Going low carb-Pros? Cons?
beths4kids
Posts: 22
Hello there!
Notice I didn't start my question with the word "diet" in it? I believe that the approach should be more life style change than diet.
My question is this: I recently ran into a friend who was never really fat but was like me, gaining a few (20) pounds due to slowing down and getting older, and probably hormones, too. My husband and I argued that my wine intake was totally to blame for my weight gain. However, I haven't had any wine in about two week and still haven't lost one pound. I ran into this friend, who was now, "high school" skinny. When I inquired as to how she got this way, she said that she and her husband had been eating low carb for the past year. Now I was thinking she must have meant strictly meat and vegetables. But this wasn't the case. She was eating bacon, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, eggs, peanut butter from a spoon, cheese cubes, onion rings and NO ALCOHOL. Now I didn't run right out and start eating a bunch of fried meats, but I have had some bacon here and there and tonight I had some chicken wings and some veggies. After logging my food into MFP, I did go over my 1200 calories by only 50 calories or so, but what was surprising, was that I only had eaten 37 carbs for the day. From what Ive read, this is around where you wanna stay in order to get into ketosis and lose weight. However, this goes against EVERYTHING I have ever learned about nutrition and weight loss. And honestly, I'm scared! What if I only get fatter? Would love some input on this subject, especially by anyone who has done this kind of eating and lost weight. Both my parents have been eating low carb (they're very bland version) for about month and both have lost roughly 20 lbs. But I don't want to do something, especially if its bland, b/c I know I won't stick with it.
Notice I didn't start my question with the word "diet" in it? I believe that the approach should be more life style change than diet.
My question is this: I recently ran into a friend who was never really fat but was like me, gaining a few (20) pounds due to slowing down and getting older, and probably hormones, too. My husband and I argued that my wine intake was totally to blame for my weight gain. However, I haven't had any wine in about two week and still haven't lost one pound. I ran into this friend, who was now, "high school" skinny. When I inquired as to how she got this way, she said that she and her husband had been eating low carb for the past year. Now I was thinking she must have meant strictly meat and vegetables. But this wasn't the case. She was eating bacon, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, eggs, peanut butter from a spoon, cheese cubes, onion rings and NO ALCOHOL. Now I didn't run right out and start eating a bunch of fried meats, but I have had some bacon here and there and tonight I had some chicken wings and some veggies. After logging my food into MFP, I did go over my 1200 calories by only 50 calories or so, but what was surprising, was that I only had eaten 37 carbs for the day. From what Ive read, this is around where you wanna stay in order to get into ketosis and lose weight. However, this goes against EVERYTHING I have ever learned about nutrition and weight loss. And honestly, I'm scared! What if I only get fatter? Would love some input on this subject, especially by anyone who has done this kind of eating and lost weight. Both my parents have been eating low carb (they're very bland version) for about month and both have lost roughly 20 lbs. But I don't want to do something, especially if its bland, b/c I know I won't stick with it.
0
Replies
-
Fish sticks, chicken nuggets, onion rings, et al. are not low carb. This isn't to say that you can't replicate some of these things--I like to roll strips of chicken in mayo, crushed up pork rinds, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings and then bake until crispy--but the default versions you see around should not be part of your way of eating.
Bacon, eggs, cheese, peanut butter (no sugar added and in small amounts) are all fine.
Unless you're very short or tiny, 1200 calories is probably too low. Eat until you're full. Further, you should focus on health. The weight will take care of itself. I've lost something like 60-70 lbs eating like this. I track my calories but don't restrict. That is, I know how much I eat, but I don't stop if I am still hungry. Right now, I lose between 0.6 and 1.3 pounds a week (I was losing faster when I was heavier). The biggest thing you can do is relax... keep the carbs real low... and listen to your body.0 -
I lost 30 pounds going low carb several years ago and kept it off until I had surgery and had to be inactive for quite a while. my sister does it the boring way but I use lots of fresh herbs and look up a variety of low carb recipes online. I have more energy and feel much healthier when eating low carb. if you are a fairly small person though you will lose weight quicker if you keep the fat down also. some more chicken than beef etc0
-
Hello there!
Notice I didn't start my question with the word "diet" in it? I believe that the approach should be more life style change than diet.
