Sugar Free/Keto/Atkins help please- so frustrated and upset!
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Replies
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Also, make sure you are drinking a lot of water. People typically shed a lot of water weight initially with this type of diet. So you need to drink plenty of water to replenish yourself. You'll still lose water weight, too, even if you are drinking a ton of water. Good luck!0
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crzycatlady1 wrote: »You don't seem to understand how weight loss actually works, because I don't see anything in your posts about your calorie intake.
In order to lose weight you must be at the correct calorie deficit for your weight loss goals. It doesn't matter what foods you're eating (or not) eating though, or what your macros ratios are. Weight loss happens when the correct calorie deficit is achieved.
What are your current stats?
How many calories are you consuming a day?
Are you weighing out your food on a scale?
Are you accurately tracking your food, making sure to chose correct database entries?
Are you exercising? If so, how are you calculating your burns?
What is your weekly loss goal set to?
It sounds like you're making this whole thing way more complicated than it actually is.
Honestly I wasnt counting cals at all and was definitely going over- this is for 2 reasons, A) I had read about the Harcombe/Keto way of thinking which was basically 'don't count calories' and decided to do that and B ) I was letting myself snack on cheese and meat whenever I had a sugar craving as 'quitting sugar is the most important thing to do'.
This was definitely helpful as it helped me through the first few days of sugar cravings but those have gone now so I have no excuse for being greedy
So being strict with myself now and not just overloading on cheese! I think basically I just wanted to be able to eat as much as I want and was told this was the way to do it but its not working.
In answer to your questions:
What are your current stats? sorry, not sure what you mean? Do you mean current weight v goal? 218, goal 150
How many calories are you consuming a day? Ummm close to 2500 with all the cheese
But MFP says 1500 so I will aim for that now.
Are you weighing out your food on a scale? I used to, stopped using it because I was following the idea of 'dont count calories' but I will pick it up again.
Are you accurately tracking your food, making sure to chose correct database entries? yes, I'm pretty strict on this as Keto gives you fat and carb percentages but I will drop keto for now and stick to cals
Are you exercising? If so, how are you calculating your burns? yes, walk to the gym and back every lunch break (2.5 miles roundtrip) and do strength training, 5k runs 3 times a week
What is your weekly loss goal set to? 2 pounds0 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »
Op, Have you ever talked to a professional about your issues with food? This really sounds like ED territory here. Maybe you should start there, instead of focusing on losing weight at this point.
edit: grammar
Yep, I have and they basically went through a list trying to figure out what mental triggers I might have, couldn't find any and went 'sounds like obsessive behavior and impulse control'.
Frustrating not having an answer. I either obsess over eating or obsess over not eating, I've never managed to find a happy medium.
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crzycatlady1 wrote: »
Op, Have you ever talked to a professional about your issues with food? This really sounds like ED territory here. Maybe you should start there, instead of focusing on losing weight at this point.
edit: grammar
Yep, I have and they basically went through a list trying to figure out what mental triggers I might have, couldn't find any and went 'sounds like obsessive behavior and impulse control'.
Frustrating not having an answer. I either obsess over eating or obsess over not eating, I've never managed to find a happy medium.
How do you think following a very restrictive woe (keto/low carb cuts out a lot of foods and has strict rules), is going to play into your obsessive issues with food? It seems like it's only going to feed the problems you struggle with and just make it worse?
Have you worked with someone who specializes in EDs (not just a general practitioner)?
eta: one more thought-have you worked with a dietician yet? That might be a good place to start as well.4 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »You don't seem to understand how weight loss actually works, because I don't see anything in your posts about your calorie intake.
In order to lose weight you must be at the correct calorie deficit for your weight loss goals. It doesn't matter what foods you're eating (or not) eating though, or what your macros ratios are. Weight loss happens when the correct calorie deficit is achieved.
What are your current stats?
How many calories are you consuming a day?
Are you weighing out your food on a scale?
Are you accurately tracking your food, making sure to chose correct database entries?
Are you exercising? If so, how are you calculating your burns?
What is your weekly loss goal set to?
It sounds like you're making this whole thing way more complicated than it actually is.
Honestly I wasnt counting cals at all and was definitely going over- this is for 2 reasons, A) I had read about the Harcombe/Keto way of thinking which was basically 'don't count calories' and decided to do that and B ) I was letting myself snack on cheese and meat whenever I had a sugar craving as 'quitting sugar is the most important thing to do'.
This was definitely helpful as it helped me through the first few days of sugar cravings but those have gone now so I have no excuse for being greedy So being strict with myself now and not just overloading on cheese! I think basically I just wanted to be able to eat as much as I want and was told this was the way to do it but its not working.
In answer to your questions:
What are your current stats? sorry, not sure what you mean? Do you mean current weight v goal? 218, goal 150
How many calories are you consuming a day? Ummm close to 2500 with all the cheese But MFP says 1500 so I will aim for that now.
