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[elrechazado]

Yeah, the blood pressure is pretty well understood. Fructose metabolism rapes the liver of phosphorous, decreases NO (nitrates massively reduce blood pressure, see the ED ads...), and has a by product of uric acid which increases blood pressure.

Dr Robert Lustig explains this in great detail.

And don't just take my word or Lustig's word for it. Read the scientific literature:

http://www.nature.com/ki/journal/v74/n4/abs/ki2008184a.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15111494
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16129731
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17158419

It makes absolutely no sense to blame salt for hypertension, when the prevalence has shot up in recent decades. Before refrigeration they packed food with salt to keep them from spoiling. If you read any of Weston Price's work in the 1800s and early 1900s, you'll see that people eating such food had far less obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer than we did (and tooth decay).


Lustig also explains how fructose causes insulin resistance in the liver, which causes body wide insulin resistance, and how hyperinsulinemia causes leptin resistance.

It just amazed me that people can believe that they must count calories to correct obesity. Animals in their natural habitat with periods of abundant food eat when they're hungry, and they're lean as hell. Look at pictures of people before 1950 - fat people almost don't exist despite people eating "bad" eggs/bacon for breakfast, butter/meat/vegetables for dinner.

I'll see that and raise you the misuse of the law of thermodynamics as the reason people believe in this calories in calories out balance nonsense.

scroll down to - Rebuttal: Conservation of Energy
http://entropyproduction.blogspot.com/2009/02/all-medical-science-is-wrong-within-95.html

Also, see the vids I posted a few posts up. Fascinating discussion on how hibernating animals put on weight even as consumption drops.

 

[teh_pwn]

How do you work this... by finding low-carb alternatives to what you usually eat (like that make-your-own-bread and shit) or completely changing what you eat? I actually hate having to make pretty much everything so whatever you've managed to work out would be great to know

Personally I just don't even try to imitate bread/carbohydrates. Aside from stuff like pizza, things taste better without the carbs.

I'm moderately low carb (40-100 grams per day). Here are the kinds of things that I eat:

Eggs
Bacon
Sausage

Mexican without carbs:
Beef
Taco seasoning
onions
garlic
pico de gallo
sour cream
guacamole

1% milk (for the protein. Not afraid of the fat, but I have to agree with grumble that protein is probably the most satiety inducing).

Whole yogurt + 10 grams of fish oil (Carlson's from amazon)

Lindt 87% dark chocolate

Mixed nuts

Berries, carrots, spinach, mixed greens, homemade salad dressing

Real marinara (only tomatoes, spices, olive oil, black olives, garlic, onions, no bullshit ingredients), sausage, aged cheese

I mean honestly, the only thing I miss is pizza.

 

[teh_pwn]

I'll see that and raise you the misuse of the law of thermodynamics as the reason people believe in this calories in calories out balance nonsense.

scroll down to - Rebuttal: Conservation of Energy
http://entropyproduction.blogspot.com/2009/02/all-medical-science-is-wrong-within-95.html

Also, see the vids I posted a few posts up. Fascinating discussion on how hibernating animals put on weight even as consumption drops.

Yeah, I recall Taubes using that as an example, or was it Guyenet. I'll look at it later. More starcraft2 time.

 

[elrechazado]

Personally I just don't even try to imitate bread/carbohydrates. Aside from stuff like pizza, things taste better without the carbs.

I'm moderately low carb (40-100 grams per day). Here are the kinds of things that I eat:

Eggs
Bacon
Sausage

Mexican without carbs:
Beef
Taco seasoning
onions
garlic
pico de gallo
sour cream
guacamole

1% milk (for the protein. Not afraid of the fat, but I have to agree with grumble that protein is probably the most satiety inducing).

Whole yogurt + 10 grams of fish oil (Carlson's from amazon)

Lindt 87% dark chocolate

Mixed nuts

Berries, carrots, spinach, mixed greens, homemade salad dressing

Real marinara (only tomatoes, spices, olive oil, black olives, garlic, onions, no bullshit ingredients), sausage, aged cheese

I mean honestly, the only thing I miss is pizza.

