Is there such a thing as temporary low carb?

[Night Elf]

I'd like to lose a few lbs. and I can do it the way I know I how, which is slow going, or I can try something new. I've heard low carb is a fast loss but is it sustainable if one goes back to eating carbs again? On average, I eat about 150 grams of carbs a day. If I lower that, can I drop a few lbs. and then go back to the 150 grams again?

[marbel]

My experience (me) and observation (my husband) has been that it does not work.  The weight went off, but came back on once we relaxed about carbs.

 

But if I've learned anything about weight loss and maintenance, it's that what works for one person won't work for another!

[Guest]

Yes, you will lose weight but it will probably come back if you up your carbs. But, for me, doing the research on how bad sugar really is for the human body made me decide to give it up for good.

[kiana]

Whenever you go low-carb, you tend to drop several pounds immediately. This is not real fat loss, it is just water, and that group of pounds will come back immediately when you do eat carbs again.So if you're trying to use low-carb as a short-term diet and then go back to a more standard eating pattern that you know you can maintain weight on, you need to go like 5 lbs below where you actually want to maintain. That's also the "fast loss" that people are talking about. My weight-loss diet tends to be low-carb by default simply because it's meat and vegetables and not much else.

[Night Elf]

I already live with a restricted calorie diet, about 1000 - 1100 calories a day. My problem is night eating. For the past week, I've been snacking at bedtime and it's not light snacking. It's crackers, toast, candy, and pie. I was thinking of aiming for cheese and eggs but those things are still higher calories than I should be eating at night. I was thinking if I consciously avoided a high number of carbs a day and limited them at night as well, that maybe I'd lose this 3 lbs. I've gained. Otherwise, I have to find a way to get back down to my 1100 calories which means I've got to cut out the night eating. That's just easier said than done.

[Guest]

You need more calories! That isn't enough and you're going to screw up your metabolism. Try high fat, low carb for 2 weeks and see how you feel.

[Night Elf]

You need more calories! That isn't enough and you're going to screw up your metabolism. Try high fat, low carb for 2 weeks and see how you feel.

 

I've been eating like this since 2011 when I first joined Weight Watchers. I lost 41 lbs. in the first 11 months eating their way. Then after a year, I dropped another 10 lbs. when I consciously limited my carbs to only 150 grams per day. Then I stabilized and have kept at the same small range since then. For health reasons, I don't need to lose those 3 lbs., obviously, but it's above my expected range and that makes me very uncomfortable.

 

Also, I'm scared to change my diet drastically. Going high fat, low carb might cause me to gain weight since my body is used to such a low number of calories. Then I may or may not lose back down to my comfortable range. I have worked so hard to lose and maintain my desired weight loss that the idea of doing anything that will cause me to gain scares me.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Really like any diet it's difficult to keep it off.  I don't think that is especially true with low carb.  Just true in general.

 

 

[kiana]

I already live with a restricted calorie diet, about 1000 - 1100 calories a day. My problem is night eating. For the past week, I've been snacking at bedtime and it's not light snacking. It's crackers, toast, candy, and pie. I was thinking of aiming for cheese and eggs but those things are still higher calories than I should be eating at night. I was thinking if I consciously avoided a high number of carbs a day and limited them at night as well, that maybe I'd lose this 3 lbs. I've gained. Otherwise, I have to find a way to get back down to my 1100 calories which means I've got to cut out the night eating. That's just easier said than done.

 

Maybe you are indeed hungry?

 

Increasing calories by 100/day and giving yourself a bedtime snack with some more volume would slow your loss, but not as much as the nighttime snacking you're currently doing.

 

I'm not sure limiting carbs would help you with the snacking. I mean, yes, all those treats wouldn't be allowed under low-carb, but they're already not allowed under your calorie-controlled diet (because they're excess) and that isn't serving as enough of a deterrent for you right now.

 

If you know you lose at 1100, realistically, the worst that will happen at 1200 is that you won't lose and will stay where you are.

[Slache]

I did a whole 30, lost 8 pounds and kept it off because it reset my eating habits.