My question is this: I recently ran into a friend who was never really fat but was like me, gaining a few (20) pounds due to slowing down and getting older, and probably hormones, too. My husband and I argued that my wine intake was totally to blame for my weight gain. However, I haven't had any wine in about two week and still haven't lost one pound. I ran into this friend, who was now, "high school" skinny. When I inquired as to how she got this way, she said that she and her husband had been eating low carb for the past year. Now I was thinking she must have meant strictly meat and vegetables. But this wasn't the case. She was eating bacon, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, eggs, peanut butter from a spoon, cheese cubes, onion rings and NO ALCOHOL. Now I didn't run right out and start eating a bunch of fried meats, but I have had some bacon here and there and tonight I had some chicken wings and some veggies. After logging my food into MFP, I did go over my 1200 calories by only 50 calories or so, but what was surprising, was that I only had eaten 37 carbs for the day. From what Ive read, this is around where you wanna stay in order to get into ketosis and lose weight. However, this goes against EVERYTHING I have ever learned about nutrition and weight loss. And honestly, I'm scared! What if I only get fatter? Would love some input on this subject, especially by anyone who has done this kind of eating and lost weight. Both my parents have been eating low carb (they're very bland version) for about month and both have lost roughly 20 lbs. But I don't want to do something, especially if its bland, b/c I know I won't stick with it.
And welcome.
I'll "second" just about every word Frob said, especially the part about LCHF being FIRST about long term, overall health and only secondly about weight loss.
Your food diary isn't open which leaves us guessing as to some important info regarding your progress so far (cals, fats, carbs, proteins, etc per day) so forgive me if my "guesses" are incorrect.
First guess (since you mentioned 1200 cals and 20 lbs) is that when you set up MFP you did so with a 2#/week loss (?)
If you did, go back and change it to 1/2# for more reasonable "guesstimates" on MFP's part.
Actually, if you do decide to commit to the LCHF lifestyle, the daily cals "in" number will become almost meaningless in a fairly short amount of time. This is NOT to say that you don't need to keep an eye on it, especially in the beginning, just that your real focus will be on the absolute carb numbers and the %'s of all of the macros. Eventually, the cals will just sort of take care of themselves.
In the beginning though, since the macro %'s are derived from the total cals in number, it IS important that you log daily and track as accurately as possible every single morsel. As you build the database it becomes more and more accurate and will be the basis for you future decisions.
As a rough (VERY rough, everyone's "numbers" are different) "starting point", I'd suggest you just track for a week or so, become familiar with approximately how the %'s are landing, and then decide on specific numbers with a goal in mind for long term (a macro % "goal", not necessarily a cal goal.)
If you do already have diary numbers for a couple weeks, open it up and we can give a little more specific advice.
Assuming your cal in number goes up some when you change the loss/per week, set your macro limits beginning with small reductions from what you are seeing now.
For example, if your average carbs number is ~100/day that's about 28% (if 1400 total), knock it down to 75/day (~20%) and go with that for a week or two giving you body time to adjust. When you're comfortable, knock it down another 5%.
For fat and protein, any time you adjust carbs (or cals) it will affect the %'s for fats and protein.
For protein, usually a number between 15 and 20 or 25% works for most so adjust it if it gets outside the range. With protein, more is NOT better - once you've met the daily requirements, your body can't "save up" the excess and it screws up other balances so at least in the beginning stick pretty close to the 20.
Once you've set carbs and proteins the "fats" number will take care of itself - in our example above yours would look something like this:
cals 1400 l carbs 20% l fats 60% l protein 20%
Reducing the carb % and increasing the fat % as you proceed will move you closer to something like 10-15 / 75 / 15.
My numbers, for example are 1500 / 5% / 70% / 25%
Keeping carbs at <20 until keto established and the protein is a little higher than I like so I'll be adjusting that soon (and raising fats)
Remember, these are JUST "estimates", NOT specific recommendations.
A "starting point" from which you can monitor your progress and learn how YOUR body reacts to the changes.
There ARE people, for whom LCHF ISN'T the "best" choice - especially if all one is concerned about is weight loss.
But for at least a significant majority (IMO at least), it IS a much better choice than the "conventional" methods which have not just failed so miserably but probably have contributed to the increased obesity and diabetes rates.
Finally, "ketosis" (or just keto) is a whole different issue and one which many don't understand.
Most importantly, even though it sounds nit-picky, "Low Carb" does NOT equal "Keto".
Entering the state of ketosis DOES require a low carb diet but, at least initially, a MUCH lower daily intake than what most consider being "low carb" (usually described as 50 -150 carbs per day and again totally individual).
Keto also requires fairly strict adherence to the "high fat" part of the equation and can actually be unhealthy if one attempts a low carb, low fat, high protein scheme.
If keto is something you want to consider, PLEASE follow some of the many links on other threads in this group and learn all you can.
If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Keto isn't for everyone and it typically requires getting to 20 carbs/day for at least a few weeks so keep that in mind as you determine your "comfort zone".
You have time and I believe that the more you learn, the more you'll come to believe that the benefits far outweigh the short term adjustments required to enter keto - but, here again, it's NOT for everyone.
