If you are a low-carber, would you come in here and answer a question or two?

[Julie in CA]

First of all, how low do you keep your carbs?

Also...are you able to stick to it without "slipping up", and if you do slip, how often (and do you still lose weight)?

And...have you ever kept your carbs low, your calories at/below your range, exercised, and still not lost weight?

[Liz CA]

I gladly keep my carbs down because if I don't, I feel like a wet sponge and don't want to move.

Some mornings, I eat half a slice of bread with whatever protein / veggie I am having. For some dinners, I will eat a small spoonful of brown rice, again the main part of the meal being veggies and some form of protein.

 

Yes, I have eaten more bread than I should have. It's awfully tempting for me because I bake our bread and I love the smell and taste of it with a nice gunk of butter on it! :D

I have noticed though that less bread specifically makes me feel a lot better. Brown rice is not bad but I try to keep the portion size down as well.

[ScoutTN]

I do the Somersize deal. Mostly I try to have my carb meal at b'fast.

No starchy stuff or fruit for lunch or dinner. Fruit for a snack often, though. Protein, fats and all the non-starchy veggies I want for lunch and dinner.

 

That's the plan. Though I don't always stick with it! ;)

[elise1mds]

I'll let you know on the losing weight bit. If I *SERIOUSLY* restrict my carbs (think South Beach or Atkins level 1), then I will lose weight. But I can't do that without having massive cravings that cause me to then go off the deep end and do something like eat an entire ice cream sundae in one sitting. And that's bad, too. So right now I'm compromising. I'm just trying to make good choices about what I eat and limiting the carbs to whole grains and very tiny amounts when I do have them. I started this last week and am down 4 pounds but yesterday I had both a cappuccino and a sandwich, so I have to be better today.

[DesertDweller]

First of all, how low do you keep your carbs?

Also...are you able to stick to it without "slipping up", and if you do slip, how often (and do you still lose weight)?

And...have you ever kept your carbs low, your calories at/below your range, exercised, and still not lost weight?

 

 

I followed Atkins, with some modifications, for almost a year. I lost fifteen pounds in the first three months and almost nothing after that.

 

I found I had to keep my carbs in the twenty something range. I don't remember exactly now, but when I tried to raise my daily carbs it caused me to gain.

 

I found it fairly easy to stay with it. I only had dh and one child to cook for because my son was working and gone most of the time. I made all of our meals low carb and then included a bread or a starchy side dish for those that wanted it. I made low carb desserts for an occasional treat.

 

I won't say I never slipped. Dh and I like to have a drink occasionally. While the strict Atkins people don't recommend it, I would have a rum and diet coke sometimes. I did find that it would cause the scale to go up, but it was my choice. Sometimes I would overeat because the low carb recipe I made was so yummy. I found that eating too much cheese or meals with cheese was a big temptation.

 

I didn't exercise, so I can't answer that part. I think that was some of my problem. I really didn't want to exercise.

 

I finally gave up low carbing. I didn't want to, but I couldn't figure out why I wasn't losing. I had cut out so many different foods that I thought might be a problem. I just ended up frustrated.

[Lara in Colo]

I have blood sugar issues, I don't count carbs (I should to lose weight) but I REALLY watch the glycemic index of the food I eat. Too high spikes my sugar and I then I drop like a fly in cold air within an hour. So watch the type of carbs you eat. A yam for dessert is better than carrots for dinner.

 

Lara

[Rosie_0801]

Slight hijack- I've been wondering for ages.

 

Does low carb mean you stick to the recommended serving sizes, or does it mean less than that?

 

Rosie

[rwjx2khsmj]

I try to keep my non-fruit & veggie carbs under 20g a day. So that's one slice of bread, more or less. Usually it's less. I do also allow myself the occassional glass of wine or beer without beating myself up.

 

I've discovered that if I eat more carbs than that, I crave sugar and that becomes another issue. If I keep the carbs low, craving sweets isn't an issue.

[MIch elle]

Phase 1 is 20 grams of carbs/day (back out the grams of fiber)

 

If the packages states 8 grams/serving and the fiber is 2 g/serving then the total carb grams is 6g/serving

 

Phase 2 is 40 grams of carbs/day MAX

 

 

To lose weight you need to start at 20 grams/day for 2 wks then add grams/day until you start to NOT lose weight; then back-up on the grams/day until you find YOUR carbs grams/day that works for you to continue to lose weight - EVERYONE is different!

[Lightly Salted]

First of all, how low do you keep your carbs?

Also...are you able to stick to it without "slipping up", and if you do slip, how often (and do you still lose weight)?

And...have you ever kept your carbs low, your calories at/below your range, exercised, and still not lost weight?

 

I've been doing Atkins for almost a year, and have lost 45 lbs :D I suppose what I do has morphed into a South-Beachy-Atkins since I can't do dairy and prefer to limit red meat and heavy fats.

 

I've kept my carb count in the 25-30 range but now that I'm within 15 lbs of a healthy BMI, I'm experimenting with upping that range.

 

I did 'cheat' at Thanksgiving - no bread but did have mashed potatoes and banana pudding - and still lost (just plateaued for a week afterwards until I got back into my carb range). I 'cheated' at Christmas BIG time, including bread and cinnamon rolls, and plateaued for longer. I don't cheat often, though, because it causes my IBS to flare up. Even when I'm done losing weight, I'll probably always eat a similar diet, just at a higher carb count.

[Jenn in Mo]

If I go carb-free, including even fruit, then I have cravings for exactly 4 days. Bad cravings. But beyond those 4 days, the cravings magically disappear. It is amazing. If it's been a while, it seems to make me go through a detox phase for those 4 days. I get the shakes and everything. But if I make it through those days, I'm home free and the weight starts dropping off quickly and I can safely add in berries and brown rice and potatoes. Bread never does well with me, though I love it so....