Are you weighing out your food on a scale? I used to, stopped using it because I was following the idea of 'dont count calories' but I will pick it up again.
Are you accurately tracking your food, making sure to chose correct database entries? yes, I'm pretty strict on this as Keto gives you fat and carb percentages but I will drop keto for now and stick to cals
Are you exercising? If so, how are you calculating your burns? yes, walk to the gym and back every lunch break (2.5 miles roundtrip) and do strength training, 5k runs 3 times a week
What is your weekly loss goal set to? 2 pounds
These are your problems. You aren't accurately accounting for your calorie intake and are eating above maintenance, which is why you gained weight. I never understood the whole 'you don't have to count calories on keto' thing. A calorie deficit is the only thing required for weightloss, so counting calories is a big help for most. I realize that some can intuitively eat at a deficit, but it sounds like you are struggling so I encourage you to start weighing and logging.5 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »How do you think following a very restrictive woe (keto/low carb cuts out a lot of foods and has strict rules), is going to play into your obsessive issues with food? It seems like it's only going to feed the problems you struggle with and just make it worse?
Have you worked with someone who specializes in EDs?
I think my hope is just that once I get sugar out of my system and stop craving it then I can re-introduce healthy sugars like brown rice/pasta/fruit without causing cravings for entire bags of haribo. That's the hope anyway- you are not incorrect when you say I am still being obsessive to a certain extent, but at the same time I have also seen some results in that my cravings have already cut down, so cutting out sugar is definitely making a difference at the moment.
I'm basically following a theory that if I can't eat a sensible amount of something, I shouldnt eat it all. I dont see myself ever being able to have a small amount of chocolate, so my thoughts were to go cold turkey on all sugar until I stop craving it and then try and eat 'normal' food.
Definitely feel mentally the best I have in a long time, but just wish I had some results on the scales to back it up.
Yep, I saw a therapist and a nutrition at an eating disorder clinc for a while, they werent helpful. They were searching for 'emotional issues' and the like which I dont seem to have, so in the end they basically just said 'stop doing it' which was not exactly helpful. They invited me to group sessions which was just me and a group of teenage anorexics (pretty much the worst thing ever) and that was that. It just boils down to the fact that when I start eating certain things I can't stop, so my answer has become- don't eat those things.2 -
These are your problems. You aren't accurately accounting for your calorie intake and are eating above maintenance, which is why you gained weight. I never understood the whole 'you don't have to count calories on keto' thing. A calorie deficit is the only thing required for weightloss, so counting calories is a big help for most. I realize that some can intuitively eat at a deficit, but it sounds like you are struggling so I encourage you to start weighing and logging.
Yea, I think this is the general consensus. Maybe not counting calories on Keto works for some but apparently not for me. I weighed my lunch today and I will do the same with dinner and just accept the fact that I will be counting from now on!
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crzycatlady1 wrote: »You don't seem to understand how weight loss actually works, because I don't see anything in your posts about your calorie intake.
In order to lose weight you must be at the correct calorie deficit for your weight loss goals. It doesn't matter what foods you're eating (or not) eating though, or what your macros ratios are. Weight loss happens when the correct calorie deficit is achieved.
What are your current stats?
How many calories are you consuming a day?
Are you weighing out your food on a scale?
Are you accurately tracking your food, making sure to chose correct database entries?
Are you exercising? If so, how are you calculating your burns?
What is your weekly loss goal set to?
It sounds like you're making this whole thing way more complicated than it actually is.
Honestly I wasnt counting cals at all and was definitely going over- this is for 2 reasons, A) I had read about the Harcombe/Keto way of thinking which was basically 'don't count calories' and decided to do that and B ) I was letting myself snack on cheese and meat whenever I had a sugar craving as 'quitting sugar is the most important thing to do'.
This was definitely helpful as it helped me through the first few days of sugar cravings but those have gone now so I have no excuse for being greedy So being strict with myself now and not just overloading on cheese! I think basically I just wanted to be able to eat as much as I want and was told this was the way to do it but its not working.
In answer to your questions:
What are your current stats? sorry, not sure what you mean? Do you mean current weight v goal? 218, goal 150
How many calories are you consuming a day? Ummm close to 2500 with all the cheese But MFP says 1500 so I will aim for that now.
Are you weighing out your food on a scale? I used to, stopped using it because I was following the idea of 'dont count calories' but I will pick it up again.
Are you accurately tracking your food, making sure to chose correct database entries? yes, I'm pretty strict on this as Keto gives you fat and carb percentages but I will drop keto for now and stick to cals
Are you exercising? If so, how are you calculating your burns? yes, walk to the gym and back every lunch break (2.5 miles roundtrip) and do strength training, 5k runs 3 times a week
What is your weekly loss goal set to? 2 pounds
These are your problems. You aren't accurately accounting for your calorie intake and are eating above maintenance, which is why you gained weight. I never understood the whole 'you don't have to count calories on keto' thing. A calorie deficit is the only thing required for weightloss, so counting calories is a big help for most. I realize that some can intuitively eat at a deficit, but it sounds like you are struggling so I encourage you to start weighing and logging.
