hard kick to the weight loss Low Carb Approach. Thoughts?

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linochka1969
linochka1969 Posts: 136 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been 50 days on MFP, and my weight loss is barely 13 lbs. It seems once I dropped 10 lbs first month, my weight loss turned into a slow moving turtle. I do exercise 6 times a week, including TF prep and walk( walking fast and sometime run a little) at least 2 times a week from 20 to 45 min. I am set at 1200 and I try to eat most of my exercise calories. I eat every two hours, eat healthy with occasional “screw driver” splurges on Saturdays still staying within my calorie limit, always try to choose low carb solutions when I choose my food.
I want to give a hard kick to my weight loss, so was thinking tryning for a week to 20- 30 carb diet.
Thoughts? Experiences?
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Replies

  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    My thoughts are that your expectations are off. Your current plan is working.
  • lforner46
    lforner46 Posts: 103 Member
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    I did Atkins diet years ago and lost 4 lbs in 2 weeks and gained it back the minute I had a bowl of pasta. I would go to the "eat more to weigh less" group - you might not be eating enough with all of the exercise you are doing.

    I am like you - 5 lbs the first month - now only 1 to 2 lbs per month but at least its coming off. Slow is better from what I've heard.
  • linochka1969
    linochka1969 Posts: 136 Member
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    since 6/06 I have lost like 1 1/2 lbs. How is it working?
  • bluebird321
    bluebird321 Posts: 732 Member
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    It looks like you are already doing a good job, but there is nothing wrong with experimenting to see what works or doesn't work for you.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    since 6/06 I have lost like 1 1/2 lbs. How is it working?

    Weight loss is non linear. You shouldn't expect to lose at a static pace and moreover, you had a great loss the previous month without (presumably) making any drastic changes since then.

    Keep doing what you are doing and be patient. That's my opinion on this anyways.
  • mewaybright
    mewaybright Posts: 240 Member
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    If you are set up to lose a pound or half a pound a week that is about doable unless you are grossly overweight in which case the initial weight will fall off faster than you can calculate it. It took me almost 8 months to lose 35 pounds and I was doing 1600 calories a day and P90X the entire time. That figures up to a little over 4 pounds a month.
  • linochka1969
    linochka1969 Posts: 136 Member
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    It is Slow :explode: :sad:
  • kathyc609
    kathyc609 Posts: 258 Member
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    i do 20-30 carbs all basically from berries yogurt and veggies and i lost it all quickly. I dont eat any breads or pasta or anything with added sugar and have never felt better. It's been almost 8 months now and i dont see myself going back. wishing u success!
  • Mira710
    Mira710 Posts: 194 Member
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    since 6/06 I have lost like 1 1/2 lbs. How is it working?

    I workout six days a week and eat 1200-1500 calories per day (so kinda close to what you do). I've been tracking my progress in an excel spreadsheet. I noticed that I lost a bunch in the beginning, then I went down to losing 0-.5 pounds per week (for like a month), then went back to losing 1-1.5 pounds per week. Like Sidesteal said, weight loss isn't linear. Just keep doing what you are doing and eventually the weight will come off. BTW- 1.5 pounds in 3 weeks is an average of .5 pounds per week. That's a good amount to lose in a week. Good luck! :smile:
  • linochka1969
    linochka1969 Posts: 136 Member
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    Makes sense.
  • lesle1
    lesle1 Posts: 354 Member
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    I just looked at your profile. 13 pounds is great! Weight loss takes time. I'd up my exercise before I cut back on carbs. I did have to cut back on bread. I still have a sandwich or two... but I could eat 6 or more slices a day. I love bread. I also have a problem with sweets (my daughter keeps bringing ice cream into the house). I love ice cream. I'm sad. I was texting one of my running buddies last night. We were both eating ice cream and looking at weight loss forums. What a way to spend the evening! And I'd just swam almost 2 hours. So much for the swim. : )

    I don't know what to tell you about carbs. I love my carbs. I need them or I'd conk out during my runs. I really think 1200 calories isn't enough. When I first started losing I was taking in 1500-1900 calories. I snack all day. Love those Luna bars! I try to keep those to 1 a day. : ) I've gotta have my oranges, too. I crave them. For me I didn't see much weight loss until I made myself get active an hour a day. I had to have that hour. It helped that I got that happy feel good feeling when I got in an hour. If it was less I didn't get that feeling for the rest of the day. So I craved that activity. To get that better feeling I had to push harder as my workout got easier. If you get the right amount of activity you won't believe how it effects the rest of your day!

