Considering LowER Carb - suggestions?

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sd101483
sd101483 Posts: 419 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, when I say I've literally tried everything to break my plateau, I really mean I have literally tried EVERYTHING. In my last chance effort, I've decided to give this whole "low carb" thing a go. I never was a big carb eater (rarely eating bread or pasta, but, I do eat a lot of fruit, so I get carbs there, but, I consider these good carbs/sugars) but lately I've been consuming more, I've noticed. So, I'm not sure if I should try something like The South Beach Diet to kick it off, I'm not really drawn to the Atkins approach at all, tho, it's an option. Don't know much abou The Zone, but, know it's out there. Or, there's simply the 40-30-30 method I could attempt on my own. I'm not sure what to do, where to start, etc. Any thoughts, suggestions, opinions, or advice is super appreciated! :)
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Replies

  • Crystal_Pistol
    Crystal_Pistol Posts: 750 Member
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    I changed the settings on MFP to do my own 40-30-30 because I don't want to buy any books. I don't know if it's working because I'm not weighing myself, but I feel GREAT and my appetite is sated. I weigh 203, my BMR per basic calcs is 1650, so I set my cal intake to 1800. Per MFP, I should lose 1/2lb a week. In addition to this, I eat back all but 250 of my exercise calories, hopefully I'm creating a 3500 cal deficit for a pound of weight loss a week.

    Before anybody starts yapping (LOL), I have spoken to a nutritionist and my MD about this approach- they both support it fully. 40% carbs is a low as I am willing to go. I don't eat refined carbs often, but I live and die by fruit. I've added protein shakes to help me meet the 30% protein because I would die trying to eat all my protein grams in meat. I am doing cardio and strength.

    I just can't buy staying in ketosis, gassiness, and foul breath as signs of good health. If the only way I can lose weight is to deal with that, I'll keep the weight and my healthy diet filled with variety.

    Best wishes!!
  • Crystal_Pistol
    Crystal_Pistol Posts: 750 Member
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    The nutritionist also suggested that I end my carb fun (cereal, fruit, etc) around 4pm and move into protein and low carb veggies. I was supposed to start that on Friday, but have not yet. I may try soon, but no promises!

    Just wanted to give you the whole bit she gave me.
  • sd101483
    sd101483 Posts: 419 Member
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    LOL - you sound exactly like me. From my medical stand point, Atkins is NOT a healthy diet (there is nothing healthy about going into ketosis) and I would die on such a small amt of carbs. I also eat a ton of fruit (or, was, not so much lately cuz I haven't so much been grocery shopping) South Beach, yeah, that's not so bad, from my understanding. But, from a personal perspective, of being perpetually STUCK at this weight, I'll freaking try just about anything...I'm just at my freaking wits end - success stories with the like would be super helpful too - anything...ANYTHING! I'll try anythinG! :)
  • Crystal_Pistol
    Crystal_Pistol Posts: 750 Member
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    COME ON MFP WORLD INHABITANTS!!!! Give us some success stories that involve eating fruit! LOL
  • Bailey543
    Bailey543 Posts: 375
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    Not all who do Atkins have gas and bad breathe.....just sayin...
    I changed the settings on MFP to do my own 40-30-30 because I don't want to buy any books. I don't know if it's working because I'm not weighing myself, but I feel GREAT and my appetite is sated. I weigh 203, my BMR per basic calcs is 1650, so I set my cal intake to 1800. Per MFP, I should lose 1/2lb a week. In addition to this, I eat back all but 250 of my exercise calories, hopefully I'm creating a 3500 cal deficit for a pound of weight loss a week.

    Before anybody starts yapping (LOL), I have spoken to a nutritionist and my MD about this approach- they both support it fully. 40% carbs is a low as I am willing to go. I don't eat refined carbs often, but I live and die by fruit. I've added protein shakes to help me meet the 30% protein because I would die trying to eat all my protein grams in meat. I am doing cardio and strength.

