Anyone go low carb/grain free for health reasons (not weight loss)?
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Sarasmaintaining
Posts: 1,027 Member
Hi everyone-I'm maintaining an almost 60lb loss and I did it just by cutting back on calories/IF. I've been maintaining for a couple years now and want to start addressing some issues I'm having-'fuzzy' brain (trouble concentrating etc), bloating (which is really noticeable at a lower body weight), being lethargic etc etc. I am vitamin D deficient so that could be a part of it (starting back up with a supplement today), but I'm also wondering if my 'eat anything/everything as long as it fits in my calories' diet could be a culprit. I eat a LOT of grains/high carbs. I'm a bit skeptical that grains could be causing the problems, but I am open to at least exploring that possibility.
Anyone else eliminate grains/go low carb for health reasons and not so much as a weight loss tool? Have you notice a difference since cutting back/out grains? Thanks!
eta: my most recent blood panels came back great, except for the D issue. Glucose, cholesterol, iron etc are all looking good.
Anyone else eliminate grains/go low carb for health reasons and not so much as a weight loss tool? Have you notice a difference since cutting back/out grains? Thanks!
eta: my most recent blood panels came back great, except for the D issue. Glucose, cholesterol, iron etc are all looking good.
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There's a lot of T2 diabetics, pre-diabetics, and PCOSers in here.
Me? I used to be a bread fiend who took cookies to work every Friday and had 12 sinus infections per year & a few bouts of bronchitis. Cutting out the gluten took care of that (I've had 1 sinus infectino & 1 bout of bronchitis in about 10 years now).
Going LCHF (grain-free as well) has made my joints stop hurting, given me more energy, and made it where my digestive system no longer actively hates me. I also cut out a few other things I was reacting to, such as almonds, soy, & artificial sweeteners.
Weight loss is a side benefit for me.
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Sarasmaintaining wrote: »Hi everyone-I'm maintaining an almost 60lb loss and I did it just by cutting back on calories/IF. I've been maintaining for a couple years now and want to start addressing some issues I'm having-'fuzzy' brain (trouble concentrating etc), bloating (which is really noticeable at a lower body weight), being lethargic etc etc. I am vitamin D deficient so that could be a part of it (starting back up with a supplement today), but I'm also wondering if my 'eat anything/everything as long as it fits in my calories' diet could be a culprit. I eat a LOT of grains/high carbs. I'm a bit skeptical that grains could be causing the problems, but I am open to at least exploring that possibility.
Anyone else eliminate grains/go low carb for health reasons and not so much as a weight loss tool? Have you notice a difference since cutting back/out grains? Thanks!
eta: my most recent blood panels came back great, except for the D issue. Glucose, cholesterol, iron etc are all looking good.
Hi I saw your post in one of the other forums too.
I did start cutting back on carbs for insulin resistance. I gradually progressed to cutting out grain altogher because I was trying to get my carbs from mostily fruits and vegetables and whole grains. I went a few days with no grain at all and I felt amazing. I thought I would be able to add some whole grain back in limited quantities, but when I tried I had a horrible reaction to it. My throat swelled up and later that week I ate a mini muffin and my throat swelled again and the side of my face went numb.
So before I cut grain out I didn't notice it bothering me, other than occasional abdominal discomfort, now when I eat it I basically have an allergic reaction to it. (food allergies are coming in my family. so i'm not shocked, but I always thought that I had escaped that ailment)
I am much less tired and don't have headaches or joint pain like I used to. Now it could be something else in those grain products that bothered me that wasn't the grain but I really don't have a way to determine what exactly bothered me at this point, so I'm trying to avoid it all together.0 -
There's a lot of T2 diabetics, pre-diabetics, and PCOSers in here.
Me? I used to be a bread fiend who took cookies to work every Friday and had 12 sinus infections per year & a few bouts of bronchitis. Cutting out the gluten took care of that (I've had 1 sinus infectino & 1 bout of bronchitis in about 10 years now).
Going LCHF (grain-free as well) has made my joints stop hurting, given me more energy, and made it where my digestive system no longer actively hates me. I also cut out a few other things I was reacting to, such as almonds, soy, & artificial sweeteners.
Weight loss is a side benefit for me.
