last 5-10 pounds pros/cons of low-carb

patssarah · April 2011

Hi!
I am currently down to those last 10 pounds, and I have recently decided the number on the scale is not really as important as how I feel, so really I just want to lose a few more inches and do some serious toning.
I have been stuck at my current weight for 3+weeks now, and I have switched up my excercise routine, started running, added more cardio, and I have been pretty good following a 40-30-30 (carb-protein-fat) ratio.
I even started zig-zagging all my calories this week, and had a couple bad days where I went over with bad food instead of good food.
I am to the point where I feel like certain areas like my stomach are not going to change with my current eating/workout routine.
Since I constantly change up my workout routines every week, and I have been stepping up my game and working harder during workouts, I am thinking the next thing I should try and change is my diet.
I HATE fad diets. I have gone on and off of them plenty of times in the past, and I am very proud of my new lifestyle and eating better.
So the thought of cutting carbs for a week or 2 worries me because I KNOW I will lose these last few pounds and thin out a little more, but I worry about what happens when I start adding carbs back in! I would hate to get down to my goal weight, only to gain some back!

I guess I am looking for advice on cutting out breads/starches for a couple weeks, and getting my carbs from only fruits & veggies, does anybody think this sounds like a good idea? or should I just stick to what Im doing?

TIA!!

marte80 · April 2011

You can try cutting carbs but I can promise as soon as you start eating them again you'll gain it all back....Good luck!

NoExcuseTina · April 2011

I usually keep my carbs around 100 net carbs...and love it!!!! I spoke to a nutritionist last week and she told me she recommends to her female clients to keep their net carbs around 100-130 net carbs...I also have a friend that is a triathlete and she eats around 100 carbs a day except for when she trains for long periods of time (6 hour workouts)...then she bumps it up to 200 per day.

Also...check out www.atkins.com and watch the videos for the 4 phases to find out how to add the carbs back in once you have gotten to goal for maintenance.

Food for thought... :-)

stevemcknight · April 2011

There's certainly nothing faddish about low carb lifestlye. It is, in fact a lot older than the low fat S.A.D. that has caused huge obesity over the past 40 years. If you want to avoid all the fads, go back to the beginning. Check out Paleo/Primal/Hunter-Gatherer lifestyle. I've certainly never been leaner with less work than ever. Rare cardio and shorter lifting sessions, and yet my body fat keeps dropping. Not only that - but avoiding diseases of civilization is sure an added bonus!

Best of luck!

stevemcknight · April 2011

You can try cutting carbs but I can promise as soon as you start eating them again you'll gain it all back....Good luck!

If you do any dietary restriction - hit your goal, then revert back to the way you got fat in the first place, of course you gain it all back. Haven't we all done this too much already?

There are no essential carbs at all - you can live a long, healthy life with no more carbohydrates ever again. Eat tons of veggies and plenty of meat/eggs/fish/poultry and watch the excess fat fall off.

There is no reason to drop off this "diet" or go back to eating crap again. It's what put all of us in this position in the first place.

patssarah · April 2011

Thanks for the advice!

I dont plan on ever going back to my old eating habits! I was miserable and had zero energy! I have been so much happier and I feel a whole lot better inside and out.

I could probably live on 100g of carbs. I dont go nuts with it, I just really enjoy breads, oatmeal, yogurt and fruit.
I am usually around 140g carbs anyways, so Im sure I could cut 40 out per day. I am going to look into that.

I have heard about the paleo/primal blueprint stuff, and I dont know if I could make that switch! atleast not as a lifestyle change. I just dont think I could do that.

My dad has been following Atkins for 10+years, and I know it gets a lot of bad rep, but for him his blood pressure has gone down, and he is actually healthier (according to his dr.) now than he was before. So I know its not really bad, I just dont think I could make the commitment to get rid of bread!!
Thanks again!!

dailyorange · April 2011

Hey, just wanted to say that I'm pretty much on the same boat as you. I have about 5 lbs or so left to lose and I'm not really concerned with the weight as much as body composition. I've been trying to research more about whether low-carb/high protein is better for my increase in strength training. I've been low-carbing (about 100 grams or so) for about a week and I have seen the scale move, but not sure how it has affected me body-wise. Not sure if I could do this for the long run, I sure miss my warm morning oats!

I'd like to hear more opinions on this too.

jo_marnes · April 2011

I honestly don't think there is much point in doing something if you are only going to do it for a couple of weeks. A healthy diet is a lifestyle, not a fad. I think you know this already.

My point is that if you are going to cut carbs, then do it. If it works, keep at it. If it doesn't, try something new. Everytime I hit a new plateau with my weight loss, I'd change my exercise AND my diet. So to start with, I STARTED exercising (lol) and cut out junk. Then I'd increase my exercise and change my portion size. Then I'd try a new exercise and go low fat. Then I'd increase time exercising and cut out carbs .... etc

I have been on this (successful) journey for 3 years - only found MFP about 6 mths ago when I needed to start maintaining. There is nothing wrong with getting carbs from fruit/ veg - I often do that. I very rarely have a full portion of rice/ pasta/ potatoes etc - too heavy for my stomach now. I fill up on a plate of veg - I hate the way stodgy foods sit in my stomach for hours afterwards, wheras you never get that uncomfortable feeling after lots of veg!

