Low carb or low calorie?

Options
awoolbright772
awoolbright772 Posts: 12
in Health and Weight Loss
I want to lose my last 20 pounds in 2-3 months and I'm not sure if I should do low carb or low calorie. What are your opinions?
«1

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Options
    Neither. I reached goal weight without going low-carb or low-cal or low-anything!

    Eat the right number of cals for your stats and activity level. A small calorie deficit worked great for me - fat and inches came off, I maintained my lean muscle, and I felt awesome for life and workouts. If your exercise doesn't include weights/strength/resistance training of some sort, add it. I use dumbbells at home three days a week, and run/walk the other three, always at least one day off for resting.

    It takes times, especially as you get closer to goal weight, but it's worth it. Also get yourself a tape measure and start tracking measurements if you're not already. As I got closer to goal, often my scale would stand still (for six months at one point!), but I dropped a full size because I was losing inches.

    Good luck!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
    Options
    That might be a little aggressive for someone with very little to lose. If you are looking to lose 20 lbs of fat and minimize muscle loss (which muscle is what makes you fit) then you should aim for 1/2 to 1 lb per week. And considering you are 18, if you workout, you could probably lose that kind of weight with 1800 calories. In fact, the average women I know lose between 1700 to 2100 when working out 5 to 6 hours a week.

    Honestly, I would do a moderate deficit and if you need to lose a few lbs for an event, then you could low carb for a few weeks. With that said, if you want to post you height, weight, workout routine and if you have any medical conditions, we can help set you up with a sustainable plan.
  • austinsneeze
    austinsneeze Posts: 222 Member
    Options
    Oh please don't do low-carb, for your sake. It does help you lose weight, but so many people have died from heart failure as a result... there are plenty of studies out there for you to double check my information. Please don't do it, for your safety. Just stick to a healthy balance. :)
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
    Options
    Oh please don't do low-carb, for your sake. It does help you lose weight, but so many people have died from heart failure as a result... there are plenty of studies out there for you to double check my information. Please don't do it, for your safety. Just stick to a healthy balance. :)

    You want to expand on that a bit more? Because what I'm finding isn't stable and it's full of junk.

    In regards to OP. Just go with what MFP tells you. Weight loss is calories in vs. calories out. If you eat at a deficit you will lose weight.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
    Options
    Oh please don't do low-carb, for your sake. It does help you lose weight, but so many people have died from heart failure as a result... there are plenty of studies out there for you to double check my information. Please don't do it, for your safety. Just stick to a healthy balance. :)

    This is false. Many people have to low carb due to medical conditions. There is nothing wrong with low carb diets as long as you do them properly. But if you want to provide science to back you claims, I would be interested in seeing that.
  • austinsneeze
    austinsneeze Posts: 222 Member
    Options
    http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/06/26/atkins-diet-low-carb-diet_n_1626579.html

    That's one example.


    http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/06/27/atkins-type-diets-may-raise-risk-of-heart-problems-study

    http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/High-Protein-Diets_UCM_305989_Article.jsp

    http://abcnews.go.com/Health/low-carbohydrate-high-protein-diets-increase-cardiovascular-disease/story?id=16655359

    http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/heart-disease-linked-to-lowcarb-diets-7892488.html
  • stevenlcopeland
    stevenlcopeland Posts: 57 Member
    Options
    Low carb = heart failure ? The Huffington Post as a source ? I better have my doctor reconsider her recommendations and full support of my carb cycling that I have been doing for 7 years and was taken off of statin drugs and blood pressure drugs since incorporating carb cycling. Thanks for letting me know though that I can trust the Huffington Post as a reliable source of information
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    Options
    Neither. I reached goal weight without going low-carb or low-cal or low-anything!

    Eat the right number of cals for your stats and activity level. A small calorie deficit worked great for me - fat and inches came off, I maintained my lean muscle, and I felt awesome for life and workouts. If your exercise doesn't include weights/strength/resistance training of some sort, add it. I use dumbbells at home three days a week, and run/walk the other three, always at least one day off for resting.

    It takes times, especially as you get closer to goal weight, but it's worth it. Also get yourself a tape measure and start tracking measurements if you're not already. As I got closer to goal, often my scale would stand still (for six months at one point!), but I dropped a full size because I was losing inches.

    Good luck!

