Low Carbs and never hungry, is this normal
Psaksenatovris
Posts: 13 Member
Hi all,
For the last 2-3 months, I have been increasing my fitness and eventually going from couch to jogging 30 minutes about 4-5 times per week, generally doing 3-4km overall.
But I am a pretty big fella weighing in at 107kg and 6 ft tall.
Over the last 2 weeks, I decided to drop sugar & carbs as much as possible from my diet. (Not that I was dieting, my calorie intake wasn't really that high lately) Just typically had Sandwiches, Banh Mi, Toast, salads etc. I am averaging 30-50grams of carbs per day and instead loading up on fats and proteins.
In this period I haven't eat anything till 3pm everyday (very late lunch like a chicken salad) and finish the day with a light dinner after my jog at around 9pm (with perhaps 2-3 eggs, small yogurt etc). Drink black coffee, tea and lots of water. I drink nothing else. I rarely get hungry, have absolutely loads of energy, sleep well and can kick off my day without effort.
I haven't weighed myself or anything, but I have definitely lost some weight in the last 2 weeks. Just wondering why in the last week especially I have been feeling extremely energetic when some days I don't even have more than 1,000 calories - and I am completely fine with that. Do sugar & carbs (or one of them) really make that much difference? I was always under the impression that carbs is what provided energy! Confused!
Yours Truly
Superman
For the last 2-3 months, I have been increasing my fitness and eventually going from couch to jogging 30 minutes about 4-5 times per week, generally doing 3-4km overall.
But I am a pretty big fella weighing in at 107kg and 6 ft tall.
Over the last 2 weeks, I decided to drop sugar & carbs as much as possible from my diet. (Not that I was dieting, my calorie intake wasn't really that high lately) Just typically had Sandwiches, Banh Mi, Toast, salads etc. I am averaging 30-50grams of carbs per day and instead loading up on fats and proteins.
In this period I haven't eat anything till 3pm everyday (very late lunch like a chicken salad) and finish the day with a light dinner after my jog at around 9pm (with perhaps 2-3 eggs, small yogurt etc). Drink black coffee, tea and lots of water. I drink nothing else. I rarely get hungry, have absolutely loads of energy, sleep well and can kick off my day without effort.
I haven't weighed myself or anything, but I have definitely lost some weight in the last 2 weeks. Just wondering why in the last week especially I have been feeling extremely energetic when some days I don't even have more than 1,000 calories - and I am completely fine with that. Do sugar & carbs (or one of them) really make that much difference? I was always under the impression that carbs is what provided energy! Confused!
Yours Truly
Superman
6
Replies
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If you’re not weighing all your food, then you’re likely eating more calories than you believe you are. However, anything in the ballpark of 1000 calories is dangerously low for your stats. You must eat more.10
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Thanks, I am measuring carefully so pretty confident with the calories. Can you explain with this is dangerously low when it feels so right? Or point me to some good articles?0
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It's wonderful that you are feeling well but if you are only eating 1000 calories you are going to lose muscle as well as fat. I don't think that's your goal. Remember your heart is a muscle. You need to keep better track of what you're eating and make sure as a man that you are getting at the very least 1500 calories a day. I agree with @apullum that you might be eating more calories than you think you are. My next comment is about sustainability. Do you feel you can do this for the rest of your life or is it just for now to lose weight? If you don't feel you can sustain it permanently then you might want to modify your program so you don't crash and burn once you reach goal. I lost and gained weight my whole life but didn't lose and keep it off until I found something I could live with permanently. Good luck and congratulations on working toward a healthier you.7
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Thanks for the replies, makes sense.1
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Psaksenatovris wrote: »Thanks, I am measuring carefully so pretty confident with the calories. Can you explain with this is dangerously low when it feels so right? Or point me to some good articles?
Measuring is not the same as weighing. Are you weighing everything you consume?3 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »Psaksenatovris wrote: »Thanks, I am measuring carefully so pretty confident with the calories. Can you explain with this is dangerously low when it feels so right? Or point me to some good articles?