While I agree with you, the OP has mentioned that previously counting calories led her to under eating/consuming 500-600 calories/hair falling out etc. And there's some obsessive tendencies that kick in with food/weight loss. It sounds like there's much bigger issues at play here, than just figuring out why weight loss isn't happening. She really needs to start working with a professional who can help her navigate through this.
OP-I wish you the best of luck, and hope you can find health and happiness as you move forward!2 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »
Op, Have you ever talked to a professional about your issues with food? This really sounds like ED territory here. Maybe you should start there, instead of focusing on losing weight at this point.
edit: grammar
Yep, I have and they basically went through a list trying to figure out what mental triggers I might have, couldn't find any and went 'sounds like obsessive behavior and impulse control'.
Frustrating not having an answer. I either obsess over eating or obsess over not eating, I've never managed to find a happy medium.
You need a better therapist, one who specializes in eating issues. Not all therapists specialize in the same things, and yours should have referred you out when they realized they couldn't help you with this particular concern. I'd strongly recommend giving it amother go with someone who specializes in eating disorders (binge eating is an ED).5 -
Any weight loss/gain that doesn't happen over at least a few weeks is meaningless. Your water weight will change based on your diet, which is probably why you saw an instant 2.5 pound loss when you dropped sugar.
FWIW, I lose 3 pounds between the time I go to bed at night and when I step out of the shower in the morning.0 -
I feel like I am caught in a nightmare! I really thought cutting carbs and sugar would help but over the last two weeks I lost more weight when I was eating sugar than when I quit.
I have 5 stone to lose, so according to everything I have read I should be losing fast. It's also been 8 days so not just a few. Feel like curling into a ball and giving up at this point.
Low carb is great for dropping water weight. If you also lowered calories then you lost fat as well.
The converse is also true. If you started eating carbs again (after several low carb days) the water weight came back. If you also increased calories then you may have gained fat back.
REAL weight loss is about calories. You can eat food you love (in moderate portions) and lose weight.1 -
crzycatlady1 wrote: »How do you think following a very restrictive woe (keto/low carb cuts out a lot of foods and has strict rules), is going to play into your obsessive issues with food? It seems like it's only going to feed the problems you struggle with and just make it worse?
Have you worked with someone who specializes in EDs?
I think my hope is just that once I get sugar out of my system and stop craving it then I can re-introduce healthy sugars like brown rice/pasta/fruit without causing cravings for entire bags of haribo.
Rice and pasta are not sugar.
I understand that sugar can make you want to eat more, and I also understand that, for some people, an excess of refined starchy things can have a similar effect - but you have jumped from that to "I will not eat any carbs at all" on the assumption that will make your cravings go away. It's incredibly extreme and seems unnecessary.
For me, not only do whole grains not have that moreish/cravey tendency, but they have the opposite effect, and so do some non-wholegrain carbs, like white potatoes and white pasta. They make me less likely to want to snack, not more, and for me, eating protein without carbs makes me hollow and hungry very quickly.
The point I am making is that these things are individual, and whatever people may write in order to sell dodgy diet books, there is no need to go to extremes. Depending on the person it may actually be counterproductive.
Do you have experience which suggests that all starchy carbs worsen cravings for you (not a bunch of invented anecdotal people in a book)? If not, why not try reintroducing some of them now, and find out what effect they have. You may find they hinder - or you may find they help!
This is a journey of self knowledge. It is not a contest to see who can follow the most restrictive diet based on injunctions by self-proclaimed "nutritional experts" (usually nothing of the sort). You need to find out what works for you.2 -
I would really recommend the book The Beck Diet Solution as a possible method/way for you to learn how to have a better thought pattern/attitude towards food/weight. It may help you a lot along the way of trying to eat some things in more moderation then cutting them completely out. I am finding both the workbook and reading book very helpful.0
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So here's my wt loss graph:
You can't expect a smooth, linear wt loss. Our bodies are far too complicated for that.1 -
Im also a sugar sensitive person. What helps me is:
1) Not getting caught up in extremism. I still eat brown rice. I still eat whole wheat bread if I want to. I still eat corn tortillas. I still eat fruit. I just don't eat processed sugar.
2) I keep sugar completely out of my house. Like, I literally don't have any snack food in my house. Just healthy food/food that takes time and energy to prepare and then fruit and string cheese and stuff like that.
3) Be nice to yourself. Stop fighting yourself. Your sugar sensitivity is okay, you're not wrong, it's just how your body relates to that substance. Recognize your cravings without needing to act or react or punish yourself or restrict yourself like crazy.
4) I still eat stevia and stuff in small amounts.
Yeah, for me, if I restrict like crazy, I binge. So I don't do it.2
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