LOW CARB ADVICE

Options
Anyone doing low carb want to look at my diary to see if I'm off to a good start? Only been doing a couple days and want to make sure I am on track. Thanks! I really appreciate it! Any advice or suggestions would be great!!

Replies

  • Karbum
    Karbum Posts: 124 Member
    Options
    Cauliflower mashed potatoes! If you blend them with a hand blender they whip up like mashed potatoes. SO good!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    Start with eating more. Add more protein and up your fats.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    Options
    You need to be eating more than 800-900 calories. Your fat and protein intake is too low to be doing low carb. When you eat low carb, you MUST eat high fat (like 100+ g).
  • brookie2983
    brookie2983 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    Sarauk2sf wrote: »
    Start with eating more. Add more protein and up your fats.
    I have been adding butter, extra virgin olive oil to everything that I cook. Are these the fats I should be having? I think I might have forgotten to add them to the diary. So easily I would have gotten to my 1,200 calorie intake for the day. Everything else OK?

  • brookie2983
    brookie2983 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    Also on low carb, should I be counting calories to make sure that I'm within the 1,200 that I'm allowed for the day?
  • eatsyork
    eatsyork Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    You need fat as your energy source. Double your heavy cream if you want to quickly fix it. Eat more red meat. The macros are closer to what you need than the lean protein you've been eating. Your carb levels are ketogenic. If you want to stay healthy on such an extreme diet you really need to make sure you are eating 70% fat, 25% protein, 5% carb or 65% fat, 30% protein, 5% carb. Ketogenic diets drastically alter the body's metabolism. You need the fat for energy. You need to protein to stop muscle loss and to create the amount of glucose absolutely essential for your body to run. Adjust your macros in MyFitnessPal. Also, your overall calorie intake seems really low. A diet that low needs to be medically supervised. You should eat more if you are not being directed by a physician.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    I thought your protein and fat ratios looked off. I am not on low carb at all, but I do have my carb setting a wee bit lower. I am also on low sodium and custom my settings.

    As far as the food you are logging, you are eating around 800 to 900 calories a day. This is a bit high of a deficit but if you are not adding butter, oils etc. to your diary then your calorie intake is inaccurate.

    Logging all beverages? I see you drink tea and just a thought but do you drink water and if not are you drinking anything else? I am a foodie and like to eat them.. :)

    I eat 900 to 1000 and I add everything I put in my mouth. From mayo, ketchup, dressing, every sugar substitute, even chewing gum and I add in recipes where I prepare or cook food with oil, flour, salt, butter, sugar etc..) Just some suggestions..
  • brookie2983
    brookie2983 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    gia07 wrote: »
    I thought your protein and fat ratios looked off. I am not on low carb at all, but I do have my carb setting a wee bit lower. I am also on low sodium and custom my settings.

    As far as the food you are logging, you are eating around 800 to 900 calories a day. This is a bit high of a deficit but if you are not adding butter, oils etc. to your diary then your calorie intake is inaccurate.

    Logging all beverages? I see you drink tea and just a thought but do you drink water and if not are you drinking anything else? I am a foodie and like to eat them.. :)

    I eat 900 to 1000 and I add everything I put in my mouth. From mayo, ketchup, dressing, every sugar substitute, even chewing gum and I add in recipes where I prepare or cook food with oil, flour, salt, butter, sugar etc..) Just some suggestions..

    I do believe that I did forget to add some of the oils and butter that I cooked with yesterday, I will make sure I add them from now on :) I am drinking over 64 oz. of water a day.

  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Options
    Sarauk2sf wrote: »
    Start with eating more. Add more protein and up your fats.
    I have been adding butter, extra virgin olive oil to everything that I cook. Are these the fats I should be having? I think I might have forgotten to add them to the diary. So easily I would have gotten to my 1,200 calorie intake for the day. Everything else OK?

    Its hard to tell if you are not logging accurately - however, you really should up the protein also.
  • bos10fit
    bos10fit Posts: 80 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    Are you working out while on this diet?

    When you're working out the first source your body pulls from would be your glucose. Carbohydrates are converted to glycogen and stored in your liver when you need them.