Oh, forgot....on the wine.
General consensus (at least between my bride and I) is a glass or so a day - as long as you can fit it in your carbs limit) is fine.
Reds are generally "better" than whites or fruits and carbs vary significantly by brand and type.0 -
I lost 30 pounds going low carb several years ago and kept it off until I had surgery and had to be inactive for quite a while. my sister does it the boring way but I use lots of fresh herbs and look up a variety of low carb recipes online. I have more energy and feel much healthier when eating low carb. if you are a fairly small person though you will lose weight quicker if you keep the fat down also. some more chicken than beef etc
Current research doesn't support your contention that, "...you will lose weight quicker if you keep the fat down also."
I don't have a link to the actual study results right at hand but I think it was referenced in another post in this group.
It depends a lot on exactly how you are defining "low carb" (is it 20g /day, 50?, 150?)?
Remember two basic tenets of LCHF, protein levels above 20% are counterproductive (for most), and,
if total cals and proteins are held constant, and carbs reduced the "fats" number will HAVE to go up (and that's a "good" thing).
Your body NEEDS energy and the best place to get it is from fats (for a lot of reasons).
Cutting fats too low, while also cutting carbs means proteins will get way too high and a mix like that could actually end up LESS healthy overall.0 -
I lost 30 pounds going low carb several years ago and kept it off until I had surgery and had to be inactive for quite a while. my sister does it the boring way but I use lots of fresh herbs and look up a variety of low carb recipes online. I have more energy and feel much healthier when eating low carb. if you are a fairly small person though you will lose weight quicker if you keep the fat down also. some more chicken than beef etc0
-
My food diary is open to MFP friends only. I don't really care who looks at it I have nothing to hide Ill change my settings so you can peruse.0
-
Thanks so much for all the information. I have changed my diary settings.0
-
The other option is to keep it friends only and friend request us. I almost never say no (unless you included a message saying that to be your friend I'd have to become vegan... lol).
I'll look closer, but one swap that I would recommend is getting the naked hot wings instead of the breaded (at Publix). The naked ones are just as good, low-no carb (it's about 1g for two if I remember), and you could have had six for the same calorie hit at four of the breaded ones.
Edit: Some other advice, try and up the protein. Especially at the start, it's important to keep the protein high. The amount recommended by Lyle McDonald in his book "The Ketogenic Diet" is 150g a day for at least the first three weeks. This amount has a strong protective effect against muscle loss. You don't want to lose muscle! That would be 600 calories a day just from protein. That's a lot when you're aiming at 1400 calories (43%), but it's only for the first few weeks. Then you would back it down to something like 60-80g depending on body weight.
When you run out of half and half, replace it with heavy cream. It has fewer carbs (more calories, but you just use 1 TBS instead of 2). The taste is much richer, so you really need less in the coffee.
On the matter of breakfast, I like the second day better than the first. I'd swap a strip of bacon for a second egg any day. Actually, I would probably go for 3 eggs and two strips of bacon (or 4 and 2). You may want to look for a better entry for the bacon (one that includes the fat / carbs / protein (10g / 1g / 8g) instead of just the calories. That bacon is adding 3-4 carbs a day to your intake.
Here's why I would make the swap:
1 egg & 4 strips (45g fat / 5g carbs / 38g protein)
4 eggs & 2 strips (40g fat / 4g carbs / 40g protein)
The calories are slightly less on the second one, the protein is slightly higher, and eggs are really filling. At the start, I am willing to trade off some fat for extra protein if I am not hitting that 150g / day. This is another reason I don't strictly worry about calories at first. While your body adapts, it is important to keep it nourished. It is easier to hit your protein when you eat more; although, it is certainly possible to hit it if you eat carefully at lower calories.0 -
I tried low carb for a year and gained 8 pounds. However, I absolutely loved eating that way. If my body could have handled the heart palpitations and if my vanity had been OK with the weight gain, I'd still be eating low carb. I tried so hard for so long, playing with my macros... But I'm 51, so maybe it was just a question of timing. I finally got results when I went low cal. By then, it made no sense to restrict my intake more than I needed to, and started eating carbs again.0
-
I tried low carb for a year and gained 8 pounds. However, I absolutely loved eating that way. If my body could have handled the heart palpitations and if my vanity had been OK with the weight gain, I'd still be eating low carb. I tried so hard for so long, playing with my macros... But I'm 51, so maybe it was just a question of timing. I finally got results when I went low cal. By then, it made no sense to restrict my intake more than I needed to, and started eating carbs again.
That's interesting. How many carbs were you eating to consider it low carb? Did you have sugar alcohols and processed "low carb" foods in your diet? It's pretty hard to overeat meat and leafy green veggies. It's not impossible, but it's certainly harder than when eating carbs.
