Any have success with Low Carb?
comittobethin
Posts: 42 Member
I am starting out doing low carb again. I did it 2 years ago and lost almost 50 lbs but eventually stopped and gained all of it plus some back. Is there anyone who has had real success with this diet? What are some should and should not do's? Before and after pics would be inspiring! Any problems maintaining?
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You can lose weight on any diet, but there will be no long term success until you find an eating plan you can make into a way of life. I have tried nearly every diet out there over the past 25 years and the only one that I could sticky to without feeling deprived and hungry day after day has been the low carb/high fat diet. It has been 7 months and I have lost 42 lbs. During those 7 months my blood glucose levels have dropped and stablized, my triglycerides are only 45 and my cholesterol is normal. Sorry I can't figure out how to post pictures.17
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I have been doing low carb (strict ketogenic) for almost 15 months. I've lost 65lbs. I am severely insulin resistant and leptin resistant. Keto is what works to reduce these for me and I have come such a long way through blood work, etc... this is how I will eat for life. It has cleared up so many problems for me. I feel better than I ever have. I'm 45 years old. I still need to lose another 75 lbs or so. I would add a Before & Now photo, but I can't figure it out! LOL!11
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I don't "do low carb". I lower my carbs when I'm trying to lose weight because somethings gotta go and it's not going to be my protein and I want to hit a minimum fat goal. I like around 100g of carbs during weight loss.8
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Very interested in the replies here. I think it's finding what works for your body. My body hates carbs lol so I'm very curious2
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I've never tried it, but everyone I know whose done it always gains the weight back. I know one person who didn't, but she has insane will power and wasn't that big to begin with (I think she went from a size 6-2). Maybe she's a 4 now. Still, my friend did it and she yo-yo'ed hard. It was sad to watch. Got to a size 8 after 3 years of low carb and then back to a size 16 in 8 months.
So yeah, I think it CAN be done, but most people I know go crazy after and eat ALL the carbs. It's always carb lovers who try to cut it all out to (why do this to yourself carb-lovers? WHY?). I think learning how to eat in portions is really the way to go. You teach yourself will-power which will always help you whether you're logging or not.5 -
sabjewelry wrote: »You can lose weight on any diet, but there will be no long term success until you find an eating plan you can make into a way of life. I have tried nearly every diet out there over the past 25 years and the only one that I could sticky to without feeling deprived and hungry day after day has been the low carb/high fat diet. It has been 7 months and I have lost 42 lbs. During those 7 months my blood glucose levels have dropped and stablized, my triglycerides are only 45 and my cholesterol is normal. Sorry I can't figure out how to post pictures.
This^
Is low carb something you can see doing forever? I don't eliminate carbs because that's not how I plan to maintain. No point in losing weight one way only to have to start over & figure out what maintenance will be.
I'm not hungry by eating this way because I haven't lowered my calories too far. I'm learning portions for all foods....not just diet ones.
Weight loss is calories in calories out - ALWAYS. But different macros (protein, fat, carbs) are personal preferences, or medical necessities.5 -
You use the fourth symbol from the right hand side to insert a photo.email4jenp wrote: »I [ I would add a Before & Now photo, but I can't figure it out! [/b] LOL!
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Low carb is certainly a great way to go. I've now been able to kick most of my bad habits such as eating a large bowl of icecream after tea, eating biscuits etc. it's empowering. 30 kgs lost since my journey began 3 years ago. I've been fat all my life and now, at the age of 55, I finally have a 6 pack. If only I understood how to do this 40 years ago!!!5
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Doesn't matter what you eat as long as you eat less calories than your body Burns. Started January 1st 2016 my weight was 288 pounds my current weight is 208. During that period I still enjoyed Wendy's hamburgers Pizza and beer on the beach. If I had to give those things up I could have never done it and I maintain my current weight for approximately 6 months.
