Low-carb Struggle
sierrabuccellato
Posts: 17 Member
Hi everyone,
My doctor suggested I try a low-carb diet due to my PCOS. I was 270 at my highest (I'm 5'6") and have lost 7 pounds this week. I feel great... Logically. But I really want "normal" food! I want to eat the meals I prepare for my family and have a drink at the end of the day without feeling like I just ran over my neighbors dog.
Right now it is 90° in my house and my kids asked if they could have cereal for dinner. I allowed it, and now I'm grumpy because I can't have any.
I want to eat like a "normal" person, but I've never lost weight by doing low fat, low calorie, etc. so I feel like this is the only thing that might work for me.
Should I just plan to be miserable until I get down to a healthy weight? Take cheat days along with the set-backs? Give up on low-carb, or try moderate intake instead?
I'm so confused and frustrated. I just really need some support here.
My doctor suggested I try a low-carb diet due to my PCOS. I was 270 at my highest (I'm 5'6") and have lost 7 pounds this week. I feel great... Logically. But I really want "normal" food! I want to eat the meals I prepare for my family and have a drink at the end of the day without feeling like I just ran over my neighbors dog.
Right now it is 90° in my house and my kids asked if they could have cereal for dinner. I allowed it, and now I'm grumpy because I can't have any.
I want to eat like a "normal" person, but I've never lost weight by doing low fat, low calorie, etc. so I feel like this is the only thing that might work for me.
Should I just plan to be miserable until I get down to a healthy weight? Take cheat days along with the set-backs? Give up on low-carb, or try moderate intake instead?
I'm so confused and frustrated. I just really need some support here.
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Replies
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Hello! I also have pcos and am starting lowcarb...today actually. I've done it once before and had so much success with it. But I fell of the wagon and gained all my weight back plus so much more. Low carb made me feel great and I've decided to go back to it.
If you have a pinterest, look up low carb recipes. The key to staying on track is finding replacements that help those cravings.
I'm going to add you if that's okay
we can do it together! 0 -
How low carb are you? Even low carb allows some carb. I carb cycle where I do low carb 2 days and eat normal one and repeat. I still lose but can look forward to "normal" food on non-low carb days. I found that when doing this even my "normal" days are lower carb than they were before. Normal = 30%fat/30%protein/40%carb1
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cassiek0lba wrote: »I'm going to add you if that's okay we can do it together!
Thank you Cassie! Knowing I'm not alone will be a big help!How low carb are you? Even low carb allows some carb. I carb cycle where I do low carb 2 days and eat normal one and repeat. I still lose but can look forward to "normal" food on non-low carb days. I found that when doing this even my "normal" days are lower carb than they were before. Normal = 30%fat/30%protein/40%carb
Lizzy, I try to stay under 50 carbs per day. I don't pay attention to calories honestly because by cutting out sugar and carbs - I haven't needed to! I eat only whole foods, nothing processed. I cut out coffee (*sniffle*) because I can't stand the taste of Splenda, Stevia, etc.
I haven't even heard of carb cycling. I definitely need to look into that!0 -
sierrabuccellato wrote: »cassiek0lba wrote: »I'm going to add you if that's okay we can do it together!
Thank you Cassie! Knowing I'm not alone will be a big help!How low carb are you? Even low carb allows some carb. I carb cycle where I do low carb 2 days and eat normal one and repeat. I still lose but can look forward to "normal" food on non-low carb days. I found that when doing this even my "normal" days are lower carb than they were before. Normal = 30%fat/30%protein/40%carb
Lizzy, I try to stay under 50 carbs per day. I don't pay attention to calories honestly because by cutting out sugar and carbs - I haven't needed to! I eat only whole foods, nothing processed. I cut out coffee (*sniffle*
there's a difference between low carb and a keto diet...below 50 grams is a keto diet...did your doctor specifically recommend keto?
also, why did you cut out coffee?0 -
there's a difference between low carb and a keto diet...below 50 grams is a keto diet...did your doctor specifically recommend keto?
also, why did you cut out coffee?
