Hi all! My name is Deb. I've been on MFP for about 2 yrs. I started off doing my own version of low carb. About a year ago, I discovered lchf. I've lost about 60 pounds in total, have another 10-15 pounds to go.

I work in a Bariatric clinic where all our patients are at the very least, obese, most of them morbidly obese. I vowed to myself I would not become one of these sick people. Since eating this way, I have crazy energy and no longer have the blood sugar ups and downs I used to have. I have set my macros to 5gm carb, 25gm protein, and 70gm fat.

Lol- you're right, Deansdad. Thanks for the correction.

Tq337032 posted this link this morning. I think it what you are looking for in the running question. It is you tube and takes about an hour to watch. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/tq33702/view/-jeff-volek-the-many-facets-of-keto-adaptation-health-performance-and-beyond-721114

Hi guys!
I'm Kyla. I mostly read the forums on weekends, but that may change since I FINALLY figured out how to see them on the app.
I've been doing low carb since mid September. One of my close friends was doing pre-bariatric weight loss and I sort of copied her high protein/low carb diet to start. I switched to keto just before Thanksgiving and have been sticking to it with just one hiccup on Thanksgiving day (I couldn't resist pecan pie). Since then I've been sticking to keto macros even if I sometimes go over on total calories (Christmas and New Years).
I'm a little worried about the next few months though. I work at a school where I studied Culinary Arts and they have a student run restaurant. My family has a tradition of going there once a week to try new foods and support the students, but it's a fixed 3-course menu, so I have a feeling I'll have to pick through my plate a lot and leave a bunch of stuff untasted because of the carbs

this was so nice to read..
I am Kathy and I have lost 50 lbs LCHF and 89 lbs all together.. I am trying to maintain by staying under 100 g of carbs. My biggest struggles are days like today.. i have a chest cold and want to eat.. Friday nights and Saturdays.. I seem to over indulge more on those days. I find this group of people to be very supportive and I can always get a boost.

Hello, I'm Nicole. My journey starting in August 2013 when I went to a Chinese herbal doctor who offered acupuncture, lots of vitamins and wanted me to eliminate most carby foods. After a few weeks, I decided this was not for me. So what do I do? I go to a weight loss doctor who prescribes phentermine, however they gave me a diet to follow as well which was low carb. So after going to two different doctors who really suggested low carb I started some research and landed on Paleo. I tried Paleo for a few short weeks but I really was not incorporating meat (I was a vegetarian) so I ate a lot of red potatoes. From the Paleo forum I found low carb, but more importantly I discovered the keto diet. So I started changing my habits. Since keto is moderate protein I decided I would be able to eat meat and learn to enjoy it. So now I eat steaks, fish, pot roast, chicken...a lot of things actually. So from September 2013 to June 2014 I had lost 67 pounds. Then I got engaged, bought a house, and have gained a little bit back. But what's interesting to me is that several of my healthy habits always stuck by even when I ate carby foods. Every day I drink a gallon of water, even when I'm not on plan, and I still remain active (walking, jogging). Now that I have gotten a bit of weight off I have also taken up jogging now and can do 3 miles without dying! So I'm still here, still plugging away. I don't come to the forum every day, but I log in every day. I log my food most days, and I also eat quite a bit of calories per day (about 1800-2100).
So feel free to add me if you would like.

Wow.such wonderful journey stories! My name is Penny. I'm 55 and have had a lifetime of weight problems. My highest weight was 478. I had gastric bypass surgery in 2005. I lost a lot at first, but the bad habits crept back in. Plus i was hospital bed-bound. Low carb is the way to go for me. I had lost down to 243 last year. In July '14, I weighed 303. Then I started low carbing again. I've had a few setbacks, but have managed to lose about 35 pounds. I'm looking at keto... just learning about it right now. Any help is appreciated!

Hi everyone, I am Michelle. Deceided to change my eating habits to improve my lifestyle. The weight loss benefit is a bonus, especially when the majority of us have a little or a lot to lose. Have started before the 1st (Happy New Year everyone!!), and have obviously lost a couple of pounds. Trying to stay off the scale, as I am very visual and it tends to freak me out a little. So hence MFP to track and follow what I am really putting in my mounth. I am trying to lead a healthier lifestyle to help the rest of my body. Have PFS (Patello-Femoral Syndrome) in both knees, bad feet, tight ITbands, and everything else that goes with it. I used to run 5-10K a day for enjoyment (I may not be fast, but I will still get there), but had to stop due to the pain. Right now, or I should say after the freezing cold weather goes away, my goal is to get back out on the pavement and enjoy my runs again. So losing some weight will hopefully "lighten the load" on my knees and keep me out of physio. I am so glad to find others that follow keto!