[arnold]

Reducing carbs short term will cause your body to stop holding on to so much water but as soon as you go back to eating carbs the scale will go up because it will hold onto water again.

[Snickerdoodle]

I've been eating like this since 2011

 

 

I don't think such a low calorie diet is meant to be used long term.   How do you know you are getting enough nutrients?  Are you supplementing with vitamins and minerals?  Or eating a freak ton of vegetables? 

 

 

I think a good read might be the Perfect Health Diet.    Check your library.

[Snickerdoodle]

If you want, listen to this episode of this podcast for some great information.  You can find it in itunes too.

 

 

[kewb]

I don't think there is such a thing as temporry low carb.  It is more of a lifestyle.  I definitely feel better when I eat fewer carbs.

[Ann.without.an.e]

First of all, there are 5-10 pounds of water weight that is lost just from the removal of carbs and that will come back.  After that, fat loss is fat loss.  Most people find they can maintain anything beyond that water weight (which will return with carbs) by keeping their carbs around 100-150 per day, depending on the person.  It is something you need to play with.  If you go from low carb to no idea how many carbs you eat, you will regain I'm sure.

 

As far as how many calories to eat, don't let anyone tell you that.  Everyone has a different body makeup and metabolism. No one tells my skinny friend who eats 3,000 calories a day that she is eating too many because she is outside of some type of norm.  Yet, if you say you must keep your calories low everyone jumps all over that because it doesn't fit the norm.  You eat what you need to feel good.  Period.

[Greta]

I'd be hesitant to recommend anything as a temporary dietary measure.  I'm sure there must be a few exceptions (though I can't think of any specifically), but generally I would say that whatever changes you make to your diet need to be permanent if you also expect the results of those changes to be permanent.  So, if your 150g of carbs per day is coming from sugar and refined flours, I would say you could change that to healthier, lower-glycemic sources of carbs, make that a permanent change, and that would be good for your health and possibly for your weight.  But temporarily dropping your total carb intake and then going back up isn't likely to help you.  Most people, myself included, regain pretty quickly when they increase their carbs again.  I ate very low-carb for more than ten years, and I had to stop because it was messing up my hormones.  When I did, I gained ten pounds very rapidly.  In my case those ten pounds are worth the benefits (the hormone problems were causing me migraines almost every day!), but I know that's not the kind of scenario you're looking for.

 

If I personally were in your shoes, I would consider switching (long-term!) to either a ketogenic diet, or an intermittent fasting diet.  But that's just ME.  I would not want to live on 1000-1100 calories per day.  I hate calorie restriction because it makes me tired, grumpy, and miserable, so I'd be looking for another method.  But if you can live at that level of calorie intake happily for years to come, then please, by all means, do what works for YOU not for me! 

 

 

 

(Edited because I had the wrong calorie amount.)

Edited May 12, 2016 by Greta

[LisaKinVA]

There are lots of definitions of "low carb"

 

If I am actively trying to lose weight, I usually have a goal of around 50g carbs/day (this is like going cold-turkey, and you eat a lot of veg and really no grains of any kind).  This is usually about 30 days.

If I'm going for moderate weight loss, I keep carbs around 100g/day (this allows for some grains, but definitely not a grain-based diet).  Still no refined carbs -- so if I'm going to have a bread, I have to grind the flour myself.  Beans, rice, other types of carbs are included)

If I'm looking at maintenance, carbs will be between 100-140g/day (again, no refined carbs, or very limited refined carbs -- birthdays/holidays...I've tried the "whole grain" versions of cookies, cakes and pies, and no...just no.)

 

If you're looking at incorporating it into a calorie-based diet, than you would look at it as below 40% of calories from carbohydrates, eliminating simple carbs altogether (crackers, cookies, etc.)

 

I guess I don't consider it a diet, so much as a whole-food based lifestyle.  Because I've wrecked my metabolism, losing weight is much easier without the grains/starches.  However, long term, adding some starch back in makes me happy.  Which is why I love the warm weather and eating a lot more salads...I don't miss the bread and starch as much as I do in the winter!