    A low-carb diet -- or more specifically, a diet that contains less than 100 grams of carbs per day -- will lead to rapid depletion of glucose and glycogen stores, which can result in a drop in energy and athletic performance

    Going low-carb doesn't necessarily result in plummeting energy levels. When your carbs are lower, your body can convert fatty acids and protein into energy via a process called gluconeogenesis.

    Whether you burn glycogen or fat doesn't matter too much from a fat-loss standpoint, writes Berardi in "The Metabolism Advantage." The main consideration is to burn calories -- it doesn't make much difference whether these are from glycogen or fat. When training for athletic performance, however, you should ideally be looking to use glycogen as your main energy source. Carbohydrate storage is the limiting factor in athletic performance, according to Iowa State University, as when it runs out, you no longer burn glycogen, which can lead to a decrease in performance.

    Make sure you're getting healthy fats!

    COCONUT OIL :)


    Keep in mind, you want to try to avoid ketosis if you're focused on gym performance!
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
    edited January 2015
    Options
    You need to be eating more than 800-900 calories. Your fat and protein intake is too low to be doing low carb. When you eat low carb, you MUST eat high fat (like 100+ g).

    Exactly... When I was doing Keto (extremely low carb, about 15-20), my fat/protein intake had to be higher in conjunction. You need to meet (if not exceed a bit) your calorie goal. On low carb, upping your fat/protein is the only way to do it. Also, if you're worried about eating more VOLUME of food, just add things like nuts/nut butters/avocado/olive oil/etc... Those are calorie dense foods and are great for getting in your dietary fats and proteins.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
    Options
    I think your diary, as long as you log accurately like you said is fine. I keto eat and I aim for 65-75% calories from fat, 20-25% protein, 5-10% carbs. Most carbs coming from veggies and a small amount from dairy.
    You can get in the habits of watching your calories while you also watch carbs. Eating low carb and the high fat keeps you full longer, which means eating less. I ate low carb and lost a lot of weight without documenting it. However, during a stall I think already knowing what your calorie counts are can help you target what is causing the stall and lower your calories. This would also help as you get closer to goal weight, it will start to matter more.
    There is nothing wrong with being in ketosis, and once you're keto-adapted you can workout. You might be able to go as hard right away, but you can work back up to it. Your energy will come from fat, not carbs while in ketosis. You might be sluggish until your body makes that transition.
    You might want to check out some of the low carb groups. They have a lot of information.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Options
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_custom to change your macro goals and get rid of the red ink. 60 - 120 grams of protein are in the range for a low carb diet. You seem to have the carbs under control, if you're hungry eat a bit more of the fattier things.
  • softblondechick
    softblondechick Posts: 1,275 Member
    Options
    Sardines are the ultimate food for low carb. Rich and fatty, I make a salad for lunch with them. I suggest increasing eating more fish, salmon and cream cheese is an awesome low carb snack!

    I am slowly working towards lower carb.
  • brookie2983
    brookie2983 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    Thanks everyone!! Very helpful!!!
  • Vianska2014
    Vianska2014 Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    Can any one of you guys take a look at my diary. I'm just starting and I want to make sure I'm on the right track in the nutrition part. I don't know how many percent of carbs should I eat in order to lose some weight.
  • brookie2983
    brookie2983 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    I'm new too but I was told the nutrition chart should be about 5% carbs 30% protein and 65% fats. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
    Options
    I'm new too but I was told the nutrition chart should be about 5% carbs 30% protein and 65% fats. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

    For low carb, carbs don't necessarily have to be THAT low... Maybe 10% carbs, 30% protein, 60% fats. If you were doing Keto, then I'd say your macro breakdown is pretty spot on though.
  • brookie2983
    brookie2983 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    jasonmh630 wrote: »
    I'm new too but I was told the nutrition chart should be about 5% carbs 30% protein and 65% fats. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

    For low carb, carbs don't necessarily have to be THAT low... Maybe 10% carbs, 30% protein, 60% fats. If you were doing Keto, then I'd say your macro breakdown is pretty spot on though.

    So what exactly is Keto?