low carbs high protein

I started out at about 225 lbs, and just started eating about a third of my usual fare. After about 30 lbs lost, I learned my cholesterol was still high: LDL 152, so I dug into oat bran/meal/flour, flax seed meal, whole grains, fruits and veggies, and dropped another 20 lbs. My LDL as of five months ago was at 138, so the diet seems to be working.

I just started 30 carbs, 35 fat, 35 protein because it seems to be comfortable for me, and in the past few days, my weight is starting to drop again. I exercise, usually on my recumbent stationary bike (and do some dumb bell work at the same time with 5 pounders), about 60 minutes / day, plus other calorie burning activities varied, such as dragon boat racing, racquetball, etc. I'll go in again soon for another lipid test to see how the cholesterol is doing.

I'm 57, female, and athletic. Will these food percentages hurt me?

I so agree! And that has been what's made the difference for me. I eat very high quality carbs and fats.

This is all interesting. I'm leaning more and more into the belief that the human body was not meant to thrive on wheat products and grains. When I cut out grains and processed foods, my heartburn went away completely within 2 weeks. I had heartburn that would wake me up at least twice every night. Now I sleep completely through the night, getting about 6-7 hours, and feel refreshed, when I used to crash about 2 pm every afternoon and want a nap.

Exactly the same for me - I cut carbs way down and the chronic heart burn disappeared. NADA. No more Prilosec. There are people around the world that exist just fine without any carbs to not worry about restricting them to some fictitious number someone on the BB claims you need to use (certainly not an MFP guideline number).

Anyone see 60 minutes tonight talking about the issues with sugars? Check it out on the web if you missed it. Pretty interesting. Also have the mandatory interview with the "sugar grower" that disputes and reverts to the "eat balanced" approach, which, as we all saw when the food pyramid was re-done in the last 10 years - simply means the food industries that have the most lobby money get included in the name of "eating balanced."

Short answer to the original question "what do you use for energy on a low/no carb diet" ...FAT.

Long answer: The body has 2 metabolic states. you either burn sugar or you convert fat to a usable source of energy. It can't do both at the same time. one or the other. If there are carbs/sugar in your system your body will use it for fuel until it's gone. once it's gone your body switches into producing the chemicals needed to use fat as energy. This process is painful! Your body convinces itself it is starving even if your eating tons of fats and protein, because your shocking it. You go through withdrawal symptoms. You are lethargic and fatigued. You are moody. along with many other unpleasant things. It's not easy to go through the switch, but once you are their, you will find you are hungry less often, your mind is clearer than ever before, your stamina and energy levels increase, and any excess weight falls off. This is because the body burns fat more efficiently and evenly than carbs...you don't have high bursts of energy like carbs can give you, but you have a more efficient and constant source for more stamina. But you have to be willing to push through the process of your body adjusting.

I'm 33 and I've been over 300lbs since about 25. I could hardly move...I felt like life was over. I spent about 3 weeks completely cutting out carbs a year ago...forcing myself to get through the change, I lost 40 lbs in those 3 weeks! NO exercise and eating a ton of everything but carbs. At the end of that I had so much energy I was bursting! I started riding a bike 7 miles every day as an outlet for the energy. I was able to remember things better than I had in years. I was sleeping better. I felt better than I did in my 20s. I kept this up for most of last year and lost 70lbs. however, I slowly began to fall off the wagon grabbing a subway sandwich for lunch or eating pasta for dinner (which I think is fine as long as it stays in moderation), but slowly I fell back into a mostly carb diet, and slowly began to feel the way I used to...and after having lost 70lbs I put about 15 back on. So now, I'm going through the processing of switching again...which sucks! But I'm a week in and finally feeling like I might be coming out on the other side. lost 10 of those 15 lbs just in this week! The body stores several lbs of carbs in the organs for use when you don't take in enough...so when you force it to burn through that energy store you can lose quite a bit of weight quickly at first.

I would encourage you...don't let your body tell your mind your starving...push through. And don't make the mistake of NOT eating fat. If you get your body switched your brain NEEDS you to take in fat...even if you have plenty already stored on you! :-) If you don't get enough fats you will become fatigued because the body can't convert stored fat fast enough. This is the mistake many naysayers of the low carb diet make.

BUMP--to read later because I am actually thinking of doing the CKD!!!