Considering Low Carb...help please

AKosky585
AKosky585 Posts: 607 Member
edited September 22 in Food and Nutrition
I am having the HARDEST time getting off these last 15 pounds. I've been trying since before I joined in February...and keep losing 3 pounds, gaining it back, losing 4, gaining it back...so on and so forth...and I am getting FED UP!!! I do nothing differently to gain it back. It just comes back on. I haven't worked out in 3 weeks because I feel that maybe if I take a break, and then start up again tomorrow, it will have tricked my body into making my workouts count again. Before 3 weeks ago I was working out frequently (5 days a week of 90 minutes intese workout for many years)

Anyways, I am at a point where I am considering going low carb to get this last little bit of weight off. The whole grains, fruits, veggies, grilled chicken and non fat milk/yogurts, natural peanut butters, etc is not working for me. I eat 1400 calories a day (up from 1200) and still NOTHING.

My question is, who out there has had success with low carb eating and what did you do? I feel that I can definitely do it, but want some input from those who have/are doing it before I go rushing to the store and stocking up on all low/no carb foods. I know once the weight is off, I have to SLOWLY incorporate carbs into the diet again or else the weight will pile back on.

Any input will be very appreciated. BTW, I havent been updating my food diary lately...as I said, I have been so frustrated that I've just not been on here the past couple of weeks,but am ready to go back at it full force again.

Replies

  • nellajane24
    nellajane24 Posts: 108 Member
    Hi- I did the South Beach diet recently-- A few years ago when I did it, I lost a good amount of weight, but have since learned how to eat properly. So, the second time around I did it (this past month), I didn't lose as much weight during the first phase, because its mainly to lose water weight and change your eating habits (which mine were already changed, so no big difference). Now I am on the 2nd phase and noticing slow weight loss. I would recommend the 2nd phase of South Beach, and if you are REALLY up to it, the 1st phase first, but its gets so tedious! Good luck to you- you can do it!!
  • Dafrog
    Dafrog Posts: 353
    i did atkins back in 2005, lost 60lbs. It really isnt a lifestyle that is healthy. Although for a short period it probably wouldnt hurt. pretty much you have to put your body in ketosis, think that is the word. i bought some urine strips that measured the amount of sugar in the blood, you want it to be neg. forget the color, kinda oppisite of what the instruction say. i did as few carbs as possible, breakfast is easy, lots of tuna, cheese, leaf lettuce, chicken breast and ground round. mayo, mustard, and pickcles.
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
    I don't recommend extended-low carb diets (although I'm sort of on one). You should carb cycle at the least, replenishing your carbs every 5-7 days by loading up on them, and then just eat low carb for the rest of the week. You don't want to enter a state of famine, and extremely low carbohydrate intake can do that to you.
  • RDPearson
    RDPearson Posts: 13 Member
    I have been on a ketogenic diet for the last month. I am using meal replacement shakes in place of some meals. The first 8 days I did 3 shakes a day to try get a good start but could not keep it up past that as was very hard to eat absolutely nothing. For those 8 days I was taking in < 600 calories a day. After the 8 days I introduced dinners back in but am having very low carbs. I try keep my daily carb intake to under 80g. I am now eating loads of salads and veg which I rarely used to eat before. It was on day 9 that I started using MPF to keep track of the calories etc. So far so good but yes I am also a little apprehensive at upping the carbs at some unspecified point in the future.I am using the urine strips to monitor the ketosis. Ketostix they are called. About 5 years ago I did the same thing and lost 35 lbs in 6 weeks but it has slowly crept on again since I stopped the diet. After the diet my eating habbits did not change which is the main problem. This time thanks to this site I am realising what I am actually eating and what calories it contains so hopefully I can commit to the lifestyle change that I need where it comes to food.
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
    35 lbs lost in 6 weeks is not healthy at all. Sounds like this whole ketosis business is ridiculous. If you're eating low in carbs, that means you have to increase your protein and fat intake. You can't just take away your main energy source without balancing it out with the other macronutrients. Otherwise that's just called starving yourself.
  • trish1215
    trish1215 Posts: 46
    Hey..I had always been a South Beach Dieter because it seemed like the easiest way for me to lose weight. I could drop 10lbs in a week but it was the most unhealthy way of doing it. All that cheese and the meats that you eat is way out of proportions that you should be eating and once you bring that carbs back into your diet you will end up be upset when the scale starts to go up again. Your body is just trying to tell you that it is comfortable where it is and you should be too.
  • RDPearson
    RDPearson Posts: 13 Member
    It was the lighterlife diet I did originally. You see a doctor every second week to make sure there are no problems. They also do counselling to try address the issues you have with food. I didn't do the counselling as the only qualifications the person doing the counselling had was that she had lost weight using the diet. If anybody is going to counsel me on my eating problem then I at least expect them to have some proper qualification to do so.

