Why do some people do a low carb diet?
Allthingsglitter
Posts: 15 Member
Does it actually make a difference in weight loss? Do you lose more if you eat low carbs?
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Replies
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Some people don't feel as hungry on low carb, and it reduces cravings for some. That's the diet side of it, but many do it because they have conditions that benefit from lower carb, like diabetes or insulin resistance. Some do it because that's how they like to eat. Ultimately, weight loss comes down to calories and what approach you feel is easier for you.20
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Do you lose more? No. It makes a difference for me personally in that I am less hungry, my cravings went away, it helped some hormone issues I had, and helps me eat more volume for less calories. For overall weight loss, it's not some magic pill though. It's easy for me to stick to, but lots of people find it difficult. It all comes down to personal preference and what is going to help you succeed, individually.14
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Hi! I've done low-carb (keto) on and off for about 5 years. I actually just started up again recently. Here are the reasons I like it:
1.) I find fat and protein much more filling than carbs, so I rarely feel hungry even though I'm eating much smaller portions. When eating high-carb, I become ravenous very suddenly and even jittery and weak. That is gone on keto.
2.) I find carbs addictive. When I allow myself full access to carbs, I will eat ONLY carbs. I will stuff my face with crackers, pasta, bread and pizza until I feel ill. For me, completely cutting them out is actually easier than trying to moderately eat them.
3.) No gas. Seriously, I just don't fart on keto. No bloat either.
4.) I feel more energetic and require less sleep on keto. That slow-burning fat keeps my mood and energy levels constant throughout the day. No highs and lows.
5.) Mouth feels cleaner. It's weird... but I wake up with much better breath on keto. I think it's because no little bits of sugar are left in my mouth overnight for bacteria to feed on.15 -
Just their diet of choice that they find helps them stick to it. A deficit is a deficit though, so that's why you should find what works for you, not what works for your coworker, neighbor, or facebook friend that requires you to signup for something.6
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Personal preference.
Also, if you are aiming to meet minimums on your protein and fat macros, carbs can be the easiest macro to cut. I've had times when my fat/protein goals have added up to 1400 calories just on their own. If I was cutting at 1800 calories, that would leave only 100 grams of carbs possible (what some consider the high point for "low carb.")1 -
people do loose weight using whats called Keto diets and putting their body in a state of ketosis, which by google states: "The main benefit of ketosis is that it increases the body's ability to utilize fats for fuel, Another small but very important benefit of the ketogenic diet is that when in the state of ketosis, ketones, along with a high protein intake, seem to suppress appetite"
so essentially it puts your body into an overdrive metabolic state surpresses appetite for high carb *kitten* foods and burns fat for food but I don't know many guys who are HUGE on keto because a lot of muscle mass burn does take place as that is inevitable when dropping a lot of weight quick.
Some people do it because its the new thing, some people do it to cut carbs for health reasons, I tried it for 5 weeks and noticed minimal difference and that I was restricting foods for no reason and found myself binge eating at the end of the trial lol.1 -
Years ago my husband chose low(er) carb because it was easier for him. He wasn't ever going to weigh, measure and log his intake. He created a calorie deficit just by cutting out some of his carbs.
It wasn't magic though. The deficit was all that mattered. He was lucky that just cutting bagels and bread created enough of a deficit. And he was disciplined enough not to replace the carb calories with something else.
I think most people would still have to log to be sure they maintained a calorie deficit, but he never did and it worked well for him.4 -
lthames0810 wrote: »Years ago my husband chose low(er) carb because it was easier for him. He wasn't ever going to weigh, measure and log his intake. He created a calorie deficit just by cutting out some of his carbs.
It wasn't magic though. The deficit was all that mattered. He was lucky that just cutting bagels and bread created enough of a deficit. And he was disciplined enough not to replace the carb calories with something else.
I think most people would still have to log to be sure they maintained a calorie deficit, but he never did and it worked well for him.