For this to work can't look at it as a diet. Diets suck you're miserable and give up stuff that you like and you eventually fail. For this to be a lifelong process you have to enjoy it. Don't give up any foods that you like there no such thing as bad food or good food for losing weight. A couple years ago USA Today had a article about a high school teacher the guy lost a hundred pounds over a period of the Year by just eating McDonald's. All he did was calorie count and as long as it matters numbers he lost the weight.1 -
Unless your body has some sort of adverse effect to carbs, I see no reason to do this. I reached my goal weight and have maintained it for a year eating carbs. When I was losing, I probably ate a lot less carbs since I could only eat 1200 to 1300 calories a day. I wanted to eat as much food as possible yet stay in my calorie limits. Therefore, I naturally ate less carbs during that time, but it wasn't intentional.0
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STEVE142142 wrote: »Doesn't matter what you eat as long as you eat less calories than your body Burns.
This is not 100% accurate. While calories are certainly a factor, harmones can be also. For those of us who are insulin and leptin resistant calories are far less important than eating in such a way as to lower insulin levels. Insulin drives weight gain. On my low carb diet I can lose weight eating about 500 calories a day more than I could while calorie counting alone. Research insulin's role in weightloss and I bet you will be surprised.
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Maybe a way that maintain could be to allow carbs in the weekend that way you have something to look forward to and don't go crazy on carbs once you reach your goal weight ?3
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My husband and I have been doing low carb/high fat for about 2 months now. I'm down 32 pounds and he is down 14. We have 1 meal a week where we do eat whatever we want but have noticed that even then we still don't go carb crazy. We keep it around 50 grams net carbs a day and feel fuller for longer eating less food. Diabetes runs in both of our families so this is how we plan to eat from now on because we want to avoid that. People say calories in and calories out is all that matters, but a 200 calorie breakfast of an egg beaters, diced smoked ham, and pepper jack cheese omelette keeps the stomach full and happy longer than a muffin would, so in my opinion where the calories comes from does matter15
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I do think calories in/calories out is the basis of any weight loss. You eat less than you burn, you lose weight (things like insulin resistance mess with your metabolism, eating differently can help you work with your metabolism). But how you eat and what you eat makes a great difference in health and how you feel. If I eat a 200 calorie deficit of lower carbs, higher fats I know that I will feel less hungry. It helps me stay on my plan. I feel more energized, my food tastes great. If I eat a 200 calorie deficit on high carbs, low fat I feel hungry and that jeopardizes my ability stay on my plan.
In either case - a 200 calorie deficit - will have you losing weight. In either case, if you ditch a plan and go back to eating a 400 calorie surplus when you reach a goal, you will gain it back.
I lost a bunch eating low carb back in the early 2000s and I was able to keep it off for a few years (my maintenance plan was low carb Monday - Friday, and off on weekends). Then I started overeating, had a few kids, and here I am. I'm back on lower carbs, trying to lose and doing ok so far. If you are happy with your foods with a low carb way of eating, then go for it! Maintenance is tough no matter how you lose.
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I'm not a carb lover.... I'm not a bread person or a pasta person so it wasn't that big of a jump to cut carbs. Most of my carbs come from fruit and veggies
I do really, really well on low carb 0 -
I am a keto'er...I have lost 96 lbs in a little over 2 years5
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comittobethin wrote: »I am starting out doing low carb again. I did it 2 years ago and lost almost 50 lbs but eventually stopped and gained all of it plus some back. Is there anyone who has had real success with this diet? What are some should and should not do's? Before and after pics would be inspiring! Any problems maintaining?comittobethin wrote: »I am starting out doing low carb again. I did it 2 years ago and lost almost 50 lbs but eventually stopped and gained all of it plus some back. Is there anyone who has had real success with this diet? What are some should and should not do's? Before and after pics would be inspiring! Any problems maintaining?
The science around 'low carb' points to the reason low carb works is due to the increase in the proportion of your diet from protein. Pay attention to the ratio of the three (including fat) Don't make carbs the enemy entirely.
