what is considered low carb dieting to you?
soldiergrl_101
Posts: 2,205 Member
I am a female, 27 roughly 230lbs. I realize low carb probably means something different to everyone else, but I wanted to see where everyone else was at. I personally try to keep my intake below 50g and I was debating dropping it to about 30g. Does anyone else have similar goals?
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I started LC for health, so I looked at research studies to guide me. There is no accepted definition, but the levels considered "low carb" by the research community are MUCH higher than the levels people discuss around here. Probably under 200g or so. And you know what? The studies still found both weight loss and health marker benefits at those "low" levels!
Anyway, my initial target was under 100g. I found that as I lost interest in carbs, my intake naturally dropped lower, but I never sweated occasionally going higher, and I still lost all the weight I want to and my lipid panel numbers all moved into the green zone.
For ketosis, based on the way the body seems to work, a carb intake of around 40-50g seems to be the sweet spot. You'll make plenty of ketones and you'll minimize gluconeogensis at that level. Other levels work too, but they work a bit differently. There are several physiological changes that happen in the range of 0-120g/d.0 -
I think my body doesnt react well to carbs. I have noticed that since I started to increase my protein and fat levels and drop my carb levels I feel fuller longer, im not hungry as much, I dont have carb related cravings (which Is all i used to eat), and I dont feel so bloated. I never use additional salts or sweeteners either.0
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We had this discussion a few months ago, and among this group, we generally accepted these values for daily carb intake (do not subtract fiber):
Carnivore Keto or Very low-carb = 5g or less
Standard Keto low carb (can eat some veggies) = 0 to 50 max (although in some people, 40 max is highest they can go and stay in ketosis ~ you have to use a ketone meter to know absolutely)
Low carb = 50 to 150
I personally don't consider over 100 as low carb. Whenever I tell a friend of mine to try low carb, I always start them at 100. But that's just me.
I hope this helps,
Dan the Man from Michigan
It's Ketogenic or Bariatric! How I Found the Ketogenic Diet
Blog #10 Keto: Abbreviations, Acronyms & Terminology Used on the LCD & Keto Discussion Groups
Blog #13 DittoDan's Milestone's, First's And Good Changes Since Starting the Ketogenic Diet
DittoDan's Keto Blogs
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What are the benefits of being 5g or less?0
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soldiergrl_101 wrote: »What are the benefits of being 5g or less?
If you eat nothing but meat, it simplifies things for some people. It'll also increase your protein intake, and protein is very inefficiently converted to stored fat, so it's much harder to gain weight on a meat-only diet.0 -
soldiergrl_101 wrote: »What are the benefits of being 5g or less?
Ask Fit_Goat... there's a few carnivores here. They love eating that way.....
Dan the Man from Michigan
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is bacon and eggs considered a good breakfast when doing low carb, im just curious because I always heard bacon made you gain alot of weight cuz its friend and greesy0
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soldiergrl_101 wrote: »is bacon and eggs considered a good breakfast when doing low carb, im just curious because I always heard bacon made you gain alot of weight cuz its friend and greesy
Bacon is one of the TOP meats for Keto/low-carb dieting. If you are NOT low carbing, and eating a lot of carbs per day, then bacon will not be your friend.
I hope this helps,
Dan the Man from Michigan
Bacon Wrapped Baked Stuffed Jalepenos
An Alternative to Batch Cooking
Cream Cheese, Bacon & Chicken0 -
You might want to do some reading if you're worried about greasy bacon. The Art and Science of Low Carb is a good book (Phinney and Volek).
But, yeah, bacon and eggs is a good breakfast as long as you leave out the toast and hashbrowns.
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You might want to do some reading if you're worried about greasy bacon. The Art and Science of Low Carb is a good book (Phinney and Volek).
But, yeah, bacon and eggs is a good breakfast as long as you leave out the toast and hashbrowns.
Amen bro....
Here's another tip:
Fat Head (the History of the Demonization of Saturated Fat)
Dan the Man from Michigan0 -
You might want to do some reading if you're worried about greasy bacon. The Art and Science of Low Carb is a good book (Phinney and Volek).
But, yeah, bacon and eggs is a good breakfast as long as you leave out the toast and hashbrowns.
This is all new to me, I have been reading articles here and there on keto and low carb benefits and set backs as well as watching what each food is doing to my body. I am trying to see how my body reacts to different things and find what works. I will look up the Art and Science of Low Carb when i get home
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soldiergrl_101 wrote: »You might want to do some reading if you're worried about greasy bacon. The Art and Science of Low Carb is a good book (Phinney and Volek).