Where do you get your chocolate? I've been enjoying some (can't think of the brand offhand) that I found randomly in the candy aisle. 85% cacao. I eat it with smuckers natural peanut butter (ingredients: peanuts, salt)(yes, I know too many omega 6 in peanuts, but it's so good and has 1 carb per 2 tbsp). I'd like to buy some chocolate in bulk though.

 

[reggieandTFE]

Yeah, the blood pressure is pretty well understood. Fructose metabolism rapes the liver of phosphorous, decreases NO (nitrates massively reduce blood pressure, see the ED ads...), and has a by product of uric acid which increases blood pressure.

Dr Robert Lustig explains this in great detail.

And don't just take my word or Lustig's word for it. Read the scientific literature:

http://www.nature.com/ki/journal/v74/n4/abs/ki2008184a.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15111494
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16129731
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17158419

It makes absolutely no sense to blame salt for hypertension, when the prevalence has shot up in recent decades. Before refrigeration they packed food with salt to keep them from spoiling. If you read any of Weston Price's work in the 1800s and early 1900s, you'll see that people eating such food had far less obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer than we did (and tooth decay).


Lustig also explains how fructose causes insulin resistance in the liver, which causes body wide insulin resistance, and how hyperinsulinemia causes leptin resistance.

It just amazed me that people can believe that they must count calories to correct obesity. Animals in their natural habitat with periods of abundant food eat when they're hungry, and they're lean as hell. Look at pictures of people before 1950 - fat people almost don't exist despite people eating "bad" eggs/bacon for breakfast, butter/meat/vegetables for dinner.

I'm glad you found a diet that works for you, but your constant drumbeat of "Low-carb, high-protein diets are the only ones that work!!!" has turned this thread away from its initial purpose of highlighting peoples' successes at losing weight into your blog.

Also, anyone can cherry-pick some random abstracts on that pubmed site that support their preconceived views. For example, here's some links to articles showing that the consumption of meat causes cancer. Are you going to give up the low-carb lifestyle now?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20729477
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20681011
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20624335

 

[teh_pwn]

I'm glad you found a diet that works for you, but your constant drumbeat of "Low-carb, high-protein diets are the only ones that work!!!" has turned this thread away from its initial purpose of highlighting peoples' successes at losing weight into your blog.

Also, anyone can cherry-pick some random abstracts on that pubmed site that support their preconceived views. For example, here's some links to articles showing that the consumption of meat causes cancer. Are you going to give up the low-carb lifestyle now?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20729477
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20681011
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20624335

I haven't said such a thing in at least 20 pages.

Here are some reasons why I don't like your links:

1. Humans evolved with meat in their diet. If meat was harmful to the human digestive system and the body, humans that ate meat would have been selected out of the gene pool. The idea that meat is harmful is in conflict with the theory of evolution.

2. The studies generalize red meat. What is that? I mean that's so general. Science is about controls. If it's uncontrolled, it isn't science.

3. These studies do nothing to refute the things that I claim cause obesity:
-Leptin resistance due to fructose (these studies are controlled specifically on the fructose molecule).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypothalamus

Seriously, read the wikipedia article on Leptin very carefully. It has references:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptin#Function

Leptin acts on receptors in the hypothalamus of the brain where it inhibits appetite by (1) counteracting the effects of neuropeptide Y (a potent feeding stimulant secreted by cells in the gut and in the hypothalamus); (2) counteracting the effects of anandamide (another potent feeding stimulant that binds to the same receptors as THC, the primary active ingredient of marijuana); and (3) promoting the synthesis of α-MSH, an appetite suppressant. This inhibition is long-term, in contrast to the rapid inhibition of eating by cholecystokinin (CCK) and the slower suppression of hunger between meals mediated by PYY3-36. The absence of a leptin (or its receptor) leads to uncontrolled food intake and resulting obesity.