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When you think about what has a lot of carbohydrates, it's generally food that is highly processed and high in calories, low in fiber. I've always lost weight easily with low-carb, but sticking with it has been challenging. I think it's a good idea to create a long-term plan to underlie your weight loss plan. Like hzl22 mentioned, maybe eating carbs on the weekend or allowing one or two days a week might be a good goal. That way if someone cooks pasta and offers it, you can enjoy it, not feel guilty, and have a built-in plan to keep from going off track.
I'm thinking that creating a long-term--life--plan, like doing a few exercises each day, allowing certain carb days, etc. will work under a weight loss plan where we exercise more and watch what we eat more strictly during our weight loss plan. That way, if we go off kilter, we can feel good by staying, at least, within the long-term goals, but go back to the weight loss track. In other words, we'd create a plan for life that's healthy and doable, but during the time we're trying to lose weight, we're a lot more strict.2 -
Low carbs help me a great deal. My appetite is under much better control and I sleep better. If you have a problem with insatiable hunger I do recommend low carb to help get it under control.
I see people asking if you think you could eat low carb for ever. Well, you don't have to. But you can gain some lasting control over how many carbs you eat. It is totally possible to use low carb to gain control then increase your carbs in small amounts up to a level that isn't necessarily low carb but rather reasonable carbs. Say between 150 g and 200 g a day. When we start eating carbs in large amounts all the time is when we begin seeing "carb issues" such as the crazy hunger and constant craving of more and more carbs.1 -
I started on the strict keto (LCHF - low carb/high fat) diet a few months ago and have not lost much weight at all - BUT, I did lose belly fat and inches from my stomach/waist/thighs, and felt a little more energetic. However, in doing this diet, I discovered WHICH carbs affected me (I binged on pizza one of the days and I had TERRIBLE tummy upsets and horrible cramps and pain for about 2 days afterwards - I was in PAIN) the most, and I can avoid them. I then discovered the Wild diet (it's Paleo - Abel James... fatburningman.com, if you're interested) and it's a lot more flexible and doesn't deprive you of anything - you just keep an eye on your carbs and the TYPE of carbs, and you don't stress about grams. ALSO - in doing this, I have discovered IIFYM - which is all about macros (macronutrients - fat/carb/protein) and you work out percentages of those, based on your daily calorie intake and exercise level etc, and it makes life much easier - no counting calories, avoiding foods etc. So I'm transitioning over to that.
As mentioned above, it's all about finding a LIFESTYLE (not a "diet" - as that word seems to mean something "temporary" to most people, and when they are "done" with it, they just gain all the weight they lost back again) that suits you and works for you and that you can continue.
My husband LOVES his carbs - but he is in the military, so he's very active and can get away with higher carbs than I can - I walk/hike with my dogs EVERY morning, but that's about it.
I was running, but I started studying and I just do not find time to do it properly (and I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I can't do things "half-arsed") so i have stopped that until I have written my finals.
Because of this, I have also brought my calorie intake down, but only use it as a guide for my macros so that I keep my carbs low and my protein medium, etc.
Go check out dietdoctor.com (I used it a great deal - the first month is totally free, no strings attached - you can cancel at any time without charges, within the first 30 days - and it helped me tremendously - they have meal plans, shopping lists and LOADS of videos that explain everything in great detail, but very simply)
If you want to find out about IIFYM ("If It Fits Your Macros") then do a search on bodybuilding.com - that article explained it very well for me.