 

 

 

[Professormom]

I've been eating like this since 2011 when I first joined Weight Watchers. I lost 41 lbs. in the first 11 months eating their way. Then after a year, I dropped another 10 lbs. when I consciously limited my carbs to only 150 grams per day. Then I stabilized and have kept at the same small range since then. For health reasons, I don't need to lose those 3 lbs., obviously, but it's above my expected range and that makes me very uncomfortable.

 

Also, I'm scared to change my diet drastically. Going high fat, low carb might cause me to gain weight since my body is used to such a low number of calories. Then I may or may not lose back down to my comfortable range. I have worked so hard to lose and maintain my desired weight loss that the idea of doing anything that will cause me to gain scares me.

I totally get not wanting to rock the boat.

 

I have found using a 16:8 eating window to be really good for me. I eat only during an 8 hour window during the day. I don't eat breakfast (I know this is controversial, lol, but if I eat breakfast, I am much hungrier during the day. I have tea with a splash of almond milk in the am. I usually eat a small meal around noon, then again around 4. If I need a snack, I eat it before 6pm. Nothing after 6 (unless we are out to dinner or something... This is just my home pattern.)

 

I think this really helps even out my blood sugar, and I have a much lower desire to eat in general when I do this. Much less hunger, so I don't really want to snack.

 

Ymmv. Good luck:-)

[Professormom]

One more thing if the main thing your are struggling with is hunger (night eating). Up your vegetable intake. Think of it as adding something (veggies) instead of taking something away (pie). If you focus on your nutrient content, you may find that the night hunger subsides.

[Ann.without.an.e]

One more thing if the main thing your are struggling with is hunger (night eating). Up your vegetable intake. Think of it as adding something (veggies) instead of taking something away (pie). If you focus on your nutrient content, you may find that the night hunger subsides.

 

 

 l like the weight watchers points plus program for this reason.  It encourages the veggies and fruits which are actually filling.  At least for me :)

Edited May 12, 2016 by Attolia

[HeWillSoar]

I think it's just like with any other diet.  If you don't do something long term, the weight is going to come back.  I have done low carb and yes, the weight comes back if you don't really cut back but I've also done other diets, and it's the same thing.    One thing I did like about doing low carb is that I saw results quickly and went from a 14 to a 12 in a matter of a few weeks.  The negative for me is that when I start adding back in the carbs, it does something to me where I start to feel like I'm hungry all the time and I have a hard time not just eating whatever I want. 

[Night Elf]

Maybe you are indeed hungry?

 

Increasing calories by 100/day and giving yourself a bedtime snack with some more volume would slow your loss, but not as much as the nighttime snacking you're currently doing.

 

I'm not sure limiting carbs would help you with the snacking. I mean, yes, all those treats wouldn't be allowed under low-carb, but they're already not allowed under your calorie-controlled diet (because they're excess) and that isn't serving as enough of a deterrent for you right now.

 

If you know you lose at 1100, realistically, the worst that will happen at 1200 is that you won't lose and will stay where you are.

 

No, it's not hunger. I don't have a large appetite. I have insomnia, and even on Ambien, I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes and leave my bedroom because I don't want to disturb DH. My living room is right next to the kitchen and I start picking just because the food tastes good. It drives me bonkers. Sometimes I just make a cup of hot cocoa and that satisfies me. I don't lose at 1100 calories, that's my maintenance amount.

 

I don't know, I guess I just hoped to find a way to deal with my picking at food at night. I hate to increase my Ambien because I sometimes go into a stupor and have no memory of conversations I have after I take the medicine. And that was like the 5th medicine I tried.

[wendy not in HI]

I think it's great that you know what works for you!  I maintain at a low calorie point, too.  I don't think it's that strange, really.

 

What if you decide to keep your evening snacks low carb? (and maybe low points?)

 

A hard boiled egg

A couple slices of pre-cooked bacon and a little sliced avocado (my favorite!)

A handful of almonds with a little bit of dark chocolate 

 

If you know you are going to snack at night, make it the best snack you can!

If not low carb, then maybe a low calorie ice cream treat or something else yummy that comes individually wrapped to sort of say "all done" when you finish.

