Does a low carb diet make a big difference?

NO carbs would be next to impossible. It would be very limiting. I am not much of a carb eater naturally - so I tried a low carb diet a few years ago. I lost 40 pounds, but gained it all back because, like you, I stopped the "diet".

I have been on MFP for 26 months and lost a little over 100 pounds just eating within my calorie deficit and meeting my macros. I can eat like this for the rest of my life. I don't deprive myself of foods I enjoy - within my calories for the day (1680).

This link has tons of information to help you build a plan that will help you lose and also be sustainable over time.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

I haven't found that cutting back on carbs has helped my weight loss any, but I did learn that I have a slight gluten intolerance so cutting back on wheats and some grains has helped me feel better overall (which helps me stay on track).

Just don't check this past week, lol.

It depends. As others have pointed out, really low carb is hard to sustain. But for someone like me with type 2 diabetes, managing carbs is not a short term diet, it's a lifestyle change that must be maintained for a lifetime. In my case, yes, reduced carbs is the only way to go.

I aim for less than 135gm carbs a day, no more than 45gm in a meal. Generally, meals are around 30gm, snacks 15gm. Combined with daily exercise, I've been successful so far. So really, the answer is a question.. Is this a temporary diet or a lifestyle change?

Unless you have some medical condition there is no real reason to limit carbs. Carbs are a food group and important the same way protein and fats are. They are the bodies main source of energy. Cutting carbs won't miraculously make you lose weight. Those on low carb lose weight the same way the rest of us do because of a calorie deficit. Some people do find by limiting carbs it can reduce cravings for certain high calorie sugary foods they are avoiding because it makes them binge. I eat on average 60% of my diet from carbs a lot of fruit and whole grain carbs but I still in moderation have sweet treats as you can see it's not hindered my weight loss. I recently increased my carb intake on purpose because I'm a runner and I was lacking in energy and this has seemed to improved the situation.

You need to wade through all the dodgy science and claims about low carb/ High carb cavemen etc and find what works for you but one of your first questions to yourself should be 'Can I sustain this long term' and 'how am I going to eat for the rest of my life'. Looking at these long term questions are how you will avoid regaining any weight you have lost. In the end it's what works for you but as always 'Don't believe the hype'

Good luck

You don't have to sustain low carb eating to retain your weight loss achieved that way, any more than you would need to sustain a calorie deficit or other regime once at goal.

I have no idea why people think you have to do something for life, once the excess fat is off you need a maintenance regime for sure, but it doesn't have to look like a weight loss regime.

Hello everyone!

Last year I lost 20lbs very slowly by just watching what I ate and making sure it was lower calorie. I tried to cut down on the worst offender foods and have healthy snacks to keep me from getting too hungry. But I didn't do any special dieting. It did take me a while but I felt like I was doing it an ok way. I've put on a few lbs since I stopped for a new job and I would quite like to get rid of them and the remaining 20 or so lbs to get down to my goal weight.

A friend of mine has said she's done really well with basically no carbs diet. I wanted to know if trying to keep calories low and also eating less carbs would be more effective than just lower calories?

In short, would it be quicker for me to lose weight with a less carby diet?

Only one way to find out hon...try it & see
It works for me, but for some folks, it's a tough row to hoe.

I would recommend opting for a modest reduction & see how that works for you.

For me, low-carb high-fat (LCHF) reduces and almost eliminates cravings for sweets and breads. If I do low calorie w/o LCHF, I get too hungry. I'm eating under 30 carbs a day right now, but I've lost weight previously cutting back to 45 carbs per meal. You choose how low to go depending on how you feel (energy, hunger, etc). Choosing healthy carbs--vegetables, fruits, maybe some breads if your gut tolerates them--is also important. Experiment, keep track, figure out what works for you. Good luck!

I personally think people are much better off learning how to eat a more balanced diet and focus on getting proper nutrition...which means not only getting your vitamins and minerals, but hitting dietary fat requisites and higher protein requisites than the RDA (which is basically bare minimum intake for a sedentary person...don't be sedentary and get more protein).

When people focus on having a more balanced and nutritious diet, they generally find that their protein intake increases, their fat intake increases or remains static, and their carbohydrate intake is often substantially reduced from the SAD. To boot, when people are trying to hit micro vitamins and mineral goals, they find that their carbohydrates sources tend to be less "junky" with some starches and whole grains and a lot of wholesome vegetables and fruits making up the better part of that carbohydrate intake.

Key here is the past tense, as in "not sustainable"

Three years ago I lost 150 pounds in 13 months doing low carb.

Still eating the same way so yes it is sustainable if you commit yourself to it.

I find a low carb regime is perfect for me, and it's completely sustainable, and not more expensive than buying 'normal' food. The carbs i do eat come from veg mostly and some fruit (not a fan of fruit myself i only eat apples, bananas and occasionally berries). I stay away from (as much as possible but i do indulge once in a while) rice, pasta (i only eat non-wheat), tatties, anything bread-like, anything processed (including processed meats) (not including cheese here of course).