In the end, you've got to do what works for you. But, your response would be more helpful if you were more specific as to what constituted your low carb diet, your average calories, and other information as to why it may not have worked for you.0 -
The only con I can think of is when you have to eat food that someone else prepared without knowing the nutritional information. Other than that, I love it.0
-
The only con I can think of is when you have to eat food that someone else prepared without knowing the nutritional information. Other than that, I love it.
No question, if it's at someone else's house, it's tough and you just have to "guesstimate" as closely as possible.
(Tried pulling the scale out of my backpack once - won't do that again, didn't know the cops were expected for diner<g>).
After a while you can get pretty close and it's only one meal so even if you're off some it all averages out.
Restaurants though are starting to get "on-board" (at least some of them).
Yes, the "heavy handed chef" might throw the numbers off some, but it's a start.
We don't dine "out" all that much, but when we do our first stop is their website.
If they do show nutrition information, I make sure to make it a point to mention that's it's appreciated, if they don't, it forms the basis of my response when asked "How was your meal, sir?"0 -
I tried low carb for a year and gained 8 pounds. However, I absolutely loved eating that way. If my body could have handled the heart palpitations and if my vanity had been OK with the weight gain, I'd still be eating low carb. I tried so hard for so long, playing with my macros... But I'm 51, so maybe it was just a question of timing. I finally got results when I went low cal. By then, it made no sense to restrict my intake more than I needed to, and started eating carbs again.That's interesting. How many carbs were you eating to consider it low carb? Did you have sugar alcohols and processed "low carb" foods in your diet? It's pretty hard to overeat meat and leafy green veggies. It's not impossible, but it's certainly harder than when eating carbs.
In the end, you've got to do what works for you. But, your response would be more helpful if you were more specific as to what constituted your low carb diet, your average calories, and other information as to why it may not have worked for you.
Good questions and let's hope the poster does add some detail as others will benefit as well.
I took a quick, random look at some of the diary entries and a few items stood out but I'd rather wait until we hear back before "guessing".
In the meantime, it's important to remember that LCHF ISN'T "right" or even "best" for everybody. It's tough (if not impossible) to know ahead of time those who will not respond well without trying, BUT we do know some of the "traits" that suggest that LCHF "might" be the best choice (insulin resistance, pre or T2D, etc) - but even then, there still are some for whom it just isn't appropriate.
All that said, if it were a "competition" (which it's NOT), the other side (CICO, low fat) isn't a very formidable opponent given their long term failure rate (95% or so), let alone the obesity and diabetes rates that have resulted from the 40 year experiment.
It also raises another point that "newbies" should (must?) consider - LCHF does NOT mean simply reducing carbs and letting the rest fall where it may.
Without an understanding of the interactions which occur when ANY one of the major energy inputs is changed it's not difficult to create reactions in one's body that are negative to the point of overriding all the "good" that carb reduction does.
Fat is the obvious first choice (it's called Low Carb / HIGH FAT for a reason) but equally important are items (and levels) of Protein, Sodium, and Potassium.
Sadly, much of what folks think the "know" (because it's been beat into their heads all their lives), is almost always "backasswards"
Fat MUST be higher than most think,
Protein (usually) lower
Carbs MUCH lower
Sodium MUCH higher
and Potassium at appropriate levels
The above applies most directly to those I would define as actually "Low Carb" <100/day
Once <50 the production of ketones typically can begin (on a small scale), so the need for sodium increases,
Below 20 and the onset of ketosis (which usually takes 5-6 weeks to complete the process) the cycle is complete and your body has switched from fueling itself primarily with carbs to fats (which is the goal, and the reason the fats must be there)
The kidneys have also switched to excreting much higher levels of sodium which is why it must be supplemented via diet.
All of it takes place on a continuum and every change in one item creates a cascade of changes in the body - almost ALL of them are changes that will ultimately benefit wellness long term, some VERY significantly.
Some though, do have some negative "side effects" (keto flu, bad breath, etc) but they're usually short term, relatively mild, and totally worth the minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.
There IS that (small) percentage of the population though for whom LCHF just isn't "right" - for whatever reasons.0 -
Right, I know it's not for everyone. But, there are (like you point out) a ton of variables.
Personally, I know that sugar alcohols are a no-go for me. Hell, I may as well just have the full carb equivalent. If I eat something with maltitol, my body will react as if I had that same amount of carbs AND I will get all the fun "gastric distress" that comes with sugar alcohols. I spent the month of June trying to see if there was an acceptable level that I could handle (not really) or if I would build a tolerance (nope). All that happened was I stopped losing weight and actually gained. That was despite my "net" carbs being low.