I may be wrong but I believe low carb is up to 100... keto is 20 to 50 and I am doing keto. Keto is pretty hard core...maybe just try eating less than 100 carbs to start...and go lower if you feel necessary
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Wolfman, I can't stand the taste of Splenda, Stevia, etc. and I usually drink my coffee light and sweet. I used to drink it with French Vanilla Coffee Mate.
I thought Ketogenic was under 20?? I guess I'm lost. My doctor gave me suggestions of where to start given how many carbs I was eating on a low calorie diet. I tracked on MFP and showed him the breakdown. Maybe I'm too low? I didn't really consider I could eat more carbs and still lose weight. I have been consistently losing every day while staying below 50.0 -
I'm a recently diagnosed PCOSer trying out the lower carb thing too.
It has it's moments of suckiness.
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sierrabuccellato wrote: »cassiek0lba wrote: »I'm going to add you if that's okay we can do it together!
Thank you Cassie! Knowing I'm not alone will be a big help!How low carb are you? Even low carb allows some carb. I carb cycle where I do low carb 2 days and eat normal one and repeat. I still lose but can look forward to "normal" food on non-low carb days. I found that when doing this even my "normal" days are lower carb than they were before. Normal = 30%fat/30%protein/40%carb
Lizzy, I try to stay under 50 carbs per day. I don't pay attention to calories honestly because by cutting out sugar and carbs - I haven't needed to! I eat only whole foods, nothing processed. I cut out coffee (*sniffle*) because I can't stand the taste of Splenda, Stevia, etc.
I haven't even heard of carb cycling. I definitely need to look into that!
You haven't 'needed to' because by cutting those out you've cut out a portion of your calorie intake. Be careful with this, because being hungry will cause you to find other foods to replace the carbs you were used to eating.
Buying a digital food scale and weighing all of your solid foods, and logging your foods/tracking overall calories, along with your carbs, will help you stay on track in the long run so you don't replace the calories and stop losing weight.0 -
conqueringsquidlette wrote: »I'm a recently diagnosed PCOSer trying out the lower carb thing too.
It has it's moments of suckiness.
Hahaha! True!0 -
You haven't 'needed to' because by cutting those out you've cut out a portion of your calorie intake. Be careful with this, because being hungry will cause you to find other foods to replace the carbs you were used to eating.
Buying a digital food scale and weighing all of your solid foods, and logging your foods/tracking overall calories, along with your carbs, will help you stay on track in the long run so you don't replace the calories and stop losing weight.
Actually, I haven't been hungry at all! In all honesty, that's probably why I haven't cheated yet. My BODY is completely satisfied.
I am a single working mom of two so weighing everything is not going to happen. But I do log everything so the calories are there if my doctor or I ever chooses to use them for reference. I just don't find it at all necessary because I eat really well. Only good, nutritious foods that leave me satiated.
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sierrabuccellato wrote: »You haven't 'needed to' because by cutting those out you've cut out a portion of your calorie intake. Be careful with this, because being hungry will cause you to find other foods to replace the carbs you were used to eating.
Buying a digital food scale and weighing all of your solid foods, and logging your foods/tracking overall calories, along with your carbs, will help you stay on track in the long run so you don't replace the calories and stop losing weight.
Actually, I haven't been hungry at all! In all honesty, that's probably why I haven't cheated yet. My BODY is completely satisfied.
I am a single working mom of two so weighing everything is not going to happen. But I do log everything so the calories are there if my doctor or I ever chooses to use them for reference. I just don't find it at all necessary because I eat really well. Only good, nutritious foods that leave me satiated.
It's good that you've found a system that works for you. Just remember it for the future, in case there are any bumps in the road. (Weighing doesn't take more than a minute or two of extra time)0 -
I have to admit that I'm not really trying to stick to any particular number at the moment. I have an appointment with a nutritionist next week to work out the macro situation more specifically, but I've been spending the last two weeks just sort of avoiding eating things that are super carb heavy and making sure I include protein with the carbs I do eat (I have The Insulin-Resistance Diet book and that's the thing they recommend - linking carbs with protein).
