Questions for those who follow a Lower Carb Plan (keto, Atkins, Paleo etc)
SarahAnne3958
Posts: 78 Member
I've noticed in a couple threads today keto being labeled as a fad. This was a common theme from when I had my old MFP account as well, and that got me thinking about how many here are actually doing a lower carb plan-be it keto, Atkins, some form of paleo/primal etc. Outside of the MFP bubble, I hang out in several groups/sites and there's actually a pretty large presence of people who've been successfully doing lower carb plans, including keto, for quite a while.
So now I'm curious- if you're following a lower carb plan would you mind chiming in and answering these questions?
-What lower carb plan do you follow?
-How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating?
-Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? Or, if you're already in maintenance do you think a lower carb focus will be part of your long term maintenance strategy?
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating?
So now I'm curious- if you're following a lower carb plan would you mind chiming in and answering these questions?
-What lower carb plan do you follow?
-How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating?
-Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? Or, if you're already in maintenance do you think a lower carb focus will be part of your long term maintenance strategy?
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating?
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Replies
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-What lower carb plan do you follow? Relaxed Carnivore/almost zero carb
-How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating? Around 6 months so far
-Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? Or, if you're already in maintenance do you think a lower carb focus will be part of your long term maintenance strategy? I was already in maintenance when I made the transition and because of how things are going now, I anticipate continuing on with a very low carb way of eating long term.
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating? I lost a lot of weight with calorie counting/tracking but then struggled to maintain. I was able to do it for quite a few years, but regularly fought with weight creep, as well as increasing mental exhaustion from the constant numbers game. Finally I got completely burned out and realized I had to do something different.
This past spring I decided to try a month long lower carb experiment, to see if it made maintenance easier for me, and I haven't looked back since
After a few months of general low carb I became interested in very low carb or 'carnivore,' and have been doing that for around 2 months now. Love the simplicity of my plan, and being able to maintain a very lean body-weight without any counting, tracking or measuring anymore. 3 -
-I follow keto. I first got interested by reading Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution. I follow his protocol loosely.SarahAnne3958 wrote: »-What lower carb plan do you follow?
-How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating?
-Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? Or, if you're already in maintenance do you think a lower carb focus will be part of your long term maintenance strategy?
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating?
-Started around March of this year. ~6 mo.
-I plan to continue with the same plan into maintenance. I have found it very helpful for me as far as blood sugar control and also feeling better in general. I was feeling better even before losing 35 lbs.
-I found out my blood sugar was high this past winter, so I started working on losing weight to help lower that. In the process, Dr. Bernstein's book was recommended by someone here on MFP, and I gradually lowered my carb intake. From reading his book and other information, it seems that low carb WOE is beneficial for insulin resistance & diabetes. American Diabetes Assn is a little behind the curve on this research, but individual practitioners recommend it. People who say keto is just a fad will also say that the keto websites are just in it for the money. To which I'd reply that ADA is beholden to the drug manufacturers. I choose to look for which WOE is providing positive results for people, and disregard the advertising campaigns. My mother (& her father) followed the diets recommended by their doctors/ADA (low-ish, but not really low carb), and the diabetes gradually got worse... first this medication, then that one, then insulin. It's "under control" but not really. But some other people I know have had positive results with keto, and I've met a few people here on MFP who have, too. To me, it just makes sense, and I'm in it for the long term. Thankfully my new doctor is also supportive of this. Maybe I'll eventually have to go on medication for diabetes, but I want to hold that off as long as possible.
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-I follow keto. I first got interested by reading Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution. I follow his protocol loosely.SarahAnne3958 wrote: »-What lower carb plan do you follow?
-How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating?
-Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? Or, if you're already in maintenance do you think a lower carb focus will be part of your long term maintenance strategy?
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating?
-Started around March of this year. ~6 mo.
-I plan to continue with the same plan into maintenance. I have found it very helpful for me as far as blood sugar control and also feeling better in general. I was feeling better even before losing 35 lbs.
