Can I successfully do low carb again?
nikiready
Posts: 4 Member
I had lost about 100 lbs over a 2 yr period doing Atkins. But then I started to cheat and the weight started coming on again. Once the cheating started I would get these strong craving and I would binge, feel bad, starve and try to get back on the diet. I slowly went to keto and love the taste of fat but I can only seem to make 3 or 4 days before I fall off the wagon. I am constantly craving bread and processed carbs are all around me tempting me. I really need to lose the weight again for my health, well being and esteem. Yet I can't seem to stop the yo yo diet cycle I am in. Any advice??
I have put back on about 50 lbs
I have put back on about 50 lbs
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Replies
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What it always comes down to is making the choice for yourself to stick with it. To get through those cravings that will be gone after a while and then won’t be as tempting anymore because you will be so satisfied with the foods you’re eating that you won’t even consider those things to be proper fuel for your body anymore! You just have to commit to yourself to get through it. It gets so much better once you do!
Try to hang in there because it truly does improve.
You’re worth it!!0 -
It certainly seems to differ from person to person, apart from an occasional pang for a certain brand of chocolate biscuits I don't find myself being waylaid by cravings. Looking at my blood pressure and sugar glucose is plenty motivation for me. Do you check those? I did every day for 3 months, after stopping with meds and that was motivation for me...
Good luck2 -
This might be an unpopular opinion, but if you're craving breads, muffins and cakes - have them...just make sure they are low-carb or keto versions.
I have a massive sweet/carby tooth and I've managed to stay LCHF for several months by doing a bake on the weekend and then having a small dessert every day, but ensuring they are low carb and within my calorie budget.
For example, this microwave mug cake hits all the carb cravings for me but within my macros (I usually eat half at a time)
https://www.ruled.me/peanut-butter-chocolate-chunk-mug-cake/
Another great resource is: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com
Finally, this Australian company does great muffin and pancake mixes:
https://lovepbco.com/high-protein-low-carb-recipes/
Anyway, lots of people (and probably rightfully so) get concerned about eating keto versions of sweets but it's what I need to do to make this a sustainable lifestyle for me.
I'm not tempted by all the processed carbs around me when I know that I have a decent, healthy alternative waiting for me at home.6 -
i do low carb, less than 100gr a day and I rarely eat bread, guess I got use to not eating it, I know a miracle, I think it does get easier. You can do it.0
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Sometimes law electrolytes from cutting carbs causes fatigue, moodiness and stomach issues. If you are the type, like me, who tends to eat for energy, then it can be quite hard to stay low carb. You'll probably need 3000-5000 mg of sodium a day. 2300 mg sodium = 1 tsp salt.
Likewise, if you are in a large calorie deficit, the hunger and lack of energy can make it very hard to stay with it.
Perhaps consider just switching to low carb without a planned calorie deficit for the first week or two. Get used to eating that way and getting enough sodium (I eat 1/2 tsp of salt with a chaser of water every morning) and worry about the calorie deficit later. Who knows, once you get used to it you may experience the reduced hunger and cravings that is common with the diet.
It is possible that low carb is not for you. If avoidance of certain foods leads to binging, then you may want to rethink your approach. As mentioned, perhaps leave room for those foods in your diet, or even increase your carb level if you have no medical need for low carbs. 150g of carbs is still considered to be low carb by most.
I'm the opposite, if I have a little then I want more. I needed to remove those foods entirely for a few months until I had different habits. Even now, years into a keto diet, if I have sweets more than once in a week, I am fighting cravings for days. I'm still not completely back on the wagon after Xmas.
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Thanks guys. When the cravings hit i first turn to my allowed foods. I will have a few eggs, cheese, bacon and keto substitutes anything but what I am craving. But i would eat 2000 calories of those at midnight sometimes and it doesnt "hit the spot". I would be full but the craving is still there compared to One slice of cake or bread and it all goes away. After the calorie load with keto, I always end up eating the bread and the relief is immediate. But then I gain weight bc all that fat in my system and I am buring glucose. When i first tried low carb, i ddidnt have this problem at all so i am wondering if, after my initial success, low carb is no longer for me? Is my body protesting? And if it is what can i do?.... low carb is the only only thing that has ever worked with me and I have tried loads of diet. I even read a few books on self discipline but my body is fighting me.0
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I did south beach in 2004 and Lost 40 lbs. life happened and I gained 20 over 6 years. I kept trying low carb, and it wouldn’t “work” the second time.
It was only after I had kids and my weight ballooned, and my body chemistry bounced all over the place, that low carb worked again. I lost 60 in 2017, but gained 30 in 2018. I’m hoping this next reiteration “takes” but it’s only been a week. Good luck!0 -
I have a couple thoughts to share, maybe they'll resonate, maybe not. It's good for me to write them out as a reminder to myself at the least.
When I was pregnant I whined to my midwifes about how strong my cravings were. they listened, then gently admonished me that physiological cravings do exist but happen more rarely than we'd like to believe. Most cravings we experience are psychological, social, or influenced by our people or surroundings. Over the years it has helped me to stop and think:
do I really NEED this or is the craving a result of my routines, mental state, emotions, surroundings, or the people I'm with (or without). If you stop and assess what is really going on when those strong cravings hit you may find something that is a trigger point for you and you can address that issue.
I find that I'm after very specific texture or flavor combinations. I love LOVE to dip Doritos in sour cream It's my go to snack.I won't ever turn it down. However, I can easily substitute highly flvored pork rinds (right now I'm eating Epic salt and pepper pork rinds https://store.epicbar.com/collections/pork-skins) dipped in salted Fage 2% greek yogurt. It gets me what I want. Salty, creamy, crunchy, flavor filled snack. And it's not Doritos. And it's got more protein than Sour Cream. And I find that get's me what I'm after, I'm satisfied. Find that substitute that gets you the texture, or flavor or both that you're really looking for. I'm not generally a fan of "low carb substitutes" like cauliflower pizza crust but, it might work for you just like pork rinds and greek yogurt worked for me.
Get rid of the things in your house that tempt you. Your family will survive. My kids love ice cream sandwiches. I do too. I LOVE those little *kitten*. So I don't keep them at home cause I'll eat the whole box after they're in bed. So the only treat that's kept in my house are popsicles caue meh. I don't care about those and the kids still love them, and vanilla ice cream. I can leave that alone too. If your family complains, if they grouse, if they say you're being unfair...well let them. This is about you and your health, and if you're healthier and happier everybody wins. Maybe there will be a time that stuff can come back into your house, maybe not.
Low carb eating gets touted as a miracle. People loose all kinds of obscene amounts of weight. 10 lbs in the first week! 90 lbs in the first 60 days! But the reality is, not all of us do. I didn't. I still don't lose more than .5lbs a week even when i'm super dedicated to and focused on weight loss. My body flips that whole idea the bird and say "I'm gonna show you how slowly this can be done" Don't expect a miracle. Find some other metrics of health and focus on those. Inches, reduced heartburn, less joint pain, whatever it is for you.
Give yourself the grace you deserve, recognize you're human and have faults, and weakness, and stress, and life and just dust yourself off and get back at it.
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