Low carb seems to be the only way for me

[mefordis]

After countless false starts on losing this 50+ pounds, I've think it's finally sunk in that low carb (100 g or less per day) will be the only answer to my weight loss. It seems to be the only time I'm successful. Reason being, I am very sensitive to sugar. I can't just have one cookie, or Luna bar, or bowl of cereal and leave it alone. My body CRAVES more. The only way I can seem to keep my calorie count low enough to create a deficiency and lose weight is to eliminate sugar entirely (except some fruit) and keep my carb grams to around 100.

Is anyone else in the same boat? I am creating my long term eating plan now -- how I plan to eat for the rest of my life. Control carbs, eliminate sugar except for designated holidays (I have identified several per year where I can "splurge" but JUST for that DAY).

Any feedback or insight would be GREATLY appreciated!

By the way, I've tried WW, Body for Life, but when I let too many carbs and sugar into my diet I have a hard time controlling my food intake.

 

[Purrrrfecta]

Hi,

I have found that there are some people (especially if they are insulin resistant) do not do well when they diet with a high carb diet.

Are you an apple shaped person?

Maybe man was not supposed to eat a lot of sugar. My husband was watching this show about a tribe of people from Africa and their only source of carbohydrate came from a root of a plant. He thought that was interesting. He is not of African decent or anything, but he thought that that maybe man does not need many carbs because protein gave man a healthy source of energy to help them hunt and gather.

The other thing is that our body prepares us to have energy by spilling glucose into our blood when we get up in the morning. So if you eat a high carb breakfast in the morning your body has to send out the message to send extra insulin to rid your body of the glucose - your metabolism is then going to go to work to get rid of the extra glucose in your body and not the fat.

 

[mefordis]

Thanks for your reply. I don't think I'm an apple. I mean, I do gain in my stomach too but I am pretty much proportioned evenly. I think apple shapes have skinny legs, and I don't have skinny legs. I've got fat on my arms, legs, and tummy. But I do crave sugar big time unless it is out of my system for about a good 4 days, then the cravings go away. I end up caving in and having something sweet or high carb and it starts the whole binge cycle again.

Everything you write below makes sense and aligns with my research thus far.

Some people can have one cookie and leave them alone. Others will eat an entire sleeve of Oreos. I am the latter. I think it's part mental and definitely part physiological.

I wish there was a special board on here for low carbers. Is there?

Hi,

I have found that there are some people (especially if they are insulin resistant) do not do well when they diet with a high carb diet.

Are you an apple shaped person?

Maybe man was not supposed to eat a lot of sugar. My husband was watching this show about a tribe of people from Africa and their only source of carbohydrate came from a root of a plant. He thought that was interesting. He is not of African decent or anything, but he thought that that maybe man does not need many carbs because protein gave man a healthy source of energy to help them hunt and gather.

The other thing is that our body prepares us to have energy by spilling glucose into our blood when we get up in the morning. So if you eat a high carb breakfast in the morning your body has to send out the message to send extra insulin to rid your body of the glucose - your metabolism is then going to go to work to get rid of the extra glucose in your body and not the fat.

 

[Purrrrfecta]

You are right about having the cravings.

Have you ever had a big bowl of cereal in the morning, and then you will feel like you are going to die if you do not have something to eat because you have the shakes? They say that is all part of it as well.

I guess an apple shape is a shape that has the majority of weight in the abdominal area and less on the hips.

 

[DawnM]

This is what works for ME and I am not saying it will work for you, but it is the only way I can NOT go low carb and lose weight.

I can only have carbs from these sources:

a little plain oatmeal
yams (with no sugar!)
vegetables, mostly greens and some tomatoes, some squash
fruit (seriously, if I get 2 a day it curbs my sugar cravings)
beans

I have found that eating CLEAN/Fresh foods, very low fat, no sugar, no flours of any kind, no processed anything, period!

Dawn

 

[Christine]

Maybe man was not supposed to eat a lot of sugar. My husband was watching this show about a tribe of people from Africa and their only source of carbohydrate came from a root of a plant.

