low carb and calorie is it possible??

jaxandmaksmom
jaxandmaksmom Posts: 262 Member
edited December 20 in Health and Weight Loss
i am just wondering if i am a dreamer here.. i know that carbs are my enemy... and i know i want to be low cal... so i have 1760 calories a day before exercise.. but i want to be low carb too..

has anyone done this and any tips
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Replies

  • BigDaddyBRC
    BigDaddyBRC Posts: 2,395 Member
    Remove this thought from your head - CARBS ARE THE ENEMY.

    Your body NEEDS carbohydrates in order to function. It is better to consume complex carbs than simple (refined) carbs.
  • Chood5
    Chood5 Posts: 259 Member
    Your body NEEDS carbohydrates in order to function.

    you sure about that?
  • cbbn11
    cbbn11 Posts: 121 Member
    Remove this thought from your head - CARBS ARE THE ENEMY.

    Your body NEEDS carbohydrates in order to function. It is better to consume complex carbs than simple (refined) carbs.

    ^^^ This

    Also your brain requires 130g of Fresh carbs everyday to function properly. Your brain is the only organ in your body that can not survive off of stored fats.
  • nichalsont
    nichalsont Posts: 421 Member
    There are good carbs and there are bad carbs. As long as your carbs are from fresh fruit and vegetables, don't worry about it. Now, if your carbs are coming from Fruit Loops and Twinkies, then you can worry. :smile:
  • caiialily
    caiialily Posts: 28
    Remove this thought from your head - CARBS ARE THE ENEMY.

    Your body NEEDS carbohydrates in order to function. It is better to consume complex carbs than simple (refined) carbs.

    This.

    Carbs are NOT the enemy. Excess is the enemy.
  • dragonfly__
    dragonfly__ Posts: 172 Member
    Any success I have had with limit carbs has only been temporary, and not only did I lose weight I also lost all of my energy as well. Low carb is hard to live with, it is more of a fad and not a realistic long term healthy habit. Like the PP said limit refined carbs and focus are whole grains, fruits, and veg. Carbs are our main source of energy and our friend.
  • gauchogirl
    gauchogirl Posts: 467 Member
    I eat low carb and high(er) calorie (1800-2100) with no problem. I follow a paleo food lifestyle, so that naturally is lower carb. Not "low-carb" like Atkins, but I am usually under 60g a day of carbs, which all come from veggies and some fruit. Not afraid of them at all, but that's just about where I end up...
  • malins2
    malins2 Posts: 154 Member
    i am just wondering if i am a dreamer here.. i know that carbs are my enemy... and i know i want to be low cal... so i have 1760 calories a day before exercise.. but i want to be low carb too..

    has anyone done this and any tips
    It can be done but how low do you want to go on the carbs?
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    Remove this thought from your head - CARBS ARE THE ENEMY.

    Your body NEEDS carbohydrates in order to function. It is better to consume complex carbs than simple (refined) carbs.

    Correct.. its the type of consumed carbohydrate that is the thing to think about.

    To the OP: If you have any medical conditions that warrant a low-carb intake, you should go back to the diagnosing provider and have he/she determine what your macros should be set at. (If they have that additional education)...

    If its a matter of personal choice... yes it can be done but it does require some research into the right types of fresh foods.

    Ive been watching my intake now for almost a year due to medical problems... For me, I did find it easy except removing pasta - that took a couple weeks to phase out for myself...

    Matter of fact, I have a freshly smoked pork butt sitting on my stove resting right now, a big honkin' huge salad with a fresh-made full fat dressing using olive oil, champagne vinegar, herbs and seasonings with fresh lime zest and juice... The pork butt is so huge I could probably feed a family of 6 with it to be honest! LOL!! But I have plans for making other types of meals with it though... leftovers for other meals is awesome!
  • Fitfortat
    Fitfortat Posts: 47
    Carbs are not your enemy, your body does need them to function. For the most part I restrict mine to before noon, such as whole wheat bagel thin for breakfast, but if once or twice a week I want a potato or pasta I have it!! Just control your portions and try for whole grain. Good luck!
  • shani251
    shani251 Posts: 145 Member
    I eat low carb and high(er) calorie (1800-2100) with no problem. I follow a paleo food lifestyle, so that naturally is lower carb. Not "low-carb" like Atkins, but I am usually under 60g a day of carbs, which all come from veggies and some fruit. Not afraid of them at all, but that's just about where I end up...