To date, only leptin and insulin are known to act as an adiposity signal. In general,
Leptin circulates at levels proportional to body fat.
It enters the central nervous system (CNS) in proportion to its plasma concentration.
Its receptors are found in brain neurons involved in regulating energy intake and expenditure.
It controls food intake and energy expenditure by acting on receptors in the mediobasal hypothalamus[15]

Do you not see how critically relevant this is to obesity? Science has already found that obese people aren't deficient in leptin. For some reason their hypothalamus doesn't read it...leptin resistance.

-Inflammation of the hypothalamus due to omega 6mega 3 ratio being too high
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/further-adventures-with-leptin/
http://www.springerlink.com/content/01125u6h41982562/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12578976?dopt=Abstract

-Inflammation of the hypothalamus due to systematic inflammation due to increased intestinal permeability due to antibiotics + bad bacteria in the gut
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100304142232.htm

oligofructose is a fiber that symbiotic bacteria feed on and release satiety inducing peptides.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19386741
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15976142
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16644709
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15930172


-Mineral deficiencies due to phytates in gluten grains
http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/164/5/449
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14985216
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2820048
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2824731

The way science works is that you must provide evidence to refute the claims that I make. My way of eating isn't a religion. You cannot group "meat" with low carb as a method to refute my hypothesis. I mean this isn't a political debate or something subjective. In order to follow the scientific method you must refute what I am claiming with controlled data. If you can, I'd be very interested to hear. This isn't a personal thing to me, this is about finding the truth about the cause of obesity and how best to treat it. I mean if you want this thread to be puppies, sunshine and shirt less pics while everyone is singing kumbaya without any conflict, then I'll leave. I think it's a pretty dumb way to go about losing fat.

4. The studies seem to suggest that saturated fat is bad for the body, which is based on the flawed 7 studies by Ancel Keys. It is flawed because Keys did not analyze sugar, and he left out countries that didn't support his theory.

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/ajcn.2009.27725v1
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/ajcn.2009.29146v1

CLA and vitamin K2 are high in pastured cattle (fed fresh grass):
http://jds.fass.org/cgi/reprint/82/10/2146.pdf

Up to 500% higher. The significance is not trivial, because these substances are very good for the heart and fight cancer.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19179058
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15514282
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20463040
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20335553

Do the studies in your link control that with "red meat"?

 

[teh_pwn]

Where do you get your chocolate? I've been enjoying some (can't think of the brand offhand) that I found randomly in the candy aisle. 85% cacao. I eat it with smuckers natural peanut butter (ingredients: peanuts, salt)(yes, I know too many omega 6 in peanuts, but it's so good and has 1 carb per 2 tbsp). I'd like to buy some chocolate in bulk though.

I get mine from HEB (texas grocery chain). They're about $1.50 each.

 

[RoodyPooUS]

I get mine from HEB (texas grocery chain). They're about $1.50 each.

R u aware?

 

[teh_pwn]

R u aware?

WAT? MONKEYS WHY WE GOT?

Seriously, not following you. Am I a drunk?

http://www.radford.edu/~kcastleb/toc.html

 

[ghostofsparta]

Quick question that I've googled but still don't have a good answer for.

Can eating fruits make you gain weight? Since they have a lot of sugar and all.

 

[teh_pwn]

Quick question that I've googled but still don't have a good answer for.

Can eating fruits make you gain weight? Since they have a lot of sugar and all.

In general it cannot. Most natural fruit has significant amount of fiber, which feeds symbiotic bacteria that releases hunger suppressing peptides. It reduces the rate of sugar absorbed into the bloodstream typically slow enough to allow the liver to handle it.

