What should I expect on a low carb diet? Help!

sarahkittymeow · May 2012

After complaining to my brother in law that I am not losing my fat as much as I want to on my diet (and that I didn't think it was the fault of my exercise plan because I do cardio and strength training, along with some more recently incorporated lifting almost every single day of the week), and he told me that the 1200 calorie plan that was generated for me by MFP was too high in carbs and too low in fat.

So, the only adjustment I have made in my diary is that I should only be consuming 60 grams of carbs a day, as that should be able to jump start my fat burning.

Not only is it extremely difficult so far to keep my carbs and sugars down, but I am now having the issue of going over on fats each day and almost never hitting calorie goal. This is, of course, because I am eating lots of meats (thus, over on fat) and lots more vegetables and raw foods (which is why I'm having trouble hitting calories, I just can't eat a ton).

Is the fact that these dietary shift are occurring going to put a big damper on my fat loss?

Also, I just wanted some tips/testimonials of how a low carb diet may have affected others, since this is my first time trying one.

Thanks!

wolfchild59 · May 2012

Personally (note - personally) - I don't lose on low carb. I've found that my best carb percentage is around 45% of my daily calories, more when I'm training for a race (but that's a given).

When I tried dropping to even just 30% carbs when I wasn't training, I actually gained. When I upped the carb percentage again, I lost again.

All the 30% carb range did for me was make me feel tired and grouchy. Both of which also went away when I was eating more carbs again.

Everyone is different though, so what worked/did work for me may be the complete opposite of your experiences. Just know that there is no one answer. Low carb/no carb/high carb, low fat/high fat, low protein/high protein, clean eating/calorie in vs calories out - there is no right one to pick out of any of them. There are studies and research that prove every single one of the diet options I listed work.

Ultimately, if you want to try something, give it a try. But stay strong and committed to the choice and stay with that choice for at least a month or two. Because a week or two isn't going to give you an answer as to if it's working or not. And if you set yourself at 60 grams of carbs, stick to that by making whatever changes you need to so you can really see if it's an effective choice or not.

Good luck on your journey, and I hope that you're able to find your path.

sarahkittymeow · May 2012

Ultimately, if you want to try something, give it a try. But stay strong and committed to the choice and stay with that choice for at least a month or two. Because a week or two isn't going to give you an answer as to if it's working or not. And if you set yourself at 60 grams of carbs, stick to that by making whatever changes you need to so you can really see if it's an effective choice or not.

Good luck on your journey, and I hope that you're able to find your path.

Thanks for the input! Yeah, I'm just giving it a try because he has a hunch it will help my body switch over into that fat burning mode instead of carb burning. And I hope it works but if it doesn't (or, if it does and I get to incorporate the carbs back into my diet) I'm not going to have a problem with that, especially since I love carbs, haha.

yarwell · May 2012

Firstly if you're going to do low carb it will take 2 weeks for you to adapt to it and get the benefit. Systems need to adapt to different fuel sources and you may find exercise a problem initially. Cardio is probably pointless on low carb, but if you're in love with it carry on. You may need to increase your salt intake due to the diuretic effect of low carb eating.

If you drop carbs to 60g (240 calories) you need to increase fats pro rata - if you eat 100g of protein (400 cals) then you're look at about 50% calories from fat. 80g of protein may well be enough for your size (320 calories) in which case over 50% is from oils and fats. I run at over 60% most days. Less carbs, more fat, same protein.

If you eat 60g of carbs and 20g of them are fiber you should become a fat burner rather than a sugar burner. Good luck - but give it time.

LavaRoushFiveOh · May 2012

I don't lose weight on low calorie very well. Low carb works very well, but if you fall off of the bandwagon and don't follow the plan you will gain all if not more weight back (ask me how I know that). You MUST follow the schedule through induction to maintenance. It does work very well. High protein, good fats, low bad carbs, high fiber. Years ago I followed a low carb schedule. I lost 30lbs in 30 days with minimal exercise.

I am doing that right now. I lost 7lbs between Monday and Wednesday. I lost so much because of how much I have been going to the gym and how intense my workouts are, but you can lose a staggering amount of weight if it works for you. Just make sure you get your vitamins as well. Take a multi vitamin. Get a book as well and do a lot of research. I started at 255.5 and on Wednesday night I was 248.5. I am 6ft 2in. Also, be careful on how fast you lose the weight. My Doc knows what I am doing and I started because I don't have any health problems besides being a bit plump. If you have some sort of heart condition or something that you don't know about or something else going on and you drop weight extremely fast it can be detrimental to your health.

For induction you will need to eat like 30g of carbs the first week. Again get a book or something before you delve into it. I am still keeping within my suggested calories on this site, not because I am trying to starve myself, but because I just eat until I am full. You also have to do it correctly by getting enough protein and good fats so your body does not start to burn muscle. Its purely supposed to be a fat burning diet, but if you do it wrong you can burn muscle, which is not good, or you can be nutrient deficient, hence the vitamins. I forgot to get vitamins when I first started so by Wednesday I felt pretty strange. I picked up a multi vitamin and I feel great today.

meldaniel · May 2012

If you eat lean meats and trim every bit of fat off before cooking you should be able to derive protein from cheese, greek yogurt, nuts, and protein shakes with skim w/out going over on fats. I eat a lot of shrimp, chicken breast, and once or twice a week flank steak (it is not as yummy as filet but much healthier). This allows me good fats like peanut butter, yogurt, avacados, nuts. I also use a tbsp of olive oil when I stir fry veggies. If you are working out, it is actually ok to go over on the fat some...as long as it is from good fats like these and not from nasty fats like fast food or butter. I have never felt better or seen more muscle/less fat than since I have been watching my macros so closely. I am now a true believer that the quality of the foods is EVERYTHING! I know now that when I used to do unhealthy diets I was losing a crapload of muscle...which is why after 10 years of that I became a "skinny-fat person". Ugh...it is so hard to stay beautiful! Ha!

SexyCook · May 2012

BUMPING!!!!

What should I expect on a low carb diet? Help!

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