You brought up something I didn't think of-I'm frequently sick with cold/sinus junk. This past winter was brutal (I was the sickest, even over three kids who are exposed to who knows what at school!). I have a miserable cold right now (again, only one in the family). Now you have me thinking
And I was actually a pre-diabetic before I lost the weight and now my glucose number is in the normal range again, so that was taken care of by reducing calories/reducing poundage. However, T2 is a big player in my family tree, so it might not hurt to stack the odds even more in my favor if possible! Lots to think about, but I feel that I'm at a place in my life where it's time to get some things sorted out!0 -
Sarasmaintaining wrote: »Hi everyone-I'm maintaining an almost 60lb loss and I did it just by cutting back on calories/IF. I've been maintaining for a couple years now and want to start addressing some issues I'm having-'fuzzy' brain (trouble concentrating etc), bloating (which is really noticeable at a lower body weight), being lethargic etc etc. I am vitamin D deficient so that could be a part of it (starting back up with a supplement today), but I'm also wondering if my 'eat anything/everything as long as it fits in my calories' diet could be a culprit. I eat a LOT of grains/high carbs. I'm a bit skeptical that grains could be causing the problems, but I am open to at least exploring that possibility.
Anyone else eliminate grains/go low carb for health reasons and not so much as a weight loss tool? Have you notice a difference since cutting back/out grains? Thanks!
eta: my most recent blood panels came back great, except for the D issue. Glucose, cholesterol, iron etc are all looking good.
Hi I saw your post in one of the other forums too.
I did start cutting back on carbs for insulin resistance. I gradually progressed to cutting out grain altogher because I was trying to get my carbs from mostily fruits and vegetables and whole grains. I went a few days with no grain at all and I felt amazing. I thought I would be able to add some whole grain back in limited quantities, but when I tried I had a horrible reaction to it. My throat swelled up and later that week I ate a mini muffin and my throat swelled again and the side of my face went numb.
So before I cut grain out I didn't notice it bothering me, other than occasional abdominal discomfort, now when I eat it I basically have an allergic reaction to it. (food allergies are coming in my family. so i'm not shocked, but I always thought that I had escaped that ailment)
I am much less tired and don't have headaches or joint pain like I used to. Now it could be something else in those grain products that bothered me that wasn't the grain but I really don't have a way to determine what exactly bothered me at this point, so I'm trying to avoid it all together.
Thanks for sharing-the whole being tired thing describes me exactly. I feel like I'm 10 years older than I actually am and wake up sluggish and crash at 10pm. But I'm active, am at a good weight/bmi, so I should be feeling a lot better than I am. I think I'll do a grain free experiment and see if I notice a difference, I think that's a good starting point and then I'll go from there 0 -
yep - going grain free (i ate primal/paleo even before going lchf) has helped me in tons of ways unrelated to weight loss.
no more sinus infections, eczema, hypoglycemia... clearer headed, more energy, etc. - the list goes on.
i just feel better without it.0 -
I started lchf for athletic and health reasons originally. I researched a lot before start and even more so as I went along. It helps keeping a deficit too 0
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tmdalton849 wrote: »yep - going grain free (i ate primal/paleo even before going lchf) has helped me in tons of ways unrelated to weight loss.
no more sinus infections, eczema, hypoglycemia... clearer headed, more energy, etc. - the list goes on.
i just feel better without it.
Clear headed and having more energy sounds absolutely wonderful!! Ok, going to give this whole thing a try Just adjusted my diary settings for a lower carb diet and setting carbs at 90 (last time I recorded my carb intake about a year ago I was eating over 200 a day). Adjusted protein/fat/sugar as well. Going to go totally grain free starting today and will try it until further notice.
I'm also working on getting rid of some maintenance creep and want to lose around 7lbs to get back in the low end of my maintenance range. So not only am I starting to track my food again, work within macros parameters for the first time ever and go grain free but then also eat a base of 1,200 calories, which I haven't had to do in a couple years. Yikes, it's going to be an interesting few days/weeks lol!0 -
Note that if you're cutting your carbs, those calories still need to come from somewhere. Don't be afraid to up your fat a bit to compensate, and you might wait a week or two to worry about dropping your calories below where you've been. Drink plenty of water & make sure you get enough salt.0
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Note that if you're cutting your carbs, those calories still need to come from somewhere. Don't be afraid to up your fat a bit to compensate, and you might wait a week or two to worry about dropping your calories below where you've been. Drink plenty of water & make sure you get enough salt.