I envy people like that, lol. It doesn't work like that for me at all. I have to log every morsel I eat. Luckily it really helps curb my appetite though.1 -
I'm diabetic and controlling it with diet and exercise. Simple carbs make my levels spike. I try to stay around 70-80 carbs a day or else I feel terrible. Losing weight is a happy side effect.6
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andrea4736 wrote: »lthames0810 wrote: »Years ago my husband chose low(er) carb because it was easier for him. He wasn't ever going to weigh, measure and log his intake. He created a calorie deficit just by cutting out some of his carbs.
It wasn't magic though. The deficit was all that mattered. He was lucky that just cutting bagels and bread created enough of a deficit. And he was disciplined enough not to replace the carb calories with something else.
I think most people would still have to log to be sure they maintained a calorie deficit, but he never did and it worked well for him.
I envy people like that, lol. It doesn't work like that for me at all. I have to log every morsel I eat. Luckily it really helps curb my appetite though.
Me too Although I was happy for him and his success, in my greedy little heart I was jealous.5 -
For me, my weight loss method needs to have something in common with my weight maintenance method. I've done low carb (no medical issues).....then gained the weight back. I'm not doing low carb forever, and I'm not good at starting over when I get to goal. But others have had success.2
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I was diagnosed after pregnancy from gestational to type II diabetes at 32 due to Prednisone for Crohn's disease. This may be hard to explain to someone that does not suffer from this disease, however, I will give it a shot. When you cannot keep anything inside due to malabsorption, rapid emptying with intense pain, sometimes you eat just to keep from being depleted. Anything you can basically eat including high sugar content foods because you are physically depleted and mentally depleted. Your disease owns you, mind, body, spirit. I managed to keep my A1C at a low levels and was put on insulin to control the blood sugar levels. After thousands of invasive tests, 10 medication allergic reactions which put me in the hospital I thought I was heading to the white lights (no joke). When I thought all was lost I met someone who explained to me about inflammation in the body. Gave me some great reading material and some info on researchers who studied the effects of nutrition on the body and reducing inflammation naturally. I started to do my own research. I met a nutritionist who works with the cancer patient's I work with and she also was helpful. She did tell me to come off gluten and follow a low carb - high protein diet. My GI doctor who is the head of the Long Island Crohn's Colitis foundation also advised the same thing. She also said to reduce stress.
So here is where my real story begins. I made all the changes necessary. Took the advice, researched on my own and started putting myself on a low carb diet. I am now 30 lighter. When I say low carb I mean eliminating bread, cake, pasta, bagels and replacing it with 2 fruits a day. I took out gluten from my diet. I use products that are carbs for the occasional party like a gluten free bagel so I don't feel deprived. It took awhile to find one that I liked.
The low carb diet has had many health benefits for me. I am happy to say I am in full remission. No medications whatsoever. Still take a thyroid medication but every year my level gets better. I believe that by following this anti-inflammatory diet and low carb lifestyle it has kept me healthy. Ultimately, it is whatever works for you. I feel like we all need to find what is right for us personally in our lives and don't give up, especially when it feels like all hope is lost.
I was 220 pounds and now 176. Good luck to all out there if you are struggling. Keep the faith.9 -
High carb gives me a lot of water weight, low carb doesn't make me look puffy!3
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Diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.2
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Personal preference or disease. It's kind of the low hanging fruit when it comes to diet so some find it easiest to cut out.
I'm not one of them, but that's where the personal preference comes in.