    I just can't buy staying in ketosis, gassiness, and foul breath as signs of good health. If the only way I can lose weight is to deal with that, I'll keep the weight and my healthy diet filled with variety.

    Best wishes!!
  • jmeeej
    jmeeej Posts: 125 Member
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    I'm not sure why you think Ketosis is unhealthy......but anyway you're obviously not interested in going that low of carbs, so I won't go any further on that.


    What is your new target for g/day of carbs?

    Your diary is private so no one can see what you're currently eating, so it's hard to give you any feedback or suggestions.
  • sd101483
    sd101483 Posts: 419 Member
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    It's more the possibility of going into ketoacidosis that can happen from maintaining ketosis for too long. Not likely to happen, but, it does happen. This is from a medical perspective as I've seen it. I just generally don't think Atkins is healthy.

    As far as carb goals, the way mfp is set up currently, it has me at 210 for a goal
    If I change it to 40-30-30, I would be at 155 for a goal. Which I think would be doable...depending.

    My diary is open, but must be to friends only. As of late, I have been at or slightly below my 210 goal considering all of the fruit and nuts I eat. As well as some breads as of late, which is unusual... I generally eat pretty healthy and well balanced, but, I will admit not so much lately. I'm starting to get to that point where, after a 4 month plateau, I'm kind of ready to throw in the towel and I can see myself slipping. Hence, the next thing to try (just tried zig zagging for a month and would gain 2 - 4 each week, lost that, and come right back to where I started) may be the low carbs. *sigh*
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
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    As far as carb goals, the way mfp is set up currently, it has me at 210 for a goal
    If I change it to 40-30-30, I would be at 155 for a goal. Which I think would be doable...depending.

    I eat 150 or fewer carbs most days (almost every day). Some days I eat as few as 100. My goal in cutting them was to rid my diet of the ultra-processed carbs, and at first it was harder but now I find it easy. My usual range is 120-130 grams, about 30% of my daily intake. This number is gross, not net carbs - I don't subtract out my fiber from those numbers.

    I still eat rice, pasta, fruit, vegetables and bread. This is working really well for me. I don't know if it's affected my weight loss positively vs simply eating my calorie goal without regard to carbs, but I lose about 2.5 pounds a week and I'm rarely hungry. Like I said, I wanted to stop eating the ultraprocessed chips, crackers, cheesy puffs, and sweet junk and this was a healthy overall step for me.

    Feel free to add me if you'd like to check out my diary to see how things work for me.
  • jmeeej
    jmeeej Posts: 125 Member
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    Well without being able to see your diary, I'm going to suggest that you may want to look into the types of carbs you're eating. If fruit is the big killer (ie. bananas), you may want to try out some lower carb alternatives. Berries are low in sugar and high in antioxidants. Grapefruit is also great.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,021 Member
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    Plateau's are generally miscalculations of the energy in-out thing, so you might want to revisit the numbers and take a better overall look. As far as lowering carb and losing weight, that would have more to do with it's satiating effects, than with thermodynamcis. Generally speaking a lower carb diet would rely on more protein and fat with most carbs coming veg, fruit, that kind of thing and in that regard it will be more satiating for sure, which is basically caused by the thermic effect of the change in food types. I've consumed about 25-30% of my calories from carbs for about the last 5 years, and it was a no brainer for me, worked perfectly asw far as reducing my cravings for sugar, hense the ease of compliance......everyone is different, so you need to see how it goes.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I think lowER carb is a good idea. Since you already eat healthy grains in moderation, if you trade some of the fruit for vegetables you'll likely get there without many other changes to your diet.

    I have been successful and I eat fruit, but not a lot of it. Usually just 5-7 pieces of fruit per week. I just prefer the taste of vegetables over fruit.
  • steffiejoe
    steffiejoe Posts: 313 Member
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    In my opinion 155 is not considered a LC diet.
    I have read that Ketosis generally ceases above 30 carbs.
    My SO saw results doing 100 carbs per day but he never diets so this maybe why he lost weight at the level.

