Low carb to low fat

Rianom
Rianom Posts: 13 Member
edited November 30 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Anyone have any experience in going from a low carb to low fat diet? What to expect?

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Any particular reason it has to be the one or the other? All you need to keep your weight stable, is a calorie balance. How you eat/move to achieve that, is up to you.
  • Kimo159
    Kimo159 Posts: 508 Member
    You're going to gain weight from increased carbs. It won't be fat. It will be replenishment of your glycogen stores (aka water weight). Other than that I don't really know. I personally don't like low fat diets as fats regulate hormones, and hormonal imbalances can have a significant impact on a person. I also think fats are a heck of a lot more satiating than carbs, even though I also love my carbs. Why not just have a balanced diet if you're in maintenance?
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    What's wrong with moderate levels of both?
  • Rianom
    Rianom Posts: 13 Member
    Well I always have done low carb. I have dropped 41lbs since January 8th 2016. I was doing low carb and keeping calories at 1500 daily with an occasional cheat day. I'm 6'3 and 238 lbs but would like to drop my fat % now. I would have more things to eat verse the norm of mostly meat which I do love. Just wondering if the way I kept my carbs low and calories low would it be an easy transition without a weight gain?
  • DanSTL82
    DanSTL82 Posts: 156 Member
    You will not gain your weight back from eating more carbs than you used to. You will only gain your weight back if you eat more calories per day than you are burning, regardless of what percentage is carbs, fat, or protein.

    The main reason "low carb" diets work, is just that they get people to pay attention to what they are eating more, so they tend to eat less calories in general. It also results in losing more water weight over a period of time, making it look like weight loss happens faster with it. Additionally, eating lots of carbs can tend to make you feel hungrier, where high protein and high fat foods are more satiating, which is also a reason low-carb diets "work," because people are okay with eating less in general. But ultimately, all that is really happening here, aside from some water weight, is calories in vs. calories out. The only way to lose weight is to eat less calories than your body needs, and the only way to gain weight is to eat more calories than your body needs. Nothing else makes any difference as far as weight loss/gain is concerned.
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
    You lost 41 lbs in 2 months? That's amazing!!
    I eat LCHF which works best for me (following recs for PCOS and MS). I do find satiety and consequently adherence better on LCHF as well, along with some other unexpected health benefits when I switched but of course we're all different. I'd experiment with gradually shifting your macros and see how it works for you, where your sweet spot seems to be.
  • Rianom
    Rianom Posts: 13 Member
    macchiatto wrote: »
    You lost 41 lbs in 2 months? That's amazing!!
    I eat LCHF which works best for me (following recs for PCOS and MS). I do find satiety and consequently adherence better on LCHF as well, along with some other unexpected health benefits when I switched but of course we're all different. I'd experiment with gradually shifting your macros and see how it works for you, where your sweet spot seems to be.

    Yes I have to admit it was a struggle at first cutting both intakes carbs/calories that much. It took my body 3 weeks to adjust with the cravings of wanting the food. I think I will use a more balanced approach in the future. I would like to lose another 20lbs but I do walk 3 miles a day and have started weight lifting. I do not want to get large muscles now that I'm 42 yrs old but just tone my body. I hope that there will be no unwanted weight gain with me going to a more balanced diet.
  • codsterlaing95
    codsterlaing95 Posts: 221 Member
    Low fat is a terrible idea as dietary fat plays a role in regulating testosterone. Just a warning that your libido might drop.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    If you're wanting to drop your BF%, then keep a calorie deficit, lift some weights (not to get huge and swole, but to maintain your lean body mass otherwise you lose fat and muscle through a calorie deficit), and give it time. It takes time to lose body fat.

    Dietary fat does not make you fat, too many calories regardless of source does that. You could eat 2500 calories of broccoli everyday and still end up overweight if your maintenance calories are only 2000 calories.
  • Rianom
    Rianom Posts: 13 Member
    codsterlaing95 wrote: »
    Low fat is a terrible idea as dietary fat plays a role in regulating testosterone. Just a warning that your libido might drop.[/quote
    This is true but have been taking vitamins and tshots. I actually feel better than I have in over 10yrs.
  • Rianom
    Rianom Posts: 13 Member
    xcalygrl wrote: »
    If you're wanting to drop your BF%, then keep a calorie deficit, lift some weights (not to get huge and swole, but to maintain your lean body mass otherwise you lose fat and muscle through a calorie deficit), and give it time. It takes time to lose body fat.

    Dietary fat does not make you fat, too many calories regardless of source does that. You could eat 2500 calories of broccoli everyday and still end up overweight if your maintenance calories are only 2000 calories.

    I agree with you. I have some friends that do low carb and don't lose the weight like they should. They just eat too much in calories. I keep my carbs/calories low because of this reason. I do know everyone's body reacts diffrent and you just have to do what your body reacts to best.
  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
    Wait. Wait. What??? 41 pounds since the beginning of Jan???? What was your starting weight?
  • Rianom
    Rianom Posts: 13 Member
    trjjoy wrote: »
    Wait. Wait. What??? 41 pounds since the beginning of Jan???? What was your starting weight?

    I started at 279.5 on Jan 8th and on March the 8th I was 238.0. I weigh every morning which I know some people don't like doing. My goal was 240 but I'm going to go for 10 to 20 more pounds. I would like to be at 220 since I'm 6'3.
  • codsterlaing95
    codsterlaing95 Posts: 221 Member
    edited March 2016
    Also, 1500 calories seems pretty damn low for your stats. That's typically how much short males or females eat when cutting. Do you know what your maintenance calories are?
  • Rianom
    Rianom Posts: 13 Member
    codsterlaing95 wrote: »
    Also, 1500 calories seems pretty damn low for your stats. That's typically how much short males or females eat in a deficit. Do you know what your maintenance calories are?

    My maintenance would be a little over 2800. I have talked to some doctors about the 1500 and they said as long as I can deal with that low of intake it is fine. I do lift weights to tone up so I haven't loss the muscle mass. I have saw people who have loss too much muscle mass and they look like they are sick. Like I said it was tough at first but now I have beat the cravings.
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