It seems a little weird that someone would absolutely love eating low carb, then wouldn't stick with it when going lower calories as well. In the end, everyone has to do what they think is best for them. But, some details would be nice. Low carb at 100g/day with sugar alcohols is going to be different than at 20g/day with only fresh meat and leafy green veggies.0 -
Big thing to know, that from what I can tell, no one has mentioned:
Induction is rough.
I've found that there are a couple of reasons people fail at LCHF or keto:
1. They don't increase their fats and instead do low carb, low fat, high protein. This is a recipe for failure. As others have said, you have to increase your fats. I can't reiterate that enough.
2. They don't push through induction. Carbs are addictive, especially the refined ones. Complete with withdrawal symptoms. This is known as carb flu, and for good reason. It's not unlike an actual flu. Stick it out, it will last about a week or two. In the meantime, make sure you're eating enough, drinking enough water, and getting enough sodium and potassium. (Which brings me to point 3.)
3. They don't eat enough. A lot of people come into LCHF/Keto off of the usual CICO starvation diet. I highly recommend not trying to restrict calories during the induction phase. Both the adjustment period and calorie restriction are rough on the body on their own. Both combined is hell on earth. Don't worry about calorie restriction during that phase, just eat until you're satisfied. Once you're adjusted, then you can work on walking your calories down, if you even need to.0 -
Thank you for all the helpful info. I'm gonna look for that book, too!0
-
Okay, so day two (I started yesterday for real) and as I was logging my meals, I am frustrated. I have gone over my caloric intake of 1200 calories by 200 calories! AND though I am under 50g of carbs for the day, I'm thinking that in order to lose any weight, I may need to go even lower than this. But what really frustrates me is that my parents do not count carbs, (they wouldn't know where to start) and they have both lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks! On the days that I barely eat anything, my diary says "If every day was like today, you would weigh 126 lbs." and today I ate fairly low carb (like 47 g, I think) and it said that if every day was like today I'd weigh 130!!!! WTH???? I'm over it.0
-
If it is any consolation, that "If every day was like this, you'd weight XXX [etc.]" is never right. I mean, absolutely never. If 50g feels right for you, don't stress about going lower until/unless you find it necessary. If you don't seem to be getting the benefits of low-carb after a few weeks (mainly steady energy, reduced hunger, increase in feelings of being full), then think about lowering it.0
-
Okay, so day two (I started yesterday for real) and as I was logging my meals, I am frustrated. I have gone over my caloric intake of 1200 calories by 200 calories! AND though I am under 50g of carbs for the day, I'm thinking that in order to lose any weight, I may need to go even lower than this. But what really frustrates me is that my parents do not count carbs, (they wouldn't know where to start) and they have both lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks! On the days that I barely eat anything, my diary says "If every day was like today, you would weigh 126 lbs." and today I ate fairly low carb (like 47 g, I think) and it said that if every day was like today I'd weigh 130!!!! WTH???? I'm over it.
You've received some excellent advice here (especially from Dragon and FRob) and maybe it's because it has not been explicitly stated, or that it's a whole lot of info to try and absorb all at once, but I'm thinking you are still hitting a roadblock where it comes to what might be the single most difficult idea for many (most) to wrap their heads around.
It has been alluded to by both posters ("...induction is hard...", "...if every day was like this....is NEVER right...") but more directly put - you (anyone transitioning to LCHF) MUST change their focus from CALS (which is all most have ever paid attention to on other "diets") to MACROS.
Yes, cals "do" matter and eventually you will have to create a cal deficit to lose weight but FOR NOW it's much more important that you focus on the macros, put short term weight fluctuations on "hold" for a bit (while you give your body a chance to transition to LCHF), and (possibly the most difficult of all), convince yourself that it IS carbs, fats, and proteins that matter MOST and NOT cals.
It's not an easy task as we've all be indoctrinated with the low cal / low fat ideology for most of our lives with much of the dogma coming from those we have been led to believe are the "experts" we should place our trust (blindly) in.
This does NOT mean that determining your TDEE and setting a cal "goal" (10-15% below TDEE) and tracking daily weight and food intake does not matter - IT DOES, but not for the same reasons (or with the same emphasis placed on cals) that lo cal-ers do.
The daily cal number (goal) is absolutely necessary in order for you to set the percentages of carbs, fats, and protein and track how you are doing with those. As a change in ANY one of the 4 (cals, carbs, fats, protein) will impact the %'s of the others, it's difficult in the beginning to hit the exact numbers every day.
With time, you'll learn what works for various meals and which combination of meals works for any given day - the lower your carb goal, the more difficult it gets.