I've also been on Metformin for the last month and adapting to that too. I don't get the nasty side effects that come with it for a lot of people, but I do feel a bit nauseous if my stomach is empty for too long which means I'm eating more often than I was before.
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My doctor recommended watching my carb intake for insulin resistance. She suggested getting most of my carbs from veggies and whole grains, but never gave me a level to shoot for. I started out around 100g a day and then dabbled with keto a little. 50g a day will have you producing plenty of ketones and that low may not be necessary for what you're Dr recommends, unless a keto diet is what your Dr wants you on.
At 100g you can still enjoy plenty of the foods you may be missing currently. Especially if the majority of your day is low, you can easily add in those treats in appropriate quantities. Trying so low so fast may make it feel a lot more difficult than it needs to be. You can check out my diary if it helps to see how I do it. I've lost 32 lbs since the beginning of the year and at my goal range weight and normalized my blood glucose levels.
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How are you all counting the carbs? I keep reading recipes with 'net' carbs listed but once I add it in my fitness pal, it's WAY more! My Dr. also suggested 'low' carb diet, but told me I can have 35g/meal (3x) and 15g/snack (2x) a day. That seems like a ton compared to your diets listed here. Am I counting wrong?? Thanks!
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Net carbs is total carb - dietary fiber (so it's basically just the sugars). A few specific diet plans use these.
MFP uses total carbs, which is what I'm looking at when I'm evaluating my food since I'm not actually on any specific diet plan. I think that's what your doctor means too, mamabujak.0 -
Thanks - makes sense! I'm thinking 135g/day is not going to get me an where fast then! My insulin resistance is currently borderline, so they won't medicate me for it while I'm just gaining weight rapidly. I just want some mac'n'cheese!!!! Ughhh!! Time to readjust the meal plan I thought would be okay.. (and no, I didn't actually eat that!)0
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Try checking out the low carb group on here. There is a lot of support from experienced people it helped me a ton in the beginning.0
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Will do!!0
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cassiek0lba wrote: »there's a difference between low carb and a keto diet...below 50 grams is a keto diet...did your doctor specifically recommend keto?
also, why did you cut out coffee?
I may be wrong but I believe low carb is up to 100... keto is 20 to 50 and I am doing keto. Keto is pretty hard core...maybe just try eating less than 100 carbs to start...and go lower if you feel necessary
I think the numbers you posted for low carb and very low carb (keto) are good.
It may have been my age or 40 years of abusing carbs but after two months I was not able to taper off carbs and finally got ticked with myself and left carbs cold turkey. I get some in almonds, celery, half and half when I drink coffee when eating out. I am OK as long as I keep them under 50 grams daily but it is best for me to shoot for 25 gram max because of hidden carbs everywhere. Without knowing what it was I went Keto to see if I could manage my pain by diet and it was a success in more ways than I expected. On coffee I actually add a little coffee to my cream I am told. I will get about 200 calories per cup from the half and half I use.
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I have been doing LowCarb since December 2014 and have lost 60 pounds, with another 60 to go. I have not in a very long time been able to sustain being on an eating plan. I haven't been able to stick with it more than 3-4 weeks. The difference for me with LowCarb is the fact that the cravings go away. It's wonderful to escape from a routine of abusive eating to healthful eating. The fat and protein satiate me. If I am hungry, I eat; if not, I don't eat. I stay at about 20 net carbs a day. There is of course a period of time, for me the first week, where the body adjusts to the changes in energy source from carbs to fats and protein. People often feel headachy and hungry and "off", but this will be just a temporary blip. Please give it a concerted effort before you abandon what could be the solution. Two FB sites for info and support are LCHF (lowcarbhighfat) and Optimal Keto Living. I also am 5'6" and I started at 278. Best of luck to you0
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When one decreases carbs, one adds either protein, fat, or both.sierrabuccellato wrote: »Wolfman, I can't stand the taste of Splenda, Stevia, etc. and I usually drink my coffee light and sweet. I used to drink it with French Vanilla Coffee Mate.