    I can pretty much eat what I want now. I do try to watch it some because of how it effects my running. If I eat ice cream or have diet sodas it makes me sluggish when it comes to running. I won't eat ice cream when I have a race coming up. I need to get more picky because I'm trying to get some muscle definition. I love how my back is starting to look from all the swimming. Soooo, I really really really need to quit the ice cream and pizza. : ) I like kidney beans, rice and corn the days before racing. Oatmeal in the mornings with my orange or banana. Make sure you drink a lot of water.

    This lady went to a Health and Fitness Bloggers Conference and wrote about it in her blog. I thought she had some good information. http://www.shutupandrun.net/
  • lesle1
    lesle1 Posts: 354 Member
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    since 6/06 I have lost like 1 1/2 lbs. How is it working?

    I workout six days a week and eat 1200-1500 calories per day (so kinda close to what you do). I've been tracking my progress in an excel spreadsheet. I noticed that I lost a bunch in the beginning, then I went down to losing 0-.5 pounds per week (for like a month), then went back to losing 1-1.5 pounds per week. Like Sidesteal said, weight loss isn't linear. Just keep doing what you are doing and eventually the weight will come off. BTW- 1.5 pounds in 3 weeks is an average of .5 pounds per week. That's a good amount to lose in a week. Good luck! :smile:

    Weight loss will fluctuate. Some weeks I'd lose nothing. Then it would show up as a 3-5 pound loss a couple weeks later. Just keep going. Listen to your body and stay active. The weight will come off!
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
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    Looking at your profile pic you aren't very big, so to be honest you shouldn't expect to lose more than .5 a week. The closer you get to goal weight the SLOWER it comes off, especially if you want it to come off, stay off and stay healthy.
  • rotill
    rotill Posts: 244 Member
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    Do you measure yourself (neck, waist, hip), as well as go by weight? You may be gaining muscle, and so be firming up, while the weight stalls.
  • linochka1969
    linochka1969 Posts: 136 Member
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    Do you measure yourself (neck, waist, hip), as well as go by weight? You may be gaining muscle, and so be firming up, while the weight stalls.

    I do. Since I started TF prep ( 4 weeks ago), my waist line went down about 1 1/2 inch, and hips about 2 inches, but nowhere else.
  • Dayquasar
    Dayquasar Posts: 182 Member
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    I think everyone has different dietary needs, I go over on carbs all the time and still lose weight, I am 5'4 and just lost a pound and half and I am now at 116lbs, I am working on strengthening the muscle I have and losing fat until I find out my body fat % then I will start working on getting more muscle. I also think it depends on what your eating, I eat mostly plant based and stay away from most processed foods and fast food. If I got all my carbs from pasta in a day yeah that would be bad but I don't, I get it from whole grains, sprouted grains, and fruits etc. Don't be afraid of carbs they are fuel, make sure you are still getting enough and from the right source even if you need to keep it lower for your body. Also maybe change your weight loss goal to 1/2 or 1 lb per week. I've noticed people like this the most and it seems to stay off better. I believe what we put into our bodies is more important than we realize. Also I hear you cannot gain muscle on a calorie deficit only strengthen the ones you have which is good, it tells your body to keep them because you use them. Add me if you like :) hope this helps in some way.
  • 10acity
    10acity Posts: 798 Member
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    My thoughts are that your expectations are off. Your current plan is working.

    Agree with Sidesteal. I started this thing in earnest back in February, and to date have lost 17 lbs. Would faster/more be great? Of course. But I'm happy with my progress because I know it is in direct proportion to my effort. Patience, grasshopper!
  • linochka1969
    linochka1969 Posts: 136 Member
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    I don't disagree with anybody here, but sometimes it feels a little disappointing when you see people loosing 50lbs in 5 months
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    since 6/06 I have lost like 1 1/2 lbs. How is it working?

    Weight loss is non linear. You shouldn't expect to lose at a static pace and moreover, you had a great loss the previous month without (presumably) making any drastic changes since then.

    Keep doing what you are doing and be patient. That's my opinion on this anyways.

    I totally agree with this. It is fairly typical for weight loss to slow after an initial drop. One thing to bear in mind should you opt to try low carb is that you will initially drop some water weight. This water weight will come back when you eat carbs again. Low carb can be appropriate for some to jump start a stall or lose some stubborn pounds. But you are still losing. I'd stay the course. You've lost 1.5 lbs in 19 days. There is nothing wrong here that needs to be fixed.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    I don't disagree with anybody here, but sometimes it feels a little disappointing when you see people loosing 50lbs in 5 months

    There can be so much more to thier story than just that. They could have started grossly obsese. They could have lost those 50 in a less than healthy way. They could be one of the statistics that loses a bunch and then puts in back on...... and so on and so on.

    Run your own race. Comparing will make you crazy!! You didn't lose a lot of pounds but down 1.5 inches is awesome!! I understand the impatience but it's a marathon and not a sprint. Go for health and good weight for the long term.

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