So, my recommendation is, start out with a "comfortable" total cal number TDEE or slightly below but DO NOT focus on it - it's just a "guideline". Focus on hitting the macro %'s as closely as you can.
The new cal number will likely be something higher than whatever you've been using on low cal/low fat which will likely slow (or even halt) your short term weight loss rate. That's perfectly normal so expect it to happen and don't obsess, it's just part of the process.
The higher cal number will give you a "buffer" as you go about the process of transitioning to LCHF.
Likewise, when you are starting out, set your carb number near the upper range of what's defined as "low carb" (100-125g/day, or so). Set proteins at something close to 20-25% and the rest will be fats.
Plan to spend a month or two getting your macro percentages down to something close to 10% carbs, 70% fat, and 20% protein by gradually reducing carbs and increasing fats. After a week or so at the initial carb number (say 100 for example) you will be in the "groove" and feel ready to drop 20 carbs or so. Readjust the %'s and give it time for both you and your body to adjust.
Continue the process until you are comfortable at 50 carbs or so (and able to stick to it "almost" every day).
The gradual reductions give your body a chance to begin the process of the many (beneficial) changes that take place by moving into LCHF, and, equally importantly, give YOU a chance to get used to the changes in your eating habits.
As you approach 50 carbs/day you'll likely notice that it's getting harder and harder to eat ALL the cals you are allowed - NOT because the combination of carbs/fats makes it difficult but because you just feel "full" (satiated). Once you've adjusted to LCHF cals become a distant concern - they take care of themselves and you can pretty much focus entirely on the macros.
50 carbs/day isn't a "magic" number but it is sort of a benchmark for most - a line of demarcation where many decide that "50 is low enough". 50 is a 100 times better (long term wellness wise) than 150 or 250 or more (which many lo cal-ers consume) but it's not "keto" -it's the beginning though.
So if you decide that 50's good enough that's great, continue to maintain it every day and lower the cal number as needed to reduce body weight.
If you decide to "march ahead" toward actual ketosis, continue reducing carbs by 10 or so a week. When you are "up to it" you'll need to be below 20 EVERY day for somewhere between 1 and 3 weeks to actually enter the state of ketosis (what A calls "induction"). Once established in keto, most folks can (gradually) increase total carbs, usually to something between 20 and 50 (it varies widely by individual) and remain in keto.
ALL of the above is a VERY rough "estimate" - both in terms of times and in terms of numbers and it ALL comes with the proviso that LCHF IS NOT for everybody.
Nor should LCHF be considered as a "quick fix, rapid weight loss diet" - it is NOT that.
Once established (a couple months for most) you WILL lose weight at a reasonable rate (if that is your goal), BUT the more important reasons for embarking on (and maintaining) a LCHF life style are health and wellness related.
As to your parents "results", remember that we are all different and may have different goals. Remember too that 95% of those that lose impressive amounts of weight by basically starving themselves (lo cal), regain the weight (or more) after a year. Switching to a sustainable LCHF diet not only offers a far greater probability of being able to maintain it but also a MUCH improved long term wellness status.
Short version:
Give it time,
Switch your focus from cals to carbs (macros),
Take it a step at a time and, for now, don't worry about weight loss, and
STOP worrying about "day to day". (anything less than a week is meaningless).
Hope this helps
DD0 -
All the above is right on I use to think 1200 was magic weight loss number till I followed low carb its not the cals but the food that does it for me. I actually see better loss at higher calorie days and if u weigh yourself daily u will see some flucuations, I weigh myself daily just to see the flucuations but its a downward trend alittle up little down but its going down. Flucuations are normal u gotta see what is best for u thats why myfitnesspal is so great u vount everything and see where u went right or wrong0
-
First of all, let me say a big thanks to all the responses and information that you all have been giving. Unfortunately, a lot of the terms that are being used i.e., "TDEE" and "MACROS" are totally Greek to me. Lol. However, I have stopped looking at the total calories as my goal and more at staying under 20-30g of carbs a day (I was staying under 50g, but was not seeing any results). As far as macros and fats, I'm not reaching out for the highest fat I can find or loading butter or cheese onto every piece of meat I eat. I have lost a few pounds this past week and hoping that is a new trend for me. I am finding that eating this way I am staying well under the 1200 cal for the day w/o even trying to. I am very full most of the time, and sometimes I end up not even eating dinner because I'm still full from lunch. Hopefully I'm doing this right. I guess only time and "revamping" here and there will tell. If anyone would like to have a look at my diary and make any suggestions, please feel free.0
-
I also would like to add, that for those of you zero carbers who believe that veggies are poisonous and choose to live on meat alone, no judgment there-however, thats not for me.0
-
First of all, let me say a big thanks to all the responses and information that you all have been giving. Unfortunately, a lot of the terms that are being used i.e., "TDEE" and "MACROS" are totally Greek to me. Lol. However, I have stopped looking at the total calories as my goal and more at staying under 20-30g of carbs a day (I was staying under 50g, but was not seeing any results). As far as macros and fats, I'm not reaching out for the highest fat I can find or loading butter or cheese onto every piece of meat I eat. I have lost a few pounds this past week and hoping that is a new trend for me. I am finding that eating this way I am staying well under the 1200 cal for the day w/o even trying to. I am very full most of the time, and sometimes I end up not even eating dinner because I'm still full from lunch. Hopefully I'm doing this right. I guess only time and "revamping" here and there will tell. If anyone would like to have a look at my diary and make any suggestions, please feel free.
