?'s about switching from low carb to low cal

mindy0121

mindy0121

New member
hey everyone

i just need some advice.
basically i did low carb for 10 months and lost almost 30 lbs.
but i decided to switch from low carb to a controlled calorie way of eating. whole grains/fruit and such for more variety and basically i tried to be realistic about it, and i know i wont be able to make low carb a lifetime choice.
ive been doing this for about 1 week and a half.
oh and ive been exercising EVERY day rigorously.

the first day i started low cal i was 147.8 lbs.
this morning i was 148.2

i know everyone is probably gonna tell me 'fluctuations' are normal and its not big deal. but im just curious about the whole eating carbs mess again. is there more pounds coming to add to that one that i gained? am i going to gain alot of weight back since im eating carbs again even im limiting my portions and cals? how long is it gonna take for my body to try low cal and start losing again? ugh. its all so confusing and discouraging.

i know its just one pound but i guess im just freaking out cause i think this is the start of it all coming back. i wish there was someone out there that switched like i did and was successful at losing the rest of their weight.
my goal is to get down to 120. so i have ways to go.

please please please if anyone has some advice or answers they are so much appreciated!!

thanks for reading!
 
Carbs cause some water retention. It's the nature of carbs. That's why people on extreme low carb diets have such a hard time maintaining that loss after they go back to eating normally ... not only are they not learning a moderate way of eating overall, they're gaining back some water weight by adding carbs back into their diet.

The way I look at is is that about 5# of what you lose in a low/no carb diet is a "false loss" because it will all come back the minute you start eating carbs.

It doesn't mean it's fat, but the bottom line is that weight is weight, right? As you incorporate more whole grains and healthy carbs into your diet, you're going to expect a slight increase in water weight. You'll still continue to lose fat if you keep your calories at a deficit ... but it'll take a little bit (couple of weeks probably) to regain your momentum to see an actual loss on the scale, while your body balances out that water level.
 
FWIW, I think you are making the right decision. Your body needs carbs, it's designed that way. You might see a slight increase on the scale for a week or two while the water issue balances out. It's not fat, it's water and water is a heck of a lot easier to lose. Make sure you are drinking a LOT of water and avoiding sodium heavy foods if possible. That will help. Just stick with it. You'll be healthier in the end and be better able to keep the weight off. Plus, your weight loss might go a little faster. 30 pounds is great! But I'll bet it takes a lot less than another 10 months to see the next 30 come off if you stick to your calories.

And don't freak. For one, it's not one pound. It's .4 pounds; less than half! I've seen my weight fluctuate more than that in 15 minutes. That's not even a joke, I honestly have.

Have you figured out your BMI yet? That's where you really want to start. Low calorie is good, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Figure out your BMI and what your activity multiplier is. Then take that number minus 500 to get your daily calorie allowance to lose 1 pound a week OR minus 1000 to lose 2 pounds a week. Just don't go under 1200 calories a day (on average).

I'd also recommend tracking your food in a site like lifestrong.com. That helps you see where you are at with your calories, and also how you are doing on things like fiber, protein, fat, sodium, etc. That site will even figure out your calorie limit for you, if you put in your information.
 
mindy0121 said:
hey everyone

i just need some advice.
basically i did low carb for 10 months and lost almost 30 lbs.
but i decided to switch from low carb to a controlled calorie way of eating. whole grains/fruit and such for more variety and basically i tried to be realistic about it, and i know i wont be able to make low carb a lifetime choice.
ive been doing this for about 1 week and a half.
oh and ive been exercising EVERY day rigorously.

the first day i started low cal i was 147.8 lbs.
this morning i was 148.2

i know everyone is probably gonna tell me 'fluctuations' are normal and its not big deal. but im just curious about the whole eating carbs mess again. is there more pounds coming to add to that one that i gained? am i going to gain alot of weight back since im eating carbs again even im limiting my portions and cals? how long is it gonna take for my body to try low cal and start losing again? ugh. its all so confusing and discouraging.

i know its just one pound but i guess im just freaking out cause i think this is the start of it all coming back. i wish there was someone out there that switched like i did and was successful at losing the rest of their weight.
my goal is to get down to 120. so i have ways to go.

please please please if anyone has some advice or answers they are so much appreciated!!

thanks for reading!
Click to expand...

Also, were you tracking calories on low carb? Maybe you were not eating enough and nowthat you are counting calories you are really eating more then before, which could cause a standstill in weight loss.
 
I'll let you know how it goes, Mindy ;) I switched from low carb to watching calories about a year ago. I lost an additional 10 lbs, but I'm not sure what my 'goal weight' should really be. And just like on low carb, if I get stressed and don't stay on plan, it's easy to overeat.

However, it's actually been easier on me than low carb. I can eat foods I like, I don't feel as stressed about it all, and my cholesterol has improved greatly since I became a fiber fanatic.

I still eat lower on the glycemic index - more whole grains and veggies, fewer 'white foods' but it's not about carb restriction it's about not wanting the rush of blood sugar and the fact that so many of these foods are just so calorie dense. I could eat 500 calories of brownies and not be filled up, or 500 calories of lean meat & veggies and some whole grains and be a lot more full.

You will regain some water weight right at the beginning - it happens, but water weight is not fat and you don't keep putting on the water weight, so once you get past it your weight should start to decline again.
 
thank you so much to all of your great replies!
its great to know that this weight gain is only temporary and that if i just keep doing what im doing and exercising, ill be right back in the groove again of dropping these pounds.
thanks again!!!
 
Jeanette401 said:
I'll let you know how it goes, Mindy ;) I switched from low carb to watching calories about a year ago. I lost an additional 10 lbs, but I'm not sure what my 'goal weight' should really be. And just like on low carb, if I get stressed and don't stay on plan, it's easy to overeat.

However, it's actually been easier on me than low carb. I can eat foods I like, I don't feel as stressed about it all, and my cholesterol has improved greatly since I became a fiber fanatic.

I still eat lower on the glycemic index - more whole grains and veggies, fewer 'white foods' but it's not about carb restriction it's about not wanting the rush of blood sugar and the fact that so many of these foods are just so calorie dense. I could eat 500 calories of brownies and not be filled up, or 500 calories of lean meat & veggies and some whole grains and be a lot more full.

You will regain some water weight right at the beginning - it happens, but water weight is not fat and you don't keep putting on the water weight, so once you get past it your weight should start to decline again.
Click to expand...

thanks for responding! this is actually like exactly what i needed to hear!! its nice to see someone who switched like i did and was successful. not only with weightloss but the thing with your cholesterol is great. because the last time (only time) i got my bloodwork done to check my cholesterol...it was pretty bad. so hopefully this will also help me.
thanks so much!
 
Glad to help! And I was able to make a big difference in my cholesterol. My LDL went from the 170s to the 120s.

In addition to watching calories I have a few simple rules - 1) aim for at least 100g of protein a day. 2) Aim for 25g of fiber a day. 3) Try to stay under 20g of saturated fat a day. 4) Don't sweat it too much as long as I'm doing this 80% of the time. 5) Don't be utterly ridiculous and eat 5000 calories in the other 20% of the time ;)

Beyond that I no longer track net carbs or anything like that. I eat oatmeal, I found these awesome sweet wheat bagels that are 110 calories and 8g of fiber (they were at Wal-Mart near the cream cheese), I get the barilla plus pasta... but I still eat 'regular' food several times a week. And I can do this and still lose weight!
 
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