Anyone else trying low carb?

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  • monikker
    monikker Posts: 322 Member
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    Recomps**
  • monikker
    monikker Posts: 322 Member
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    Oh also, the # I've seen that you shouldn't go below maintenance cals if you don't wanna risk losing muscle is 20%. Definitely look it up...basically, at some point if you go too low into a deficit with your calories, you not only won't be able to build or strengthen your muscle but you'll start to lose muscle.
  • lovelaughrun
    lovelaughrun Posts: 45 Member
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    Generally, if you eat enough protein you can build muscle on low carb. I eat 50-100g of carbs a day and work out at intense levels 6 days a week and not losing definition. I do have a carb "refeed" day once a week though.... There's a million opinions out there and at the end of the day it's trial and error on what works for the individual. I have some extremely lean friends that eat insanly clean, no fruit or starches/grains and their muscle definition is amazing
  • Gottastopovereating
    Gottastopovereating Posts: 13 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I have also tried low carb for about 2 weeks. Before the diet, the majority of my diet is based on carbs. The sudden change drained energy from my body, and I couldn't really focus in my classes.

    The 4th day of low carb diet led to constant cravings for sweets.
    Besides the diet, I also combined exercises. I ate some proteins (meat, nonfat greek yogurt), but I minimized most carbs food.
    I lost about 3 pounds on the first week, and another 3 pounds on the second week, but I craved sweets and starchy food so bad that I eventually gave up.

    A month later, all the weight was gained back after some binges on baked goods. My willpower was depleted.
  • mlpettit
    mlpettit Posts: 15 Member
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    I've been low-carb for 2-3years, but I stick to it when I'm trying not to lose weight as I find I don't get lethargic in the afternoon. When I first went on it, I lost 60lbs in 4 months, but walking 6 miles a day too. I love low carb because I never feel hungry.
  • mlpettit
    mlpettit Posts: 15 Member
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    The cravings went within a week for me, and I find them instantly come back if I slip up.
  • NikMosch
    NikMosch Posts: 40 Member
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    I have PCOS and a ketogenic diet is the only one that keeps my cycle regular, my skin clear, my energy levels up, my blood sugar stable, and my weight within a healthy range. Good luck on your low-carb journey!
  • Bjennin7
    Bjennin7 Posts: 64 Member
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    Y
    lovelaughrun wrote: »
    Generally, if you eat enough protein you can build muscle on low carb. I eat 50-100g of carbs a day and work out at intense levels 6 days a week and not losing definition. I do have a carb "refeed" day once a week though.... There's a million opinions out there and at the end of the day it's trial and error on what works for the individual. I have some extremely lean friends that eat insanly clean, no fruit or starches/grains and their muscle definition is amazing

    Yes, getting enough protein is key. I have been looking into the idea of building muscle on a low carb diet, but still don't know nearly enough about it.
  • Bjennin7
    Bjennin7 Posts: 64 Member
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    monikker wrote: »
    Oh also, the # I've seen that you shouldn't go below maintenance cals if you don't wanna risk losing muscle is 20%. Definitely look it up...basically, at some point if you go too low into a deficit with your calories, you not only won't be able to build or strengthen your muscle but you'll start to lose muscle.

    Yeah, if you cut all forms of energy and go into a deficit on carbs, fats, and protein this would be the case. I was just talking about carbs, though (assuming you are getting enough protein and fat).

    You can build muscle with a deficit in calories as well I think, but wouldn't this be easier for those who are heavier since they have more stored fuel?
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
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    aliceehoang wrote: »
    I have also tried low carb for about 2 weeks. Before the diet, the majority of my diet is based on carbs. The sudden change drained energy from my body, and I couldn't really focus in my classes.

    The 4th day of low carb diet led to constant cravings for sweets.
    Besides the diet, I also combined exercises. I ate some proteins (meat, nonfat greek yogurt), but I minimized most carbs food.
    I lost about 3 pounds on the first week, and another 3 pounds on the second week, but I craved sweets and starchy food so bad that I eventually gave up.

    A month later, all the weight was gained back after some binges on baked goods. My willpower was depleted.

    Maybe you were not eating enough fats. Sometimes you have to ease into it a couple times before it gets easy especially if you are a sweers person. There are ways to satisfy the chocolate cravings by having chocolate that is 60% cocoa or higher. Or a unsweet cocoa powder wuth stevia for coco. Or I love chobani chocolate dust tubes they are not sweetened but have little chocolate flakes. Its being in a space to be able to control your carb cravings bc they do pass.
  • MelRC117
    MelRC117 Posts: 911 Member
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    littleapple0913 wrote: »
    JimFsfitnesspal wrote: »
    I have been trying to keep my carbs at about 100 for the last 3 months (more like a paleo diet). I have lost alot of fat and gained alot of muscle with my strength training. The added benefits of low carb is I do not feel hungry all day long and my metabolism is higher that it would be without it.

    It is natural that you are losing less as you get closer to your goal. I do not think you can do much about that.

    Tips? I'm not sure other than portion control for me. In addition to eliminating carbs and replacing with fats & protein, I will have less carbs and sugars by stacking meat on half a roll and such. I can eat one doughnut in 6-8 servings. I don't know how but I can eat half a Girl Scout Samoa cookie at lunch and save the rest for later.

    Here are some of my favorite lower carb foods: homemade chicken soup, chicken breast on salad, beef & bean chili, chicken chili.

    Sometimes I also have bacon / egg / sausage in a bowl, steak-ums (half roll and half serving tater tots), beef tacos (crunchy, or two tacos in one tortilla), or a few slices of summer sausage & cheese (no crackers)... but I try to limit those because they are so high in animal fat.

    Ohh, all this talk of food is making me hungry... I eat 40 grams or less per day, but haven't even been on this for a week. I once was doing 10 grams or less per day last year but I would get shaky and feel ill... Definitely wasn't doing it right.

    Portion control is so hard for me because I'm always so hungry after a workout!! I eat so much!! It gets easier for me to control my portions the longer I stay low carb, however. I also find that I don't feel as hungry or get ravenous the longer I'm on low carb... Can't wait to get to that point agsin^^

    The benefit is from eating high fat and moderate protein, it keeps you feeling full which means to eat less overall calories.

    If you experience cramping, make sure you're consuming enough potassium and sodium.

    The first few weeks of eating low carb (well depending on how low you mean low), you may lose a large amount of weight and then it will even out. You're losing water weight.

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