I thought Ketogenic was under 20?? I guess I'm lost. My doctor gave me suggestions of where to start given how many carbs I was eating on a low calorie diet. I tracked on MFP and showed him the breakdown. Maybe I'm too low? I didn't really consider I could eat more carbs and still lose weight. I have been consistently losing every day while staying below 50.
Maybe you can enjoy the coffee with full fat cream.0 -
Wow! I just want to thank all SO much for your responses!
I had a higher carb meal last night that felt like a cheat, but was actually all carbs from veggies. I feel MUCH better today and in higher spirits. I think I am going to add in at least one of these higher carb days per week to keep me from feeling deprived. I don't mind giving up pasta or coffee, but the oppositional fat girl in me still wants to cheat "just 'cause" !
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Fat. Fat is awesome. All the fat. Low carb is difficult and hard on your kidneys when you are doing high protein. Fat is deeply satiating, and tastes delicious. Eggs, cheese, cream, avocado, nuts, bacon, meat - all will make you full as long as you are not eating carbs with them.0
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Im right with you,i started a few days ago,the hunger crap goes away by day 3. Fill up on protien and fiber the best you can. Lets share meal ideas!! Who doesn't love eating bacon !!hang in there! We should chat and encourage eachother ! My kids are 13,8,9 how old are yours0
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I'm doing low carbs my self and struggle with wanting a lot of bread!!! I'm never ever hungry I just want to eat the "good stuff" so far so good. But I can understand your struggles!! Add me if you would like ☺️0
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TheDisneyWisp wrote: »Im right with you,i started a few days ago,the hunger crap goes away by day 3. Fill up on protien and fiber the best you can. Lets share meal ideas!! Who doesn't love eating bacon !!hang in there! We should chat and encourage eachother ! My kids are 13,8,9 how old are yours
I'm actually not even hungry! I just want bad stuff. It is all completely in my head.
At this point I don't make many "meals", I just do a lot of whole foods like grilled chicken, broiled salmon, and Turkey Burgers. It is easier for me because my kids (age 7 and 8) aren't on this diet with me.annakellett11 wrote: »I'm doing low carbs my self and struggle with wanting a lot of bread!!! I'm never ever hungry I just want to eat the "good stuff" so far so good. But I can understand your struggles!! Add me if you would like ☺️
That is exactly how I am! Hope you're having an easier time resisting than I am lol0 -
I have focused on complex rather than simple carbs to get more filling meals. I start spiralizing veggies to make noodles instead of regular pasta. I've managed to cut almost 100 carbs off daily nutrition goals. Good luck!0
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I follow Atkins 20 plan and go through the same thing. For me, I discovered it was more psychological than physiological. I crave those foods when it is a habit (foods at family get togethers, cake at birthday parties, etc...). I am learning to recognize when it happens and remind myself that I can change my relationship with food!
Best of luck to you!0 -
LC_onelove wrote: »I discovered it was more psychological than physiological.
That is exactly it! It is all in my head! But, as we all know, our minds can be very powerful.0 -
Hi! I am so happy to see your post. I have PCOS as well and maintain an intake of 60-70 grams of carbs per day. For the sake of your happiness and your life, you need carbs! Sustainable weight loss happens best when you develop a rhythm that you are comfortable with, including finding a balance eating the foods you want, even if they aren't healthy. I lost 12 lbs last month eliminating grains, refined sugar and alcohol. I would recommend something to that effect for your diet... but it sounds like you're already trying to watch alcohol and thats good. People with PCOS seriously don't do well with those three things... but on the weekends, I allowed myself a few drinks and as long as I was under my calories, I still lost weight.
Also, as with most endocrine disorders, you will feel miserable if you aren't exercising. PCOS is super manageable with a regular exercise. Are you exercising, too?
Are you tracking your calories? I started at 1580 but have since changed my goal to 1450. Make sure you're doing tracking those, too!
Best of luck. I'm here for you! PCOS is a beast but we got it.1
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