    Ketosis is a natural state your body goes into when it has insufficient carbs to provide the energy it needs. The liver breaks down body fats and uses the ketones created from that for energy instead of using the carbs you eat. Something like that anyway, not an expert although I have done a lot of reading. I also know quite a few people that ketosis diets have worked for. Maybe its not for everybody but its working great for me at the moment and that's what counts.
  • RDPearson
    RDPearson Posts: 13 Member
    35 lbs lost in 6 weeks is not healthy at all. Sounds like this whole ketosis business is ridiculous. If you're eating low in carbs, that means you have to increase your protein and fat intake. You can't just take away your main energy source without balancing it out with the other macronutrients. Otherwise that's just called starving yourself.

    In ketosis your body uses stored fat as its primary energy source.
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
    35 lbs lost in 6 weeks is not healthy at all. Sounds like this whole ketosis business is ridiculous. If you're eating low in carbs, that means you have to increase your protein and fat intake. You can't just take away your main energy source without balancing it out with the other macronutrients. Otherwise that's just called starving yourself.

    In ketosis your body uses stored fat as its primary energy source.

    Sure, and eating 900 calories a day ISN'T starving yourself...bull, it certainly is. Low carb means high protein and fat, there's no other way around it. If you eat low carb and eat the same protein and fat that you did, your calorie deficit is too high and it's called an eating disorder.
  • RDPearson
    RDPearson Posts: 13 Member
    35 lbs lost in 6 weeks is not healthy at all. Sounds like this whole ketosis business is ridiculous. If you're eating low in carbs, that means you have to increase your protein and fat intake. You can't just take away your main energy source without balancing it out with the other macronutrients. Otherwise that's just called starving yourself.

    In ketosis your body uses stored fat as its primary energy source.

    Sure, and eating 900 calories a day ISN'T starving yourself...bull, it certainly is. Low carb means high protein and fat, there's no other way around it. If you eat low carb and eat the same protein and fat that you did, your calorie deficit is too high and it's called an eating disorder.

    There are numerous diets out there that use this principle and they have helped a lot of people. If you don't like the idea that's fine, nobody is forcing it upon you. I was only commenting on my experiences. It works fine for me. If I was starving then I would have no energy, I would be hungry all the time but actually its the opposite. In the last month I have had lots more energy than normal. I don't have continuous hunger pangs despite the low calories. What's the point of a low carb diet if you just replace the carbs with something else and have the same calorie intake? The whole point of a low carb diet is the effects of ketosis. Beneficial effects in my opinion. :) I have no problem with ketogenic diets provided they are monitored by healthcare professionals. A lot of research has been done into them and yes there are divided opinions on them.
  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
    I'm just saying, if you eat 250g carbohydrates a day, and 80g protein...when you cut down to like 30g carbohydrates, you can't stay at 80g protein. It just won't work, your body needs a minimum amount of calories to function even in a catabolic state, you need calories to grow your skin, hair, nails, etc. The reason why people peak on low/no-carb diets is for this very reason, not because they're low in carb, but because they're eating almost no calories in general, and their metabolism plummets.

