After two weeks.....

npguy2013
npguy2013 Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been doing low carb diet for two weeks now. Basically I eat some meat and cheese at breakfast, maybe some protein with almond milk, and then follow the same thing throughout the day, carbs are probably 15-20 and these are only because even if you eat asparagus, avocado, etc. there are some baseline carbs. In other words, I don't have any sugar or crap food carbs.

I also started working out this week, I run one day (30 minutes on treadmill) and the other day I lift upper body weights (which I've done twice now).

So I weigh myself and I'm only down 1 pound. the other people I know on these kind of diets lose 10-20 pounds a month starting out and I'm half a month in and down 1 pound. I'm a pretty big guy so I should be losing more.

Also, my old way of doing things (no exercise, eat what I want) had me pretty much maintaining. So cutting back on calories and instituting work outs should make me lose.

I don't think I have gained much muscle either, only two days of lifting.

Advice?
CF

Replies

  • DamieBird
    DamieBird Posts: 651 Member
    Any kind of weight loss takes time, and two weeks is basically nothing. I don't know anything about low carb, as essentially taking in fewer calories than you burn is all you need to do, but there could be a ton of factors at play. If you just started working out, you're almost definitely holding on to water weight, which is masking any scale movement. Excess sodium can mess up your numbers, too. Ultimately, low carb or not, if you're taking in more cals than you're burning, you won't lose.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Might wanna lay off the avocado.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Are you counting calories?
  • pitbullmamaliz
    pitbullmamaliz Posts: 303 Member
    I would encourage you to join this group - lots of low carb expertise in there. :-) http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    You can still eat too many calories even if you're doing low carb.... Are you actually weighing (solids) and measuring (liquids) everything you eat and drink, and logging it using accurate database entries? Are you in a deficit?
  • npguy2013
    npguy2013 Posts: 13 Member
    I am pretty much on my 2,000-2,200 calorie plan, which is WAY lower than I ate before dieting. I don't think I'm taking in too many calories, despite the fact that I'm on a low carb plan I'm not eating a ton of bacon or anything like that. I do eat ranch on my salads and probably have a bit too much of that but it would be the exception.

    I cut out sweet tea, sodas, etc.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    npguy2013 wrote: »
    I am pretty much on my 2,000-2,200 calorie plan, which is WAY lower than I ate before dieting. I don't think I'm taking in too many calories, despite the fact that I'm on a low carb plan I'm not eating a ton of bacon or anything like that. I do eat ranch on my salads and probably have a bit too much of that but it would be the exception.

    I cut out sweet tea, sodas, etc.

    How are you determining your intake?
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    If you cut out carbs and stopped drinking sugary drinks, you probably put yourself into a deficit and enough of one to lose a pound...but unless you are diligently tracking your calories, and even weighing your food, you are not in control of what your deficit is. Therefore, you may be eating the mount of calories that will allow you to lose one pound per week. I suggest better tracking and a food scale. And patience.
  • spiffychick85
    spiffychick85 Posts: 311 Member
    Oh Man...Low carb anything sounds difficult for me! To each their own though...have you considered your exercise causing water retention?...this happens to me anytime I switch up/begin a new routine and takes at least two weeks for my body to get with the damn program and drop it...Give it a couple weeks :)
  • npguy2013
    npguy2013 Posts: 13 Member
    Intake is measured on here. And I'm married to a home economics teacher/chef. I'm pretty sure about what I'm taking in.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    npguy2013 wrote: »
    Intake is measured on here. And I'm married to a home economics teacher/chef. I'm pretty sure about what I'm taking in.

    And how do you measure your food before you log it? With a food scale?
  • beanfacekilla
    beanfacekilla Posts: 69 Member
    edited May 2017
    Maintaining a caloric deficit is easy, but you must be exact with logging. I weigh all the things I eat.

    I have been at it for about 8 weeks in total, and started logging all food intake April 1st or 2nd.

    I lose 1.5-2lbs a week in that time. I was 208 on April 1, now about 193? So 15lbs in 7 weeks I guess. Hadn't thought about it until now....

    Anyways, just be accurate. Determine you BMR (basal metabolic rate), that is the amount of calories you need to maintain weight. If you are 500 less than that, it's about a pound/week of weight loss.


    Google "TDEE Calculator", go to the IIFYM site, enter details honestly and accurately, enter email, then you have your total daily energy expenditure. Reduce by 500 calories (1 lbs a week loss +/-), track for two weeks, then adjust/tweak as needed. I am in probably 800-900 calorie deficit. I eat 1700 calories/day. 5'11.5", 193lbs CW.

    I can't stress enough, you must weigh food.


    Good luck! I hope this helps.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    Just a side question but why are you only working your upper body?

    The larger muscle groups are in your bottom half.

    The slow weight loss just sounds like water weight.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    1) do you weigh/measure everything you eat/drink
    2) Do you track accurately and honestly on here
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    sorry to burst your bubble, but your wife being a home ec teacher doesnt mean youre eating less lol

    without having your diary open, i will say what i always do. you are eating more than you think you are.

    buy a food scale if you dont have one, learn how to properly weigh and measure everything you put in your mouth. if you want more specific advice, youll have to open your diary.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited May 2017
    This article might help you understand what we are getting at when we suggest getting a scale:

    https://www.outsideonline.com/2179331/what-i-learned-weighing-my-food-four-months
  • lilysillycat
    lilysillycat Posts: 159 Member
    we all have the tendency to underestimate. like everyone said, weight all your food and log accurately. There are carbs everywhere. I eat at 1200 cal and super clean and could barely keep my carbs under 30g. take a look at your carb intake

    and make sure you actually got into the state of ketosis. It usually take people one to four weeks to actually get into the state of ketosis. It takes time to burn all that sugar stored in your body.

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