    me too - Paleo here and i have had a lot of success and boundless energy. Give it a shot and see how you feel, it's not for everybody, but gosh i never want to go back!
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    I eat low carb and high(er) calorie (1800-2100) with no problem. I follow a paleo food lifestyle, so that naturally is lower carb. Not "low-carb" like Atkins, but I am usually under 60g a day of carbs, which all come from veggies and some fruit. Not afraid of them at all, but that's just about where I end up...

    me too - Paleo here and i have had a lot of success and boundless energy. Give it a shot and see how you feel, it's not for everybody, but gosh i never want to go back!

    same here, only I'm primal (it's paleo's dairy-friendly little brother). Feel free to watch my diary. I follow my hunger cues. Some days I eat a crap ton of food, others barely anything.
  • gauchogirl
    gauchogirl Posts: 467 Member
    Remove this thought from your head - CARBS ARE THE ENEMY.

    Your body NEEDS carbohydrates in order to function. It is better to consume complex carbs than simple (refined) carbs.

    ^^^ This

    Also your brain requires 130g of Fresh carbs everyday to function properly. Your brain is the only organ in your body that can not survive off of stored fats.

    Not true at all. Even the IOM states:
    The lower limit of dietary carbohydrate compatible with life apparently is zero, provided that adequate amounts of protein and fat are consumed. […] There are traditional populations that ingested a high fat, high protein diet containing only a minimal amount of carbohydrate for extended periods of time (Masai), and in some cases for a lifetime after infancy (Alaska and Greenland Natives, Inuits, and Pampas indigenous people). There was no apparent effect on health or longevity. Caucasians eating an essentially carbohydrate-free diet, resembling that of Greenland natives, for a year tolerated the diet quite well. (6)

    Would it make sense, evolutionarily speaking, if the one thing necessary to find us food (our brains) could ONLY work if it found 130g of "fresh carbs" each and every day? No.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    Just worry about getting enough protein and you'll naturally eat less carbohydrates.

    My goals are 40/30/30, and if I get enough protein, the carbs kind of take care of themselves. I'm on 1500-2000 a day. 1500 gives me 150/50/113. 113 of protein means I have to make a concerted effort to hit that goal. I usually end up around 100 for carbs. Fats I don't worry if I go over. 50g of fat is tough for me to stick to and still get in my other tracked nutrients, so the cals from nuts and cheeses and avocado don't really concern me a lot.


    :grumble: edit
  • gauchogirl
    gauchogirl Posts: 467 Member
    I eat low carb and high(er) calorie (1800-2100) with no problem. I follow a paleo food lifestyle, so that naturally is lower carb. Not "low-carb" like Atkins, but I am usually under 60g a day of carbs, which all come from veggies and some fruit. Not afraid of them at all, but that's just about where I end up...

    me too - Paleo here and i have had a lot of success and boundless energy. Give it a shot and see how you feel, it's not for everybody, but gosh i never want to go back!

    Me too! I can't even say "I feel like when I was 20" because I have NEVER felt this way before, so I can't even compare it to some other time. I have NEVER felt better.
  • crimsontech
    crimsontech Posts: 234 Member
    Yes, it is possible. Stick to low-fat proteins like very lean beef, chicken, and pork. Low fat cheeses. When you go low-carb, you won't be as hungry after the first few days so you will have no trouble sticking to your low calories.

    You will definitely feel like crap the first several days and you won't have as much energy, but you can lose a lot of weight while doing it.

    I did a low-carb, very low calorie diet (500-800 calories a day) under a doctor's supervision for a few weeks through a weight loss clinic. My fiance has been on low carb for about 3 months now and has lost about 30 pounds. I lost 12 pounds in a week in my first week of low-carb, and was losing 5-7 pounds a week after that. I ended up quitting the program partly due to the expense and partly because I was tired of changing my whole lifestyle around not being able to eat carbs, mostly related to social situations where they wanted to go to restaurants where I wouldn't be able to eat anything.

    If my current tactic doesn't break my plateau, I'm considering trying some other techniques like carb tapering, where you eat most of your carbs early in the day, and by dinnertime, you don't eat any so that there aren't a lot of carbs in your bloodstream, ready to be stored as fat.