Man is certainly *not* supposed to eat sugar. Sugar and carbs are very different. There is a diet out there that is supposed to mimic what we have evolved from. I think it's called The Paleolithic Diet and people who go on it try their best to model their eating after what our great, great ancestors lived on. Remember, sugar, white flour and the like (highly refined carbohydrates) really didn't start making an noticeable appearance until probably the 1800s and, even then, they were eaten in such small amounts as to not be determinental (it was really only the rich that could afford sugar).

So, our ancestors ate a good amount of carbohydrates, but in the form of plants. It wasn't often that they could actually get out a kill some wild animal and have enough for them to eat a lot of it. It was mostly small game, fish, and a majority of plant foods.

 

[mefordis]

Yes, yes, YES! I am the same way! That is the only way I can control my vicious appetite! Have you been able to maintain this way of eating every day? Do you ever go off for holidays or "free" days? Have you been able to lose weight?

Thanks!

This is what works for ME and I am not saying it will work for you, but it is the only way I can NOT go low carb and lose weight.

I can only have carbs from these sources:

a little plain oatmeal
yams (with no sugar!)
vegetables, mostly greens and some tomatoes, some squash
fruit (seriously, if I get 2 a day it curbs my sugar cravings)
beans

I have found that eating CLEAN/Fresh foods, very low fat, no sugar, no flours of any kind, no processed anything, period!

Dawn

 

[Iluvthemouse]

I am the same way with sugar but I would love to be able to eat under 100 carbs a day.

I crave more and more. Last night DH and I ate at Uno. I had one of their mini desserts. I was totally stuffed. Later on I had to take DD to a party so I impulsively stopped at a convenience store and got a honey bun and promptly ate it. I just wolfed it and wanted more. Sickening.

I have lost 30lbs on a lower carb diet. I feel so much better but if I get sidetrack by a sweet then all bets are off and I become this sugar monster.LOL

I am preparing food for the week now so I can be prepared. I have to get back to eating clean and healthy,.

 

[mefordis]

I find that if I go about 3-4 days without sugar, it is out of my system and I stop craving it. It is sooo much easier after that time. That is why I really have to stay firm with my "free" days and just relegate them to that particular holiday. The next one coming up is my birthday in Sept. I have written every single holiday/free day down and it comes to 12 in a year. One little dessert would trip me up if I incorporated that into a normal day.

Good call preparing your food for the week. I'm going to make up a bunch of chicken. The secret for me is to allow myself fat -- not count fat grams just eliminate sugar and count carb grams. I stay around 125 usually (on a good day) but I haven't had that many good days lately.

I renew my efforts tomorrow and plan to eat "clean" up until my birthday.

I am the same way with sugar but I would love to be able to eat under 100 carbs a day.

I crave more and more. Last night DH and I ate at Uno. I had one of their mini desserts. I was totally stuffed. Later on I had to take DD to a party so I impulsively stopped at a convenience store and got a honey bun and promptly ate it. I just wolfed it and wanted more. Sickening.

I have lost 30lbs on a lower carb diet. I feel so much better but if I get sidetrack by a sweet then all bets are off and I become this sugar monster.LOL

I am preparing food for the week now so I can be prepared. I have to get back to eating clean and healthy,.

 

[DawnM]

Well, it DID work for me and I lost about 30 pounds and kept it off. I also did some exercise.

And, I will admit it was really easy to lose it once I was "in the groove."

Right now I know what I NEED to do, but doing it is sometimes hard, shouldn't be, but it is. Part of that is because you can't just buy a frozen meal and pop it in the micro and have it ready in 2 min, you know? There is chopping, prep work and clean up involved. Once I get in a habit I am fine, it is getting to that point that is hard with DH and kids who want.....they do NOT need to lose weight, but do need to eat well and not all the garbage.

I just need to get my groove back!


