Is low carb an effective diet with a low activity level?

lilika_49
lilika_49 Posts: 53
in Getting Started
Hello! Soo...I have decided to fully commit to a Low Carb diet plan...because I have broken my leg and won't be able to be very active for the next month, and just my luck, I was diagnosed with Poly cystic ovarian syndrome a month ago as well (I haven't had a period for 7 months), so I know it has been super easy for the weight to pile on the past few months, and the only way to keep it in check was being extremely careful with keeping an exercise routine. I have gone from 52kg in January to now 57... I am 5'3 and my ideal weight is between 53-54kg...

So I thought since I can't really move around much, I would control what I eat and monitor it more closely...but I don't know what the correct ratio is for carbs/Fat/Protein ... considering my activity level will be very low, I don't want to go over 1200 calories, and again don't know if that is a wise choice or not!

Today for example....I started with a two egg omelette with vegetables fried in a tsp of coconut oil...for snack I had a 25g of mixed nuts (Almonds, pecans, walnuts) ...then for lunch I had sliced raw carrots, celery and 50g of blueberry with a tbsp of peanut butter and a tbsp of Dijon mustard..

I then went a bit naughty and had 40g of shredded wheat (plain, no milk) with 50g raspberries...

and for dinner I had 150g turkey breast, cooked with carrots and ginger and a tsp of olive oil with 5g of cheddar grated on top...

I have had a a liter of water, a cup of green tea and a cup of coffee with skimmed milk, no sugar..


So far I've had 87g of carbs altogether...and that seems to be too high for a low carb diet on some websites!!!My total fat has been 58g, I also made the mistake of weighing myself, and it was 58.2. which is the heaviest the scales have shown me in years!!!!

My total fat intake has been 58g and my protein 71g !

Am I doing this right? I'm nearly reaching my 1200 calorie limit also! What is the correct ratio and how can I lower my carbs more? I think maybe less nuts and more berries? I am so confused with the whole thing but I do want to commit to it, and I know it's the first day...but I don't want to be doing it wrong and getting fatter instead, by introducing all this extra fat to my diet, and not being low enough on carbs!

Replies

  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    If you are going to try a low carb approach, you need to let go of your calorie restriction except as a side observation, and you need to really watch your carbohydrates.

    No to shredded wheat. Yes to (limited quantities of) raspberries. Double yes to eggs, bacon, fish, chicken, pork chops, etc.

    Do not worry about calories. Only watch the carbohydrates *very closely*. Exceeding your goal by as much as 5g/day can make you stop losing.

    Now, some of you out there may be itching to jump on this post "but calories always matter". How low-carb diets work for me is that by shifting my food choices towards fat and protein, I get off the sugar roller-coaster and after a few days I'm *less hungry*. Even though I'm using carbohydrates as my target, my total calorie intake decreases below what it would be if I wasn't "dieting". I can't say if this is what makes it work for others, but it's what happens to me.

    There are some other esoteric reasons low-carb diets work, including the fact circulating insulin inhibits mobilization of fats, so whenever you eat carbs your fat mobilization decreases until you've burned off the insulin you generated to process the carbs (which also explains why it is so hard for people with insulin resistance/"pre-diabetes" to lose weight--their non-eating insulin level is always slightly elevated.)

    However you always need *some* carbs in your diet to make the 'glycerol' chain on which fats attach to make 'triglycerides', which are how stored fats are delivered through the bloodstream from your fat deposits to your cells. So you shouldn't go below about 20g a day (the level used for induction in Atkins). The early reputation of the Atkins diet suffered because some dieters died by trying to eat zero carbs per day for a prolonged period--something never recommended by Dr. Atkins.

    add: honestly though, I wouldn't suggest severe dieting at this point. You need to make sure you have all the necessary micro-nutrients and calories to rebuild your broken bone without your body having to make any compromises. This might be a good time to use an activity monitor to find out how many calories should be in your diet to maintain where you are, and worry about correcting excess weight once your leg is better.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    Use this link to get your calories and macros.

    http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    Eat your allotted calories. This is the formula for success on low carb. LIMIT your carbs, MEET your protein and FILL the rest with fat if needed. You may never meet your fat goal and that's okay. As long as you're not feeling ravenous.
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Use this link to get your calories and macros.

    http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    Eat your allotted calories. This is the formula for success on low carb. LIMIT your carbs, MEET your protein and FILL the rest with fat if needed. You may never meet your fat goal and that's okay. As long as you're not feeling ravenous.

    kewl. thanks from me too.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    "I then went a bit naughty and had 40g of shredded wheat (plain, no milk) with 50g raspberries... "

    That is hardly naughty! It's full of fiber.
  • lilika_49
    lilika_49 Posts: 53
    20g wow! Thank you! And yes.. I think as I'm new to this whole low carb thing.. I was fooled by the packaging info on the shreddies box, saying carbs of which sugars >1 ... so I thought it meant it was low in carbs... but that doesn't really matter on a low carb diet does it?

