Low carb diet

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Annadel
Annadel Posts: 146 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have a hit a major plateau since last few months. I am excersing decent, eat decent. I do so many crunches, not much change in my lower abs. Same saggy and poochy.
I am thinking of going on a low carb diet for 3 weeks where I completely elimate potatoes( I do eat them sparingly), rice etc.,
Is that worth a try or will changing things up won't take me off my plateau. Need to lose about 10 lbs to see my abs! I am 5'3, 122 lbs. 31 yrs.

Replies

  • Morgan803
    Morgan803 Posts: 56 Member
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    Definately thats what i have been doing for the last couple of weeks and have gotten great success i just feel less bloated in general. I only eat grains, bread, rice ect. at dinner and only lean meats, protein, fruits and vegetables during the day.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    It's the water being released from the body due to low carb. Burning fat simply requires a moderate calorie deficit. If you've plateau'd then you need to re-evaluate your TDEE (maintenance calories), and how much you're eating also ensuring you get your minimum protein macro requirements based on your lean body mass.

    You CAN do a low-carb diet (cycle) to get rid of the excess water weight, but it's not a magical formula and it has no metabolic advantage over a normal diet.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,017 Member
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    It's the water being released from the body due to low carb. Burning fat simply requires a moderate calorie deficit. If you've plateau'd then you need to re-evaluate your TDEE (maintenance calories), and how much you're eating also ensuring you get your minimum protein macro requirements based on your lean body mass.

    You CAN do a low-carb diet (cycle) to get rid of the excess water weight, but it's not a magical formula and it has no metabolic advantage over a normal diet.
    This.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    It's the water being released from the body due to low carb. Burning fat simply requires a moderate calorie deficit. If you've plateau'd then you need to re-evaluate your TDEE (maintenance calories), and how much you're eating also ensuring you get your minimum protein macro requirements based on your lean body mass.

    You CAN do a low-carb diet (cycle) to get rid of the excess water weight, but it's not a magical formula and it has no metabolic advantage over a normal diet.

    ^ This.

    Wouldn't it be easier to just re-evaluate your intake rather than eliminating foods that you might enjoy?
  • rachmaree
    rachmaree Posts: 782 Member
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    It's the water being released from the body due to low carb. Burning fat simply requires a moderate calorie deficit. If you've plateau'd then you need to re-evaluate your TDEE (maintenance calories), and how much you're eating also ensuring you get your minimum protein macro requirements based on your lean body mass.

    You CAN do a low-carb diet (cycle) to get rid of the excess water weight, but it's not a magical formula and it has no metabolic advantage over a normal diet.
    This.

    ^^yup^^
  • boopsiegrl
    boopsiegrl Posts: 105 Member
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    I have cut out the sugar potatos starchy vegs and white rice flour lost on it very well the cravings for food stops and swelling goes down. give it a try
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    I am thinking of going on a low carb diet for 3 weeks where I completely elimate potatoes

    Go for it. The first week will be the toughest and you'll need to up your salt a couple of grams a day to keep up with the diuretic effect, at least if you go below about 50g carbs per day.

    If you revert to carbs some of the water weight lost will go back on.
  • KatyBugs1724
    KatyBugs1724 Posts: 74
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    go for it. you'll lose lots of water weight that could be covering your abs AND a couple days-1 week into it, your cravings go way down! I find that when I'm eating a lot of carbs, I eat more calories too because (for me) they fill me up for about an hour, even super high fiber carbs etc, and then I'm hungry again, craving more carbs and sugar, and end up eating way more. I'll still let myself eat grains occasionally, but only at dinner (which I know is backwards of what most people would tell you) or else I'm craving them all day. And I let msyelf have Fridays (kinda) off. If I've been good that week, I'll let myself have something that I wanted all week on Friday. Last night I had ice cream :)
  • martinah4
    martinah4 Posts: 583 Member
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    You don't have to go drastically low carbs...just try eliminating the carbs from processed and refined foods, also potatoes and rice. Drink plenty of water. Get the majority of your carbs from veggies.
    I would suggest doing it for at least a month. The first week you will get fatigued and head-achy (the "carb flu"), but it will pass. Also, the first few days will almost certainly be a loss of water weight. But, if you do it correctly, after that you'll begin to lose fat.
  • Annadel
    Annadel Posts: 146 Member
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    Thanks for awesome encouraging input! I am starting today!

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