Low cal or keto? That's the question!

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  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
    appledawn0422 wrote: »
    I'm just starting and have 100+ lbs to lose. Which will help me lose weight faster? Which is easier to maintain? Right now I'm doing low cal and am on the track to lose 3 lbs per week. Thanks y'all!
    "Faster" never equated to long term for me. I had (still do) have some horrible eating habits such as eating when bored...

    Not being overly restrictive helps me to not eat when bored, yet still eat enough that I don't start getting hangry.

    I would suggest trying a way of eating that looks sustainable to you without guilt trips because guilt just sucks, and if that one doesn't work for you then try another. You will find something that you can stick with and enjoy before too long. Wishing you well. :) You'll get this.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
    appledawn0422 wrote: »
    fdhunt1 wrote: »
    You're asking a very open ended question. The short answer is BOTH low cal and keto work. It really depends on your goals and tolerances. If you are the type of person who can live with restricted carbohydrate intake, keto is the way to go - many side benefits in addition to weight loss. However, if you can't give up the carbs ( pasta, bread, potatoes, starches in general) then by all means go with calories in vs calories out (CICO) and maintain a doable deficit.

    Just a comment in general, I think your target of 3 lbs /wk may be expecting too much. The norm is usually .5 to 1 lb/wk. You say you have 100+ lbs to lose, so it won't happen overnight. You must be patient no matter what course you chose, this is a journey that will come with ups and downs. Also, make smart choices on food. Chose real food and steer clear of processed foods and those specified for "diets". Most contain a lot of other stuff that is not beneficial to your task.

    I am not an expert or a guru on this site. There are others much smarter and knowledgeable. Personally, I too have a lot of weight to lose and chose the keto way of eating because I have other goals in addition to weight loss. I am insulin resistant and keto provides the mechanism to get my insulin/glucose levels under control. It also provides great mental clarity and reduced cravings and hunger pangs.

    Whichever way you choose, best of luck to you.

    Thank you. Right now I am doing low cal and I eat brown rice, overnight oats and berries but no refined breads or sugars. So I'm lower carb than ever but still don't fit into the keto or even low carb category. I eat between 50-70 carbs per day. My calorie intake has been around the 1200 mark. Give or take 200!
    3 lbs per week isn't my target so much as according to my calorie intake and exercise as of the last few days....it's my projected weight loss if that makes sense?
    I guess I'm just trying to find out what works for other people to see if what I'm doing is my best option. Thank you for your insight!

    You're not keto-low, but at 50-70 g carbs per day, you are indeed low carb.

    According to https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/ask-the-dietitian-whats-the-best-carb-protein-and-fat-breakdown-for-weight-loss/ 45% carbs or less is low(er) carbs. "A 1,200-calorie diet with 45% of calories from carbohydrates would provide 135 grams of carbohydrates."

    There are successful vegans here who eat 60% carbs and successful keto-ers here who eat 5% or less carbs, so the key is finding the way of eating that works best for *you*.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    just_Tomek wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    just_Tomek wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    The way of eating that you can stick to long-term is the best way to lose weight for you.

    pc2koe1i68n0.jpg

    No way. Not a chance. Keto trumps all this.

    How do you figure?

    Really? Should know my posts by now ;)

    Oh. Was that sarcasm? I missed the sarcasm font. I look for a winky or laughing face to clue me in, and there weren’t any.
  • ultra_violets
    ultra_violets Posts: 202 Member
    It really depends on each individual. Their age, general physical fitness, diabetic or not diabetic, and how much weight they wish to lose. It's hard to compare a type 2 diabetic who needs to lose 100 lb. with a relatively healthy person who wants to lose that nagging 15 pounds. Things like body type, eating disorders, and how you respond to low cal or keto or low carb all vary. I personally have found keto to be the one diet I can stick to easily and get extremely good results, but that's me. Others may benefit from Weight Watchers or some other calorie counting program.
  • mariak16
    mariak16 Posts: 4 Member
    I personally feel that CICO is a better approach because it includes all food groups. I don't like that Keto basically eliminates fruit (except a few) as well as allowing very little fiber as many high fiber foods also have higher carbs. I can understand why some people like it because it's pretty simple to follow as long as you eat the approved foods, but the lack of fruit and fiber just doesn't sit right with me. I tried it for 8 days, but realized that without a fiber supplement it would be really hard for me to get enough. I also got sick of eating the same snacks every day. I would give my kids fruit and be jealous that I couldn't have some too. I know some people love Keto, but I personally didn't find it a good fit for me for these reasons.

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