Measuring is not the same as weighing. Are you weighing everything you consume?
Yes, definitely.1 -
If you are pretty confident that you are eating around 1000 cals, eat more, as that would not be healthy.
Very low carb does kill some people's appetites or just make them uninterested in food, which can make it easier, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't still eat sufficient cals. If your hunger signals aren't working, use your logging to make sure you eat enough (at least 1500 for a man). It shouldn't be hard to find ways to do so, and if you really feel like you CAN'T eat that much, you should see a doctor.4 -
Well, yes it is. The increased protein helps. The severe lowering of the carbs makes the "reward" value of your diet "less". Would state that a whole food vegan diet would probably just as effective. OR a lower reward diet that contains whole food carbs such as fruits, potatoes... ect...high protein of course.4
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Psaksenatovris wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »Psaksenatovris wrote: »Thanks, I am measuring carefully so pretty confident with the calories. Can you explain with this is dangerously low when it feels so right? Or point me to some good articles?
Measuring is not the same as weighing. Are you weighing everything you consume?
Yes, definitely.
If you are weighing ALL of your food and having trouble meeting your minimum calorie needs, add calorie dense foods: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p12 -
If you've limited carbs that much you've likely gone into ketosis, which means you'll be burning ketones for fuel rather than glycogen (carbs, to oversimplify). Some people find ketosis suppresses their appetite quite a lot. You should still aim to consume a healthy amount of calories though. It sounds like you're really low, particularly given that you're jogging 4-5 times a week.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p13 -
It's not unusual for someone to change their way of eating (WOE) and temporarily experience decreased appetite.
However, do weigh yourself in the near future and if you haven't lost as much weight as you'd expect to given that deficit, you are likely eating more than you think, which is also not uncommon. If you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public we can help you troubleshoot: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
If you are losing as expected, then do eat more.4 -
Psaksenatovris wrote: »Thanks, I am measuring carefully so pretty confident with the calories. Can you explain with this is dangerously low when it feels so right? Or point me to some good articles?
I read an article about how the chemistry of the body can be changed when going low carb that results in euphoria and a loss of appetite. I am not sure of the validity of the article because I am not a biochemist. However, if your feeling of euphoria is chemically induced obviously trusting it to determine your general state of well-being would be unwise.2 -
Psaksenatovris wrote: »Thanks, I am measuring carefully so pretty confident with the calories. Can you explain with this is dangerously low when it feels so right? Or point me to some good articles?
I read an article about how the chemistry of the body can be changed when going low carb that results in euphoria and a loss of appetite. I am not sure of the validity of the article because I am not a biochemist. However, if your feeling of euphoria is chemically induced obviously trusting it to determine your general state of well-being would be unwise.
It's kinda strange, I accidentally went lower carb, just cut out all processed carbs, nothing but fruits and veggies, increased my protein, and still limited fats, but close to 30% range. After an "adjustment" period of what I thought then was severe hunger, I had none. There was a state of euphoria. I was 400+ pounds then. Had No issues until I dropped under 240 or so. So, I unintentionally lowered carbs and REWARD value. There is a lot of evidence that a lower reward lower carb diet causes weight loss. I could have done the same on a high carb whole foods vegan most likely. I guess I am just going to start having to post the studies that support my statements! Lol2 -
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Okay, come do my best Ace Ventura impression. To backup my statement I'll say these things. First off, when one looks inside the studies of high protein diets, one sees a spontaneous reduction of calories in obese individuals by 600 to a thousand calories a day. That is when protein is around 30% of total calories. If one looks inside of bland liquid diet studies, there is a reduction in calories to near starvation level diets with no hunger. Inside Kevin Halls most recent study on processed vs. Unprocessed diet, people on an unprocessed diet, the lower reward value, ate an average of 400 calories a day less than people on a process diet. N equals 1 experience, as well. I also work in a highly controlled environment, where food and activity are controlled as close as one can get, outside of a research setting. I have seen men go from 400 lb to 240 lb with little hunger issues. The diet that get is actually very healthy. It's high in fruits vegetables beans lean meats with some added fats. It does not taste very good, so far less rewarding than what they had on the outside. Most of the people, have to get jobs that require activity. Is all this coincidence? Possibly. I think it lines up with many of the Rat and monkey studies I've seen as well.3
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I felt fine , walking 20km a day and hiking, and then my hair started falling out, my period stopped (not a huge concern for a guy), I started getting dizzy and weak. I thought I was doing the right thing because I wasn’t hungry and felt fine until my body finally started showing me I wasn’t. I got my bloods done and a lot of things were deficient. Nutrient deficiencies take time to show up and sometimes years to fix. Just do it properly.6
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Hannahwalksfar wrote: »I felt fine , walking 20km a day and hiking, and then my hair started falling out, my period stopped (not a huge concern for a guy), I started getting dizzy and weak. I thought I was doing the right thing because I wasn’t hungry and felt fine until my body finally started showing me I wasn’t. I got my bloods done and a lot of things were deficient. Nutrient deficiencies take time to show up and sometimes years to fix. Just do it properly.
