doctor suggested low carb diet
cassidyamymommy
Posts: 71 Member
i was in the emergency yesterday and while everything turned out alright, the doctor had a discussion about my weight. being 277 pounds, 30 years old and only 5'4 i seriously need help. she went on a whole thing about how i need to cut out carbs and go on a low carb diet, that eating more protein and veggies will keep me fuller longer and help me lose the weight. after being on here i have seen so much hate towards diets like this. i am so confused as to what to do. I am tried the eat what i want aslong as it fits in my calorie budget, but have always failed because i kept feeling super hungry and would eventually go over. i am in desparate need of help with this.
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I don't think your doctor's intent is to remove carbs from your diet. What she is probably saying is that if you REDUCE carbs, for a lot of people, it is a pretty easy way to lose weight. Processed carbs like breads, desserts, anything ground or mashed, are very calorie dense and not very filling so it is easy to overeat. Also, prepared meals and restaurants tend to serve high carb/high fat foods for a couple of reasons, but the main one is because they are cheap so the profit margin is higher.
She is just saying to replace some of those foods with vegetables and proteins.0 -
cassidyamymommy wrote: »i was in the emergency yesterday and while everything turned out alright, the doctor had a discussion about my weight. being 277 pounds, 30 years old and only 5'4 i seriously need help. she went on a whole thing about how i need to cut out carbs and go on a low carb diet, that eating more protein and veggies will keep me fuller longer and help me lose the weight. after being on here i have seen so much hate towards diets like this. i am so confused as to what to do. I am tried the eat what i want aslong as it fits in my calorie budget, but have always failed because i kept feeling super hungry and would eventually go over. i am in desparate need of help with this.
if you're always hungry eating what you like but less, then there's a good chance you need to eat more fat and protein and reduce your carbs.0 -
I have found lower carb the way to go. Just combine with calorie counting. Simplest way to start is to eliminate any thing with sugar like soda, cereal, ice cream, candy and even yogurt. Don't be afraid of fruits and vegetables, but skip fruit juices. Good luck!0
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she was telling me to get rid of bread/pasta/corn and potatoes and all that good stuff. she told me anything from a box is no good, that i need to eat real food.0
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cassidyamymommy wrote: »she was telling me to get rid of bread/pasta/corn and potatoes and all that good stuff. she told me anything from a box is no good, that i need to eat real food.
to be fair, if what you're currently doing isn't working then why not try it....
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When you log all your calorie intake, you will be surprised how much you are likely overeating. Reducing carbs probably will help but its really more about the deficit than a fad diet. You will also benefit from the retraining on how to eat proper portions.0
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TavistockToad wrote: »cassidyamymommy wrote: »she was telling me to get rid of bread/pasta/corn and potatoes and all that good stuff. she told me anything from a box is no good, that i need to eat real food.
to be fair, if what you're currently doing isn't working then why not try it....
i am willing to try it thats for sure....but not sure how long i can keep it up.
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Was there a medical reason that this doctor advised you to go low carb? If not, then it's usually personal preference. A calorie deficit is what's required to lose weight.0
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GauchoMark wrote: »I don't think your doctor's intent is to remove carbs from your diet. What she is probably saying is that if you REDUCE carbs, for a lot of people, it is a pretty easy way to lose weight. Processed carbs like breads, desserts, anything ground or mashed, are very calorie dense and not very filling so it is easy to overeat. Also, prepared meals and restaurants tend to serve high carb/high fat foods for a couple of reasons, but the main one is because they are cheap so the profit margin is higher.
She is just saying to replace some of those foods with vegetables and proteins.
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cassidyamymommy wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »cassidyamymommy wrote: »she was telling me to get rid of bread/pasta/corn and potatoes and all that good stuff. she told me anything from a box is no good, that i need to eat real food.
to be fair, if what you're currently doing isn't working then why not try it....
i am willing to try it thats for sure....but not sure how long i can keep it up.
you also said that you can't stick to just eating at a deficit...
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low carb does not mean no carb.... my dr said the same thing to me. My cholesterol numbers were up. I don't think I realized how many carbs I was eating until I started looking at it via paper to start with and now mfp. Things that I thought were a veg (corn, white potato, certain peas) they were actually carbs and I ate a lot of those instead of learning to eat real veg. Your dr just needs you to find balance and the meat and veg and don't forget fruit will fill you so that you won't need as many carbs. Carbs give you energy so I would be leery of any "no carb" fad diets. BALANCE..... This mfp program makes it simple math. You put it in...you gotta end up working off enough to get below your goal intake to lose weight. And drink a lot of water. You can do it.... make short range goals. I would challenge myself to get out of the 200 lb club to start with. By then, you will have established some really good habits and your health will already reflect it. I wish you nothing but good. I don't do everything right, but I do stay faithful to daily logging even when I "cheat"....feel free to add me.... I comment and encourage on a regular basis if you are actively posting.0
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cassidyamymommy wrote: »she was telling me to get rid of bread/pasta/corn and potatoes and all that good stuff. she told me anything from a box is no good, that i need to eat real food.