    I started off doing 20-30 carbs for 30 days and lost over 15 pounds. My fat was also low doing this month. Now I do high fat and keep my carbs around 30-40 per day and i have still been losing but at a slower rate. This is working better for me, cause I feel so much better.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I roughly do the 40/30/30 thing. But I eat fruit and sugar. I put straight, real sugar in my coffee (and my protein shakes).
  • shagybear33
    shagybear33 Posts: 272
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    Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise is an excellent Lower Carb and low sugar system. Works really well.


    :smile:
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,021 Member
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    In my opinion 155 is not considered a LC diet.
    I have read that Ketosis generally ceases above 30 carbs.
    My SO saw results doing 100 carbs per day but he never diets so this maybe why he lost weight at the level.

    I started off doing 20-30 carbs for 30 days and lost over 15 pounds. My fat was also low doing this month. Now I do high fat and keep my carbs around 30-40 per day and i have still been losing but at a slower rate. This is working better for me, cause I feel so much better.

    Ketosis is considered a VLCD not a LCD. Also 30g's is not science for ketosis simply because some people can be in ketosis with 100 g's, so can varies.
  • Timdog57
    Timdog57 Posts: 102 Member
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    My current approach, which is working very well for me, is this:

    - I set my target for carbs at 100g per day (whatever percentage that works out to be)
    - I set my protien intake between .8g-1g per day, per pound of lean mass (whatever percentage that works out to be)
    - The fat goal is what's left over after I've set the other two.

    Right now this means:

    1440 calories per day
    Carb= 100g = 400 calories
    Protien= (LBM= 166lb| .8*166= 133g) 155g (between 133g and 166g) = 620 calories
    Fat= 1440-400-620= 420 calories (47g)

    I have basically cut out all grains, and white potatoes. I eat a fair bit of sweet potato, some fruit (especially berries), and the occaisonal splurdge (pizza, bread, etc). All of that means I'm eating mostly meat and veggies (which means I'm trending towards Paleo), and makes it very easy for me to stay under 100g of carbs per day. With this approach the fat has just been flying off of me, and I'm not going into ketosis or having difficulty staying with my approach.
  • steffiejoe
    steffiejoe Posts: 313 Member
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    In my opinion 155 is not considered a LC diet.
    I have read that Ketosis generally ceases above 30 carbs.
    My SO saw results doing 100 carbs per day but he never diets so this maybe why he lost weight at the level.

    I started off doing 20-30 carbs for 30 days and lost over 15 pounds. My fat was also low doing this month. Now I do high fat and keep my carbs around 30-40 per day and i have still been losing but at a slower rate. This is working better for me, cause I feel so much better.

    Ketosis is considered a VLCD not a LCD. Also 30g's is not science for ketosis simply because some people can be in ketosis with 100 g's, so can varies.

    I agree.
    My SO used one of my Ketone strips while intaking 100 carbs and the strip indicated ketones in his urine. So it varies from person to person. Good points.
  • brit49
    brit49 Posts: 461 Member
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    Here we go post on low carbs always turn nasty, Anyway I cut my carbs a little and I started to lose weight, It not has low as South Beach or some other low carb diet, Under 100 some days 50-60 most days. It might help.
  • Timdog57
    Timdog57 Posts: 102 Member
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    Here we go post on low carbs always turn nasty, Anyway I cut my carbs a little and I started to lose weight, It not has low as South Beach or some other low carb diet, Under 100 some days 50-60 most days. It might help.

    What did I miss??? Did this turn nasty???
  • brit49
    brit49 Posts: 461 Member
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    Here we go post on low carbs always turn nasty, Anyway I cut my carbs a little and I started to lose weight, It not has low as South Beach or some other low carb diet, Under 100 some days 50-60 most days. It might help.

    What did I miss??? Did this turn nasty???






    We will see!! Hope not

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