With that said, if you already have a damaged metabolism that's very resistant to insulin, you're better off minimizing fruit. Especially the sugary fraken fruit in the grocery. Look up images of wild bananas on google/bing and compare them to what you see in the grocery. They've been selected for sugar, no seeds, etc. Modern bananas may still be healthy, but keep in mind it's not what our ancestors ate.

 

[chicko1983]

Quick question that I've googled but still don't have a good answer for.

Can eating fruits make you gain weight? Since they have a lot of sugar and all.

simple answer, if you eat enough then yes, you can gain weight just by eating fruit.

for low carbs, stick to veggies and more specifically try to eat only green veggies.

starchy veggies, like potato, and sweet veggies, like carrots, should also be avoided.

basically, carbs can be divided into sugars and fibre. Hence the higher the carbs means more likely it is high in sugar.

 

[The_Inquisitor]

Are frozen grapes considered healthy? (Red) I've been trying to eat them when I get the munchies instead of something else.

 

[teh_pwn]

Are frozen grapes considered healthy? (Red) I've been trying to eat them when I get the munchies instead of something else.

Not sure about grapes. They seem to have a high sugar/fiber ratio. You're better off without I would think. But if you have to choose between juice and whole grapes, go with the whole.

 

[vitaminwateryum]

Are frozen grapes considered healthy? (Red) I've been trying to eat them when I get the munchies instead of something else.

I don't know, but the things are absolutely delicious. I know they're pretty high in sugar but compared to most sweets and other junk-foods you should be fine.

 

[Poigea]

I thought I would share my story.

A year ago I got on the scale and weighed 207 pounds, this was up from 140 my senior year in high school (6 years ago).I was shocked and wanted to do something about it. I started counting calories and got back into running. I lost 45 pounds in about 4 months... and then I hit a wall. It felt like no matter how much more I exercised or how much less I ate I could not get below 160.

This lead me to give up counting calories over the winter and I put back on 10 pounds. I decided to get back into trying to lose weight again and hit the 160 pound wall AGAIN. I started weight lifting in addition to running and counting calories... it didn't work.

After reading "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and reading some posts here I decided to try the low carb, high fat/protein thing. In 5 days of ketosis so far I have lost ~5 pounds and ~2% body fat (my wife has lost 3 pounds as well since I do all the cooking and she is happy!). Not having the burden of counting calories and measuring servings is a breath of fresh air. I do admit, I was craving carbs A LOT the first 3 days, but it has gotten better.

My questions are, I am close to my goal of 150, what do I do when I reach it? Do I try and eat 50-80g of carbs a day while still running and lifting weights to maintain my weight? Should I do a week of ketosis every 4-6 weeks of maintenance? I wouldn't mind getting my body fat percentage down by building muscle along the way.

 

[Domino Theory]

Are frozen grapes considered healthy? (Red) I've been trying to eat them when I get the munchies instead of something else.

It's a much better snack than munching on crackers, cookies and what not, but it's still loaded with sugar.

Your body is Superman and Sugar is kryptonite.

 

[Chinner]

My questions are, I am close to my goal of 150, what do I do when I reach it? Do I try and eat 50-80g of carbs a day while still running and lifting weights to maintain my weight? Should I do a week of ketosis every 4-6 weeks of maintenance? I wouldn't mind getting my body fat percentage down by building muscle along the way.

start upping the amount of carbs you eat every week until you find the spot where you're not losing/gaining weight.

 

[Domino Theory]

My questions are, I am close to my goal of 150, what do I do when I reach it? Do I try and eat 50-80g of carbs a day while still running and lifting weights to maintain my weight? Should I do a week of ketosis every 4-6 weeks of maintenance? I wouldn't mind getting my body fat percentage down by building muscle along the way.

First of all, congrats. I started my low-calorie diet last July and stuck to it until this July and lost 30 pounds, but hit a wall a couple months before the one year anniversary. Now with this low-carb diet, I just crush every wall before it's even built.

Anyways, just slowly up your carb count until you're neither gaining nor losing weight once you reach your goal. And keep lifting! It feels good to replace the extra loose skin with muscle.

