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I'm currently on a low-carb diet. Since June 2012, I've been tracking my weight almost daily, the food I ate, and the amount of times I've worked out. I drast

by kjackson2012 14y ago

I'm currently on a low-carb diet. Since June 2012, I've been tracking my weight almost daily, the food I ate, and the amount of times I've worked out. I drastically increased my workouts from October to December, working out almost 4-5 times per week, and I gained 10 lbs. This was accompanied by a change in diet, since my company started offering free lunches. In January, I went with low-carb (less than 30g of carbs per day), and besides cutting out most carbs like bread, pasta and rice, I increased the amount of meat and vegetables I ate. I actually eat more after being on this diet than before. As well, I cut my workouts down to 2-3x per day. Since then, I've lost 15 lbs. So, with less workouts, more food, and within 8 weeks, I've lost more weight than any period in the last 8 months. When you look at the graph of my weight over time, you can see that the only significant factor in weight reduction was my low-carb diet.

Shivetya 14y ago
anecdotal evidence I will add, I lost 30 pounds from February to July last year with a break fast that was either 2 donuts or bagels from Dunkin Donuts along with their large coffee and cream. I simply counted calories and worked out. I aimed for 1600-2000 a day and the weight just came off. One snack I had to drop, and mean I had to because it was a binge type snack, was nuts. The calories I was consuming were silly. When I measured out my quarter cup (200 calorie average) it was shocking. My belief, the majority of people have no clue how many calories they truly consume and even a simple picture chart like this one may be the hint they need.
- kjackson2012 14y ago
  There are plenty of ways to lose weight. Cutting calories is a very effective way of losing weight. This doesn't discount the fact that cutting carbs also works. In my case, it has been working spectacularly. I believe that I don't need to cut calories or cut the amount of food I eat, and still lose weight, by choosing food that is very low in carbs. I limit myself to 1 granola bar per day, plus whatever incidental amounts of carbs I eat through other means, and I've been able to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time. I don't overeat meat or fat, I eat the same diet, just a lot less carbs.
  - jdg 14y ago
    Cutting calories is the only way to lose weight. Cutting carbs typically means people end up eating less calories, because protein is more satiating. "Eating the same diet, just a lot less carbs" If you're eating less carbs, that's 4 calories less for every grab of carbs you've cut out. If previously you were eating around 200g of carbs everyday (probably on the low end, honestly) you've now removed around 800 calories from your diet. You're still cutting calories.
    - simon02 14y ago
      Consuming more calories by eg. increasing your metabolism is also a possibility.
    - Ntrails 14y ago
      I hope you aren't suggesting that the only ways to lose weight are by lowering intake of calories below your daily usage, or increasing your daily usage of them above your daily intake through some form of additional calorie burning activity... (cause you'll never sell a best-selling book like that)
      - ImprovedSilence 14y ago
        I don't think I can give your comment enough upvotes. Sometimes people just don't like the simple answer.....
      - svachalek 14y ago
        I think only the kookiest diets ignore this basic principle. The problem is that most people can't just rationally decide "oh I'll just eat less" or "I'll just eat lower-calorie foods" or "I'll just exercise a lot more and ignore the hunger that comes with it". Well, you can decide that for a variable-length but generally short amount of time, and then billions of years of evolution kick in and hormones make you want to eat more, and eat all kinds of stuff your rational mind tells you is probably a bad idea, but maybe just this once. Dieting is about tricking that system in one of various ways. Different things work for different people. For some people, no tricks are required but you can't just assume it's that easy for everyone.
X-Istence 14y ago
Just came back from seeing a nutritionist, I had been eating less than 40 grams of carbs a day ... she told me that I need to ramp it up to about 200 grams a day, and need to increase my intake of fiber. Carb free or low carb isn't entirely healthy either.
- kjackson2012 14y ago
  It depends on what your goals are, and what foods you eat. I eat A LOT of spinach, it basically replaced bread, pasta and rice for me. As well I eat bell peppers, broccoli and other veggies. They may have some carbs in them, but not a whole lot.

Shivetya 14y ago

anecdotal evidence I will add, I lost 30 pounds from February to July last year with a break fast that was either 2 donuts or bagels from Dunkin Donuts along with their large coffee and cream. I simply counted calories and worked out. I aimed for 1600-2000 a day and the weight just came off. One snack I had to drop, and mean I had to because it was a binge type snack, was nuts. The calories I was consuming were silly. When I measured out my quarter cup (200 calorie average) it was shocking. My belief, the majority of people have no clue how many calories they truly consume and even a simple picture chart like this one may be the hint they need.

kjackson2012 14y ago
There are plenty of ways to lose weight. Cutting calories is a very effective way of losing weight. This doesn't discount the fact that cutting carbs also works. In my case, it has been working spectacularly. I believe that I don't need to cut calories or cut the amount of food I eat, and still lose weight, by choosing food that is very low in carbs. I limit myself to 1 granola bar per day, plus whatever incidental amounts of carbs I eat through other means, and I've been able to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time. I don't overeat meat or fat, I eat the same diet, just a lot less carbs.
- jdg 14y ago
  Cutting calories is the only way to lose weight. Cutting carbs typically means people end up eating less calories, because protein is more satiating. "Eating the same diet, just a lot less carbs" If you're eating less carbs, that's 4 calories less for every grab of carbs you've cut out. If previously you were eating around 200g of carbs everyday (probably on the low end, honestly) you've now removed around 800 calories from your diet. You're still cutting calories.
  - simon02 14y ago
    Consuming more calories by eg. increasing your metabolism is also a possibility.
  - Ntrails 14y ago
    I hope you aren't suggesting that the only ways to lose weight are by lowering intake of calories below your daily usage, or increasing your daily usage of them above your daily intake through some form of additional calorie burning activity... (cause you'll never sell a best-selling book like that)
    - ImprovedSilence 14y ago
      I don't think I can give your comment enough upvotes. Sometimes people just don't like the simple answer.....
    - svachalek 14y ago
      I think only the kookiest diets ignore this basic principle. The problem is that most people can't just rationally decide "oh I'll just eat less" or "I'll just eat lower-calorie foods" or "I'll just exercise a lot more and ignore the hunger that comes with it". Well, you can decide that for a variable-length but generally short amount of time, and then billions of years of evolution kick in and hormones make you want to eat more, and eat all kinds of stuff your rational mind tells you is probably a bad idea, but maybe just this once. Dieting is about tricking that system in one of various ways. Different things work for different people. For some people, no tricks are required but you can't just assume it's that easy for everyone.

X-Istence 14y ago

Just came back from seeing a nutritionist, I had been eating less than 40 grams of carbs a day ... she told me that I need to ramp it up to about 200 grams a day, and need to increase my intake of fiber. Carb free or low carb isn't entirely healthy either.

kjackson2012 14y ago
It depends on what your goals are, and what foods you eat. I eat A LOT of spinach, it basically replaced bread, pasta and rice for me. As well I eat bell peppers, broccoli and other veggies. They may have some carbs in them, but not a whole lot.