540lb man starting LCHF lifestyle. Yes or no?

I should probably explain somthing because a lot of you keep bringing up this "Less in more out" mentality. That is exactly why I have been GAINING weight.

At my size to lose weight I need to be eating around 3800+ Calories a day. 6700 or so to maintain (This is based on about 22 different BMI/Weight calculators on multiple websites) The reason I am not LOSING weight is because I'm not eating NEARLY Enough during the day. So your theory fails for someone of my size.

I can only handle about 1300-1400 calories a day. I can't eat more than that because I feel way too full.

Are you saying that you are eating 1300 - 1400 calories per day now, and not losing weight? It looks like you've logged 2 meals in your diary.... ever. Please clarify this 1300 - 1400 thing, first.

I was gonna disagree with the others and say that I wouldn't be recommending you doing something as 'radical' as Atkins, without medical advice. But, I was also gonna page CyberEd for his thoughts, and he's already 'weighed in' and said he thinks it''s OK. My advice would be to find a dietitian at the very least, to talk to, before taking on Atkins. However, the majority here, seem to think you're fine to just go for it. I can't believe you've been on a waiting list for a Dr for 15 years.

And I don't think you fully understand the principal of losing weight. You do not have to eat those numbers to lose weight. Eating less should cause you to lose weight faster. It may not be safe to lose that fast, but it should cause you to lose faster. It wouldn't cause you to NOT lose weight.

Why is everyone so passive aggressive? Why am I being attacked?.. Just because I don't use MFP daily doesn't mean im not on other websites logging my stuff? weightwatchers.ca

Yes, as HARD as it is to believe I got fat by eating nothing but Sausage and chocolate every day, 6000 Calories worth of chocolate bars is like 15 chocolate bars, ITS NOT MUCH FOOD. So is it THAT hard to believe that with my new lifestyle of healthy foods I can barely crack 1400 calories? When veggies have barely any calories and fill me up? Come on.

So when you look at long term fat loss, you have to average out the chocolate bar days with the veggie days. That's the true picture of how much you're eating. And a lot of us under estimate our food, anyway, so the numbers may (or may not!) be even higher than you think

Please try to take in the information being given to you. The post you have quoted here is the opposite of being attacked. There's a gold mine here but you won't see it if information sharing and trying to understand your situation is going to be received as attacking or evil criticism

Check out a book Titled "Keto Clarity" by Jimmy Moore. He was about your size and similar situation. Good explanation and science behind how it works. He has a blog as well but can't think of the name.

Well, since you mostly ate carbs before, are you very sure you won't miss them? And, not to worry the point to death but since you are really full on 1400 calories (what you are eating now) why not just stick with that and lose weight? Seems like the thing to do, since you know you can add a couple thousand calories each day that you ARE hungry.

You aren't being attacked, but given your profile, I can understand your misunderstanding.

Best of luck on your journey.

If you want to eat this lifestyle for ever then go ahead. If it's not something you see yourself doing forever, then don't do it. Weight loss is entirely about a caloric deficit, and you can reach one with whatever macro breakdown you'd like that works for your unique needs/body/goals.

Again I'll ask: if it's about calories in/calories out, why would he need to be Keto "forever"?

In the context of most discussions of this nature, first there a "mini forever" - the length of time it will take you to lose the weight. Sensationalized weight loss shows, which I do love (Chris Powell, anyone?) like to show participants dropping all the lbs in three months or one year. For most of us, it could take much longer. So when we say can you do this forever, we sometimes mean not as a quick two week fix or however long you've lasted on previous "diets" but rather truly for the long haul

The other kind is the real forever. So now you're done with "keto" or insert other diet here. How do you maintain your weight? How will you eat? Have you Learned what it truly takes to maintain this body size? Therefore the question is asked, if keto is not what you plan on doing long term and even in maintenance to think properly as to whether that's going to be your chosen path to weight loss

I'm good with learning how to eat forever.
The same question should be asked of every one who signs up with this site and starts calorie counting. Yet the discussion of "forever" only seems to come up with LCHF.
One could go on a keto or any other diet (including MFP), and begin learning about food, nutrition, their relationship with food.... and then transition to something else. To continue losing, or to maintain a caloric balance.
Yet whenever someone says "I'm going low carb" they get "can you do it forever".
Not when someone says: "I'm going to count calories and weigh and measure everything". No one chimes in and says "Are you prepared to do that forever".

I've been maintaining now for about 13 years. That's a kind of forever, I guess.
I began losing weight, and in the process I learned how to eat to fuel my body in a way that work(ed) for me. And as I'm aging, I'm modifying that (which is the right thing to do).
I'm not successful because of the particular approach I used. I'm successful because I learned how to eat to maintain. and I am vigilant, (and it helps that I'm active).

