Low-carb every other day?

heatherlmosher
heatherlmosher Posts: 25 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I've tried low carb diets. I start out a strong and about a week in the thought of anything without carbs makes me sick to my stomach (chicken, cheese, eggs, etc.) So I start losing more weight because I eat only enough so my stomach doesn't hurt. That's not sustainable so I give up and pig out on carbs and it's over. So I'm thinking, what if I stick to a 1200 calorie diet one day and the next low carb and keep going like that every other day. I don't think my body would protest protein if I did that but I'd still reduce my carb intake. Would that be effective or a big waste of time. Anyone try it? I know I could just reduce carbs on a daily basis rather than cut them out but I somehow feel like I would be less disciplined going that route. Thoughts?

Replies

  • hjlourenshj
    hjlourenshj Posts: 66 Member
    You do not have to cut out carbs to cut weight. Its not about what you eat but how much you eat. So your weightloss will be related to the amount of calories you eat
  • llaurenmarie
    llaurenmarie Posts: 1,260 Member
    What's your reasoning for wanting to go Low Carb? You don't have to in order to lose weight, but some people find it makes them feel better. There are lots of tweaks you can make, as far as macros, and you may be able to stand eating more calories to lose slower. It can teach you patience in the changing of your body but also keep you happy while doing it.

    Losing weight doesn't need to suck.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    Carb cycling - lots of people do it!
  • 87sid
    87sid Posts: 67 Member
    I try to meet in the middle so i only consume about 100 net carbs a day. Maybe you could try something like that.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    Unless you have some type of health problem, the only reason your body is "protesting protein" is because you are going from one extreme to another. You are just getting a stomach ache because your body is always like "wtf!".

    Carb cycling is something you can look into, but even that is methodical and has some taper to your carb loads. It is also usually over a week's time, not daily.

    It seems like you are making things too hard, wanting immediate results, and looking for a trick. You need protein, fat, and carbs in your diet - cutting out any of them too harshly will have bad consequences. Jerking your body around back and forth isn't good either unless you know what you are doing and mentally strong enough to stick with it.

    You should consider setting reasonable goals, setting a moderate deficit, and then setting your nutritional macros and working on sticking to that for a while. Just be patient and mind strong.
  • rebel_26
    rebel_26 Posts: 1,826 Member
    tcunbeliever wrote: »
    Carb cycling - lots of people do it!

    This! and that dude above me. Read up .

  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    edited August 2016
    Low carb is not necessary for weight loss. Some people find it helpful for satiety, but a calorie deficit is all that is really required. Also, low carb is not no carb. And there are varying levels of low carb - anything under 150 g per day is technically low carb, tho lots of people say that between 100-150 g is "moderate carb". Most people referring to low carb are referring to 50-100 g or carbs per day, and very low carb or keto is below 50 g per day. If you've been doing very low carb/keto and not liking it, you could certainly go higher and still be "low carb" (and be able to fit in more than just chicken, eggs, and cheese!). As far as switching back and forth daily? I really can't see any advantage to that.
  • heatherlmosher
    heatherlmosher Posts: 25 Member
    Lots of good advice. I'm not really a "carb junky". I have no sweet tooth whatsoever but I do crave the salty carbs like french-fries and bagles. I rarely eat sweets unless there's peer pressure, when I'm the only one not scarfing down birthday cake and everyone is like wtf? lol! When I eat what sounds good and stay under 1200 calories I am ALWAYS under for carbs and protein and ALWAYS over for fat. Lots of people say the high protein diet is the healthiest most effective way to go so I figured I could manage it if I did it every other day, better than nothing right? As far as my stomach hurting, it's because I'm hungry but the thought of choking down another egg or bite of chicken makes me want to throw up. I don't even get really bad cravings for carbs, it's just all the stuff that's light on carbs repulses me. Eating is no longer enjoyable after a week. Which is the opposite of what most people say, the first week is tough and then your body adjusts after the week.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    when you say you are "always under for carbs and protein" - did you let MFP just set up your macros or did you do it manually? MFP tends to set protein way too low for preserving muscle mass in a caloric deficit and exercising.

    A high protein diet is not the "healthiest most effective way to go". Healthiest is balanced macros. Most effective is whatever you can stick to long term.
  • Neanbean13
    Neanbean13 Posts: 211 Member
    I Fricken love carbs. I eat bread pasta potato every day. And I've list weight steadily over last few months. Why deprive? I hate low carb no carb diet bollocks. It's all CRAP
  • heatherlmosher
    heatherlmosher Posts: 25 Member
    GauchoMark wrote: »
    when you say you are "always under for carbs and protein" - did you let MFP just set up your macros or did you do it manually? MFP tends to set protein way too low for preserving muscle mass in a caloric deficit and exercising.

    A high protein diet is not the "healthiest most effective way to go". Healthiest is balanced macros. Most effective is whatever you can stick to long term.

