Hello
BelloAmore
Posts: 20 Member
Hello, I'm new to this group. I decided I wanted to change my eating to low carb dieting. I feel like I'm hitting road blocks with this. While on a LCHF diet do you need to count calorie ? Also I never really "diet" I just tried to change my habits. I lost some weight but I notice I'm gaining some back. I tend to eat sugary and potatos on a basis. Should I completely cut out the sugar and carbs or start slowly? Any tips will help. Thank You
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I wont touch the calorie counting question. It gets a bit touchy. But if you truly want to lose weight you must be in a calorie deficit - period. Low Carb, High Carb etc...you cant lose weight taking in more energy than your burning. So however you want to ensure your in a deficit thats for you to decide. If you want to be a Low Carber which is a wide definition. For me its 30 grams max, when I plan out 20 grams. For others 100 grams is Low Carb, so again where do you want to be? If your going for Ketosis then its 20 grams max and any sugar or potatoes would exceed this so they should be out. I didnt start slowly, I went all in and set my macros at 20 grams of carbs when I started. So, sorry to really give you more questions to your question. Its a personal decision at the end of the day. If you say I want to acheive Ketosis can I have sugar, then that helps to get you good answers. Good Luck!1
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Welcome to the group! Carb counts are fairly individual. Some people can get into ketosis at 50 grams daily, others need to go lower. That's assuming ketosis is even your goal. If you don't have a medical reason for it, it isn't necessary in order to simply lose fat and gain health benefits. This group is also all over the place as far as the "style" of low carb they're doing (keto, slow carb, carnivore, etc) so you'll find all kinds of ideas and things to consider as you figure out what works best for you.
As for counting calories, that's also very individual. Generally one of the perks of LCHF is greater satiation, which can make it much easier to naturally eat at a deficit without needing to monitor your calorie counts, but some people do find that they need to keep a closer eye on things to stay on track. There's really no wrong answer there as long as you're seeing reasonable progress towards your goals and you're happy with your choices. Personally I get kind of neurotic if I try to count calories and I've found that my progress still chugs along without it.
I think what I would recommend for being new to this way of eating is to start out by tracking so you have a better idea of what you're consuming, then shift things as needed until you settle on a routine that works for you.3 -
Welcome! I'm still fairly new myself so have nothing helpful to add, LOL. I keep my carbs to 50g or less total, and I count every calorie. The main thing to know as a newbie is how important sodium intake is. You need to really increase it and aim for 3000-5000 a day to avoid the "carb flu," aka electrolyte depletion. There's a great post pinned to the top of the group called the Launchpad - definitely check it out!2
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Hello again!
It makes sense to me to start by deciding what you want your carb goal to be (and I'd recommend having a protein goal too -- protein as a minimum, carbs as a maximum) and then see how you do. If you are counting carbs and protein it's just as easy (IMO) to count calories and good to get a sense of what you need to be eating to lose, but some dislike counting at all and find that you can lose by just focusing on cutting down on carbs.
For a total newbie who is changing her diet a lot, I'd recommend counting (or at least logging) as it's a good way to see what you are eating, what foods contribute what, make sure you aren't cutting too low (many have difficulty adding in sufficient fat at first), etc. But people will differ.1 -
Hello, Welcome! I suggest reviewing this:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest
Then you can decide which type of Low Carb you want to do.
Tracking for a few days to start is a good idea, so you really know what your macros are. Then you can adjust and stop tracking as you are seeing results.
I do Keto (20 carbs or less, protein according to the keto calculator for my weight/height/activity/age, and fat until I'm satisfied or my max). There are a lot of different Low Carb plans, so you this might not be what you are looking for.1 -
I'm a calorie counter. It works for me. I lost my excess 60 pounds a few years ago via just counting calories as I wasn't aware of low carb or keto. I just knew I needed to quit eating cakes, cookies, chips and ice cream and needed to lose weight. So I counted calories based on the numbers MFP provided.