There are lots of threads asking if people plan to calorie count forever. I'd say it's about a 50/50 split on the responses I see, many still saying that even though they won't calorie count in maintenance, if the lbs start to creep up they would simply come back and do it again before it gets out of hand. I am sorry you feel the calorie counting method is better received as a"forever" plan than others, but I imagine that's not too surprising as this is a calorie counting site. I would say it is generally assumed and taken as a foregone conclusion by people who have bought into this strategy that calorie counting is an effective long term solution.

That wasn't quite my point. But I'd rather not thread jack andy's thread any further.

If you want to eat this lifestyle for ever then go ahead. If it's not something you see yourself doing forever, then don't do it. Weight loss is entirely about a caloric deficit, and you can reach one with whatever macro breakdown you'd like that works for your unique needs/body/goals.

Again I'll ask: if it's about calories in/calories out, why would he need to be Keto "forever"?

In the context of most discussions of this nature, first there a "mini forever" - the length of time it will take you to lose the weight. Sensationalized weight loss shows, which I do love (Chris Powell, anyone?) like to show participants dropping all the lbs in three months or one year. For most of us, it could take much longer. So when we say can you do this forever, we sometimes mean not as a quick two week fix or however long you've lasted on previous "diets" but rather truly for the long haul

The other kind is the real forever. So now you're done with "keto" or insert other diet here. How do you maintain your weight? How will you eat? Have you Learned what it truly takes to maintain this body size? Therefore the question is asked, if keto is not what you plan on doing long term and even in maintenance to think properly as to whether that's going to be your chosen path to weight loss

I'm good with learning how to eat forever.
The same question should be asked of every one who signs up with this site and starts calorie counting. Yet the discussion of "forever" only seems to come up with LCHF.
One could go on a keto or any other diet (including MFP), and begin learning about food, nutrition, their relationship with food.... and then transition to something else. To continue losing, or to maintain a caloric balance.
Yet whenever someone says "I'm going low carb" they get "can you do it forever".
Not when someone says: "I'm going to count calories and weigh and measure everything". No one chimes in and says "Are you prepared to do that forever".

I've been maintaining now for about 13 years. That's a kind of forever, I guess.
I began losing weight, and in the process I learned how to eat to fuel my body in a way that work(ed) for me. And as I'm aging, I'm modifying that (which is the right thing to do).
I'm not successful because of the particular approach I used. I'm successful because I learned how to eat to maintain. and I am vigilant, (and it helps that I'm active).

There are lots of threads asking if people plan to calorie count forever. I'd say it's about a 50/50 split on the responses I see, many still saying that even though they won't calorie count in maintenance, if the lbs start to creep up they would simply come back and do it again before it gets out of hand. I am sorry you feel the calorie counting method is better received as a"forever" plan than others, but I imagine that's not too surprising as this is a calorie counting site. I would say it is generally assumed and taken as a foregone conclusion by people who have bought into this strategy that calorie counting is an effective long term solution.

That wasn't quite my point. But I'd rather not thread jack andy's thread any further.

Meh. Andy dun throwed his hands up, say he ain't coming back

I think people are getting confused. I actually relate, as a formerly morbidly obese (now just obese) person who felt more full when I started dieting than I did when I wasn't. Here is what happened with OP.

1. He used to live on very calorie dense foods so although the amount was not huge, the calories were.
2. He went with calorie counting and "eating healthy" with lots and lots of vegetables. The amounts are similar to his previous lifestyle but the calories happen to be much lower, so he feels pretty full on 1400 calories.
3. He feels it's not working for him because he is unable to eat the 3000 calories the website recommends because it feels too much and that he should be eating more but he can't.

Now OP, here is where things went wrong: calorie counting does not necessarily mean living on split peas, quinoa and low calorie foods. It simply means to eat less than you burn. You don't have to eat your calories in vegetables. You can add in sausages, chocolate, potato chips, cheese and anything else you like, provided you are not eating more than you are burning.

With that said, I'll tell you again. If low carb will make you a "happy dieter", go low carb. Don't mind the "forever" thing either. Your diet needs to make you happy enough to last until you reach your weight goal. From there it will be maintenance, which may employ similar or different strategies depending on what would make you a "happy maintainer", even if that means going low carb for life or some other oddball thing like giving up anything that is the color red.

