do you lose more on a LCHF diet than low fat

Options
jaketwin123
jaketwin123 Posts: 55 Member
hi all,ive been wondering this and still cant really work it out so,

i have a cal total of 1300 a day and 9 times out of ten dont go over,since LC i have lost an average of 2-3lbs a week consistently over 10 wks and am very happy

last year i done low fat and in no way did i managed to lose as much weigh in the same time

so my ?? is do you in general lose more weight on a LC than a low fat diet

thanks
«1

Replies

  • LowCarbInScotland
    LowCarbInScotland Posts: 1,027 Member
    Options
    I ate Low Carb Low Fat for years and always lost steadily when I stayed on track. The difference for me when I switched to Low Carb High Fat is that I'm not tempted to cheat on my diet every week because I'm satisfied with my food.
  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
    Options
    Here's a fun statistic for you:
    http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0139817

    1797 patients were included from 17 trials.... The probability of greater weight loss associated with low carbohydrate was >99% while the reduction in predicted risk favoring low carbohydrate was >98%.

    99% lost more weight on low carb.
  • jaketwin123
    jaketwin123 Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    you see that's what i dont get,if im down 3500 cal a week on LC i will lose generally 2-3 lbs

    but when i was low fat i averaged 1lb mostly rarely 2 lb on low calorie

    the same deficit but i seem to lose more on LC
  • ladipoet
    ladipoet Posts: 4,180 Member
    Options
    Yes, I always lose more weight on a low carb way of eating that I do on a low fat way of eating.
  • Kellryn
    Kellryn Posts: 139 Member
    Options
    I'm losing a bit faster with LCHF. Not a whole lot faster, but it is the other positive changes that I'm seeing that make this WOE so much better for me then just calories counting.
  • sarahthes
    sarahthes Posts: 3,252 Member
    Options
    My hypothesis is that LCHF actually changes the gut environment so that there is less calorie absorption and storage. So it plays with the "calories in" side of the equation which results in higher than expected weight loss for a given caloric deficit.

    But while I'm a scientist, I'm not the kind of scientist who can test that, so I have to wait for someone else to prove my hypothesis and make millions of dollars.
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,439 Member
    Options
    After years of trying, and failing (always regaining anything lost, even after weight loss surgery) with low fat diets, I have found success with LCHF that is blowing me away! The weight loss (fat loss!) has been unbelievable! I've never had results like this with low fat! Plus, with low fat I was always hangry!
  • Midnightgypsy0
    Midnightgypsy0 Posts: 177 Member
    Options
    I've tried for years with poor results.

    A combination of hflc, with 16/8 intermittent fasting every day turned the trick.
    Even just hflc wasn't enough.

    Down 9 pounds in 3 weeks since I started IF.
    I still eat 1500-1800 calories per day, but the IF seems to be the difference.

    Male, 60, 5',9" , was 239, now 230.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    Options
    Not only have a achieved a weight on lchf and no exercise that I never got to with low fat and exercise, but when I was at the lowest weight I did get to on low fat, I was a wearing a size 6 instead of a tight size 8. I remember waiting to get my 8 pants out until I reached that weight but by the time I thought I could start wearing them, they were a bit too big!
  • jaketwin123
    jaketwin123 Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    thanks for all the replys and personal info,it does seem that more weight loss is the case vs low cal
  • auntstephie321
    auntstephie321 Posts: 3,586 Member
    Options
    Not only have a achieved a weight on lchf and no exercise that I never got to with low fat and exercise, but when I was at the lowest weight I did get to on low fat, I was a wearing a size 6 instead of a tight size 8. I remember waiting to get my 8 pants out until I reached that weight but by the time I thought I could start wearing them, they were a bit too big!

    that's one major thing I noticed with low carb too. I'm still a good few lbs heavier than I was at my lowest after counting calories and eating at a deficit. but all the clothes I wore then fit me loosely now. I'm not even that low carb and it makes a huge difference. I think there is a lot of inflammation especially for those of us with any sort of autoimmune disorder, that is greatly reduced on low carb.
  • jaketwin123
    jaketwin123 Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    i have to agree,i have joint problems especially my knees and last year lost approx 24lbs on calorie counting it made no differrence at all and was under the hospital gym and they did not imorove at all

    fast forward this year and am LC and my joints improved alot and i started to noticed as soon as i was 10-14lbs lighter,ive lost 25lb now on low carb in less time than calorie counting and feel so much better,i can even kneel down now which i couldnt last year

    im sure this LC has improved my joints,no doubt
  • fatchimom
    fatchimom Posts: 256 Member
    Options
    Bob314159 wrote: »
    Well, that's because it's not all about calories.
    Mainstream really likes the simplicity of calorie math but there's a whole lot more to weight loss than basic math.

