn't going be the same for everyone.

I'd suggest you give it a try and see if it works for you.

LianaG1115

I think people need to do away with the "weight loss" mentality and shift to "fat loss". After all, it is the excess fat that is harmful.

Technically many people who are muscular are likely to be categorized as overweight or obese but many of them have ideal body fat percentage so they do not suffer the diseases related to obesity (being overfat)

To summarize in a pic

I LOVE pics, I feel like I'm on Dr. Oz!! hahahaha

chloematilds

I think it's really a personal choice. From what I can tell, they're both legitimate paths to success -- it will just depend on the individual's preferences and specific issues.

Some hate to restrict carbs, so generally a low-carb calorie deficit isn't going to be a good match for them. And if they take weight off in a reasonably similar manner with a calorie deficit alone, then there is no real benefit for these folks.

However, others find it much easier to maintain a sizeable calorie deficit when they low carb. High fat, moderate protein and low carb diets are highly satiating. So much so, that some don't feel the need to count calories at all. For others, they may have a carb sensitivity issue (like insulin resistance), so a low carb diet is near mandatory to create the calorie deficit.

I personally like low carb myself as it helps reduce cravings and I feel great on it (but I also have insulin resistance and some gluten intolerance issues -- so I avoid a lot of grains for that reason alone). However, I don't restrict carbs to the extent where it's a keto diet -- I keep carbs at 50-80g per day as a general fule. I find it far more effective for weight loss than a calorie deficit alone. But, my experience isn't going be the same for everyone.

I'd suggest you give it a try and see if it works for you.

bottom line is calorie deficit. If she substitutes carb with other calorie dense food and do not create a deficit, I doubt the extra fat is going away. There may be some moving in the scales but that will be water weight. High carb, high protein, high fat, vegan, etc.. Bottom line to losing the excess fat is calorie deficit

lindsey1979

I think it's really a personal choice. From what I can tell, they're both legitimate paths to success -- it will just depend on the individual's preferences and specific issues.

Some hate to restrict carbs, so generally a low-carb calorie deficit isn't going to be a good match for them. And if they take weight off in a reasonably similar manner with a calorie deficit alone, then there is no real benefit for these folks.

However, others find it much easier to maintain a sizeable calorie deficit when they low carb. High fat, moderate protein and low carb diets are highly satiating. So much so, that some don't feel the need to count calories at all. For others, they may have a carb sensitivity issue (like insulin resistance), so a low carb diet is near mandatory to create the calorie deficit.

I personally like low carb myself as it helps reduce cravings and I feel great on it (but I also have insulin resistance and some gluten intolerance issues -- so I avoid a lot of grains for that reason alone). However, I don't restrict carbs to the extent where it's a keto diet -- I keep carbs at 50-80g per day as a general fule. I find it far more effective for weight loss than a calorie deficit alone. But, my experience isn't going be the same for everyone.

I'd suggest you give it a try and see if it works for you.

bottom line is calorie deficit. If she substitutes carb with other calorie dense food and do not create a deficit, I doubt the extra fat is going away. There may be some moving in the scales but that will be water weight. High carb, high protein, high fat, vegan, etc.. Bottom line to losing the excess fat is calorie deficit

Yes, but if (1) they're starving, they're far less likely to be able to maintain a calorie deficit (they're far more likely to binge). That's why satiety is a really important for most people in dieting/lifestyle changes. If you can accomplish the same thing in an easier way with less effort or heartache, why wouldn't you do it?

Of course, what constitutes "easier" varies from person-to-person, but for some restricting carbs makes it much easier to maintain a caloric deficit.

(2) If they have any carb sensitivity issue, like insulin resistance, it may be absolutely necessary for them to do so in order to avoid big insulin spikes (which both causes hunger sensations and ultimately greater fat storage) due to their abnormal glucose metabolism. It's not a requirement for all that have these issues, but it is for many -- for good reason.