Oh agreed... you also have a settling range to where your body will tell you to STOP. Been there.. trying to fix that...0 -
psychod787 wrote: »Okay, come do my best Ace Ventura impression. To backup my statement I'll say these things. First off, when one looks inside the studies of high protein diets, one sees a spontaneous reduction of calories in obese individuals by 600 to a thousand calories a day. That is when protein is around 30% of total calories. If one looks inside of bland liquid diet studies, there is a reduction in calories to near starvation level diets with no hunger. Inside Kevin Halls most recent study on processed vs. Unprocessed diet, people on an unprocessed diet, the lower reward value, ate an average of 400 calories a day less than people on a process diet. N equals 1 experience, as well. I also work in a highly controlled environment, where food and activity are controlled as close as one can get, outside of a research setting. I have seen men go from 400 lb to 240 lb with little hunger issues. The diet that get is actually very healthy. It's high in fruits vegetables beans lean meats with some added fats. It does not taste very good, so far less rewarding than what they had on the outside. Most of the people, have to get jobs that require activity. Is all this coincidence? Possibly. I think it lines up with many of the Rat and monkey studies I've seen as well.
I think some of that is just a benefit of being quite large. When I first started I wasn't watching my macros much at all. I was eating all kind of processed foods because I was still resistant to cooking just for myself. I had no hunger issues and I ate 1200 calories per day several times a week. On Sunday I would eat substantially more and that eventually became my maintenance day when I my plan started to formalize more.
After the first 6 weeks throughout my first 150 pounds I started cooking for myself and watching my protein more. I seldom felt hungry except right before lunch which has almost always been the only full meal I have eaten. On a normal week my diet is fairly tight and packed with nutrient dense foods for 4 days a week with looser eating on Friday and over the weekend.
I have learned that my hunger has only 2 rules. 1) I cannot eat in the morning. 2) I have to eat 1 protein for every 2 carbs. If I follow those rules I am almost always okay.
I have struggled a little more recently because I am on a medical deadline but I am also shockingly close to your 240 guys. Even still most of my problems have been mental not physical. I still skip breakfast and dinner is still optional for me.
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sounds like you can be on under ketosis, thats why you are not getting hungry. Under 50g carbs is required. So you are getting fuel from ketones, from fats in food and yours own. Brain is "eating"(ketones) instead of glucose under ketosis.1
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Hi again,
I am even more curious now. Because I am overweight is it still a problem that I am consuming very little calories. i.e my energy consumption is coming from my own fat isn't it?
I imagine this would be more of an issue once the weight has dropped off?0 -
Psaksenatovris wrote: »Hi again,
I am even more curious now. Because I am overweight is it still a problem that I am consuming very little calories. i.e my energy consumption is coming from my own fat isn't it?
I imagine this would be more of an issue once the weight has dropped off?