If you're struggling with feeling full/feeling hungry, she's probably right. You need adequate protein and fat to feel full. Bread/pasta/corn alone won't do it. Instead of thinking "no pasta" think about raising your protein and vegetable content. Weigh your food and stick to a 1 lb/week loss plan. That will give you a ton a food. You can still eat pasta and carbs, just make sure you accurately weigh them. 1 serving of pasta is quite small.0 -
after thinking about what i eat, i was eating so many carbs and was never hitting my protein goals. i would eat 2 pieces of toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and usually a sidekick noodle with my supper....not to mention all my snacks that were usually cookies, crackers and things like that0
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Go back to your PCP doctor and talk about it. Also maybe ask for a referral to a dietitian.
There is nothing wrong with low carb dieting. However it is also not necessary. I did low carb dieting to get to goal, mainly because it was the easiest and most consistent way for me to maintain a caloric deficit. It's the caloric deficit that is important. If you eat less than you burn, you'll lose weight. If I were you, that is where I would start. I'd put your stats into MFP and then eat the calories that it tells you to.
Out of curiosity, how do YOU know what's necessary for the OP?0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »cassidyamymommy wrote: »she was telling me to get rid of bread/pasta/corn and potatoes and all that good stuff. she told me anything from a box is no good, that i need to eat real food.
to be fair, if what you're currently doing isn't working then why not try it....
This is a valid comment.0 -
cassidyamymommy wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »cassidyamymommy wrote: »she was telling me to get rid of bread/pasta/corn and potatoes and all that good stuff. she told me anything from a box is no good, that i need to eat real food.
to be fair, if what you're currently doing isn't working then why not try it....
i am willing to try it thats for sure....but not sure how long i can keep it up.
Honestly, I was in this situation and I loved anything that came out of a bakery or a box (it was very easy for me to eat an entire box of stuffing or mac and cheese). But it is easier done than said. Once you start reducing and replacing carbs with whole foods you really wonder what cr@p you used to eat before. Now on my 'cheat meals' where I eat a little more than normal I don't give into breads or pasta...All I want a giant piece of good quality piece of steak with roasted vegetables.0 -
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430660/
basically this study reveals that on average doctors get about 20 hours of classes on nutrition in their entire study time...and that includes those that are specializing.
So take that for what it's worth....meaning most doctors should not be giving out nutrition advice...I mean mine told me to cut back on eggs when my cholesterol was high...a hello.
Getting rid of those starches helps being in a calorie deficit easier but that being said I eat bread, pasta and potatoes all the time...and have lost consistently.0 -
cassidyamymommy wrote: »she was telling me to get rid of bread/pasta/corn and potatoes and all that good stuff. she told me anything from a box is no good, that i need to eat real food.
a couple of points:
1) Doctors, in general, have a pretty pathetic understanding of dieting, weight loss, and nutrition. (blanket statement, exceptions exist!)
2) Everyone has opinions on what you should do.
3) Which foods are "good" and "bad" depend on your goals, beliefs, and preferences.
Now my opinion
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Probably the BEST thing you can do for yourself is use MFP to your advantage. Set up your calorie deficit, then set up your macros (protein/fat/carbs) to a healthy ratio (just shooting from the hip, 40% protein, 30% fats/carbs works well for most), log all your foods and try to hit your macro goals. If you do that, I would bet that you will see how imbalanced your current diet really is.
What your doctor is saying is not that bad of advice, but she is generalizing what works for her and what she thinks about you without really taking the time to get info about what you really do.0 -
Sometimes I wonder if people aren't talking more about low glycemic when they talk about low carb. Eating low on the glycemic index means that you are eating some carbs with a decent nutritional punch plus protein and good fat. Once you get the hang of it, you can get to a calorie deficit with alot of nutrition AND alot of good food without being hungry all day.0
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cassidyamymommy wrote: »i was in the emergency yesterday and while everything turned out alright, the doctor had a discussion about my weight. being 277 pounds, 30 years old and only 5'4 i seriously need help. she went on a whole thing about how i need to cut out carbs and go on a low carb diet, that eating more protein and veggies will keep me fuller longer and help me lose the weight. after being on here i have seen so much hate towards diets like this. i am so confused as to what to do. I am tried the eat what i want aslong as it fits in my calorie budget, but have always failed because i kept feeling super hungry and would eventually go over. i am in desparate need of help with this.
You're possibly feeling "super hungry" because you're eating so many carbs.... Perhaps try what the doctor is suggesting: eat more protein, eat more vegetables, eat less of the heavily refined carbs. I would also recommend not trying to limit fats. Note that the doctor isn't saying NO carb, given that she's told you to eat more vegetables (which are carbs).