    If you're on a diet that once you start eating normally again, you gain back like 10 lbs...there was something majorly wrong with that diet. If you're losing more than 2 lbs. a week, you're not even losing good weight to begin with. When you get down to your target weight and you still look fat and jiggly, you'll understand this folly better.
  • eengr86
    eengr86 Posts: 2
    I lost 30lbs a few years ago on Atkins. It works. The main killers are the white foods and sugar. As soon as you consume them you instantly gain for the next 3 days. If you stay off the sugar, pasta, rice or potatoes it really works. Eat lots of greens and I preferred the lean meat. I tried to stay away from the fatty things. It's hard with a family that is not following. Desserts are a killer on this diet.
  • AKosky585
    AKosky585 Posts: 607 Member
    If I were to start it, I would try to stay away from fatty stuff. I would eat low fat/fat free cheeses, grilled chicken, 95% lean beef, green veggies, egg whites,. It doesn't have to be a fattening way of eating.
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
    If I were to start it, I would try to stay away from fatty stuff. I would eat low fat/fat free cheeses, grilled chicken, 95% lean beef, green veggies, egg whites,. It doesn't have to be a fattening way of eating.

    You will have a hard time getting in your calories unless you allow some fat also, it doesn't have to be extreme. You don't have to do catkins, you could start with cutting out all grains and simple sugars, or setting your goal nutrients to a lower percentage of carbs.

    One caution on low carb is that it is very easy to lose muscle on this diet so make sure to do your resistance training if you're not already. :flowerforyou:
  • tjradd73
    tjradd73 Posts: 3,495 Member
    i personally haven't done low carb diets...but i have known many people who have. each one of them have lost a lot of weight quickly but they ALL have gained back what they lost plus more!!! if you feel like you need to try it since you are out of options, then i would recommend the south beach diet over atkins...it seems not as drastic and allows for more "normal eating option". otherwise i recommend sticking with it!! you may have just stopped cuz thats where your body wants to be :) good luck with whatever you decide to try...and you will get there eventually no matter how you do it!
  • shezarednek
    shezarednek Posts: 12
    In January of 2008, I went to a weight loss doctor who put me on a high protein, low carb, low fat, reduced calorie diet and lost 60 lbs in 8 months. The key was balance and accountability. He monitored me monthly, and I kept a food journal. I have kept 50 of it off, consistently, but I have to be careful of that last 10 lbs, as it tends to creep back on when I get lazy with my nutrition. I'm currently on a 3 day carb wash (doctor prescribed) which helps with the cravings and water weight, and gets me on track, and in the right frame of mind. You are welcome to view my food diary to see the healthy things I am eating :smile:
  • weaklink109
    weaklink109 Posts: 2,831 Member
    In January of 2008, I went to a weight loss doctor who put me on a high protein, low carb, low fat, reduced calorie diet and lost 60 lbs in 8 months. ........ You are welcome to view my food diary to see the healthy things I am eating :smile:

    FYI, You will need to change your privacy settings if you want others to see your diary. Right now there is no button in your profile directing anyone to your food diary. Home>settings>diary settings--then pick the option you want. I believe when you sign up for an account, the default setting is "private" so that is why you will need to change it in order to have others view your diary.
  • millerll
    millerll Posts: 873 Member
    Your diary is private, so I can only speculate on your food intake. But you say you're exercising "intensely" for 90 minutes 5 days a week, and have only recently upped your calories to 1400. If you're really exercising intensely, you may not have been eating enough calories before. Enter your exercise calories into the database and see what MFP recommends you eat. You say your diet is pretty clean, but how are you measuring your calories? Do you use a food scale? Even if you're eating the right things, if your protions are too big, that could cause you to over-eat accidentally. Similarly, how are you tracking your exercise? If you don't have a heart rate monitor, your estimate of "intense" exercise might be off.

    Finally, you said you've been doing this exercise routine for several years. Perhaps your body is used to your routine. Try changing what you're doing. Add strength training if you haven't already. Do a different type of cardio. If you use the elliptical, change to a treadmill or bicycle. Take a Zumba or martial arts class. Keep your body guessing and use new muscles in new ways. Hopefully this will get things moving again. Good luck!
  • shezarednek
    shezarednek Posts: 12

    FYI, You will need to change your privacy settings if you want others to see your diary. Right now there is no button in your profile directing anyone to your food diary. Home>settings>diary settings--then pick the option you want. I believe when you sign up for an account, the default setting is "private" so that is why you will need to change it in order to have others view your diary.