    It's all about what works for you, and even that has to change once in a while. After 5 months of 1000-1500 calorie daily deficit, my weight loss completely stopped and has been that way for 6 weeks. I'm currently trying to boost my metabolism back up by having a 0-500 calorie deficit for a couple of weeks.

    Good luck!
  • gauchogirl
    gauchogirl Posts: 467 Member
    I eat low carb and high(er) calorie (1800-2100) with no problem. I follow a paleo food lifestyle, so that naturally is lower carb. Not "low-carb" like Atkins, but I am usually under 60g a day of carbs, which all come from veggies and some fruit. Not afraid of them at all, but that's just about where I end up...

    me too - Paleo here and i have had a lot of success and boundless energy. Give it a shot and see how you feel, it's not for everybody, but gosh i never want to go back!

    same here, only I'm primal (it's paleo's dairy-friendly little brother). Feel free to watch my diary. I follow my hunger cues. Some days I eat a crap ton of food, others barely anything.

    What's paleo's cupcake-friendly little brother? I want to be that! Just kidding, I must fall in the middle because I'm about 80/20 paleo with the 20 including a small amount of dairy and the rare occasional french fry or hashbrown. Or tub of Ben and Jerry's. Just kidding. Well, kinda.
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    I've been doing low carb/calorie for almost 7 months. Perfectly easy to do and I don't ever feel deprived. Yes, the cake at work sometimes looks yummy but I don't need it so I have my snack.

    I never felt like crap, never have been low on energy and never been more irritable then usual. :-)

    Try it for yourself and see if you like it. Don't take someone's advice because you are not them.
  • tabithaanne
    tabithaanne Posts: 38
    There are good carbs and there are bad carbs. As long as your carbs are from fresh fruit and vegetables, don't worry about it. Now, if your carbs are coming from Fruit Loops and Twinkies, then you can worry. :smile:

    Exactly.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    I eat low carb and high(er) calorie (1800-2100) with no problem. I follow a paleo food lifestyle, so that naturally is lower carb. Not "low-carb" like Atkins, but I am usually under 60g a day of carbs, which all come from veggies and some fruit. Not afraid of them at all, but that's just about where I end up...

    me too - Paleo here and i have had a lot of success and boundless energy. Give it a shot and see how you feel, it's not for everybody, but gosh i never want to go back!

    same here, only I'm primal (it's paleo's dairy-friendly little brother). Feel free to watch my diary. I follow my hunger cues. Some days I eat a crap ton of food, others barely anything.

    What's paleo's cupcake-friendly little brother? I want to be that! Just kidding, I must fall in the middle because I'm about 80/20 paleo with the 20 including a small amount of dairy and the rare occasional french fry or hashbrown. Or tub of Ben and Jerry's. Just kidding. Well, kinda.

    If you're consuming dairy, but are otherwise Paleo, you're actually Primal. Just call yourself Primal. It has an 80/20 rule. Paleo, to my knowledge is pretty strict. No sugar, no dairy, no fun. Primal is more relaxed and allows some natural sugars and dairy.
  • jaxandmaksmom
    jaxandmaksmom Posts: 262 Member
    THANKS EVERYONE....

    i think i should edit in.. i dont plan to stop eating fruit and veggies i plan to get my carbs strictly from that... i just know that i have bread or pasta and i am bloated sick and feel just gross.. so i am hoping that if i go low carb but stay low calorie i can..

    what is paleo or whatever people are talking about
  • peasantgirly
    peasantgirly Posts: 173 Member

    Also your brain requires 130g of Fresh carbs everyday to function properly. Your brain is the only organ in your body that can not survive off of stored fats.

    Tell that to the Inuit. And look up " gluconeogenesis".

    Education. It's a wonderful thing.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    i am just wondering if i am a dreamer here.. i know that carbs are my enemy... and i know i want to be low cal... so i have 1760 calories a day before exercise.. but i want to be low carb too..

    has anyone done this and any tips

    That's pretty much my profile right now. 30g carbs a day mostly from leafy greens and around 1800 calories (5ft 10" maie, about 85kg). Been doing it for a couple of months, feel fantastic and energised. As opposed to the same calorie limit going 'low fat'. I could probably do with upping the calories but I feel good right now so on we go.