The bolded is actually a problem. 1200 is about the bare minimum you should be eating. Even if you're not feeling hungry, you are starving yourself by eating so little. I know I said previously to just eat until you're satisfied, but there is a lower limit to that. You still need to be able to fuel your body, and 600 calories a day isn't fueling your body. Hell, a third of that gets used in digestion and creating ketones and glucose, alone.
Also, you are getting way into protein poisoning territory with the way your goals are set up. Low carb, low fat, high protein is very, very bad.
Your body needs fuel. Aside from sheer calories, you body gets that primarily from carbs and/or fat. Protein is intended for tissue repair. While the body can use protein for fuel if it really needs to, relying almost solely on it is very hard on the liver and kidneys, and the body hates doing it so much that it will trigger insatiable cravings for carbs and/or fats.
Additionally, adequate fat intake is required for proper hormone, brain, and cell function, as well as nutrient absorption.
Please, for the love of all that is good in this world, increase your fat goal and calorie intake. Monday's diary is closer to what you should be getting (at least, with regard to calorie intake).0 -
Im clueless as to how to set up my goals. Ive tried a number of times but cannot seem to get it right. And protein poisoning???? Seriously? I see diaries that are nothing but protein. And the majority of the ones that are eating just meat are posting about how they would rather die than eat a plant based diet. Im at a loss.0
-
Okay so after your post, I went and made myself eat dinner. If you feel up to it, have a look and see of thats better??? Meanwhile, Im gonna play around with my diary goal settings.0
-
Im clueless as to how to set up my goals. Ive tried a number of times but cannot seem to get it right. And protein poisoning???? Seriously? I see diaries that are nothing but protein. And the majority of the ones that are eating just meat are posting about how they would rather die than eat a plant based diet. Im at a loss.
Yes, seriously. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation (and calorie restriction, especially heavy restriction, counts as a stressor, because the body perceives it as a starvation/famine scenario).
I can't speak for those people who eat only meat, as I haven't seen them on here and so I don't know what the details of their diet looks like. However, meat isn't just protein, unless they're living on chicken breasts (which is, generally speaking, unsustainable; there's a reason lifters call a nearly all-protein diet "the world's toughest diet" and it's only intended to be used for about a week). Most of the low carb people I've seen here are low carb, moderate to high fat. There's a huge difference.
Your fat intake is still too low unless you're 100lb, and even then, for a low-carb diet, I'd argue that it's still too low, especially with your carbs as low as they are. Decrease your protein, you don't need that much. And make up for the calories in fat. This will make eating in general a lot easier, because you won't be stuck with skinless chicken breasts to try to stay within your fat goal.
You should have at absolute bare minimum, .35g/lb of body weight for your fat goal. This is required for proper hormone and cell function and nutrient absorption. Without enough fat, you can't create vitamin D, and you can't absorb vitamins A, E, and K, which are required for things like proper metabolism, eye, skin, hair, nail, and dental health (this is why a lot of low-fat vegans report suffering from things like cavities), as well as absorption of minerals such as calcium.
Don't be afraid of fat. It will not magically make you fat. It will not give you a heart attack. It will, however, give you softer skin and hair, and provide fuel and structure for your body.0 -
Ok, don't worry. Start here. Let's set your goals to the following:
1500 calories
70% FAT
25% PROTEIN
5% CARBS
You can adjust if you'd like, but not by much. Try to start there.
And listen to Dragonwolf, she knows what she's talking about.
Also, do you need assistance changing your goals, do this: My Home, Goals, scroll down to Change Goals, choose Custom and continue, make your changes here. Then be sure to scroll down and click on Change Goals.0 -
Im clueless as to how to set up my goals. Ive tried a number of times but cannot seem to get it right. And protein poisoning???? Seriously? I see diaries that are nothing but protein. And the majority of the ones that are eating just meat are posting about how they would rather die than eat a plant based diet. Im at a loss.