    ^^This. Choose a way of eating (low carb or whatever) which suits you and your lifestyle, but it's the deficit which will make the weight come off.
  • Momjogger
    Momjogger Posts: 750 Member
    Options
    http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/06/26/atkins-diet-low-carb-diet_n_1626579.html

    That's one example.
    An educated person who has done research may read this article and point out that it is a survey style, correlation not causation study and the article points to the fact that the 5% increase of heart incidents is mitigated by exercise and a lack of smoking. Not a good one to pick to make your case. :flowerforyou:

    Personally I think cutting way back on processed carbs is the way to go. The more high quality food you eat - lean protein, fruit and vegetables, the healthier you'll be overall and cutting way down on processed foods will curb your hunger. This is backed up by anecdotal and personal evidence only, so take it with a grain of salt. :smile:

    You'll still have to cut calories and exercise to lose the weight, but if you are a hungry person like myself, cutting WAY back on processed foods will help.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    Options
    austinsneeze, low carb diets are healthful and effective. Instead of goggling for articles that say they'll kill you try google scholar to get a fuller, more accurate picture of what the science shows. Because you're wrong.
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
    Options
    So what I got from both sources is that the reason it was linked to heart disease is because the dieters were getting their fat and proteins from poor sources. That's just common sense right there. They looked at people who only consumed animal fat.
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
    Options
    austinsneeze, low carb diets are healthful and effective. Instead of goggling for articles that say they'll kill you try google scholar to get a fuller, more accurate picture of what the science shows. Because you're wrong.

    This guy right here.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Options
    If low carb allows you to reach your required deficit needs and you feel good doing it, then sure go low carb.

    Otherwise it's all about a deficit. Meaning that even if you eat low-carb you STILL need to be at a deficit, you wonl't just magically lose weight because you are eating fewer carbs. You'll likely lose more waterweight, but you won't be losing more fat and in order to maintain that low water weight levels in your body you'd need to stay on low carb when you enter maintenance.

    with 20ish lbs to lose you will not lose it in 2-3 months while achieving desired body composition. Just sayin.
  • austinsneeze
    austinsneeze Posts: 222 Member
    Options
    austinsneeze, low carb diets are healthful and effective. Instead of goggling for articles that say they'll kill you try google scholar to get a fuller, more accurate picture of what the science shows. Because you're wrong.

    I'm okay with being wrong. That doesn't bother me. But I need proof from sources that let me know I'm wrong.

    No one has given me evidence otherwise.
  • klaff411
    klaff411 Posts: 169 Member
    Options
    Oh please don't do low-carb, for your sake. It does help you lose weight, but so many people have died from heart failure as a result... there are plenty of studies out there for you to double check my information. Please don't do it, for your safety. Just stick to a healthy balance. :)

    That's not true. In the least. However, I will say if you can manage to go the "moderation" route, I would suggest it.
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
    Options
    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/low-carbohydrate-diets/

    http://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2720&context=utk_chanhonoproj&sei-redir=1&referer=http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=low+carb+and+heart+disease&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C38&as_ylo=2013#search="low carb heart disease"

    http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214762413000078

    http://www.askdrray.com/buying-into-high-carb-low-fat-myth-makes-you-sick/

    Some kind of dense sources and studies from google scholar. There's some from my college account but the links won't work unless you are a student.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
    Options
    austinsneeze, low carb diets are healthful and effective. Instead of goggling for articles that say they'll kill you try google scholar to get a fuller, more accurate picture of what the science shows. Because you're wrong.

    I'm okay with being wrong. That doesn't bother me. But I need proof from sources that let me know I'm wrong.

    No one has given me evidence otherwise.
    So instead you'll stick to your Huffington Post article?
    Please don't make statements that you really have zero knowledge about.

    oP- like others have said that's an aggressive goal when you're that close to your goal weight. No matter how you eat it's not a good idea. How do you plan to eat when you get to your goal weight? How are you going to stay at your maintenance calories? That's how you should determine on how you eat to lose weight
  • DaniCanadian
    DaniCanadian Posts: 261 Member
    Options
    Neither. If you lose that much weight that quick than whatever you did isn't something maintainable. You may lose the weight for a short time but it will come back once you stop whatever diet you use. Eat healthy and balanced meals, and aim for no more than half a pound lost per week.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
    Options
    austinsneeze, low carb diets are healthful and effective. Instead of goggling for articles that say they'll kill you try google scholar to get a fuller, more accurate picture of what the science shows. Because you're wrong.

    I'm okay with being wrong. That doesn't bother me. But I need proof from sources that let me know I'm wrong.

    No one has given me evidence otherwise.

    What you have to understand is where your source of information is and what the study was looking at. What you posted, were news articles which are notorious for cherry picking information to create news. In none of your links, did they provide or note a source of information outside of it suggesting it was the the BJM.com which is a company that provides medical advise. They are not a research company. I would recommend researching information through the National Institute of Health or other reputable sources.

    Unfortunately, it all comes downs to correlation =/= causation. The bigger issue at hand is body composition, genetics, lifestyle, etc.. The only thing that is definite, is obesity is linked to several health issues.
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
    Options
    Agreed that that might be too aggressive of a goal for so little to lose… but when it comes down to weight loss, a calorie deficit is the only way. Low-carb won't do you any good if you aren't also in deficit. So, track your calories no matter what you choose.

    Choose an eating plan that you can stick with long-term (even after you lose the weight) otherwise, you're likely to gain it all back. Choose an eating plan that fits with your lifestyle, your food preferences, even your morals. Then eat at a moderate deficit.

Categories