Dawn

Yes, yes, YES! I am the same way! That is the only way I can control my vicious appetite! Have you been able to maintain this way of eating every day? Do you ever go off for holidays or "free" days? Have you been able to lose weight?

Thanks!

 

[mefordis]

So are you at your goal weight? Good going! You have stuck with it more often than not since you are down 30 lbs. I have more energy if I eat low carb. Carbs really sap my energy.

I wish there was a low carb board on the Dis.

Well, it DID work for me and I lost about 30 pounds and kept it off. I also did some exercise.

And, I will admit it was really easy to lose it once I was "in the groove."

Right now I know what I NEED to do, but doing it is sometimes hard, shouldn't be, but it is. Part of that is because you can't just buy a frozen meal and pop it in the micro and have it ready in 2 min, you know? There is chopping, prep work and clean up involved. Once I get in a habit I am fine, it is getting to that point that is hard with DH and kids who want.....they do NOT need to lose weight, but do need to eat well and not all the garbage.

I just need to get my groove back!


Dawn

 

[DawnM]

Sorry, you also asked me if on my clean/whole foods living if I ever cheated.....you know, once I get to where I am eating this way I don't crave stuff and can say no. I have a problem because the second I start eating garbage I suddenly start craving garbage!

I have had to learn what kinds of things I can "splurge" on that won't trigger cravings. I can handle some real whipping cream with a tiny bit of stevia or agave in it. I can handle some potato chips and tortilla chips, but I cannot handle anything with real sugar, nor can I handle anything with white flour. Those are triggers for me.

Dawn

 

[mefordis]

What about on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas? I don't think I could handle watching what I eat on those days. Do you stick to eating low carb on those days?

Sorry, you also asked me if on my clean/whole foods living if I ever cheated.....you know, once I get to where I am eating this way I don't crave stuff and can say no. I have a problem because the second I start eating garbage I suddenly start craving garbage!

I have had to learn what kinds of things I can "splurge" on that won't trigger cravings. I can handle some real whipping cream with a tiny bit of stevia or agave in it. I can handle some potato chips and tortilla chips, but I cannot handle anything with real sugar, nor can I handle anything with white flour. Those are triggers for me.

Dawn

 

[DawnM]

I don't eat low carb! I eat no refined carbs.

It depends on WHERE we go for Christmas. If we are at the in-laws I don't really have a choice in what I eat....my MIL doesn't believe in diets and just cooks what she wants and says "don't eat it" if you want something different!

But most of the time we are here and I eat none to very little if I am really sticking to it.

I can still have turkey, green beans, salad, yams (if I make them without sugar here at home!), and I typically will bake a potato to go with it so I have some potato.

Honestly, last year, I only let the kids fill a small bag each on Halloween because the year before we had litterally filled 2 of those 2 gallon size zip locks when we got home and guess who likes to eat it???????

The above is if I am being really strict.

You know, DH and I did a finacial course similar to Dave Ramsey. We became what Dave calls "gazelle intense" and got rid of our loans. He is quite strict and says that you just can't cheat and expect the same results. So splurging on Christmas gifts you can't afford for example will just blow your bank account for later.

I think I just really need to apply that to my dieting life!

Thanks for letting me preach to myself....I am trying to get psyched to get gazelle intense again!

Dawn

What about on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas? I don't think I could handle watching what I eat on those days. Do you stick to eating low carb on those days?

 

[pixiedust23]

I'm sure I'll get flamed for this buuuuuuuuuuuuuutt....... most nutritionists will tell you that a low carb or low fat diet can be bad. The problem is that reducing these organic molecules to an extremely low number can cause long-term issues. Basically by denying your body of these compounds, it raises what is called your set point. This works in a pretty basic manner. Joey's body doesn't see carbs for a long time. Joey's body loses weight. Joey eats carbs again. Joey's body says OMG Carbs, I haven't seen you in forever. I think I"ll hold on to more than I did last time, just in case I don't see you guys for a while again. The holding on to those extra carbs by your body is weight gain. So if you are going to go low-carb, you need to make a it a life altering diet change.