I am Chantelle, into week two and feeling determined all ad me x

I am New to this Group..but not Low Carb
I first tried low carb when I attempted p90x in the Summer of 2010. I couldn't believe how good I felt and how much weight I lost. The phase one of that program is pretty strict and most days I was under 35% for carbs. I worked out A LOT, and maintained my weight for almost 4 years, like many I wasn't overly strict at that point, just avoided bread, rice, potatoes, sugar. Occasionally I would indulge in Pizza or Tortilla chips, and I mean like once a month at most.
Fast forward to the fall of 2013, I took a dive into the world of carbs..sandwiches with bread, drinking soda, french fries EVERY TIME I ordered fast food, eating the tortilla on burritos, making rice and past a weekly thing at dinner. It wasn't long before I put on 15lbs, from that "small" change.
I have kept that 15lbs for the past year, an albatross that reminds me that Spaghetti and bread are NOT my friends.
But rather than go on some Crazy protein binge this time I am gliding into low carb this time. I try to stay under 40% carbs.
Over the Holidays I mostly bid farewell to flour. I ate cakes, cookies, drank wine, and soda knowing that the day after Christmas we would pack it all up and I would send it away. I knew that pizza wasn't going to be a main stay, and if i did drink wine, it would be much more rarely than before . If I had pasta, it would be because I was doing a big work out the next day..that sort of thing. I would be the person again who ordered two grilled chicken sandwiches and throws the bun away.
This month my goal is to focus on fruit and vegetables. I eat only one serving of fruit a day, generally in the morning. I snack on small handfuls of nuts. Lunch and dinner have a vegetable/protein focus. I have received multitudes of compliments about my lunches at work.
However, instead of trying to become a bikini body....I am working on a weight loss goal of 3-4lbs per month until November of this year. I will have lost between 33 and 44lbs. If I hit anywhere within that range, I will feel accomplished.
My fitness goals are simple, work on averaging 70000 steps per week, increase my flexibility by joining Yoga, run 3 5K runs this year...RUN...not walk. Re-up my interest in hula hooping..it used to be so much fun for me.
Oh and might Finish P90X or Hiphop Abs. LOL.

I am a big fan of "Mongolian or Hibachi restaurants that allow you to make a bowl of food raw, and they cook it for you.
My back up food, will always be grilled chicken Cesar salad, with Cesar "vinaigrette"...basically thin out one tablespoon of real Cesar dressing with enough vinegar to dress 3 cups of romain lettuce.

H, I'm Julia and I have been DIY Low Carb for a while now. I don't enjoy most carby foods (I don't eat potatoes, and havent eaten bread since Xmas). The most carby food I eat is cereal. I have my macros set at 50% protein and 25% each fats and carbs and am planning on starting the 5:2 diet next week with no or low carbs on my fast days, and with low carbs on my feast days.

Low carb is not really helping me reduce my weight right now (I make up for it by overeating cheese and pate ) but am hoping the 5:2 will kickstart that and help me burn some fat.

Wow, this is just the kind of group I've been looking for! No lectures or 'advice' to try another diet, just people all in the same boat! I'm loving the fact there there are low carbers all in one place, all great weight loss stories on here, very motivational, well done to everyone!
I have been on Atkins before and lost about a stone (before gall bladder removal) but that was when I was a lot thinner and less to lose.
I'm currently on day 5 of VLC and feeling great. I'm 5'3 and weight 13 stone 7 lbs.
This diet suits me well.

I just want to ask, has anyone stayed in Phase 1 of Atkins for 6 months or longer with similar stats to me? Was just wondering how the weight loss steadied after the initial shock and drop in pounds after the first couple of weeks?

Any input is welcomed!

: )

Great thread...so nice to "meet" everyone. I learned about and implemented low carb about 15 or 16 years ago, via Atkins. All I can say is low carb is the only thing that works for me for overall well being and weight control WHEN I WORK IT. ;-) It's when I get into "I don't care" mode that my body suffers and pays the price with weight gain, lethargy, depression, joint aches, skin problems, mood swings, and so many more negatives. I know this is the way of eating for me, what puzzles me is how I allow self destructive and self sabotaging habits to sneak back in again and put me right back in the overweight and unhealthy place that I find myself in right now. :-( I liken it to a relapsing addict, the old "one hit/drink/fill in the blank won't hurt...I can control it." Well no, I can't...and I've proven it time and again.

So here I am, back to square one again, and ready to recapture the lean-ness and good health that I've managed to squander over the last 5 or so years. At 5'10", my first goal is -40 pounds which puts me back into one-derland and is about the range where my body can move easily again and the full length mirror in my bedroom is not my enemy. ;-) For now, I'm focusing only on carb count and keeping fat % high to eliminate cravings and brain fog. I'm recuperating from a major foot surgery at the moment, so intentional exercise is taking a back seat until everything is healed, but increased physical activity is part of the plan down the road a bit. I've eliminated alcohol for now (oh, Chardonnay!) because it does not help me when it comes to "walking my talk." My food choices don't tend to reflect what I really believe to be best for me when made through a wine buzz. ;-)

Anyway, I look forward to reading and posting on a more regular basis and am happy to see so many more members jumping on the low carb/keto bandwagon. There's something about the mindset/personalities of those who choose this WOE that is welcoming and appealing to me. Maybe it's all the enhanced, positive brain activity from the proper supply of fat in the diet that allows more of a self advocate mentality than a "sheeple" approach, I don't know, but I do very much appreciate the wisdom and support that can be found on these boards.

Good luck to all and I'll be seeing you around! :-)