 

[talisayNon]

Here's what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: almond/dark chocolate 85% combo nut. fcts: 285 cals 26g fat 8g carbs 5g fiber 9g protein
Lunch: double stack(no bun)+garden side salad: 340cals 19g fat 19g carb 3g fiber 22g protein.
Snack: Thigh+Leg 290 calories 17g fat 0 carbs 37g protein.
Dinner: 3 pork ribs 610 calories 45g fat 0 carbs 69g protein

Totals: 1525 calories 107g fat 27g carbs 8g fiber 137g protein

 

[Kraftwerk]

just wanted to say something quick..
a few months ago i would only fit in large clothing,pants were size 40 and whatnot.
yesterday i went shopping and tried on a pair of pants and a shirt at the same time,they fit PERFECTLY.
The shirt was a slim fit small and the pants were size 30.
So thank you gaf,this thread was really a big inspiration 'single tear'

 

[LFG]

weekly update:

06/08 - 215

07/22 - 200
07/30 - 197.5

08/06 - 194.5
08/13 - 192.5
08/20 - 190
08/27 - 187.5

i wish i had kept track of my loss in june and early july. oh well. 2.5lbs to go and i will have lost 30lbs! seems surreal looking back. 27.5lbs to go til my goal of 160lbs.

 

[cuevas. PhD.]

It's a much better snack than munching on crackers, cookies and what not, but it's still loaded with sugar.

Your body is Superman and Sugar is kryptonite.

you do need some sugar though...

 

[Srsly]

you do need some sugar though...

nope

 

[teh_pwn]

you do need some sugar though...

Why do you think that?

I could understand an argument for non-fructose starches and glucose. If it's low GI, low GL, and has no fructose, then it should be fine. There are cultures that have moderate carb intake that are fine (some Asian traditional diets). You could argue that getting more of these is better for athletes, more active people.

But I'm not aware of any biological necessity for fructose. It literally is only metabolized by the liver in a similar fashion to ethanol, with similar unhealthy byproducts. You can consider it a poison by definition. (A few grams from fruit spread out over hours is virtually harmless, I'm getting at soda/juice and HFCS in packaged food).

 

[Guileless]

Anyone ever get thrown off a weight loss regimen when making a big life change?

Yes, it's tough. My weight gain happened after moving and starting a new job. When I moved I was living by myself in a new town. I ate out all the time and my diet consisted of fast food for lunch and then Guinness and bar food for dinner. It was October and the days were shortening and the weather was terrible so I never exercised. On weekends I binged at football tailgates. Bad news all around. The reckoning came the following spring. Thank god for this thread. So be careful, when your routine changes drastically it's easy to slip into bad habits.

As for low carb expense, in some ways it's more expensive and in some ways it's not. You do get what you pay for. Sure you can't put 60 cents in a machine for some potato chips. But you can buy chicken quarters for like $1.50/lb and smoke them and have a spinach salad on the side. It's more of an up-front investment and requires planning, but it's not expensive on a per-plate basis.

 

[ccbfan]

Lots of good stuff here.

I've currently started to go on a diet about a month ago.

I was like 6 feet weighing like 190.

I'm about 175 now. My goal is 160, pretty much in the middle of the BMI scale for normal. So I'm halfway there.

I'm not doing any special diet just cutting my portions by to 75 percent I eat the same stuff as I've always eaten. I can't give up carbs for pasta, white bread, potatoes and rice are some of my favorite foods. Plus I have a sweet tooth.

I'm also going to the gym a lot more, 5 days a week. I run/elliptical like 5-6 miles and do weights and abs for like 30-40 minutes. I also try to do sit ups at night before I head to bed. I definitely notice some results from this. My arms are getting bigger and my stomach and chest harder. Still can't seem to get rid of a little man boob and my lower abs are still kinda soft.