Good luck! Find what works for you - even if it's a mix of different things.3 -
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KatyBell164 wrote: »Keto here as it helps me keep my calories in check as well
What's behind "apricot" and "sail"? Just curious.3 -
Im another one with insulin issues and I find the keto or low carb the easiest way to live and diet. The same as any diet, if you revert to old eating habits once you reach goal, you will reach your previous weight again. For me the diet takes away all cravings and hormone swings which makes life easier.1
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I dropped 90 pounds on the low carb plan.. Mind you I fell back onto carbs and gained 25 of it back, so I'm back at it again, but not going as low as I did last time.. Now I'm limiting myself to under 100 grams a day.. Also upped my fitness plan too.. So far the results have been good.. But I still stay away from the bad carbs and stick to the smart carbs.. Just no bread, rice, taters, or pasta still...0
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Most people I know that did keto or Adkins diets have gained it all back in a pretty short time. My hubby did a Keto diet and lost 55lbs then took about 7 months of and ate whatever he wanted and gained 25 lbs back. He did it again and lost more again. He never counted calories though.
I eat mainly paleo because I have celiac disease and am intolerant to a lot of grains, soy, food additives like msg, flavors, and colors, and some dairy (whey). I'm not strict paleo because I occasionally eat potatoes, processed food, rice, or quinoa. I find that using MFP and weighing everything really helps you to understand what you're eating and you learn healthier portion sizes. I think for some people they thrive on Keto diets, some vegetarian, vegan, or raw. I'd say try it and see how you feel. It's a good way to lose weight fast and not feel like you're starving. But if you stop and you don't log everything you'll just gain it back. Good luck!0 -
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What's behind "apricot" and "sail"? Just curious. [/quote]
It's for dietbet
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But I still stay away from the bad carbs and stick to the smart carbs.. Just no bread, rice, taters, or pasta still...
All of those are good carbs if you just don't eat too much of them. I eat all of those things. I just count my macros. 100-150g carbs, 200-250g protein, under 70-80g fats. Around 1800-2100 calories daily. It's highly refined processed sugars that should be avoided, such as chips, soda, candy, sugary cereals, etc. I have dropped 12 pounds in the past month since I started eating this way, and I still get to enjoy those things. Heck, I even eat a Bagel with peanut butter for breakfast sometimes.
Obviously, if you in particular have some sort of insulin sensitivity this may not work but to just generalize and say those are bad carbs is just misinformation IMO.0 -
It doesn't really matter which kind of diet you use while losing weight, to avoid regain you need a maintenance plan. You don't really need success tales to know if this diet works for you, your past weight loss shows that it does. Now what you need to focus on is developing strategies for maintenance. When you think back about your regain, yes you were eating more calories than you should have, but what caused you to overeat? Have you introduced back foods but were not prepared to moderate them? Too many "it's just one day"s? Became lax with tracking? Snuck too many extra bites here and there that you did not account for? Anything else?
Personally, I prefer for my weight loss diet to be as similar as possible to my maintenance diet because I will have picked a few tricks and strategies come maintenance. So ideally, if you want to lose weight following a low carb diet, it's best to continue eating low carb into maintenance. It is, however, possible to lose weight on a low carb then switch to a moderate carb and introduce new foods, but it's very important you understand that there will be a learning curve associated with a new eating approach and new strategies to learn.
Basically, just have a game plan for maintenance to avoid regain. You can't just be done with dieting once you reach your goal weight.
As for personal experience: low carb was not for me. It was too unpleasant and I gained weight on it because it did not align well with my eating preferences and habits so I ended up eating too many calories. I eat a high-ish carb diet and I'm happier on it, so it's easier to stick to it long term for me (and yes, I am insulin resistant and I still find a higher carb diet easier).1 -
Hmmm I have tried keto and it definitely works no question ... I shudder to think how many calories I consumed a day doing keto. You do eat large quantities of fat Fat is really the staple of the diet. To get in and stay in ketosis In the absence of carbohydrates the body will turn to fat you eat and stored fat on the body for fuel.1
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LCHF I enjoy it because I find myself more satisfied there for eating less calories than I was when I was eating a lower fat higher carb diet. For me I'll probably do this for the rest of my life because I like the energy level that I have and so many of my blood counts have been proved including my cholesterol LDL-just ran 10 miles eating Keto-stamina great1
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