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I honestly don't know why people eat this way. I tried it for several months and it just made me feel sick. Instead, I prioritize protein intake but definitely still consume carbs.2
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For me, it was really helpful in saiety (feeling full, longer), and reducing cravings.3
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I followed low carb for a long time after hubby was diagnosed with diabetes. That way, I could cook one meal instead of two and he was not being tempted by foods he could no longer eat. I am one who has scads of energy when in ketosis. But, I still missed the fresh fruit and veggies that are grown in this valley. So, I now count calories and fix our sides separately. He needs to stay 20-30 net carbs a day to avoid having to take insulin. I, on the other hand have a fasting glucose of 77 so really don't need low carb.1
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PCOS, Diabetes, a YouTube video. Not sure, but I couldn't hack it for sure.0
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And some people do it because they think they Have to have a "diet" to follow or they need to restrict foods in order to lose.3
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My A1C keeps going up when I do not eat low carb, not type 2 yet but they keep cautioning me. And migraines. I did some research on low carb in relation to dementia and epilepsy because I have family members with both and came across research that was very promising utilizing low carb to reduce migraine frequency. My migraines dropped from 13/month to 4/month when I started my dessicated thyroid for hypothyroidism, and I have them down to 1/month when I stick to low carb. I do find it difficult, but I am getting better all the time. I have been on and off for the past year, finding more foods and recipes and prep shortcuts all the time that make eating this way easier.0
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Initially I went low carb in order to stabilize BG's, but then I started losing 5 times faster despite eating the same calorie deficit. I meticulously tracked before and after switching, so it isn't as though I was eating less with low carb. I'm not sure why I started to lose so much more quickly, but as long as I kept cutting carbs, it worked. After about 9 months, I stabilized around 20g-30g carbs daily and weight loss stalled. Recently, I cut again to only trace carbs (typically ends up being 5g-10g per day) and started losing again. Still didn't change calorie intake.1
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midwesterner85 wrote: »Initially I went low carb in order to stabilize BG's, but then I started losing 5 times faster despite eating the same calorie deficit. I meticulously tracked before and after switching, so it isn't as though I was eating less with low carb. I'm not sure why I started to lose so much more quickly, but as long as I kept cutting carbs, it worked. After about 9 months, I stabilized around 20g-30g carbs daily and weight loss stalled. Recently, I cut again to only trace carbs (typically ends up being 5g-10g per day) and started losing again. Still didn't change calorie intake.
Most people experience a big "whoosh" of weight loss at the beginning of switching to a low-carb diet because any water weight you carry leaves your body. This usually translates to anywhere from 3-10lbs of weight loss at the beginning of your diet.2 -
leanjogreen18 wrote: »And some people do it because they think they Have to have a "diet" to follow or they need to restrict foods in order to lose.
And sadly, even more do it because it's trendy and they think it sounds cool to say, "I'm in ketosis."
Not denying the benefits of a keto diet for a small segment of the population with medical reasons for doing so. But for the vast majority of people looking to manage weight, choosing keto is strictly a matter of preference and not at all necessary. Any diet that puts you in a caloric deficit will also have you losing weight at the same rate.
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midwesterner85 wrote: »Initially I went low carb in order to stabilize BG's, but then I started losing 5 times faster despite eating the same calorie deficit. I meticulously tracked before and after switching, so it isn't as though I was eating less with low carb. I'm not sure why I started to lose so much more quickly, but as long as I kept cutting carbs, it worked. After about 9 months, I stabilized around 20g-30g carbs daily and weight loss stalled. Recently, I cut again to only trace carbs (typically ends up being 5g-10g per day) and started losing again. Still didn't change calorie intake.
Most people experience a big "whoosh" of weight loss at the beginning of switching to a low-carb diet because any water weight you carry leaves your body. This usually translates to anywhere from 3-10lbs of weight loss at the beginning of your diet.