 

Other ideas to lose just a couple pounds without changing up what's already working so well:  

-Low carb your breakfast, but leave all else the same.  Don't go crazy with 6 slices of bacon and 4 eggs or something, just keep your options lower carb - a couple eggs and veggies.  Or eggbeaters and veggies.  Or greek yogurt, etc.

-Try a 5:2 plan for a couple weeks.  Or 6:1

- Or maybe mix up your eating patterns a few days a week and see if that helps - larger lunch, small snack for dinner, exercise at night instead of snacking.  

 

I've just recently lost weight and I hope to be as successful as you at keeping it off over the long term.  You are inspirational!

 

Blogs about weight loss I like to read to inspire me:

http://www.refusetoregain.com/best-of-refuse-to-regain/

http://www.bearingblog.com/ - you can search her sidebar for her weight loss series.

[marbel]

No, it's not hunger. I don't have a large appetite. I have insomnia, and even on Ambien, I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes and leave my bedroom because I don't want to disturb DH. My living room is right next to the kitchen and I start picking just because the food tastes good. It drives me bonkers. Sometimes I just make a cup of hot cocoa and that satisfies me. I don't lose at 1100 calories, that's my maintenance amount.

 

I don't know, I guess I just hoped to find a way to deal with my picking at food at night. I hate to increase my Ambien because I sometimes go into a stupor and have no memory of conversations I have after I take the medicine. And that was like the 5th medicine I tried.

 

I wonder about trying to do something when you wake up at night that doesn't allow you to eat while you're doing it.  The eating is a habit now; you're not actually hungry, right?  

 

Do you have any quiet things you can do with your hands when you get up at night?  Knitting or other needlework?  Some other hobby that needs both hands?  Writing in a nice journal that you don't want to get food stains on? 

 

My sister sews when she can't sleep at night.  But she lives alone and doesn't have to worry about the noise of the machine waking anyone up.  Of course maybe your house is set up that you could do something like that.

 

Is your neighborhood such that you could go for a walk? 

 

Oh, I just saw that you drink hot cocoa... what about tea or an herbal infusion instead?

 

If you are eating out of habit/boredom, that should be the first thing you should try to change.  Just my opinion based on my own weight issues.

[Outdoorsy Type]

Maybe not helpful, but I was waking up a lot in the middle of the night when I ate after 7pmish. I made 6:30-7pm my cut off and I've been sleeping better lately.

[Night Elf]

Thank you wendy not in HI and marbel. All good ideas. I read my Kindle in bed at night after the lights are out but I can't pick it up and read it in the middle of the night because the light is too bright. I have to go into the living room and let my eyes adjust to the light. Yes, I do believe my night eating is a habit. The hot cocoa is good because it's low calorie and it satisfies my need to pick. My mom told me she thought it was because it was a hot drink.

 

I eat fairly small meals because if I eat too much in one sitting my stomach hurts. I eat 4 small meals a day and a few snacks.  I have a small piece of apple pie every night. It's my largest sweet treat during the day. That was one thing I loved about Weight Watchers. I could eat such snacks/desserts as long as I worked them into my daily food plan. I hate feeling deprived. I'll admit my transition into WW was a challenge because I was used to eating what I wanted, when I wanted, and as much as I wanted. I learned how to cut back though and it has become second nature.

 

I'll just keep on doing what I'm doing. I think I'll set out a cup and my cocoa on the counter before bed. Maybe seeing it if I wake up will keep me to having just that. I'd love to lose the 3 lbs. I have gained, but I'm not going to stress over it. If I can stop this night eating, those pounds might come off. If my insomnia kicks back in full force, I'm going to ask my doctor about switching sleeping meds. Maybe the Ambien just isn't working as well anymore.

 

Last, I have to admit I have a bad relationship with my scale. I weigh every day and do get obsessed over the number I see. I have a small range I usually stay in and if I creep up above it, I look at my food journal to see what I might have eaten that caused it. I've maintained in that small range for 3 - 4 years so I know it's doable though. During maintenance, WW suggests you stay within a 2 lb. up and 2 lb. down range and I see that as a lot to play with.

 

Anyway, thanks everyone.