I've kinda hit a wall though. I used to be losing like 3-4 pounds a week and it slowing down quite a bit. I'm doing the same thing as before and even working out a bit more adding more weights to my rotations. And of course the issues with the bit of man boob and soft lower ab.

Anyway advice to remedy this situation?

 

[forrest]

How do diet sodas factor into the low carb approach?

I've been losing weight and getting back into shape for a few months now and while the weight hasn't been pouring off my body composition is definitely changing. More muscle, less fat and my pants and shirts are too big.

I'm primarily doing high intensity interval training with my body weight and some dumbbells while watching what I eat. It's not a strict diet, just a bit more careful in my food selection. After reading and lurking in this thread my curiosity has been peaked concerning the low carb folks.

Anyone have a low carb for dummies link? I love all of the backing science, but I just don't have time to read all of it. While I do support and believe that lower calories in can be helpful I'm more interested in the way humans were built to eat living in the wild. Hunter, gatherers, paleo, etc.

Thanks and congrats to all losing weight no matter how you got there!

 

[elrechazado]

How do diet sodas factor into the low carb approach?

I've been losing weight and getting back into shape for a few months now and while the weight hasn't been pouring off my body composition is definitely changing. More muscle, less fat and my pants and shirts are too big.

I'm primarily doing high intensity interval training with my body weight and some dumbbells while watching what I eat. It's not a strict diet, just a bit more careful in my food selection. After reading and lurking in this thread my curiosity has been peaked concerning the low carb folks.

Anyone have a low carb for dummies link? I love all of the backing science, but I just don't have time to read all of it. While I do support and believe that lower calories in can be helpful I'm more interested in the way humans were built to eat living in the wild. Hunter, gatherers, paleo, etc.

Thanks and congrats to all losing weight no matter how you got there!

There is no conclusive evidence that diet sodas (artifical sweeteners) prompt insulin response in the way sugars do. However, some people like me find that they prompt cravings for real sweeteners, so I personally avoid them. But science wise, no proof that they will harm you. Caffeine is generally considered beneficial in weight loss for various reasons.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ is a popular paleo type site with tons of information.

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3299911
A catch all low carb thread - this is a great starter.

http://hunter-gatherer.com/ - a sometimes amusing sometimes informative blog by a guy doing paleo lifestyle

 

[CaptainABAB]

How do you work this... by finding low-carb alternatives to what you usually eat (like that make-your-own-bread and shit) or completely changing what you eat? I actually hate having to make pretty much everything so whatever you've managed to work out would be great to know

I've completely changed what I eat:

Before:
I used to be big on sandwiches - I would probably have them for every meal: home-made cold cut sandwiches, 12" subway grinders, fast food. I was fooling myself thinking that it was healthy b/c it was turkey on whole grain or a wendys grilled chicken. I also had to eat eggs as a sandwich - preferably on a toasted english muffin or bagel. Since I wasn't big on making eggs at the time, I would often make 2 deli sandwiches - one for breakfast and one for dinner. And when the kids didn't finish their waffles/cereal/toast, I would finish the left-overs.

In addition, I would always have potato chips or french fries with my lunch/dinner meals. Even when I got something sorta healthy, I would always sample/sneak a few french fries from my kids or mashed potatoes from my wife (they never "clear" their plates.) And oh yeah, I always overdid it with the bread.

And when it got late, I would snack on Doritos/Nachos, chocolate, left-over frozen pizza or an occasional ice cream. Same thing at work with the vending machine.

Beverage of choice: diet coke but I would consume a good amount of juices like Minute Maid Berry Punch.

Now:
Eggs, meat, fish, leafy veggies + ranch dressing, cheese, nuts. And water with an occasional black coffee. I pretty much use the outside grill on a daily basis (used to be used once a week)

Reading the info on this thread (+ links to Lustig & Taubes) has changed my perspective on how the body works, diet, etc. I don't even want the bad stuff anymore - this isn't a short-term thing. My new diet doesn't leave me hungry and I don't binge late at night. My house if still stuffed with bad food (the rest of the family has my wife's skinny genes) but I'm not even tempted. I don't even want a cheat day.