At 1,200 calories and 90 carbs (was aiming for 100 but the % ratio option was being difficult), puts me at 105 protein (tried to get close to the .8 per pound rule), and then 47 grams of fat. Plus I adjusted the sugar to 40g. I may bump up my calories though a bit like you suggested and see how things go first. Or maybe do the calculation for a .5lb loss a week instead of 1lb. Whew, after not really tracking anything for a couple of years I forgot how much math can be involved in this whole diet/nutrition thing
eta: ok, adjusted calories up to a .5lb loss per week, which brings my calories up to 1,350 a day/101 carbs/101 protein/60 fat/40 sugar. And then grain free for now. I think this is a good place to start and I'll adjust as necessary. Thanks for the input everyone, I'm brand new to this way of eating and it will be a challenge to get into it, but I'm hopeful that it will improve my quality of life 0 -
I cut out all grains, except some flax/chia, to help control my T2D. My weight is all over the place, so I'm hoping its going down but going LC has helped in a lot of other areas. I have a sensitive stomach which leads to IBS and all the lovely issues that go with it. This is pretty much gone, along with most of the eczema that plagues my hands, and my energy has gone way up. I tried the IIFYM for years thinking I couldn't give up carbs but now that I have I realize I'm not missing anything and what I've gained more than makes up for the <insert carb-y food here>.0
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I cut out all grains, except some flax/chia, to help control my T2D. My weight is all over the place, so I'm hoping its going down but going LC has helped in a lot of other areas. I have a sensitive stomach which leads to IBS and all the lovely issues that go with it. This is pretty much gone, along with most of the eczema that plagues my hands, and my energy has gone way up. I tried the IIFYM for years thinking I couldn't give up carbs but now that I have I realize I'm not missing anything and what I've gained more than makes up for the <insert carb-y food here>.
Thanks for sharing! So excited to think I may start having more energy after I make the transition! That alone would be worth the dietary adjustments 0 -
My chiro in California was pestering me for years to cut out gluten / wheat products. I finally did it as a "month long experiment" and...I had some digestive health issues pretty much go away in that month. Decided to stretch it even longer and never started again. Figured I must be sensitive somehow to something in the wheaty foods. I have, uh, bleeding when I consume foods with wheat in it.
My mom decided at the same time to try cutting out wheat. It was funny because we both called each other like, "Hey, guess what! I tried cutting out wheat and it took care of some health issues!" What a coincidence! For my mom, it's an asthma trigger.
My dad developed GERD late in life, and then tested positive for celiac sprue.
So...Mom can't breathe well and falls asleep for hours if she eats wheat. My dad had celiac. I don't test positive for it, but I only had the one simple test which isn't terribly accurate. *shrug*
Don't know what's in the wheat that gives me trouble, but I am glad to not have terrible bleeding as long as I'm strict.
-T.
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Teneko, the basic test can't detect antibodies to gluten if you take it after you quit eating gluten. This is why I'll never have an official diagnosis.0
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I mainly went Keto for weight loss, I just felt heavy and sluggish all the time. Dropped all the processed sugars, grains, carbs down to 20g, upped my fat and here I am, 2.5 months later, 13 lb lighter.
The surprise benefits:
No more headaches
No more 2 pm crashes
No bloating and gas
Lots of energy, I have to work out or do a lot of physical activities to burn all that energy
Clean house inside and out
Enjoying more cooking now that I actually have a purpose to eat healthier
Less aches and pains
Clear head and better mood.
Those are all positive things that I wasn't even going for.
I'm glad to be where I am now and don't want to go back to any junk food, sugar or grains, period.
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I mainly went Keto for weight loss, I just felt heavy and sluggish all the time. Dropped all the processed sugars, grains, carbs down to 20g, upped my fat and here I am, 2.5 months later, 13 lb lighter.
The surprise benefits:
No more headaches
No more 2 pm crashes
No bloating and gas
Lots of energy, I have to work out or do a lot of physical activities to burn all that energy
Clean house inside and out
Enjoying more cooking now that I actually have a purpose to eat healthier
Less aches and pains
Clear head and better mood.
Those are all positive things that I wasn't even going for.
I'm glad to be where I am now and don't want to go back to any junk food, sugar or grains, period.