    Yeah the mfp set up my macros, I wouldn't have a clue. I'm obviously a novice trying to filter through a lot of contradicting dieting advice. For example, I recently read people who diet have a much higher chance of being obese later in life. How depressing, but what do you do? At 21 I weighed 120lb. I'm 35 now and weigh 150 and have been trying to lose it but can't seem to stay disciplined enough to get very far. Oh and I really like happy hour too, so that doesn't help.
  • heatherlmosher
    heatherlmosher Posts: 25 Member
    Oh but THIS time is different! Lol. I'm going to do it, sick of feeling like crap!
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    heatherlmosher wrote: »
    Oh but THIS time is different! Lol. I'm going to do it, sick of feeling like crap!

    If you're going to stick with it and make this time different, don't force yourself to either eat foods you find unpalatable or go hungry because you think that your only choice is unpalatable foods! I do eat low carb (low carb high fat, not high protein), but I actually like those foods, and my carb levels are high enough to get plenty of veggies, low sugar fruit, whole dairy, and even a small amount of grains, starchy veggie, or <gasp> sugary treats now and then. Any diet you think you can only manage to do every other day is probably not a good fit for you! Eat what you like, log it, keep under your calorie limit and you WILL lose weight.

    And stop reading magazine articles and FB clickbait. That helps too :)

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I naturally carb cycle throughout the week, some days are over 150g, other days are below 100g. It has made zero difference for weight loss, but it does mean more weight fluctuations, water weight shoots up and down more than usual.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
    If all you were eating was chicken, cheese and eggs of COURSE it will get boring and be hard to stick to. ^_^ Google is your friend. Get creative.

    Do what you like with carb-cycling. I choose not to because carbs tend to trigger binges for me. If it helps you stick to you calorie goal, then do it. :)
  • sbl1881
    sbl1881 Posts: 213 Member
    edited August 2016
    I started a carb cycling program last week. I'm 36, female and 142lbs. I'm basically doing low carb on rest or cardio days followed by higher carb when I'm lifting. I give myself one day off (Saturdays).

    M/W/F : 1490 cal, 135p, 165c, 35f
    S/T/Th: 1250 cal, 135p, 75c, 50f

    Because the calories and macros vary each day, it does take a lot of planning. Feel free to look at my diary for ideas.

    I've lost 6lbs so far (4.5 week 1 and 1.5 week 2). I'm sure there's some water weight the 1st week, but so far, so good!

    I've got 2 weeks to go before I return to a "normal" 1350 calorie eating plan with closer to a 40c/30p/30f macro split. I really just wanted to do this for a month to switch it up. And, to see if there is any difference in weight loss for me between a carb cycling program that averages 1350 calories per day, or actually eating that amount daily.
  • heatherlmosher
    heatherlmosher Posts: 25 Member
    sbl1881 wrote: »
    I started a carb cycling program last week. I'm 36, female and 142lbs. I'm basically doing low carb on rest or cardio days followed by higher carb when I'm lifting. I give myself one day off (Saturdays).

    M/W/F : 1490 cal, 135p, 165c, 35f
    S/T/Th: 1250 cal, 135p, 75c, 50f

    Because the calories and macros vary each day, it does take a lot of planning. Feel free to look at my diary for ideas.

    I've lost 6lbs so far (4.5 week 1 and 1.5 week 2). I'm sure there's some water weight the 1st week, but so far, so good!

    I've got 2 weeks to go before I return to a "normal" 1350 calorie eating plan with closer to a 40c/30p/30f macro split. I really just wanted to do this for a month to switch it up. And, to see if there is any difference in weight loss for me between a carb cycling program that averages 1350 calories per day, or actually eating that amount daily.



    You are pretty much me a few pounds lighter, except I don't lift. I'm 35, 148lb (as of this morning). I've been jogging for 1/2 hour in the morning. I did look at your diary, healthy! Do non-weight lifting people carb cycle?
  • sbl1881
    sbl1881 Posts: 213 Member
    heatherlmosher wrote: »
    sbl1881 wrote: »
    I started a carb cycling program last week. I'm 36, female and 142lbs. I'm basically doing low carb on rest or cardio days followed by higher carb when I'm lifting. I give myself one day off (Saturdays).

    M/W/F : 1490 cal, 135p, 165c, 35f
    S/T/Th: 1250 cal, 135p, 75c, 50f

    Because the calories and macros vary each day, it does take a lot of planning. Feel free to look at my diary for ideas.

    I've lost 6lbs so far (4.5 week 1 and 1.5 week 2). I'm sure there's some water weight the 1st week, but so far, so good!

    I've got 2 weeks to go before I return to a "normal" 1350 calorie eating plan with closer to a 40c/30p/30f macro split. I really just wanted to do this for a month to switch it up. And, to see if there is any difference in weight loss for me between a carb cycling program that averages 1350 calories per day, or actually eating that amount daily.



    You are pretty much me a few pounds lighter, except I don't lift. I'm 35, 148lb (as of this morning). I've been jogging for 1/2 hour in the morning. I did look at your diary, healthy! Do non-weight lifting people carb cycle?

    You don't have to lift to do it. Maybe try it for a few weeks and see what you think!
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