But, yeah, bacon and eggs is a good breakfast as long as you leave out the toast and hashbrowns.
This is all new to me, I have been reading articles here and there on keto and low carb benefits and set backs as well as watching what each food is doing to my body. I am trying to see how my body reacts to different things and find what works. I will look up the Art and Science of Low Carb when i get home
Its a great book, it converted me to the Keto diet. But I will warn you, there are some chapters in it that I had to skip altogether because you would have to be a doctor to understand what they were saying. I would just skip the heavy technical chapters. Its still a good read.
Keto Clarity is a good book too.
Dan the Man from Michigan
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I have my carbs set at 15g a day, but I try to stay lower. That is total carbs, I don't do the net carbs thing.0
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azcowgirrlup wrote: »I have my carbs set at 15g a day, but I try to stay lower. That is total carbs, I don't do the net carbs thing.
Did you have it that low from day 1 or work your way down gradually
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soldiergrl_101 wrote: »You might want to do some reading if you're worried about greasy bacon. The Art and Science of Low Carb is a good book (Phinney and Volek).
But, yeah, bacon and eggs is a good breakfast as long as you leave out the toast and hashbrowns.
This is all new to me, I have been reading articles here and there on keto and low carb benefits and set backs as well as watching what each food is doing to my body. I am trying to see how my body reacts to different things and find what works. I will look up the Art and Science of Low Carb when i get home
Experimenting to find what works best for you is a perfect plan. Have fun with it and if questions come up, everyone here is great to help.
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For me low carb is an average of about 50 per day. Some days a little over, other days I go way under. 95% of my carbs come from veggies and some dairy.0
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Sorry, forgot to answer your question. My carbs are set at 20...somedays I'm under that and somedays I might be a little over.0
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soldiergrl_101 wrote: »azcowgirrlup wrote: »I have my carbs set at 15g a day, but I try to stay lower. That is total carbs, I don't do the net carbs thing.
Did you have it that low from day 1 or work your way down gradually
I set them that low from day one. Yesterday I changed my protein and fat to less protein and more fat, but my carbs are still at 15g a day. Everyone is different in what works for them, Find your sweet spot.0 -
Experimenting to find what works best for you is a perfect plan. Have fun with it and if questions come up, everyone here is great to help.
What she said. I have my target set around 25g per day, but I'm a bit flexible with my intake. I've bounced around quite a bit, starting at 80g then dropping to 40g, and now down to 25g. I lost just as well at 40 as I did at 25. 0 -
My carbs are set to 5% of my daily calorie intake, or 15g max. Like others, some days i go a little over (no higher than 20g) and sometimes im quite a bit under (like today was 5g). I try to keep it as low as possible, but im still in the induction phase.0
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I increased the carbs to about 40 instead of 20 because by Day 4 I was having some issues (avoiding TMI there) and feeling pretty tired. I also increased the water intake and added electrolytes so I wouldn't get dehydrated. That was just yesterday and today I'm doing a lot better. I was able to do a longer walk and do other more strenuous exercise also. So this feels very doable!!!
I also feel that I don't react well to carbs either.0 -
I think the advantage for me (and many others based on what I've read here) is that when you go lower on carbs you are less likely to crave carbs. If I start eating higher carb (especially sugary) items, I start craving and feeling the hunger monster rise up again.0
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Thank you all for the great advice this really helped!0
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I have mine set at 20 but "usually" manage to keep them lower. Carbs and my body are mortal enemies. If I have some then my body right away starts to crave them big time. I found eating VLC to Keto keeps me full, keeps the weight off and I don't crave food at all. Bacon and eggs everyday for breakfast and BBQ steak for dinner is my norm. I went cold turkey per say and just dropped them from my WOE. I am pretty much an all or nothing person, I can be fine with not having something but if I have some, like say 1 piece of candy it consumes my thoughts till I have more hahaha!!
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I started the first month between 35-50 grams of carbs a day, then in the second month dropped to 20 grams a day (to try Keto since I was close). I feel better on the lower carbs, though if I go over for eating broccoli smothered in butter and cheese, I'm totally okay with that. I don't do bread, sweets, etc. No FRUIT for me. Many others can eat it, but for me it caused binge triggers. I get my carbs from dairy (heavy whipping cream, cream cheese, sour cream) and veggies (asparagus, broccoli, green beans, bell peppers-though I really limit these, mushrooms, etc.).
Definitely do some reading - and watching some videos. Lots of links in the stickied post at the top of the group called "Launch Pad."
Everything you always were told you couldn't eat because it would make you fat is probably what you will eat to regain your health and knock off some pounds. The key is to drop the carbs while increasing the fats. The reading will open your eyes!0
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