-I found out my blood sugar was high this past winter, so I started working on losing weight to help lower that. In the process, Dr. Bernstein's book was recommended by someone here on MFP, and I gradually lowered my carb intake. From reading his book and other information, it seems that low carb WOE is beneficial for insulin resistance & diabetes. American Diabetes Assn is a little behind the curve on this research, but individual practitioners recommend it. People who say keto is just a fad will also say that the keto websites are just in it for the money. To which I'd reply that ADA is beholden to the drug manufacturers. I choose to look for which WOE is providing positive results for people, and disregard the advertising campaigns. My mother (& her father) followed the diets recommended by their doctors/ADA (low-ish, but not really low carb), and the diabetes gradually got worse... first this medication, then that one, then insulin. It's "under control" but not really. But some other people I know have had positive results with keto, and I've met a few people here on MFP who have, too. To me, it just makes sense, and I'm in it for the long term. Thankfully my new doctor is also supportive of this. Maybe I'll eventually have to go on medication for diabetes, but I want to hold that off as long as possible.
Thanks for sharing, I haven't read Dr. Bernstein's book yet, will add it to my list
I think the ADA's new, updated recommendations actually include an option for a lower carb way of eating, I'll see if I can find the info
eta: here's an overview of their update
https://www.dietdoctor.com/american-diabetes-association-endorses-low-carb-diet-as-option
eta#2: here's the actual report, very exciting to see the updates!
https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/42/5/7311 -
I'm going to chime in because you asked, this isn't the answer you're looking for, take it with a grain of salt. I've occasionally had a low carb diet. Not deliberately. Fat is delicious, protein is filling. Carbs aren't as exciting to me. The best part of a bagel is the cream cheese. I lost my sweet tooth when I was around 20, so sugary things don't do it for me, but cooking a high protein dish in butter, yum! To answer your specific questions it happens on and off, hard to say how long, not a named diet, and I mostly try to eat more carbs.3
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NorthCascades wrote: »I'm going to chime in because you asked, this isn't the answer you're looking for, take it with a grain of salt. I've occasionally had a low carb diet. Not deliberately. Fat is delicious, protein is filling. Carbs aren't as exciting to me. The best part of a bagel is the cream cheese. I lost my sweet tooth when I was around 20, so sugary things don't do it for me, but cooking a high protein dish in butter, yum! To answer your specific questions it happens on and off, hard to say how long, not a named diet, and I mostly try to eat more carbs.
Thanks for your input, all is welcome 0 -
I've been eating a fairly strict low carb diet for about seven years now. I don't follow any plan but my carbs are low enough I'm in ketosis more often than not.
I had three family members die of cancer in a short period of time and I was extremely vulnerable - vegan and low carb were both on the table at that point. The science didn't support the (what I realize now) was vegan propaganda but Iow carb was more robust and I remember watching this cancer panel discussion where at the end everyone (even the researchers who didn't have a low carb bent) answered carbohydrate when asked what macro nutrient was most concerning or something along those lines.
That's what tipped me to start eating low carb but of course the grief and fear lessens over time. The reason I'm still eating a low carb diet is for the tangible, immediate benefits I experience eating this way.2 -
-What lower carb plan do you follow?: No plan, I count calories to lose weight and total carbs to stay within my limit.
-How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating?: 4+ years
-Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? Or, if you're already in maintenance do you think a lower carb focus will be part of your long term maintenance strategy?: This is lifetime (see below)
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating?: I was diagnosed T2Dm and needed to lower my carbs in order to manage it without medication.
I never saw low carb as a way to lose weight since weight loss is all about the number of calories eaten. How those calories get divided up depends on your personal preferences and goals. Any "named" diet has restrictions and I think I can do better making my own decisions rather than having someone tell me what to eat.
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What lower carb plan do you follow?
Keto up until 2 weeks ago, now focusing on Low Carb
-How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating?
Keto Feb 2019 to end of August 2019, LC 2 weeks ago
-Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? Or, if you're already in maintenance do you think a lower carb focus will be part of your long term maintenance strategy?
I have about 60 more pounds to get to my goal (down 34). I plan to remain low carb - I feel better eating this way and I find it easier to feel full, more consistent in my moods and energy.
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating?
I have tried low fat, normal/high carb diets for about 30 years and it is not a sustainable way for me - I was not able to stick with it long term and I always felt like it was a battle. I was always trying to lose weight and felt hungry and miserable and therefore gave up. I did some research, then more research and decided to try keto. It has worked for me in stabilzing my energy/mood and has greatly reduced my cravings for sugar. I'm slowly increasing my carbs - mostly with low fat dairy and more servings of fruits and veggies. Eating less fat now and more protein as well. I will continue to adjust as I go but right now low carb is enjoyable for me and I'm continuing to lose weight.