Good luck xxx

mrphil86 · April 2011

Here's my take on it:

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I've been on a 45/30/25 ratio for a long time now. I have never had a reason to change it up. If I want to gain weight or loose, I do it with that ratio.

Point is, if you are getting results, why bother changing it? There is no super diet formula.

AnnieeR · April 2011

I've cut my carbs to around 85 recently (I get most from fruit and veg but I love bread too so to avoid feeling deprived I have one slice in the morning with breakfast but I make sure it's the lowest GI bread I can find (rye sourdough at the moment - from a bakery and with very few ingredients!) and I feel so much better it's unreal. Last night we had a roast dinner for easter so I had potatoes and yorkshire puddings and I'm bloated beyond belief this morning. I think everyone's different - have a go at lowering the carbs for a few weeks and see if it makes you feel better....

Grokette · April 2011

You can try cutting carbs but I can promise as soon as you start eating them again you'll gain it all back....Good luck!

If you do any dietary restriction - hit your goal, then revert back to the way you got fat in the first place, of course you gain it all back. Haven't we all done this too much already?

There are no essential carbs at all - you can live a long, healthy life with no more carbohydrates ever again. Eat tons of veggies and plenty of meat/eggs/fish/poultry and watch the excess fat fall off.

There is no reason to drop off this "diet" or go back to eating crap again. It's what put all of us in this position in the first place.

Here Here on this.....................

Grokette · April 2011

Thanks for the advice!

I dont plan on ever going back to my old eating habits! I was miserable and had zero energy! I have been so much happier and I feel a whole lot better inside and out.

I could probably live on 100g of carbs. I dont go nuts with it, I just really enjoy breads, oatmeal, yogurt and fruit.
I am usually around 140g carbs anyways, so Im sure I could cut 40 out per day. I am going to look into that.

I have heard about the paleo/primal blueprint stuff, and I dont know if I could make that switch! atleast not as a lifestyle change. I just dont think I could do that.

My dad has been following Atkins for 10+years, and I know it gets a lot of bad rep, but for him his blood pressure has gone down, and he is actually healthier (according to his dr.) now than he was before. So I know its not really bad, I just dont think I could make the commitment to get rid of bread!!
Thanks again!!

You can have bread on Atkins after your at your goal if that is what you choose to do..............

Atkins has a controlled way of adding back in the carbs in a slow and controlled manner to see how your body reacts to each food you add back in..............

kdiamond · April 2011

I lowered my body fat and got my abs showing by cutting out gluten. I didn't necessarily CUT carbs but I ate the good ones, fruits, veggies, nuts. It made a big difference in my opinion, not only in the way I looked but the way I felt too. My workouts are pretty intense, but I do mostly compound exercises and not too many crunches or specific ab exercises.

joshandstacy · April 2011

If you decide to lower your carbs but still love your bread, check out Ezekiel bread. I know the health foods sell it and it's really a better bread for you in many ways. It's not carb free but it's lower. My husband and I found it when we were on a low carb diet.

stevemcknight · April 2011

I lowered my body fat and got my abs showing by cutting out gluten. I didn't necessarily CUT carbs but I ate the good ones, fruits, veggies, nuts. It made a big difference in my opinion, not only in the way I looked but the way I felt too. My workouts are pretty intense, but I do mostly compound exercises and not too many crunches or specific ab exercises.

Yes to this. Of all the things I recommend to clients, the one that I really harp on is gluten. It's the worst of the worst

sdgreen15 · April 2011

My trainer agrees with cutting out gluten, but has also really stressed watching my grams of SUGAR intake. I love greek yogurt (the kind w/ fruit in it), fruit, Kashi go lean cereal, but never realied how much sugar they all had in them. Sugar turns to fat after it's digested, so it makes sense that I've hit a plateau despite working out and eating healthy. I started my low sugar diet this week, so we'll see how it goes!

p.s. Make sure the grains you are eating are whole grains. They'll stay with you longer. You can also try gluten free pastas, breads, etc.!

Barneystinson · April 2011

Strictly moderating or removing grains and "white" starches from your diet is a fairly old way to lose weight. Once you hit a goal weight you can add some back in moderate amounts if you so choose, though you may find you don't miss them much.

stacimonster · September 2013

You don't know how helpful this post has been for me, OP. I am in the exact same spot as you were when you wrote this and everyone's comments have been super helpful! I'm gonna do low carb for a couple weeks and then watch my caloric intake after that. Thanks a bunch for posting!

last 5-10 pounds pros/cons of low-carb

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