    Very informative stuff about the insulin levels...which is useful for me also...it's just very scary when I'm aware of how much meat and fat I'm consuming, and my brain can't quite justify that 'It's ok' ! I went through severe stress 7 months ago, and I think this caused my periods to stop and an imbalance to be created in my hormones and insulin levels...and the cysts obviously surfaced...the doctor has put be back on the pill now in order to jump start my system and to regulate my periods again..but the main reason apart from my leg, for going low carbs, was to avoid introducing unnecessary sugar to my body, with the current reaction my body is having to digesting sugar and carbs!
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    The most effective diet is the diet in which you asre eating fewer calories than you are expending. Whatever you fill that diat with, as long as you're in a deficit, will be effective in helping you lose weight.

    Carbs are not evil. They are not bad. They are food, and a macronutrient, which means your body needs lots of them to function optimally. Don't cut them out, there is no need.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    Also, you are not eating enough.

    MFP is quite notorious for setting calorie goals FAR too low, regardless of height and weight. For example, it told me to eat 1200, and my BMR (the bare amount of calories I need to LIVE) is 1280. And I am extremely tiny, only 5 feet. So unless you are smaller than me, or bedridden, (a broken leg does not count as bedridden. You still get around a little) it is almost a CERTAINTY that you are eating too little. (This can result in lean muscle loss, chronic fatigue, metabolism damage, and bingeing due to over-restriction.)

    Go to

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    and enter your height/weight/activity level.

    Subtract 10-20% from the number it calculates for you, and that is the number of calories you should be eating a day in order to lose weight. With this method you do not eat back your exercise calories, as they are already figured into your daily goal.
  • emmeylou
    emmeylou Posts: 175 Member
    If you are going to try a low carb approach, you need to let go of your calorie restriction except as a side observation, and you need to really watch your carbohydrates.

    No to shredded wheat. Yes to (limited quantities of) raspberries. Double yes to eggs, bacon, fish, chicken, pork chops, etc.

    Do not worry about calories. Only watch the carbohydrates *very closely*. Exceeding your goal by as much as 5g/day can make you stop losing.

    Now, some of you out there may be itching to jump on this post "but calories always matter". How low-carb diets work for me is that by shifting my food choices towards fat and protein, I get off the sugar roller-coaster and after a few days I'm *less hungry*. Even though I'm using carbohydrates as my target, my total calorie intake decreases below what it would be if I wasn't "dieting". I can't say if this is what makes it work for others, but it's what happens to me.

    There are some other esoteric reasons low-carb diets work, including the fact circulating insulin inhibits mobilization of fats, so whenever you eat carbs your fat mobilization decreases until you've burned off the insulin you generated to process the carbs (which also explains why it is so hard for people with insulin resistance/"pre-diabetes" to lose weight--their non-eating insulin level is always slightly elevated.)

    However you always need *some* carbs in your diet to make the 'glycerol' chain on which fats attach to make 'triglycerides', which are how stored fats are delivered through the bloodstream from your fat deposits to your cells. So you shouldn't go below about 20g a day (the level used for induction in Atkins). The early reputation of the Atkins diet suffered because some dieters died by trying to eat zero carbs per day for a prolonged period--something never recommended by Dr. Atkins.

    add: honestly though, I wouldn't suggest severe dieting at this point. You need to make sure you have all the necessary micro-nutrients and calories to rebuild your broken bone without your body having to make any compromises. This might be a good time to use an activity monitor to find out how many calories should be in your diet to maintain where you are, and worry about correcting excess weight once your leg is better.

    This is pretty much how I would sum it up as well... and I will further back it up with my 140lbs lost experience! Many, many people disagree with the "low-carb" diet but it truly worked for me. Not all bodies are the same, and weight loss is NOT as simple as calories in vs calories out. Since you ARE healing and dealing with medical issues, I would absolutely give your doctor a call and ask for their advice. Typically if you are healing from anything, high protein in your diet is ideal as your body needs it! And a result of low-carb is by default "high protein".

    My doctor used this analogy. "Carbs and fat= bad, but protein+ fat= good. Proteins and fats work together like brick and mortar. You cannot build a strong wall without both!" If you are going to choose to go low-carb, then I highly recommend that you do NOT worry about the fat or calories in your diet. Pay attention to them, yes (so don't have rib eye every night) but don't focus on them if that makes sense. If you try to focus on all three, you are probably going to be overwhelmed! Also, since proteins are normally calorie dense, you may have to give a little in your overall calories.