I ventured into this forum a year or so ago looking for health insights other than weight maintenance and latched on to ketogenic eating for a year and now general low carb-about 50-60 total grams of carbs per day. Ketosis is not currently a goal.
I'm a strong advocate of both low carb eating and calorie counting. Low carb because combined with high fat, it squelches my hunger and keeps me from over eating. Calorie counting because I still have some negative eating habits like too much sampling when I cook and not keeping my hand out of the peanut bowl when I walk by it. It all counts and adds up quickly. Habits....
I'm also a strong advocate of having my proper foods available at all time and manipulating my environment to be conducive to my food choices. I'd get rid of the peanuts but I have a husband who loves them, lives here and doesn't eat too many so I have to suck it up and practice a little control. I could choose many things worse than peanuts in the shell. I can't eat too many too fast cuz shells...need to remove shells 1st. I never buy shelled peanuts.
Good luck! Welcome aboard.2 -
food_lover16 wrote: »Hello, Welcome! I suggest reviewing this:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest
Then you can decide which type of Low Carb you want to do.
Tracking for a few days to start is a good idea, so you really know what your macros are. Then you can adjust and stop tracking as you are seeing results.
I do Keto (20 carbs or less, protein according to the keto calculator for my weight/height/activity/age, and fat until I'm satisfied or my max). There are a lot of different Low Carb plans, so you this might not be what you are looking for.
Great thanks. i want to do keto I found this app that cut my carbs to 20carbs. I actually want to cut all carbs out if my diet all together .1 -
Thanks everyone for the help. Since I'm thinking about changing my whole diet I'm def going to start counting my calories again since I stop it . I notice since I started back eating those things I cut out I gained the weight (potatoes and junk food.) I'm a huge sweet tooth person so I'm learning different things to change my sugar intake . I'm going to read the pin section again0
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Sugar is carbs. Potatoes are carbs. If you are wanting to cut out all carbs, that means a zero carb or carnivore diet. No more veggies, fruits, grains, starches, no more sweets, no more junk food, and definitely no more potatoes. @FIT_Goat @Sunny_Bunny_ @Dragonwolf Anyone else chime in?
Or are you just wanting to cut empty carbs? Because broccoli has carbs. For the majority of people, that's a healthy food, and so on... Some can't handle the fiber or other things, though, so again, it's very individual.3 -
BelloAmore wrote: »food_lover16 wrote: »Hello, Welcome! I suggest reviewing this:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest
Then you can decide which type of Low Carb you want to do.
Tracking for a few days to start is a good idea, so you really know what your macros are. Then you can adjust and stop tracking as you are seeing results.
I do Keto (20 carbs or less, protein according to the keto calculator for my weight/height/activity/age, and fat until I'm satisfied or my max). There are a lot of different Low Carb plans, so you this might not be what you are looking for.
Great thanks. i want to do keto I found this app that cut my carbs to 20carbs. I actually want to cut all carbs out if my diet all together .
If you literally want to cut all carbs out of your diet you can probably skip counting calories. It's generally a good idea to just eat meat until satisfied and after a little bit appetite just naturally reduces and you end up eating just the right amount. But that's only true if literally only eat meat and drink water and don't use sweeteners and such. That stuff will keep you craving when you're not even hungry.
If you mean you just want to cut out all processed carbs and starchy vegetables and sweets, again, maybe you can rely on hunger signals but it's probably a good Idea to keep track for at least a while so you can learn how many carbs really are in things.
Still, the bottom line is, if you're gaining bodyfat, you're eating too much overall. Unfortunately we can't get away from that reality...2 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »Sugar is carbs. Potatoes are carbs. If you are wanting to cut out all carbs, that means a zero carb or carnivore diet. No more veggies, fruits, grains, starches, no more sweets, no more junk food, and definitely no more potatoes. @FIT_Goat @Sunny_Bunny_ @Dragonwolf Anyone else chime in?