    Once you get through the adapting period and your body burns fat in preference to glucose (as it has always wanted to do, genetically) it's a revelation. I won't go into the whys, there are plenty of books and videos referenced on my blog :)

    Tips? Eat lots of filling nutritious food ... Eggs, meat, fish, cheese, nuts, leafy veggies. Avoid grains and watch for hidden sugar in processed food. Come to that, avoid processed food.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Remove this thought from your head - CARBS ARE THE ENEMY.

    Your body NEEDS carbohydrates in order to function. It is better to consume complex carbs than simple (refined) carbs.

    ^^^ This

    Also your brain requires 130g of Fresh carbs everyday to function properly. Your brain is the only organ in your body that can not survive off of stored fats.

    Fresh carbs? Oh dear ...

    Once adapted to not being primarily a glucose-burner the body (i.e. the liver) will quite happily synthesise the little glucose the brain needs for optimal function.

    Go read some books on metabolism before trotting out the same tired myths.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    Remove this thought from your head - CARBS ARE THE ENEMY.

    Your body NEEDS carbohydrates in order to function. It is better to consume complex carbs than simple (refined) carbs.

    Correct.. its the type of consumed carbohydrate that is the thing to think about.

    To the OP: If you have any medical conditions that warrant a low-carb intake, you should go back to the diagnosing provider and have he/she determine what your macros should be set at. (If they have that additional education)...

    If its a matter of personal choice... yes it can be done but it does require some research into the right types of fresh foods.

    Ive been watching my intake now for almost a year due to medical problems... For me, I did find it easy except removing pasta - that took a couple weeks to phase out for myself...

    Matter of fact, I have a freshly smoked pork butt sitting on my stove resting right now, a big honkin' huge salad with a fresh-made full fat dressing using olive oil, champagne vinegar, herbs and seasonings with fresh lime zest and juice... The pork butt is so huge I could probably feed a family of 6 with it to be honest! LOL!! But I have plans for making other types of meals with it though... leftovers for other meals is awesome!

    Your dinner made my mouth water LOL.
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
    How do you know that carbs are your enemy?
    Just curious, trying to help. :smile:
  • TheDudette
    TheDudette Posts: 173 Member
    I tried low-carb once, and I will never do it again. Among other things I had the stinkiest breath ever, EVER!!! I am particularly conscious of it now when I meet other low-carbers and I have met a few with a similar problem. True story. Not at all saying it will happen to you, just saying. :ohwell:
  • lovelee79
    lovelee79 Posts: 362
    THANKS EVERYONE....

    i think i should edit in.. i dont plan to stop eating fruit and veggies i plan to get my carbs strictly from that... i just know that i have bread or pasta and i am bloated sick and feel just gross.. so i am hoping that if i go low carb but stay low calorie i can..

    what is paleo or whatever people are talking about

    Yes, you can be low carb and low cal.
    I am following the Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. http://www.marksdailyapple.com
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/a-metabolic-paradigm-shift-fat-carbs-human-body-metabolism/#axzz1wBo41QDA

    I aim for 100 grams or less of carbs per day, and I try to eat around at my TDEE - 20%. The best part about not eating the refined carbs like bread and pasta, is that I'm not bloated and sick anymore, I feel really great :) I eat a ton of veggies, and most fruits, lots of protein and good fats, and I'm always full now. YAY !!!
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member

    Also your brain requires 130g of Fresh carbs everyday to function properly. Your brain is the only organ in your body that can not survive off of stored fats.

    Tell that to the Inuit. And look up " gluconeogenesis".

    Education. It's a wonderful thing.

    What does gluconeogenesis produce?

    As you said "Education. It's a wonderful thing."
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    THANKS EVERYONE....

    i think i should edit in.. i dont plan to stop eating fruit and veggies i plan to get my carbs strictly from that... i just know that i have bread or pasta and i am bloated sick and feel just gross.. so i am hoping that if i go low carb but stay low calorie i can..

    what is paleo or whatever people are talking about

    paleo/primal sounds the way to go for you then! Both are gluten/grain free. Also they exclude legumes. Paleo excludes sugar. Primal allows some natural sugars. Paleo does not allow dairy. Primal encourages full fat dairy as long as you can tolerate it.
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