 

I can eat a tub of ice cream and not gain weight. I can smell bread and start swelling.

[Ellie]

First of all, how low do you keep your carbs?

I don't count carbs. I just don't eat them--no bread, pasta, starchy veggies, high-carb fruit, etc.

Also...are you able to stick to it without "slipping up", and if you do slip, how often (and do you still lose weight)? And...have you ever kept your carbs low, your calories at/below your range, exercised, and still not lost weight?

I don't count calories or carbs (although I know the carbs are very low), and I regret to say that I don't really lose the weight that most people do. OTOH, my cholesterol stays low when I do Atkins; in fact, it dropped 100 points in two months when I went back to Atkins after doing Nutrisystem for 6 months.

[Rebecca]

I am a very new low carber. I am following South Beach principles with some modifications.

 

So far- I am losing weight...

 

I wonder- those who aren't losing weight- are you very overweight or not that much?

 

I would like to lose at least 50 pounds. I am carrying a lot of extra from preg. 5 and 6.

 

"Cheating" is not an option for me. However- I forsee this as a lifestyle.

My anniversary is Sunday. We are going out to dinner. I am going to chose "low carb" choices but I am also going to eat dessert. I love dessert. It is our anniversary. I am going to stay on "phase one" longer anyway.

One night of eating at a restaurant (which is very rare) will not ruin me.

 

Anyway,

even if I didn't lose weight- I will never go back to how I ate before. I feel so much better. I LOOK so much better too. I am much more able to take care of my kids.

 

Health reasons are really what pushed me to this path. I have been having chronic ovarian cysts and the doctor thought it might be due to insulin resistance. So- I chose a diet designed for that problem... also- it fits our lifestyle very well. Very, very well.

 

Hope this helps,

Rebecca

 

P.S. I eat very limited dairy. Our house went dairy free over 7 years ago due to life threatening food allergies in one of our sons.

With this new diet I bought cheese sticks (mozzarella, etc.) I found if I eat them everyday or eat too many- I crave sweets really bad.

So- not too much dairy is good for me.

[Julie in CA]

I wonder- those who aren't losing weight- are you very overweight or not that much?

 

Very overweight. Below 20 carbs almost every day. Within my calorie range almost every day. Exercising several times a week now. Not losing. I still feel better than I did before I started eating this way, but I'm not losing weight. :001_huh:

[Jmac]

I eat very few carbs. Some days all meat and a couple times a week I have a taco salad (meat cheese lettuce and salsa). I do get some carbs from splenda in my morning coffee. Sometimes if I want a treat I will eat some russell stovers sugar free chocolate and if I need something crunchy I will eat pork rinds. I have lost 30lbs since January. I never exercise. I wish the weight was coming off faster but I have lost more than my two year old weighs and I am not starving all day like when on a low cal or low fat diet. That is a huge plus for me. I don't have to think about when my next meal is going to be and how much I can allow myself. I don't count calories at all. I would like to lose at least fifty more pounds. Right now I am at 202.

[Starr]

Very overweight. Below 20 carbs almost every day. Within my calorie range almost every day. Exercising several times a week now. Not losing. I still feel better than I did before I started eating this way, but I'm not losing weight. :001_huh:

 

I found when working for doctors and talking to my sister the exercise guru that some people take longer than others to start loosing weight. Once woman I remember was dieting and exercising without cheating for 6 weeks before the weight started to drop. If your calorie range is low enough you will loose eventually. Sorry it's taking so long but glad you are feeling better.

[wagnfun]

First of all, how low do you keep your carbs?

Also...are you able to stick to it without "slipping up", and if you do slip, how often (and do you still lose weight)?

And...have you ever kept your carbs low, your calories at/below your range, exercised, and still not lost weight?

 

My 50 lb weight lost no carb diet went as follows:

 

TONS of fruits, veggies & lean protien; natural foods that the earth gives us, nothing man made. I went for 10 servings a day of fruits/veggies. I exercised 4-5days a week. No limits. That was the basics. 50+ lbs came off!

 

On the side:

 

** I completely gave up bread & pasta. It took 3-4 days for the craving to go away. I felt lighter, thought more clearly & lost that "bloated" feeling. If I cheated, I felt awful the next day, bloated, crabby, etc. It became easy to pass on carbs.

** Preprepping meals & snacks was key to me staying on track with snacks.

** I gave up potatos except once in a huge while, I added red potatoes to my egg white/broccoli/salsa breakfast.

** I gave up soda & all alcohol. I drink a lot of water & tea (ok & coffee)

** I made myself sleep more.

**I tried counting calories but that drove me crazy. I started to see old eating disorder issue arise & stopped counting & just worked on eating naturally grown foods (nothing man made).

** My husband was on board w/ his own eating plan. He ate half what he normall ate. Continued drinking a few beers whenever he wanted it & he lost 50 lbs. :glare:

 

My weight literally melted off.

 

Then we moved 70 miles away & the holidays hit- i went off the low/no carb thing & tried just making better decisions. I pick baked chips over fried, I started drink diet coke again, I eat turkey bacon over regular bacon. I started just light walking 2-3 days a week. My husband went back to eating seconds. I gained 10lbs back. Hes gained 14.

 

It showed me that my eating habits & sedentary lifestyle were 100% to blame for my weight.

 

I'm back to the original plan. I"ve lost weight & I can feel it but I"m not getting on the scale. I go by how clothing fits & how I feel, not what the scale says. Good Luck!