Or are you just wanting to cut empty carbs? Because broccoli has carbs. For the majority of people, that's a healthy food, and so on... Some can't handle the fiber or other things, though, so again, it's very individual.
I just overrall want to cut the sugar and potatoes not take away other things. Like I want to just lower them , today I stayed under the 20 carbs when I plugged in my meals. I know somethings I do eat contains carbs. I just simple want to lower them I hope all this makes since .. Lately I been trying to drink more water instead of juice and limiting my caffeine (tea or coffee) to just one cup.1 -
Oh in my previous post I left out a word. I meant I don't want to cut them completely out. Sorry for the mix up2
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Welcome! 1
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BelloAmore wrote: »Hello, I'm new to this group. I decided I wanted to change my eating to low carb dieting. I feel like I'm hitting road blocks with this. While on a LCHF diet do you need to count calorie ? Also I never really "diet" I just tried to change my habits. I lost some weight but I notice I'm gaining some back. I tend to eat sugary and potatos on a basis. Should I completely cut out the sugar and carbs or start slowly? Any tips will help. Thank You
Here is a fairly short video where Dr Westman is explaining his program in a very simple way to a group of his patients at Duke.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGQVtd0FARc
I think this is a good practical video that is good for someone just starting out. - The page 4 referenced can be found in the comments.
In addition, I would second the note to check out the launchpad.2 -
Probably should have used this video instead. It is the full version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNZsfluh0Uo
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BelloAmore wrote: »
I just overrall want to cut the sugar and potatoes not take away other things. Like I want to just lower them , today I stayed under the 20 carbs when I plugged in my meals. I know somethings I do eat contains carbs. I just simple want to lower them I hope all this makes since .. Lately I been trying to drink more water instead of juice and limiting my caffeine (tea or coffee) to just one cup.
It makes perfect sense and if it works for you, that's great! The first time I went low carb I kept in some starchy fruits and veg (sweet potatoes, carrots, bananas, etc). I felt great and dropped 60 pounds easily. This time around I'm doing things a little differently and it's working just as well. The key is finding something you can happily stick with long-term.
I don't know that there's anything wrong with caffeine, depending on what you're having with it and whether those things fit in with your goals. I try to steer clear of drinking my calories because it just adds up too quickly for me with little satisfaction, and save the calories for something that'll be filling or a food treat.
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I keep carbs under 20, and I track calories too. It is very easy to stay under a calorie goal when you are basically eating meat and leafy greens. I try to be careful to meet the protein goal.1
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cstehansen wrote: »Probably should have used this video instead. It is the full version:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNZsfluh0Uo
I think this is an excellent video for beginners. Thanks for sharing. It could not be more uncomplicated. If it is not on page 4 don't eat it. I listened to it again with the posting of it and almost am considering keto again (in it's original fashion of it being a low carb high FAT diet which is what I followed). I like the focus on eating fat but am intrigued to see how I would do in regards to not counting calories and maintaining. Vegetables are coming on in the garden. I might wait until fall. Less than 20 carbs per day (at this time) might be a challenge for me. 1 -
BelloAmore wrote: »
I just overrall want to cut the sugar and potatoes not take away other things. Like I want to just lower them , today I stayed under the 20 carbs when I plugged in my meals. I know somethings I do eat contains carbs. I just simple want to lower them I hope all this makes since .. Lately I been trying to drink more water instead of juice and limiting my caffeine (tea or coffee) to just one cup.
It makes perfect sense and if it works for you, that's great! The first time I went low carb I kept in some starchy fruits and veg (sweet potatoes, carrots, bananas, etc). I felt great and dropped 60 pounds easily. This time around I'm doing things a little differently and it's working just as well. The key is finding something you can happily stick with long-term.
I don't know that there's anything wrong with caffeine, depending on what you're having with it and whether those things fit in with your goals. I try to steer clear of drinking my calories because it just adds up too quickly for me with little satisfaction, and save the calories for something that'll be filling or a food treat.
Right now with my tea and coffee im using sugars0