    Good luck and I hope you heal up quickly!
  • lilika_49
    lilika_49 Posts: 53
    thank you for that link! Yea I think it is a bit tricky to go higher on protein and stay lower on fat...as most things dense in protein are high in fat content too...aren't they? What's the difference between kcal Base Metabolic Rate and cal total daily energy expenditure...my first one is 1289 and second one 1547
  • lilika_49
    lilika_49 Posts: 53
    that website gave me 1288.. I'm 5'3, 28 years old and 57kg..10% from that and I should be eating around 1260 calories or so which isn't that different from what I'm eating most days anyway...I just feel due to my PCOS my body is struggling with sugar and insulin digestion....in the past I never had to watch what I eat so carefully...It's only happened after this stressful few months period...I mean I always ate healthy, never ate transfats or too much chocolate or biscuits etc, but I never had to focus so hard on losing weight either!
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Basic metabolic rate is what you'd need in a coma--zero activity. Total daily calorie expenditure is the coma calories plus the ones you expend walking to the bathroom and kitchen.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    eat fewer calories.
    Doing low/no carb is not needed.

    I do a ton of carbs myself
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    thank you for that link! Yea I think it is a bit tricky to go higher on protein and stay lower on fat...as most things dense in protein are high in fat content too...aren't they? What's the difference between kcal Base Metabolic Rate and cal total daily energy expenditure...my first one is 1289 and second one 1547

    One you don't need to really worry about (BMR). The other is an estimate of how many calories you burn per day (TDEE).

    As for low carb, it can be very effective with a low activity level but, barring any medical conditions (e.g., PCOS, insulin resistance, etc.) a higher carb diet with the same number of calories can be equally as effective. From your post, it sounds like a lower carb macro may well be a good idea. If you do go low carb, I'd disagree entirely with the advice to disregard calories. It's not really "overwhelming" unless you consider IIFYM to be overwhelming (low carb is not really any different; you just have a low carb macro).
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    eat fewer calories.
    Doing low/no carb is not needed.

    I do a ton of carbs myself

    Do you also have PCOS?
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Mity, you don't have PCOS. Low carb is ideal for her because her baseline insulin level is slightly elevated, and that interferes with fat loss.
  • lilika_49
    lilika_49 Posts: 53
    thank you for that link! Yea I think it is a bit tricky to go higher on protein and stay lower on fat...as most things dense in protein are high in fat content too...aren't they? What's the difference between kcal Base Metabolic Rate and cal total daily energy expenditure...my first one is 1289 and second one 1547

    One you don't need to really worry about (BMR). The other is an estimate of how many calories you burn per day (TDEE).

    As for low carb, it can be very effective with a low activity level but, barring any medical conditions (e.g., PCOS, insulin resistance, etc.) a higher carb diet with the same number of calories can be equally as effective. From your post, it sounds like a lower carb macro may well be a good idea. If you do go low carb, I'd disagree entirely with the advice to disregard calories. It's not really "overwhelming" unless you consider IIFYM to be overwhelming (low carb is not really any different; you just have a low carb macro).


    ah thank you...so my TDEE is 1545...this means to lose weight I need to somehow balance my fat/protein/calories to reach around 1400? In order to lose weight...It is a bit difficult to say no to fruit, because I eat fruit religiously and pre POCS I would munch on fruit all day every day, but since my activity level is going to be low now too, I need to watch it...stick with berries for now, and in extreme moderation...what food are high in protein and not so high in fat? Any that comes to my mind is high in carbs!
  • lilika_49
    lilika_49 Posts: 53
    Basic metabolic rate is what you'd need in a coma--zero activity. Total daily calorie expenditure is the coma calories plus the ones you expend walking to the bathroom and kitchen.

    ah ok got it, thanks!! That means I'm allowed around 1500 a day, which I rarely reach!! (The only thing I regularly go over are my carbs!) time for change haha!
  • OneDimSim
    OneDimSim Posts: 188 Member
    Use this link to get your calories and macros.

    http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    Eat your allotted calories. This is the formula for success on low carb. LIMIT your carbs, MEET your protein and FILL the rest with fat if needed. You may never meet your fat goal and that's okay. As long as you're not feeling ravenous.

    that is cool! Thanks for sharing
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    ah thank you...so my TDEE is 1545...this means to lose weight I need to somehow balance my fat/protein/calories to reach around 1400? In order to lose weight...It is a bit difficult to say no to fruit, because I eat fruit religiously and pre POCS I would munch on fruit all day every day, but since my activity level is going to be low now too, I need to watch it...stick with berries for now, and in extreme moderation...what food are high in protein and not so high in fat? Any that comes to my mind is high in carbs!