Yep, there is also the large initial water weight loss from glycogen depletion upon starting low carb. I had that as well, but over most of a year's time (i.e. way beyond the initial water loss), I lost 5 times faster on low carb. It wasn't until I stalled at 20g-30g for about 5 months that I stopped losing. Dropping from 25g to 10g daily isn't enough glycogen and water to explain why I'm now losing again at 1+ lb. per week.0 -
midwesterner85 wrote: »midwesterner85 wrote: »Initially I went low carb in order to stabilize BG's, but then I started losing 5 times faster despite eating the same calorie deficit. I meticulously tracked before and after switching, so it isn't as though I was eating less with low carb. I'm not sure why I started to lose so much more quickly, but as long as I kept cutting carbs, it worked. After about 9 months, I stabilized around 20g-30g carbs daily and weight loss stalled. Recently, I cut again to only trace carbs (typically ends up being 5g-10g per day) and started losing again. Still didn't change calorie intake.
Most people experience a big "whoosh" of weight loss at the beginning of switching to a low-carb diet because any water weight you carry leaves your body. This usually translates to anywhere from 3-10lbs of weight loss at the beginning of your diet.
Yep, there is also the large initial water weight loss from glycogen depletion upon starting low carb. I had that as well, but over most of a year's time (i.e. way beyond the initial water loss), I lost 5 times faster on low carb. It wasn't until I stalled at 20g-30g for about 5 months that I stopped losing. Dropping from 25g to 10g daily isn't enough glycogen and water to explain why I'm now losing again at 1+ lb. per week.
I agree, I've always found it much faster to lose weight on keto. Not sure if it's simply because I'm less hungry and thus eat a bit less, or if there's more to it. Last time I stuck with it I lost about 20lbs over the course of about 4-5 months, which was very quick for me, considering my starting weight was 160lbs.1 -
For me it's all about stabilising my brain tumours. They are said to be fed by sugar.5
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midwesterner85 wrote: »midwesterner85 wrote: »Initially I went low carb in order to stabilize BG's, but then I started losing 5 times faster despite eating the same calorie deficit. I meticulously tracked before and after switching, so it isn't as though I was eating less with low carb. I'm not sure why I started to lose so much more quickly, but as long as I kept cutting carbs, it worked. After about 9 months, I stabilized around 20g-30g carbs daily and weight loss stalled. Recently, I cut again to only trace carbs (typically ends up being 5g-10g per day) and started losing again. Still didn't change calorie intake.
Most people experience a big "whoosh" of weight loss at the beginning of switching to a low-carb diet because any water weight you carry leaves your body. This usually translates to anywhere from 3-10lbs of weight loss at the beginning of your diet.
Yep, there is also the large initial water weight loss from glycogen depletion upon starting low carb. I had that as well, but over most of a year's time (i.e. way beyond the initial water loss), I lost 5 times faster on low carb. It wasn't until I stalled at 20g-30g for about 5 months that I stopped losing. Dropping from 25g to 10g daily isn't enough glycogen and water to explain why I'm now losing again at 1+ lb. per week.
I agree, I've always found it much faster to lose weight on keto. Not sure if it's simply because I'm less hungry and thus eat a bit less, or if there's more to it. Last time I stuck with it I lost about 20lbs over the course of about 4-5 months, which was very quick for me, considering my starting weight was 160lbs.
I don't find that I'm less hungry. Unfortunately, my appetite is insatiable no matter what I eat; and my calorie intake for weight loss, or maintenance, or even large gains will leave me hungry. I just have to be hungry regardless, but by sticking to both calories AND very low carb, I lose at a reasonable rate. If I eat the exact same calorie level, but moderate carb, I don't lose or lose incredibly slowly - about 10 lbs. per year slowly. It's frustrating to lose that slow, so finding something that allows me to lose at a "normal" rate was like hitting the jackpot.2 -
DD Did well on low carb & lost 65 pds.Said she couldn't force herself to eat more protein in any form,so gave it up & stays with WW.0
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Eating carbs, for me, at every meal I do not lose weight (and I mean the carbs in wheat, bread, cake, pretzels etc.) If I limit my carbs, I can eat all day in the right proportions. I never binge or overeat meat or chicken or vegetables. So just watch my carbs and everything else falls into place nicely.3
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