Instead of rice i have cauliflower blizted to rice like consistency before frying it in a little coconut oil.

instead of tatties i have cauliflower mash, or celeriac/squash (chips, mash, or cubed).

I eat loads of leafy greens (usually wilted, i'm not a huge fan of salads).

and lots of pulses, seeds and protein. I don't feel hungry, i eat little and often as it suits me. i train at least 5 days a week, for at least an hour, 4 of those days are high intensity. I have no energy problems, no flagging at 3pm, no flagging at the end of 1.5 hr karate session where i still have to jog a mile and half home as my warm down.

The atkins diet (or similar) is a good way to figure out what your body needs in the way of carbs, and it also helps you figure out better sources of carbs than bloody boring tatties/rice/pasta all the time.

There are plenty of protein sources you can have that aren't meat that don't cost a fortune, you just need to do a little reading of vegetarian sites and google recipes etc it's not hard and means you know what you are eating and why. I've broadened my cooking ability exponentially after decided to eat like this. You find out what snacks you can have and how to make them yourself and eventually you crave these instead of rubbish mass manufactured sweets.

it's always worth a go, if you find it doesn't work for you, then it's the wrong diet for your body type, you can try something else, it shouldn't do any harm. just make sure you don't overeat, as even eating too much veg will make you put on weight, otherwise all vegans would be stick-like.

I've been eating and working out like this since 2009. I still have diet pepsi etc (prefer the taste) and have an full-fat irn bru every so often (cos diet tastes minging). I also have cakey things every so often, cos life's boring without a bit of indulgence.

I also find rewarding myself with something other than food is helpful. So i tend to reward myself with a new item of clothing, a hair cut, a magazine or a new tune for running to. My most recent purchase was an expensive pair of rollerskates for my new sport hee hee!

It depends heavily on your genes. Every body will react differently. I happen to have a blood disorder which makes me anemic (I struggle to absorb protein, iron, calcium, etc) and keeps my BP hypotensive and cholesterol good. I also have diabetes. Absolutely, ketogenic/low carb has been vital- for me. It may not be good for everyone, and I don't recommend it for everyone. If you will feel deprived eating as such, then you are likely to be unhappy and binge. If you have a family history of kidney or gallbladder problems, take extreme caution.

Truth is that any approach to diet that you stick to will work, but the key is to actually stick with it long-term. That said, I am happy being able to eat filling meals, and as someone who hates bread and pasta, the only problem I have with eating low carb is that (as a college student) I sometimes can't afford to eat at all, and settle for carbs over starvation.

And no, eating carbs again doesn't make you magically balloon up in weight. I portion control, and usually maintain while I'm eating on a budget. Typically the foods (like potatoes,etc) are higher calorie, but I've heard some weird myths about ketogenic diets.

Don't let other people decide what's best for you. It's your body and you have agency over how you fuel it and whether or not you think it's best. A lot of people will harbor strong negative opinions about dietary habits based on their own experiences, but your diet isn't really anyone's business so don't let concern trolls bully you.

I know some people on here will jump on in, but I've worked on cutting out bread and pasta. I still get plenty of carbs in my diet, they just come from fruits and veggies. Personally, I feel like bread is a waste of calories, it doesn't really have any flavor in itself, its just used as a way to get other foods in your mouth...butter, dips. I'm completely satisfied eating a cheeseburger (homemade, not fast food) without the bun, I'm still getting the full flavor of the food I was craving. This kind of life changes may not be sustainable for everyone, but they are for me and you should do what will work for YOU. I like food and if I can have more of other foods by skipping the calories in bread, then that's a long term sustainable life change for me.

I know some people on here will jump on in, but I've worked on cutting out bread and pasta. I still get plenty of carbs in my diet, they just come from fruits and veggies. Personally, I feel like bread is a waste of calories, it doesn't really have any flavor in itself, its just used as a way to get other foods in your mouth...butter, dips. I'm completely satisfied eating a cheeseburger (homemade, not fast food) without the bun, I'm still getting the full flavor of the food I was craving. This kind of life changes may not be sustainable for everyone, but they are for me and you should do what will work for YOU. I like food and if I can have more of other foods by skipping the calories in bread, then that's a long term sustainable life change for me.

Obviously you haven't tried my whole grain, homemade sourdough breads. I make a full rye, full whole wheat and sandwich rye/whole wheat with freshly ground grains. To die for!!

There is no reason to do low carb. While studies show that low carb does lead to initial higher amounts of weight loss, this is mostly due to a loss in water weight. In the long run however, calorie counting vs low carb shows no overall difference. Plus, diets that require hard restrictions are shown to be harder to stick to.

Don't be fooled by all the "diets" out there. They are simply there for people to make money off of. They don't have your best interest at heart and many are backed by questionable science at best.