    I thought you could get burnt at the stake for having views like this.

    I know right?!? I better watch my back! :wink: I'm a rebel!

    That's why we like you!!! LOL!!!
  • clawson91
    clawson91 Posts: 106 Member
    Options
    I am new to this board so please forgive my uneducated self. I have officially done LCHP for over a year and am down 44 pounds. Still have 5 to go. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis (autoimmune) that causes me to have hypothyroidism. Over the years I have noticed if I eat lower carb I lose weight easier. I've always thought that was due to the thyroid problems. I have never really researched LCHF until now. If I understand correctly, one does not have to really be concerned with calorie count as long as the carbs are low (under 100 a day) and eat until satisfied but not stuffed. Eating more fat scares me because I've eaten low fat since high school. Which could be why I have a weight problem! ;) Anyway, I do realize the quality of the fat is important. It should be a MUFA like extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, real butter, etc.
    So my question is if I keep carbs low and use healthy fats in moderation I should automatically feel more satisfied and not have to count calories? Am I understanding this correctly?
  • jaketwin123
    jaketwin123 Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    yes thats pretty much as i understand but you still cant go mad on the calories,someone with far better knowledge will explain much better im sure
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    Options
    clawson91 wrote: »
    I am new to this board so please forgive my uneducated self. I have officially done LCHP for over a year and am down 44 pounds. Still have 5 to go. I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis (autoimmune) that causes me to have hypothyroidism. Over the years I have noticed if I eat lower carb I lose weight easier. I've always thought that was due to the thyroid problems. I have never really researched LCHF until now. If I understand correctly, one does not have to really be concerned with calorie count as long as the carbs are low (under 100 a day) and eat until satisfied but not stuffed. Eating more fat scares me because I've eaten low fat since high school. Which could be why I have a weight problem! ;) Anyway, I do realize the quality of the fat is important. It should be a MUFA like extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, real butter, etc.
    So my question is if I keep carbs low and use healthy fats in moderation I should automatically feel more satisfied and not have to count calories? Am I understanding this correctly?

    It's the overall control of appetite and subsequent natural calorie reduction that is thought to be the main reason this woe works so well for so many people. Most of us find a huge reduction of appetite and therefore we don't have to think about calories in order to keep them reasonably lower. BUT, there are some that do not seem to get this effect enough to be comfortable with not tracking calories.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    Options
    @clawson91 welcome to LCHF and the MFP forums.

    Eating more fat was hard for me being 63 when I started LCHF Oct 2014. Calories still count but I do not count them daily but will a few times a year just so I know.

    In my case I was losing inches of fat but not even one pound for the first six weeks. In just a few weeks my carb cravings (the kind that will make one drive to find a Coke at 2 am) just faded away so that managed my calories I guess. I eat around 2500 daily now to maintain around 200 pounds.

    We are all different so try not compare your results with other posted other than to see the range of results of others. Even when I was eating 4000+ calories of processed carbs mainly I never got over 250 pounds when some would have been 400 pounds.

    For my first 18 years there was no sodas in the house most of the time and I lived on mostly whole carbs we grew or grass fed beef with some home grown pork in the earlier years. Working long and hard hours year round on the farm I was never fat but not skin and bones either.

    LCHF eating was just an accident in my case. I had a hunch if I would stop all sugar and all forms of all grains it would manage my joint and muscle pain so I would not have to start Enbrel injections and face possible side effects at my age and state of health. 30 days after i cut out the sugar and all grains Oct 2014 my subjective pain levels of 7-8 dropped to 2-3 and still remains low. After 6 months my 40 years of life defining IBS like symptoms fully resolved and has not returned. Blood work, blood pressure, weight, etc have all improved since late 2014.

    After all of this time I am still learning how to do LCHF better as I read more research as to how/while it works. In short give yourself a lot of time to tweak LCHF based on what your body will tell you vs. the way I or others may be doing LCHF. My macro is roughly 5% carbs, 15% protein and 80% fats. I do check my breath acetone levels daily to help me manage my carbs so I stay in at least a low level of Nutritional Ketosis. For that I use a $15 breath alcohol meter off of eBay. I do have the Precision Xtra blood glucose/ketone meter that I may use every few months if I want to know true glucose/ketone levels.

    Best of success.