    Lean meats (chicken, fish, tenderloin cuts, etc.) tend to be lower in fat and high protein. Fattier cuts of meats tend to swing the other way, with more fat (no brainer there :smile:) and less protein per calorie.

    I'm far from an expert on PCOS, but I do know several ladies that have had success going "lower" carb but they don't go all the way to a ketogenic diet. Given your fondness for fruit, I'd try to find a happy medium between setting a lower carb macro but still eating the foods you enjoy (e.g., 100-150g of carbs per day, rather than ketogenic levels which tend to be around 30g per day). Don't be afraid to experiment with different macros.
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Illka, I think the easiest way for you to learn about low carb diets is to have someone bring you the Atkins diet book. You need to read the whole book, don't just stop after reading about induction.

    You don't really need to do the induction phase and since you have an injury I'd suggest you don't. Just pick a carb level that you know is less than what you eat when not dieting, and try that for starters.

    Atkins isn't the only low-carb diet, but it's the prototype and can give you good basic knowledge to apply to whatever reduced-carb diet fits you best.
  • sparacka
    sparacka Posts: 137 Member
    The most effective diet is the diet in which you asre eating fewer calories than you are expending. Whatever you fill that diat with, as long as you're in a deficit, will be effective in helping you lose weight.

    Carbs are not evil. They are not bad. They are food, and a macronutrient, which means your body needs lots of them to function optimally. Don't cut them out, there is no need.

    My body needs lots of carbs to function optimally??? I would beg to differ.
  • lilika_49
    lilika_49 Posts: 53
    ah thank you...so my TDEE is 1545...this means to lose weight I need to somehow balance my fat/protein/calories to reach around 1400? In order to lose weight...It is a bit difficult to say no to fruit, because I eat fruit religiously and pre POCS I would munch on fruit all day every day, but since my activity level is going to be low now too, I need to watch it...stick with berries for now, and in extreme moderation...what food are high in protein and not so high in fat? Any that comes to my mind is high in carbs!

    Lean meats (chicken, fish, tenderloin cuts, etc.) tend to be lower in fat and high protein. Fattier cuts of meats tend to swing the other way, with more fat (no brainer there :smile:) and less protein per calorie.

    I'm far from an expert on PCOS, but I do know several ladies that have had success going "lower" carb but they don't go all the way to a ketogenic diet. Given your fondness for fruit, I'd try to find a happy medium between setting a lower carb macro but still eating the foods you enjoy (e.g., 100-150g of carbs per day, rather than ketogenic levels which tend to be around 30g per day). Don't be afraid to experiment with different macros.


    thank you for that...Today so far I've had 80g of carbs and I think I'll call it a day...I've had some berries and nuts, so it should be ok! I have been put back on the pill now from this month by the GP in order to kick start my system again into starting periods again...so hopefully once that starts, my PCOS should take a turn for better! (Fingers cross!) and from next month I can start exercising too! I don't think I can live on 20/30g carbs a day...it makes me dizzy just thinking about it! I think I have to compromise somewhere around 60-70!
  • lilika_49
    lilika_49 Posts: 53
    Illka, I think the easiest way for you to learn about low carb diets is to have someone bring you the Atkins diet book. You need to read the whole book, don't just stop after reading about induction.

    You don't really need to do the induction phase and since you have an injury I'd suggest you don't. Just pick a carb level that you know is less than what you eat when not dieting, and try that for starters.

    Atkins isn't the only low-carb diet, but it's the prototype and can give you good basic knowledge to apply to whatever reduced-carb diet fits you best.

    I might just do that and educate myself, since now I am not moving about, I have plenty of time to read! I shall get myself a copy (Anyway, more time spent reading, means less time spent eating or thinking of eating haha!)
  • FIT_Goat
    FIT_Goat Posts: 4,224 Member
    I will repeat what I posted in your other thread here, in case you missed it. You have a broken bone. Your body is rebuilding large amounts of tissue. It is inappropriate for you to eat at a deficit to your normal caloric needs at this time. Your TDEE while healing can increase almost beyond belief. An active person who may normally need 2,500 calories a day to maintain weight, may need as much as 6,500 calories a day to maintain weight even while bedridden from multiple fractures.

    Focus on getting extra protein (bone healing requires a lot of amino acids) and nutrient and mineral dense foods (liver is a good one, leafy green veggies are another, sardines are excellent too).

    If you choose to ignore this advice, you'll slow the healing of your bone as well as lose more lean body mass than you should (you body will tear down muscle in order to get the materials needed to rebuild the bone).

    Eat, at the very minimum, your normal maintenance calories. Monitor your weight daily. If you are losing weight rapidly (more than 1 lb a week) even eating at maintenance, add some extra calories. Health first, weight loss second.

Categories