I don't know a lot about keto-that's really low carb right? I'm going from SAD/loosely keeping an eye on calories in maintenance, to aiming to hit under 100 carbs (just picked a random number really lol). Have you totally given up grains or just wheat? How does keto work once you transition into maintenance-do you still stay really low carb or do you add carbs? I'm in maintenance and need to lose around 7lbs to get back in the low end of my maintenance range, but my focus isn't on weight loss anymore. Thanks!0 -
Yes, Keto is lower carb, you can probably be around 50 and still be in ketosis. I'm not on maintenance yet. Still have about 6 lb to go but I'm not rushing it
I will up my carbs slowly to 30-40-50 mainly because I want to add some fruit. I eat no grains at all of any kinds, except almond/flex/chia when I make some treats or "bread" like bakes but not often. My go to breakfast used to be milk and Cheerios, it was a deadly combo to say the least, don't want to feel like it again.0 -
yay! welcome to the dark side, lol. (:
easing into it is a very good idea. depending on how low you go with carbs, be aware that there may be an initial flag in energy as your body adjusts. for me it only lasted a week (and i went wayyyy down - to <20g).
the advice to drink lots of water and up the salt is really important. and for the love of pete - don't shy away from fat! it will help you feel better, think clearly, and have enough energy.
coconut oil is a fave as it has medium chain triglycerides that the body can process for energy very easily.
good luck - we are here if you need us!0 -
Sara..i am concerned you have 40g sugar as a daily normal..my dietitian ( all of them actually) push for UNDER 30g a day of sugar for adults from all sources.. berries are natural fruit sugar I find them great on a limited basis. Oranges and bananas are considered too high for a weight lopes diet. look at what your sugar is IN…since most all proceeded foods and bread include it, yogurt, etc. you may want to chose the least processed foods for the sugars.
Step back for a minute and don't let so much new info confuse…we're all learning, but there is a ton you can learn on your own before twisting around here. here are a couple basic info sites
VERY low carb diets save children from serious Epilepsy problems..an amazing health benefit, and T2 diabetics are being cured, so the HEALTH and longer life aspects are more valuable than even weight loss.
http://www.dietdoctor.com/how-to-lose-weight
http://authoritynutrition.com/10-benefits-of-low-carb-ketogenic-diets/
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I'm LC because the majority of the things pinpointed in an elimination diet were carby. There are others that I have issues with that are more mechanical than chemical, but also happen to be carb heavy.0
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Hi.
I am on a ketogenic diet because I find I am always sick. Initially I had cut out gluten for 5 years or so. But grains still hurt my stomach so I did a juice fast and was able to eat them again. There was a pain on my stomach that would go away and come back but it had gotten much better after the juice fast. I had put on 8lbs with the juice fast though which made me think I might be insulin "sensitive". I don't regret the fast because it helped. I was concerned that the pain was my gallbladder but the doctor said it wasn't. I had been researching gallbladder issues and how they develop. I read that when on a low fat diet the gallbladder doesn't get used often so the bile will crystallize over time and develop gallstones. I panicked a bit because I lived my life fat free for a long time. Until I tried avocados and then I ate them everyday! lol.
Long story short I was afraid to follow low fat and I know high protein isn't good because excess protein reverts to glucose. High fat was the only way I could see for me. I have been sick after sick. I have been sick since January to now. Not the same illness per se but I have been not "well" but ok for two weeks in March. I have an infection in my throat right now which is better than the pneumonia the doctor tested me for. I think that if I am glucose sensitive I may be feeding bacteria which is making me sick. I also think the pain in my stomach may be leaky gut because of the grains hurting my stomach for so long. I have unconfirmed celiac disease. Unconfirmed because the test takes 30 days of eating gluten 3 full servings of gluten meals a day. I couldn't last the first week. I refuse to live day after day with this low quality of life. I have to try something and this is it. If I loose weight I would be glad but it is secondary to the health issue. I just figure if I gain some energy the weight will come off naturally.
It has been 5 days on a high fat low carb but I moved to the Ketogenic diet 65-70 percent fat, 20-25 protein and 10 carbs. I have found it difficult to maintain the 70 percent fat without reaching 1600 calories. I don't think I will loose weight at that caloric level as I am sedentary with this infection. My goal is around 1400 calories. Maybe I will figure out how to get there....0