I can't speak for those people who eat only meat, as I haven't seen them on here and so I don't know what the details of their diet looks like. However, meat isn't just protein, unless they're living on chicken breasts (which is, generally speaking, unsustainable; [. . .]
Hi, you've probably seen me on here. I don't talk a lot about it, but I eat only meat. You probably haven't noticed because I don't bring it up when I offer other people advice. And, when I talk about foods, I don't point out if I had no sides... or I make a point of picking foods where I did have a veggie. So, I can speak to the details of my diet. I have eaten only meat for a while now, and nearly only meat for the majority of time I have done keto--veggies maybe a couple times a week--316 days. Around 45 days or so ago, I made the conscious decision to just stop pretending I was going to eat more veggies and stopped eating them entirely. I did include some nuts recently. But, I cut them back out because they gave me headaches and slowed my weight loss. I also had a salad and some green beans when I went out to eat recently. I guess you could look at that and technically say I don't "only" eat meat. But, I eat veggies very rarely and not as a real component of my diet. Those veggies were the one time in a month and a half.
What do I eat? Lots of steak, ground beef, pork, ribs, lamb, eggs, and some cheese and heavy cream and butter. I rarely eat chicken. Although I will as long as it's skin on and I also have some fatty thing to dip them in (dressing/mayo). Sometimes, I will use some whey protein isolate in my coffee with heavy cream. I stopped bothering to track the macros, but when I was, it was 65-80% fat every day.
Basically, my meals are fatty cuts of meat and often will have additional fats (ribeye with melted garlic+herb butter on top). It may be higher protein than some keto diets (I can hit 130g+ pretty easily), but it's definitely higher in fat by percentage. There's no risk of protein poisoning if you're eating enough fat. It would probably be hard to do even with chicken, unless it was boiled chicken breast. I find chicken to be unfulfilling without additional fats (which is why I usually add some). You'd have to really try to eat low-fat and high-protein to get protein poisoning. It's possible, but if you're eating fatty steaks and 80/20 beef, and pork... it's not going to happen.
For giggles, I decided to put today's food in and see where I am at. I've only eaten once today. Tonight I had a 10.5 oz new york strip (extra rare) and 11 oz of scallops. Both were cooked in some bacon grease (no idea how much... call it 10g) and the scallops had about 2 TBS of melted butter on them (Kerrygold garlic/herb). I also had 3 TBS of heavy cream in my coffee earlier. Right now, that puts me at 63% fat / 34.5% protein / 2.5% carb (from the scallops). I don't feel hungry enough to eat more, but that works out to only 1,325 calories. That's pretty low for me calories for me. But, I had a lot more yesterday. So, it might be why I am not really hungry today. I generally only eat if I am hungry and stop when I feel full. We'll see if I want more. If I do, I have some roast leg of lamb in the fridge to eat. That will definitely up my fat% compared to protein. This is probably a very low-fat day for me.
Edit: I also don't supplement at all. No vitamins, magnesium, potassium (unless I use the salt) taken. I did supplement at the start, especially the minerals, and do believe it helps with the transition. Once you adapt, I don't think ongoing supplementation is necessary for most people, unless there are specific symptoms or deficiencies noticed.0 -
Okay, so day two (I started yesterday for real) and as I was logging my meals, I am frustrated.....WTH???? I'm over it.
"TDEE" and "MACROS" are totally Greek to me. Lol. ....As far as macros and fats,<b> I'm not reaching out for the highest fat I can find or loading butter or cheese onto every piece of meat I eat</b>. I have lost a few pounds this past week and hoping that is a new trend for me. I am finding that eating this way I am staying well under the 1200 cal for the day w/o even trying to. I am very full most of the time, and sometimes I end up not even eating dinner because I'm still full from lunch. Hopefully I'm doing this right. I guess only time and "revamping" here and there will tell. If anyone would like to have a look at my diary and make any suggestions, please feel free.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=TDEE
The third entry is a link to the MFP message board explanation.
You should be reaching for the highest fat you can find. You think it is easy sticking to a calorie goal now, just wait until you try putting butter or cheese on that meat!
Pros:
I feel more alert
My skin does not break out
I do not get bloated, stomach cramps or irresistible sleepiness during the day like I would when I ate a high amount of carbs
My appetite is under control instead of inhaling whole cakes, bags of sweets or loaves of bread.
Cons:
When I decide to pig out on carbs I get cramps, gassy, bloated and horribly farty. Then I fall asleep.
If it is high in refined sugar, I get pimples come up within 24-48 hours.
Sometimes also cold sores get triggered.
Products full of refined sugar tend to be far cheaper to buy.
I do regularly drink alcohol - champagne, vodka or a nip of chambord are my preferred tipples.0 -
bump to read again and again0