 

[ZerasPride]

I have not visited WISH for so long now. I'm almost ashamed to post here but I was looking for some encouragement tonight and this is one of the only places on the net I have ever felt "safe" discussing my weight issues.

OP - I followed my own brand of low carb (sort of a combo South Beach and Atkins) and lost 109 pounds. I went from a size 28/26 to a size 12 and sometimes 10. I was beyond elated. Then I started to let the simple and/or refined carbs creep back into my life. Right now I am back up to a size 16/18 and have gained about 50 pounds back. I felt so yuck. I knew something was wrong with me when I overloaded on carbs but I honestly felt like I couldn't stop myself. I would eat mounds and mounds and mounds of sugary foods each day and wake up with the worst carby hangover and just do it all over again. I have been doing a lot of reading lately though about sugar sensitivity and realize that is what I have. I am just not able to eat 2 cookies or a handful of M&Ms (not too long ago, I ate an entire large bag of M&Ms - just couldn't stop popping them in my mouth and when the bag was empty I actually went looking for more sugary junk to eat).

On the other hand, I have tried so many diets that I just don't want to do them anymore. I don't want to have to worry about falling off the wagon and such. I just finished reading a book called Sugar Shock and boy did it open my eyes. I had to admit to myself that I just cannot eat sugar. Period. Nadda. I have not decided if I will make exceptions for special occasions but heck I can make a special occasion out of the sunrise!

This is my long winded way of saying, I can totally feel what you are going through. As of now, I have been sugar free for 3 days. And I am beginning to feel like the old skinny me slowly but surely. I also keep telling myself this is not a diet. I am just eliminating refined or junk sugar carbs. I still eat whole grains, nuts, dairy, lean meats and veggies. For now, I am cutting out fruit to help get my mind and body back in control. But will add fruit back in 2 weeks. I am also working out again and that is feeling so good!

If you are looking for support, I for one, will join you. Going sugarless is not new to me, I just lost my way a little bit in the Willy Wanka Chocolate Factory but I've come to my senses now. Thanks for letting me share!

 

[Iluvthemouse]

Zeraspride---You totally have to refresh my memory here. I am losing it but your name brought back memories for me. I am Pompom2 at LCF. Were we in a SB thread together or was it the elliptical? I remember your remarkable weight loss and you look fantastic.

I am right there with you on the sugary stuff. My mind/body CAN NOT stop at 1 or 2 sweets. I have to finish it all around me. Then I want more.


I am on day 3 going back to my own version SB and lower carb and already feeling better (other than the headache I have today).

Small world, huh??

 

[DawnM]

I used to be that way with sugar. I have NO idea what happened, but now I have sugar in the house and don't even want it. I just realized this this week as I was thinking about my diet and how different it is than it used to be.

I do know that I added much more fruit (real, whole, fresh fruit) than I ever used to eat....I was lucky to get a few pieces in a week before. I now eat fruit daily. After doing that consistently for a while, I no longer crave junk sugar.

Just works for me.

Dawn

 

[ZerasPride]

Pom! Hey! Wow, what a small world and yes we did used to be on the South Beach board together over at LCF. Nice to "see" you again! I'm with you on the sugar. My body and soul just cannot tolerate it. Today is day 4 and I feel much better than yesterday. Thank goodness. I had such a roaring headache and I was so tired. But today I'm feeling full of energy. Got in a great work out this morning and am eating a delicious grilled chicken salad for lunch. I'm making LindaSue's make me stuffed peppers for dinner. Yum. Can't think of a good reason why I went off eating this way. It makes me feel so wonderful!

Dawn - I wish I could be like you! Actually, I can be around sugar if I go through a complete sugar detox. I usually chicken out somewhere around day 2 or 3 but so far so good. Once I'm back in control, I'll be able to be around any sweets and not crave them.

OP - I hope you're doing well. Please check in with us and let us know how it's going, okay?

Keep up the great work everyone!!!!