You know what people? forget I asked. So many hostile people. I came here for council and help and you guys make me feel like absolute ****. You treat me like im lieing about my diet or something. It's not that hard to believe that 10-15 chocolate bars adds up to a staggering amount of calories. But its not a lot of food compared to what im eating now (1-2 heads of broccoli at dinner time) Yes it fills me up and WOW its low calorie. So is it that hard to believe I can't break 1400 calories a day and still struggle losing weight?

I wont be reading any more responses on here as the majority of you are extremely unhelpful and offensive. Thanks to those of you who gave me honest answers about keto and didn't dive into my personal life and past.

Bye.

I have seen exactly one hostile person so far. You.

Hi there,

Iv'e finally been suckered into trying a keto type lifestyle. It seems to work for EVERYONE I have ever met and the results are outstanding.

Here's my dilemma. It just doesn't sound logical!! a 540lb man filling his artery's with saturated high amounts of fat? No longer able to eat lentils and split peas and quinoa but instead focusing on eggs, mayonnaise, cream cheese etc? Living In Canada it is extremely hard to get a doctor. I have been on a 15 year wait list so I don't really have any professional help.


What are your specific thoughts on a LCHF lifestyle (Low carb high fat) and do you think someone at my size really should try something like this?

I dropped my weight with Keto, although not exactly in a keto state right now, since i'm in maintenance after dropping 160 pounds, it has done my health well.

I do tests twice a year and they always are pristine but i DO NOT eat the products of LC.
No atkins meals
No special chocolates
etc

I try and make everything from scratch. If you're not willing to put in the time and effort, you don't really want it. You want the easy-ness of it.

Products can be a treat for a one-in-a-while thing.

Also, what blueprint works for you, might not work for me and vise versa, i spent a good 5 months monitoring and trial-and-error-ing to find which LC clean foods at what quantity do me right.

If you want any help, you can inbox me at any time.

Hi there,

Iv'e finally been suckered into trying a keto type lifestyle. It seems to work for EVERYONE I have ever met and the results are outstanding.

Here's my dilemma. It just doesn't sound logical!! a 540lb man filling his artery's with saturated high amounts of fat? No longer able to eat lentils and split peas and quinoa but instead focusing on eggs, mayonnaise, cream cheese etc? Living In Canada it is extremely hard to get a doctor. I have been on a 15 year wait list so I don't really have any professional help.


What are your specific thoughts on a LCHF lifestyle (Low carb high fat) and do you think someone at my size really should try something like this?

A keto diet doesn't focus on mayo and cream cheese. It focuses on HEALTHY fats like nuts, seeds, nut butters, avocados, olive oil, etc.

And it's absolute BS that you've been on a waiting list for 15 years to see a PCP. It doesn't take 15 years to see a PCP or a dietitian. Try harder.

I think you should try eating a healthy diet. Lean, white meat; fruits and veggies; whole grains breads and low or no-fat dairy. If you're able to walk, start taking short walks.

And get in to see a doctor as soon as you can. I get that Canada has longer waits than we do, but fifteen years sound like bullchit you made up (or a joke.). Get an appointment for whenever you can and go.

Do not participate in fad diet stuff. Do not follow advice to eat junk food because it's impossible to switch. Eat as much healthy food as you can.

Do the boring old "eat right and exercise" that the doctors are always telling people to do. It works!

Good luck!

I eat keto and would certainly offer it as a suggestion as long as you think it is something that you can truly stick with. Keto isn't some magic pill, it's simply a different way of eating that helps satiate you more easily and stave off the cravings that carbohydrates can bring. I absolutely love it and have been sticking to it with ease.

Head here for some great info and be sure to check out the FAQ in the sidebar! http://www.reddit.com/r/keto

Yes, as HARD as it is to believe I got fat by eating nothing but Sausage and chocolate every day, 6000 Calories worth of chocolate bars is like 15 chocolate bars, ITS NOT MUCH FOOD. So is it THAT hard to believe that with my new lifestyle of healthy foods I can barely crack 1400 calories? When veggies have barely any calories and fill me up? Come on.

So why don't you just eat the 1400 calories and be done with it? It would work for you

Now, I am a huge fan of low carb, as I need to stay fairly LC myself due to pancreas issues. BUT, you can't tell me that simply eating that 1400 calories wouldn't work just as well. If you're full on that, then you won't cheat, right?

Your reasoning is a bit flawed

Wow, congratulations on your decision to start your journey. I don't know about LCHF and I totally get the "chocolate" (love it myself), but a caloric deficit is a great place to start. Since apparently you're having issues getting in your calories try nutrient dense foods. Peanut butter is my favorite "filler". Protein and veggies will be more filling than those 15 candy bars. Best of luck!