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NorthCascades wrote: »I'm going to chime in because you asked, this isn't the answer you're looking for, take it with a grain of salt. I've occasionally had a low carb diet. Not deliberately. Fat is delicious, protein is filling. Carbs aren't as exciting to me. The best part of a bagel is the cream cheese. I lost my sweet tooth when I was around 20, so sugary things don't do it for me, but cooking a high protein dish in butter, yum! To answer your specific questions it happens on and off, hard to say how long, not a named diet, and I mostly try to eat more carbs.
Pretty similar to me. I did around 100 g of carbs up to around 40% carbs (at around 1600 cal) when I was losing weight mainly because after cutting added fat (which I like to have some of in my diet because it helps me feel more satisfied), cutting portions of foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, which I like well enough but tend to be the most boring part of a meal for me, was the easiest thing to do. Basically I approach a meal as based around protein and veg and then the rest of it is just to make it tasty and satisfying.
With more cals I tend to eat more carbs, although still in the moderate amount.
I did paleo for a while, not as a "low carb" option, in fact it was no lower carb as I ate plenty of the paleo sources of carbs. I quite that because I decided the reasoning for it was nonsense, although I found the way of eating pretty compatible with how I enjoy eating (although I think dairy and beans are good alternatives to meat as protein sources so paleo for me was higher meat than I prefer). I also tried keto as an experiment (at maintenance) and found it interesting as an experiment but that it didn't add anything and I was missing fruit and some of the other carbs I'd eliminated and having to stress about getting in the amount of veg I like and not going over my carb numbers, so I quit it. If I'd had some miraculous experience I might have put up with the rest of it, but I'd been happy with my diet before and thought it was nutritious, thought my keto diet was slightly less (although fine), and felt no better, no worse.
I am big on experimenting with things to see what works for you and for me moderate to slightly low carb just fits with how I like to eat overall. The most important things for me in a diet (sufficient protein, lots of veg, healthy sources of fat, some fruit and a reasonable amount of fiber, mostly cooked from whole foods) to me don't really have a thing to do with carbs and when I've experimented with other ways of eating that fit this paradigm (like plant based), I haven't found amount of carbs to matter, but just slightly lower carbs tends to be the easiest to do without thinking about it for me.3 -
SarahAnne3958 wrote: »I've noticed in a couple threads today keto being labeled as a fad. This was a common theme from when I had my old MFP account as well, and that got me thinking about how many here are actually doing a lower carb plan-be it keto, Atkins, some form of paleo/primal etc. Outside of the MFP bubble, I hang out in several groups/sites and there's actually a pretty large presence of people who've been successfully doing lower carb plans, including keto, for quite a while.
So now I'm curious- if you're following a lower carb plan would you mind chiming in and answering these questions?
-What lower carb plan do you follow?
-How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating?
-Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? Or, if you're already in maintenance do you think a lower carb focus will be part of your long term maintenance strategy?
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating?
-What lower carb plan do you follow? - Keto, 20 Net Carbs per day
- -How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating? - 90 Days
- Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? - Yes, but as once I get to my target weight I'll evaluate the impact of carbs on my blood sugar and try to find a maintenance level that keeps my blood sugar levels where they need to be without need for insulin shots.
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating? - I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in June and when I started testing my blood sugar I learned that carbs (even things like Steel Cut Oats) would spike my blood sugar to unhealthy levels and eliminating them would bring my blood sugar into normal range. I experimented a bit and seemed to find that at least for now 20 grams of carbs works in both weight loss and blood sugar. I'm consulting with my doctor for both short term and long term goals to make sure I'm healthy. I'm relatively certain that I'll maintain a low carb lifestyle though as I just feel better on it and I can adjust the amount of carbs as needed based on how my body responds.1 -
SarahAnne3958 wrote: »I've noticed in a couple threads today keto being labeled as a fad. This was a common theme from when I had my old MFP account as well, and that got me thinking about how many here are actually doing a lower carb plan-be it keto, Atkins, some form of paleo/primal etc. Outside of the MFP bubble, I hang out in several groups/sites and there's actually a pretty large presence of people who've been successfully doing lower carb plans, including keto, for quite a while.