    My settings are such that only friends can see my food diary, and after I posted that message, I sent her a friend request so she could view it. So we are set! :wink: Thanks! :smile:
  • CraftyGirl4
    CraftyGirl4 Posts: 571 Member
    Low carb, as someone mentioned, is OK in the short term. Long term, it is difficult to maintain. Ketogenic diets are sometimes used as theraputic measures for people with uncontrolled siezures. That's probably one of the longer term uses for the diet. If you are going to go low carb, be careful. Be monitored by your doctor.

    But, also, as someone else mentioned, maybe these last few pounds are going off and coming right back because your body is happy where it is.
  • sassiebritches
    sassiebritches Posts: 1,861 Member
    I started doing Atkins in August with Dr.s blessing, my first week I lost 10lbs, following month I lost another 9 lbs, I back slid in October and November...I gained 1 pound back. I do eat somewhat carb conscience even when cheating...no refined sugars, flour, bread that stuff....but I may go up to 100 carbs in a day. I have always stayed about 1100 - 1800 calories a day. I do not eat lean, I do not eat low cal, I do not eat any calories from working out. I eat what I want, when I want as long as it is not over my daily carbs.....the first 2 weeks feel weird, and I had to watch my cheese and mushroom intake, cause it caused a systemic yeast issue that showed itself with a headache and stuffed up head....that soon went away when I dropped the daily cheese and mushrooms together. My hubby has also been doing this, he has lost 13lbs....we are starting back on the 14 day induction tonight.....I love low carb....
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I also don't recommend low carb diets, your body needs carbs. Your body doesn't need grains though. That might be your answer...check out the Paleo diet. It is all whole foods, meats, fruits, veggies, nuts, but no grains or dairy (except eggs). I do a version of this but I eat a cup of dairy (in the form of yogurt or cottage cheese) a day. It is definitely good for shedding those last few "buffer" pounds.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    I'm just saying, if you eat 250g carbohydrates a day, and 80g protein...when you cut down to like 30g carbohydrates, you can't stay at 80g protein. It just won't work, your body needs a minimum amount of calories to function even in a catabolic state, you need calories to grow your skin, hair, nails, etc. The reason why people peak on low/no-carb diets is for this very reason, not because they're low in carb, but because they're eating almost no calories in general, and their metabolism plummets.

    If you're on a diet that once you start eating normally again, you gain back like 10 lbs...there was something majorly wrong with that diet. If you're losing more than 2 lbs. a week, you're not even losing good weight to begin with. When you get down to your target weight and you still look fat and jiggly, you'll understand this folly better.

    What about a reduction in carbs rather than being low-carb specific? I understand 40/30/30 is the recommended ratio for weight loss (carbs/fat/protein).

    I put a whole bunch of food into my Friday diary to get to that ratio and got it as close to zero’ing out as possible (fiber is over by 13 but that’s ok and protein over by 9)

    My diet would be 1190 calories, 126g carbs, 38g fiber, 42g fat, 104 g protein.

    What do you think of the 40/30/30 balance?
  • BMillerDBQ77
    BMillerDBQ77 Posts: 11 Member
    I agree about not eating too few carbs. I have reduced the amount of carbs I'm eating by a large number (I ate what the average American eats- too many!) and have upped my intake of veg and meat. But I also give myself allowance to eat carbs about one day a week- things that I don't normally eat. I have lost an average of two pounds per week since mid-January to a total of 23 pounds. And I lost the most on the weeks I ate a high-carb item (like a small portion of chips). Just wish I bought more fish to round out my protein choices- can't get myself to eat salmon!
  • cgan
    cgan Posts: 15
    I also don't recommend low carb diets, your body needs carbs. Your body doesn't need grains though. That might be your answer...check out the Paleo diet. It is all whole foods, meats, fruits, veggies, nuts, but no grains or dairy (except eggs). I do a version of this but I eat a cup of dairy (in the form of yogurt or cottage cheese) a day. It is definitely good for shedding those last few "buffer" pounds.

    Agreed (especially with the dairy... love greek yogurt for breakfast). Cutting out grains is an easy way to cut down on carbs, the extra space on your plate can be filled with a big pile of green veggies which not only have carbs necessary for functioning but are more nutrient dense and filling than grains.
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