That’s not how weightloss works. Your body needs nutrients not just energy to survive.2 -
psychod787 wrote: »Okay, come do my best Ace Ventura impression. To backup my statement I'll say these things. First off, when one looks inside the studies of high protein diets, one sees a spontaneous reduction of calories in obese individuals by 600 to a thousand calories a day. That is when protein is around 30% of total calories. If one looks inside of bland liquid diet studies, there is a reduction in calories to near starvation level diets with no hunger. Inside Kevin Halls most recent study on processed vs. Unprocessed diet, people on an unprocessed diet, the lower reward value, ate an average of 400 calories a day less than people on a process diet. N equals 1 experience, as well. I also work in a highly controlled environment, where food and activity are controlled as close as one can get, outside of a research setting. I have seen men go from 400 lb to 240 lb with little hunger issues. The diet that get is actually very healthy. It's high in fruits vegetables beans lean meats with some added fats. It does not taste very good, so far less rewarding than what they had on the outside. Most of the people, have to get jobs that require activity. Is all this coincidence? Possibly. I think it lines up with many of the Rat and monkey studies I've seen as well.
I think some of that is just a benefit of being quite large. When I first started I wasn't watching my macros much at all. I was eating all kind of processed foods because I was still resistant to cooking just for myself. I had no hunger issues and I ate 1200 calories per day several times a week. On Sunday I would eat substantially more and that eventually became my maintenance day when I my plan started to formalize more.
After the first 6 weeks throughout my first 150 pounds I started cooking for myself and watching my protein more. I seldom felt hungry except right before lunch which has almost always been the only full meal I have eaten. On a normal week my diet is fairly tight and packed with nutrient dense foods for 4 days a week with looser eating on Friday and over the weekend.
I have learned that my hunger has only 2 rules. 1) I cannot eat in the morning. 2) I have to eat 1 protein for every 2 carbs. If I follow those rules I am almost always okay.
I have struggled a little more recently because I am on a medical deadline but I am also shockingly close to your 240 guys. Even still most of my problems have been mental not physical. I still skip breakfast and dinner is still optional for me.
I like your story, I am a believer in bf settling ranges. It's a place where diet, activity, weight history, and genetics all line up. What we see in the research is you can make a rat obese on a "SAD" and then put them back on a whole foods rat pellet diet with free access... funny, they lose weight rapidly. They eventually come to a place that they just stop. Sometimes over 1/2 their body weight. They are never as lean as the always lean control rats, usually 30-40 higher bf, 12 vs 19, but they then maintain that weight. Put them back on the "SAD" diet... boom right back up. I believe I undershot my settling range. Hopefully it also works in reverse. Several experts think it will.0 -
Psaksenatovris wrote: »Hi again,
I am even more curious now. Because I am overweight is it still a problem that I am consuming very little calories. i.e my energy consumption is coming from my own fat isn't it?
I imagine this would be more of an issue once the weight has dropped off?
Theoretical conversations aside, you are not overweight enough to assume you can get away with a very low calorie diet. And even if you were very obese your body needs fuel AND nutrition. There is a reason MFP won't let you choose a goal of more than 2 lbs per week.
Eat the calories MFP gives you plus some of your exercise calories, this will help prevent muscle loss, malnutrition, and lower the risk of hitting the proverbial wall and having to quit.
Check out the Most Helpful Posts threads pinned to the top of each sub-forum, lots of great info there.
This isn't a race. Unless you are morbidly obese, there's no reason NOT to take the time to learn how to eat at the right calorie level for the rest of your life. Don't aim for what you might be able to get away with, aim for setting yourself up for the best chance of long term success. Best of luck.2 -
thanks all, so 1500 Calories a day is the absolute minimum for me?1
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Psaksenatovris wrote: »thanks all, so 1500 Calories a day is the absolute minimum for me?
Put your stats into mfp and it’ll tell you exactly what you need0 -
ok, one more question if I could.
If I eat 1500 calories a day and burn off 300 calories, is it the same (nutritionally) as eating 1200 calories a day without exercising?0 -
You eat back your exercise calories so you would eat 1800 but net 15000
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If it’s the same nutritionally depends on what you eat on those days.0
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