Low carb success?

I started Keto in early June starting weight at 184 and even with cheat days I am currently 162 lbs. I don't know if my metabolism has anything to do with it though because I've always been skinny my whole life. It was up until I got pregnant that I gained all that weight. The diet has not been easy specially coming out of every cheat day. But after a week or two bits easy to me.

I did Atkins a couple of times in the past and was very successful. I lost the weight I wanted to lose (35 pounds). The second time was slower than the first, but still I got to my goal. The problem was, I couldn't sustain that way of eating over the long term. I like fruit, bread, sweets, etc. As soon as I went back to 'normal' eating, I gained back some of the weight. I also got to the point where I really didn't like some of the foods I had been eating to lose the weight. I did feel less hungry on a high protein diet than I do when I just count calories, but I also felt really restricted, so would cheat about once a week which slowed down my weight loss. Eventually I learned I do better by simply cutting back on my eating, with less restaurant meals and fewer treats, instead of doing a diet per se.

For you it depends on what foods you like and what you feel like you can live with for the rest of your life. Quick weight loss tends to lead to yoyo dieting if you don't learn how to create a long term sustainable lifestyle.

I used to eat low-carb kind of by accident (I was just cooking for me, so I never bothered buying potatoes or huge amounts of pasta, and bread used to go bad before I got through the whole loaf so I switched to cream crackers). I was reaaallly slim, as I got a lot of walking in and never seemed to get hunger cravings.

Went low-carb again very recently and the hunger cravings have disappeared

I keep low(er) carb because of diabetes. I do eat bread, pasta, cake, cookies, sweet things, just not as much as I used to -- which is a change I'm very happy to make. I try to plan for it so there's room in my calories & macros for the carbs, but at the same time I don't panic if I go over my numbers once in a while. If there's no flexibility in a system, it tends to break down sooner rather than later.

Edited to add: All of this is to say I've lost nearly 50 lbs over six months, I feel terrific, my bloodwork's great, and I'm happy with the way things are going.

I don't like externally imposed rules. Phase 1 of South Beach is considered low carb, yes? I lasted less than a week on it.

Reducing baked goods and bread made from flour, and increasing exercise, helps me create a deficit.

kshama2001 wrote: »

I don't like externally imposed rules. Phase 1 of South Beach is considered low carb, yes? I lasted less than a week on it.

Reducing baked goods and bread made from flour, and increasing exercise, helps me create a deficit.

Agreed. If asked, I say I'm watching my sugars and starches, because "low carb" always raises a ruckus. My rules are my own, not Dr. Atkins' or anyone else.

I started very low carb (ketogenic ~ 20 g of carbs a day) for health reasons. I dreaded it at first. I loved carbs but the the science behind the diet was too much for me to ignore with insulin resistance and autoimmune inflammation. I started it a little over two years ago and have been low carb (mostly keto) since then.

Keto has worked for me. I lost almost 40 lbs rather easily. My appetite gets blunted and my carb cravings are diminished. I also seem to lose a bit faster than I would on a higher carb diet. My health is better so I stay low carb.

There is no real jump start to a diet though. If you drop carbs a lot, your insulin will fall and you will lose water weight. That's often an extra few pounds gone in the first week or so. Be sure to increase sodium to 3000-5000 mg per day to prevent low electrolytes - you'll lose electrolytes with the water. That's about 2 teaspoons of salt per day.

Try the Low Carber Daily MFP group for more info from people who have done low carb successfully. Good luck.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

When I'm cutting weight, I tend to drop carbs by default...whether I'm maintaining or losing, my protein and fat stays relatively constant, so something has to give. I don't do extreme low carb like keto or anything like that...when I'm cutting weight I'm usually around 130 grams to maybe 150 grams of carbs depending on the day.

I don't count calories or anything, so when I cut weight I typically remove grains or starches from most of my lunches and dinners but will make exceptions here and there...usually have my grains or starches with my breakfast when cutting...the rest of my carbs come from piles of veg and fruit.