What do you have to lose? What you're doing isn't working. At 30 you're in the emergency room. You're soon to be pushing 300LBSs.
Proteins, vegetables, nuts and seeds, dairy, berries...
If you feel like you need a formal plan, try one.
ps: you won't see a lot of hate for lower carb diets in the various low carb groups here. In fact, you'll see intelligent people, discussing how to best use lower carb diets. Various types.
Best of luck.0 -
I started out at 290 at 5'3", so I feel where you're coming from. And I'm glad everything in your ER visit came out alright. If I can offer any help, it'd be this:
Feeling hungry when you first start is just kind of a thing that happens, especially if you're a person (like I tend to be) who can't always sort of genuine hunger cues from non-hunger food cravings. And your body adapts, once you get used to the reduced calorie load. I'd recommend starting out by logging for a week or two without reducing your calories to see how much you tend to eat on average. Then slowly start coming down from that number until you're in a reasonable daily deficit.
Reducing and even cutting out breads/pastas/potatoes/etc can be helpful at the start -- they're high-calorie foods that make it easy to exceed your goals, especially if you're not portioning it correctly. Once I got a handle on how to eat reasonable portions (my biggest issue), I could reintroduce those foods without eating them. My diet still tends to be high on carbs (like everyone, I struggle to get enough protein in), but I don't overeat them very frequently anymore.0 -
GauchoMark wrote: »I don't think your doctor's intent is to remove carbs from your diet. What she is probably saying is that if you REDUCE carbs, for a lot of people, it is a pretty easy way to lose weight. Processed carbs like breads, desserts, anything ground or mashed, are very calorie dense and not very filling so it is easy to overeat. Also, prepared meals and restaurants tend to serve high carb/high fat foods for a couple of reasons, but the main one is because they are cheap so the profit margin is higher.
She is just saying to replace some of those foods with vegetables and proteins.
This
Seriously.
This.0 -
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Go back to your PCP doctor and talk about it. Also maybe ask for a referral to a dietitian.
There is nothing wrong with low carb dieting. However it is also not necessary. I did low carb dieting to get to goal, mainly because it was the easiest and most consistent way for me to maintain a caloric deficit. It's the caloric deficit that is important. If you eat less than you burn, you'll lose weight. If I were you, that is where I would start. I'd put your stats into MFP and then eat the calories that it tells you to.
Out of curiosity, how do YOU know what's necessary for the OP?
I know it's not necessary for anyone to lose weight. It's a way to get to a deficit, but it's not necessary. That has nothing to do with the OP.
And you were in the emergency room with her?0 -
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GauchoMark wrote: »I don't think your doctor's intent is to remove carbs from your diet. What she is probably saying is that if you REDUCE carbs, for a lot of people, it is a pretty easy way to lose weight. Processed carbs like breads, desserts, anything ground or mashed, are very calorie dense and not very filling so it is easy to overeat. Also, prepared meals and restaurants tend to serve high carb/high fat foods for a couple of reasons, but the main one is because they are cheap so the profit margin is higher.
She is just saying to replace some of those foods with vegetables and proteins.
Yep.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Go back to your PCP doctor and talk about it. Also maybe ask for a referral to a dietitian.
There is nothing wrong with low carb dieting. However it is also not necessary. I did low carb dieting to get to goal, mainly because it was the easiest and most consistent way for me to maintain a caloric deficit. It's the caloric deficit that is important. If you eat less than you burn, you'll lose weight. If I were you, that is where I would start. I'd put your stats into MFP and then eat the calories that it tells you to.
Out of curiosity, how do YOU know what's necessary for the OP?
I know it's not necessary for anyone to lose weight. It's a way to get to a deficit, but it's not necessary. That has nothing to do with the OP.
And you were in the emergency room with her?
@Sabine_Stroehm please stop derailing this thread....0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Go back to your PCP doctor and talk about it. Also maybe ask for a referral to a dietitian.
There is nothing wrong with low carb dieting. However it is also not necessary. I did low carb dieting to get to goal, mainly because it was the easiest and most consistent way for me to maintain a caloric deficit. It's the caloric deficit that is important. If you eat less than you burn, you'll lose weight. If I were you, that is where I would start. I'd put your stats into MFP and then eat the calories that it tells you to.
Out of curiosity, how do YOU know what's necessary for the OP?
I know it's not necessary for anyone to lose weight. It's a way to get to a deficit, but it's not necessary. That has nothing to do with the OP.
And you were in the emergency room with her?
Nope. Bolded sentence above.
And without knowing what they discussed, since she didn't state that. We can't know if it was her sugars? her BP? Is she now diabetic? Insulin resistant? I wouldn't think we could suggest she doesn't "need" to lower her carbs.
That said: I'd rather not further derail her thread. So I'll refrain from further discussing this with you here.0
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