So now I'm curious- if you're following a lower carb plan would you mind chiming in and answering these questions?
-What lower carb plan do you follow?
-How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating?
-Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? Or, if you're already in maintenance do you think a lower carb focus will be part of your long term maintenance strategy?
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating?
What plan?
Custom Moderate Carb
How long?
Don't know. I have only been tracking my food intake for a year and a half.
Continue?
Yes
Why?
Easier to manage my blood sugar problem. Greater satiety.
What makes keto a fad diet is not the diet itself but how it gets treated by people who jump in and out of the latest flavors with only scale numbers on their mind. They are not looking for a sustainable long term plan they just heard about someone losing 11 pounds in 2 weeks (mostly water but they don't know this or don't care) and they have visions of getting their weight loss over quick and easy.
What makes keto slightly worse is ketosis. It is unnecessary for weight loss but instead of people focusing on appropriate portion control they are peeing on a stick that is meaningless to weight loss. Ketosis + a calorie surplus will end in fat gain not loss.
Websites/blogs also use clever wording about how keto burns so much more fat than a normal calorie restricted diet. Of course it does - you are eating a high amount of fat and it is being used for energy. The amount of stored body fat that gets burned is the same which is the overall goal.
Lastly we have no idea who needs to be at such a low number of carbs to get the satiety benefits because it doesn't seem like many people are comfortable with experimenting. For some people being at an unnecessary low level makes adherence harder so they abandon it. In reality it could simply be that moderate carb will work well for more people and that would broaden food choices and possibly increase adherence.8 -
SarahAnne3958 wrote: »
eta: here's an overview of their update
https://www.dietdoctor.com/american-diabetes-association-endorses-low-carb-diet-as-option
eta#2: here's the actual report, very exciting to see the updates!
https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/42/5/731
Thanks for sharing, this a nice read and I'm happy to see the ADA providing guidance that is in line with my own experiences.2 -
-What lower carb plan do you follow?
Keto, sometimes more of a "dirty" keto
-How long have you followed a lower carb way of eating?
Low carb... about one year. Keto, about one month
-Do you plan on continuing with lower carb after your weight loss phase is complete and you transition into maintenance? Or, if you're already in maintenance do you think a lower carb focus will be part of your long term maintenance strategy?
I'll probably continue low carb once I'm in maintenance. I don't think I'll continue with keto.
-Why did you decide to go with a lower carb way of eating?
My little sister was diagnosed with epilepsy. Her neurologist recommended keto for her, because blood sugar changes can be a seizure trigger. My mom and dad don't live a very healthy lifestyle, so my husband and I decided to do low carb while she did keto. I recently transitioned to keto to be more supportive to her, because she works full time and is a full time college student and was struggling.3 -
Thanks everyone for the responses so far, love hearing of everyone's experiences! Makes me feel not so 'alone,' as I'm still fairly new to the lower carb way of eating.0
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Keto is interesting. No metabolic advantage in it. Though, in some study's i have read, it does have a slightly greater appetite blunting effect in some people vs a standard high protein diet.0
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I lost 50 lbs. on Atkins. I then regained that 50 lbs. I lost it again a few years later on a slightly less rigid low carb diet. I gained back some of the weight afterwards, so went on another restrictive low carb diet until I was down to the weight I wanted. I started logging on MFP so I could track my calories and keep from regaining the weight again. I was able to maintain that weight for several years because I became a runner and get a lot of exercise. I eat what I want but burn it off.
I chose to do low carb because I have issues with sugar (love it and eat too much) and knew that restricting carbs would be a simple way of keeping my calories low without having to weigh and measure everything, but mostly because my husband was more likely to be happy with high protein low carb than with just a low calorie diet. He is also diabetic, so it was better for his health.
However, I didn't find that WOE sustainable because it meant forgoing all the food I like best. I was not willing to avoid ice cream, beer and pizza for the rest of my life. I missed fruit especially and things like good bread and baked potatoes and cereal. I don't actually like bacon that much and dislike fat. I like meat and eggs, but not as my sole sustenance.0
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