LRLemon Member

Before and ALMOST after...got a ways to go.

At -50 lbs people started to notice.

At -30 lbs I got, “You look brighter.” At -50 is when people noticed I had lost weight. I think it is relative to proportion: losing 25 lbs when you start off at 200 is a much bigger proportion than losing 25 lbs when you start off at 300. This gives me hope: 10-lb increments will be noticeable as I get closer to goal…

MFP on my iPad goes back to my first entry in 2013. MFP on my computer only goes back one year.

I noticed that my carbs were raising slightly over time. I made a small change: record my foods BEFORE I eat them. This allowed me to swap out foods that were a little too many carbs. At the end of the day I am around 20 carbs rather than 30 carbs. Broke a 3-month stall this way.

Finally figured out that a very low-carb (<20g carbs) works for me. Began my new way of eating July 2018. Have arrived at a healthy lifestyle, and will soon arrive at a healthy weight.

Ribeye. Also braised beef ribs (flanken cut, 1-1/2" thick).

I try to keep my total carbs below 25. I've lost 100+ lbs over the past 16 months but have been at a plateau for the past 3 months almost. Trying to figure out how to bust through this plateau. Took a keto break this past weekend to see if maybe I couold fool my body into losing again. We'll see what tomorrow's weight will…

Over the past 16 months transitioned from a low-calorie diet (first 2 months) to <50g carbs (next 2 months) to <25g carbs (last 12 months). Have lost 102 lbs. In a plateau for the past 2 months so just started intermittent fasting (18-hr fast/6-hr eating window). Eating 2 meals/day. Ketosis of 1.0. The fasting boosted my…

Almond Flaxseed Meal crackers.

I've lost -99 lbs over 16 months. Followed a Calories-In-Calories-Out (CICO) diet in 2014 which worked OK but I was never comfortable...had hunger pangs and cravings. Willpower alone kept me going but after 1 year I gave up and over the next few years regained the weight. In 2018 I started a low-carb diet (<60 carbs/day)…

"Also finding upping my proteins, I'm hungrier more and started having intense cravings for sweets (I added fruits in to try to curve craving, and that's made it worse instead of better)." Too much protein can trigger insulin, the fat-storing hormone. This might account for an increase in appetite.

I have lost 99 lbs over 15 months. Goal: 1200 cal/day. <25g carbs, 79g protein, 79 fat. My fat level is modest because I have fat stores to burn and my current focus is on losing weight. As I approach my goal weight, I'll slightly increase my fat. Carbs and protein will stay the same to stay in ketosis and control insulin…

Total carb goal: <25. This is what seems to agree with the way my system responds to carbs. Any more and I risk getting out of ketosis. This is due to me personal system that has some challenges with metabolizing carbs. Friends of mine have higher tolerances and can eat more carbs and stay in ketosis.

Flackers (6), smoked salmon, cream cheese, stuffed green olives. 3 net carbs.

Rather than throwing away my relatively-new 3X tops, I took several inches off the side seams and arms, makeing them an XL size. It's much more flattering to have clothes that fit. And I've added 6 new tops to my wardrobe.

I too have experienced loss (-84 lbs in 2014), then gain (+64 lbs over the next 3 years), then loss (-94 lbs over the past year). I've finally discovered what does not work and what does work for my body. A simple calorie-restrictive diet does not work: I never felt satiation and always relied on will power since cravings…

I have PCOS and was prediabetic. I’ve been low carb since late June 2018 and keto since Nov 2018. Have lost 94 lbs, feel great, no longer prediabetic, blood pressure normal, huge drop in triglycerides. Keep total carbs </=25 grams. Breakfast: Eggs, bacon, coffee with half n half. Midday meal: protein & low-carb veggies.…

Not sure if others mentioned this... have you tried increasing your salt and water intake? A keto diet allows the liver to release fats in the form of water. You lose lots of salt along with it.

Hi Retired... My macro goals are </= 25g carbs, 79g protein, and the remaining in Fat. Once my goal of a healthy weight is reached I will increase my fat intake.

Hi Brittany... not exactly. For a damaged system like mine (insulin resistant, or Pre-diabetic) it is not the calories that effect my fat storage, it is the insulin in my body. Carbs trigger insulin, too much protein triggers insulin. Insulin cuts triglycerides (long-chain fatty acids) into smaller chains which allow them…

Hi Sugar... How did I manage vacations? A few things come to mind: first, it helps that cravings go away when eating very low carb. When I was eating a low-calorie diet (averaged about 120g carbs/day) I gained about 8 lbs in 10 days. On keto, I gained 1.5 lbs in 3 weeks (I lost 3 lbs within a few days of being back). I…

Hi Projectjust me, Congrats on persisting and finding a diet you can stick to! So far, and it’s now 2 weeks shy of one year, a low carb diet has been much easier for me as well. What I like most is that the crazy cravings and lack of satiation are no longer there. These were some of the main reasons I went off a diet in…

Hi craig... Let's see...that comes to losing a total of 200 lbs (40lbs x 5). congrats!!! It's very understandable that you gained the weight back... in my experience, eating carbs just keeps poking the "eat more" button and will power can only last so long. I find that when I do eat carbs (like a piece of birthday cake) it…

Hi neuge... congratulations on your progress! And on all the effort you've put in to understanding what works for you! I too used to get tired when I used to eat carbs. I'm right there with you—i.e. bread...for me it was a fresh sourdough that called my name. It still surprises me that I don't crave bread on a keto diet.…

Hi Lessa... I can only speak for my metabolism and what I’ve learned that has worked for me. My daily calories usually come in between 1100-1200 cal per day without counting calories. That being said, I am focused on getting to a healthy weight so I do keep a close watch on my calories. I try to follow a well-managed keto…

Hi hafs... yes, you've got it right. MyFitnessPal is terrific for tracking carbs. If you add in what you are PLANNING to eat you'll see if which fruits you can eat. For instance, an apple has 19g of carbs. I can eat one but then I'll need to skip a big salad...and for me that's not worth the trade off. Again, I have a…

Hi dawnz75, Thanks for noticing. I did speak from a very personal perspecrive because my system is insulin resistant (prediabetic) so carbs trigger a bigger insulin response in me. Folks who have a healthier, non-prediabetic system most likely can eat more carbs than 25g and maintain normal blood glucose levels.

Hi again, hafs... Just to clarify, I keep my protein moderate, about 79g/day: too much protein will trigger insulin. Since I am still losing weight I try to keep my fats about the same as my protein since my body is using stored fat for energy. When I get to goal, I'll increase the amount of fat I eat to maintain my…

Hi hafs again...sorry, didn't see your initial question. To keep my carbs at ≤25 total/day, here's a typical day: breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled in butter, 1-2 bacon, coffee with half n half. 2nd meal (late lunch or early dinner): a salad [spinach, peppers, mushrooms, a little onion, crumpled bleu cheese, olive oil…