Low carb diets. Do they work?

kam744
kam744 Posts: 24 Member
edited November 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!

I'm new and have been considering low carb diets to lose weight. I ideally would like to lose twenty pounds. I justt started cutting out carbs and felt like crap. My body felt weak and flu like symptoms started happening. This was discouraging. Anyone experience this type of symptoms?

Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • BarbSte500
    BarbSte500 Posts: 4 Member
    edited July 2015
    I'm eating low carb because I want to lose about the same amount (20). I wasn't seeing results even tho I was walking 3 miles a day. Now by cutting my carb count (I chose 50, others choose higher others choose lower) I've seen about a 3-lb a week drop. Happy with this and I'm not cutting out the good stuff. I've found low carb ice cream and low carb tortillas. My son-in-law who is very heavy has lost over 110. He is extremely strict tho. Mainly has 20 carbs a day and does fasting as well.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Whatever makes you stick to a deficit works. The flu like symptoms will pass.
  • catlikereflexes
    catlikereflexes Posts: 8 Member
    Yes! YES YES YES! :blush: I cannot stress enough how amazing lowering my carb intake has been for my overall health. My HDL was 84; the doctor was so impressed! And that's eating as much peanut butter, bacon, eggs, greek yogurt, seeds, chicken legs, green leafy veggies, broccoli, jicama, avocado, and dark chocolate as I like! :smiley:
  • Acetona
    Acetona Posts: 10 Member
    kam744 wrote: »
    Hi everyone!

    I'm new and have been considering low carb diets to lose weight. I ideally would like to lose twenty pounds. I justt started cutting out carbs and felt like crap. My body felt weak and flu like symptoms started happening. This was discouraging. Anyone experience this type of symptoms?
    That means it's working. Your body is entering another state, called ketosis. Read up on it.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    A low carb diet, eaten with a caloric deficit will usually work very well.

    As Shell1005 said, you may need more salt and water to help get you through the transition. Potassium, magnesium and calcium can potentially help too. Just hang in there. The keto flu last just a few days or so.
  • kellellie
    kellellie Posts: 109 Member
    edited July 2015
    I did low carb back in the day, lost 32lbs in about 4-5 months. I was also drinking my water, eating my veggies, and working out. It also wasn't sustainable for me at the time, whether it was me or life or whatever, I eventually stopped and gained it all back. Many times after that too. I finally decided it wasn't my thing. I never had terrible keto-flu, but I do remember being low energy and having headaches. I will say that once that passes, it was like night and day. One day I woke up and I felt AWESOME. My skin looked awesome, I slept really well, I had energy all day long, my mood was great. It was pretty cool to see that happen. The bad part was if I slipped up at all and ate something I wasn't supposed to it made me sick.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Whatever makes you stick to a deficit works. The flu like symptoms will pass.

    This. It's not necessary to lose weight, as it's the calorie deficit that does it, but some find it easier to stick to a calorie deficit on low carbs.

    I did not do low carb, but I found cutting my carbs some (I did around 100 grams) was an easy way to cut calories without feeling like I was cutting much out (but I'm weird and don't at all mind eating a lot less bread, smaller portions of pasta/potatoes, skipping the rice and sandwiches and cereal, etc., so long as I get good servings of meat and veg). Some people feel great on low carb or lower carb like I did, and some find they continue to be low energy or feel lots better with more carbs (now that I'm substantially more active I wouldn't enjoy being at 100 and eat about 40%). If you are curious about it or have reason to think it might help you, experiment and see how you feel, after getting through the adjustment period.
  • professionalHobbyist
    professionalHobbyist Posts: 1,316 Member
    For some it works

    I am moderate to low carb and it works great

    Lost over 130 lbs

    But I have no delusions that it is great for everyone else. Some actually hate it and do better on high carb

    Just watch your calories and see how you feel

    A nutrition strategy that suits you should not make you feel bad and be a drudgery.

    Do what makes you feel best. Maybe try a few diet strategies for a month each and know for sure.

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    OP - what works for everyone is calorie deficit = CICO. If you feel that low carb will work for you and is sustainable in the long term, then by all means go for it. Based on your OP it sounds like low carb may not be for you if you are "feeling like crap"...

    you may want to consider the below plan, before further embarking on low carb..

    1. Enter stats into MFP and set for x amount of weight loss.
    2. Eat to the number that MFP gives you.
    3. get a food scale and weigh all solid foods, and as many liquids as possible.
    4. log everything
    5. make sure that you are using correct MFP database entries
    6. realize that there are no bad foods and that while the majority of foods should come from nutrient dense sources, there is nothing wrong with having pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc, as long as ones micro and macro needs are met.
    7. macro setting are typically .85 grams of protein per pound of body weight; .45 grams of fat per pound of body weight; fill in rest with carbs.
    8. find a form of exercise that you like and do it < not necessary for weight loss, but is for overall health and body comp.

    I would also suggest reading the below link:

    sidesteels guide:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    any diet that results in an energy deficiency works.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    edited July 2015
    any diet that results in fat loss works
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Acetona wrote: »
    kam744 wrote: »
    Hi everyone!

    I'm new and have been considering low carb diets to lose weight. I ideally would like to lose twenty pounds. I justt started cutting out carbs and felt like crap. My body felt weak and flu like symptoms started happening. This was discouraging. Anyone experience this type of symptoms?
    That means it's working. Your body is entering another state, called ketosis Read up on it.

    Is that part of the lower 48?
  • fernandaBush
    fernandaBush Posts: 18 Member
    yes.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Acetona wrote: »
    kam744 wrote: »
    Hi everyone!

    I'm new and have been considering low carb diets to lose weight. I ideally would like to lose twenty pounds. I justt started cutting out carbs and felt like crap. My body felt weak and flu like symptoms started happening. This was discouraging. Anyone experience this type of symptoms?
    That means it's working. Your body is entering another state, called ketosis Read up on it.

    Is that part of the lower 48?

    I almost googled it :p
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