Plus, it is so simple - I can't deal with measuring or counting calories - it is pretty easy to know what is good for you and how to make it work.

If I need a snack, I just have a handful of nuts or a cheese stick. I don't make my own mayo or salad dressing - I can deal with a small amount of carbs in stuff like that. If I need a little bit of flavor, I use some hot sauce.

I also feel more energetic - got back into working out with a mix of cardio and weights.

July: 320
Now: 285

 

[RoodyPooUS]

Was 155 before a 6 week long vacation and ate like crazy to get to 167. I gain weight so easily especially when I have carbs.

Been hovering around there for a while but I can tell my body composition has changed slightly since I started working out at least 3x a week again instead of 1, adding back cardio and getting back into a better diet routine.

Goal is to get back to 160 by Sept 24, which means almost 2lb a week.

Afterwards, I will go by bf%, I really don't care about the actual weight, I just want to be sub 12% and see some ab definition.

 

[RoodyPooUS]

For those also on low carb or CKD diets here are some good "snacks" that I have found work for me:

Sugar Free Jello
Pickles
Pellegrino
String Cheese
Microwavable Pork Rinds
Sugar Free Drink Mixes, even Metamucil

I found that I don't do too well with nuts or PB because I eat too many too quickly.

 

[teh_pwn]

I found that I don't do too well with nuts or PB because I eat too many too quickly.

Not necessarily what you experienced, but I found that I was overeating Plantar's seasoned peanuts, but not other peanuts. Carefully looking at the ingredients I found MSG. It goes by several names. That's why I do see a benefit in a food log. Not to count calories, but to determine how you react to food.

 

[RoodyPooUS]

Not necessarily what you experienced, but I found that I was overeating Plantar's seasoned peanuts, but not other peanuts. Carefully looking at the ingredients I found MSG. It goes by several names. That's why I do see a benefit in a food log. Not to count calories, but to determine how you react to food.

Yea its just me, I just buy the natural laura scudders PB or the almond butter from costco.

 

[Domino Theory]

There is no conclusive evidence that diet sodas (artifical sweeteners) prompt insulin response in the way sugars do. However, some people like me find that they prompt cravings for real sweeteners, so I personally avoid them. But science wise, no proof that they will harm you. Caffeine is generally considered beneficial in weight loss for various reasons.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ is a popular paleo type site with tons of information.

http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3299911
A catch all low carb thread - this is a great starter.

http://hunter-gatherer.com/ - a sometimes amusing sometimes informative blog by a guy doing paleo lifestyle

Where's a good source of caffeine for someone on a low-carb diet who doesn't like coffee?

 

[Zoe]

Where's a good source of caffeine for someone on a low-carb diet who doesn't like coffee?

Why do you need caffeine?

 

[Yaweee]

Why do you need caffeine?

Mental stimulants are awesome.

 

[Poigea]

Thanks everyone for their tips. I will gradually increase my carbs intake over the next couple of weeks to try and get to a steady weight and continue to lift weights to try and build muscle and keep losing body fat.

I weighed myself this morning and I was 151.6 pounds. It is a weird feeling to finally be at my goal weight, I honestly don't want to go under 150, so I think I will need to add some carbs starting this weekend.

 

[LFG]

...

i can relate to just about everything you have said here. i too snacked and cleared unfinished portions of meals. also, i've been cheating one meal a week, but after doing it week after week, i even find myself trying to eat healthy for my cheat meals

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

Browsing through this thread I see lots of great gains. I am impressed to see so many people who don't seem to want to turn into steroid gorilla beefcakes, but just want to be slim. That's really comforting. As for myself, I have been at it for 20 days now... I stopped using a weight scale, but will try after a month. Overall though, its not about what the scale says, but about me being healthy and feeling good.

My goal is absolutely clear. I wanna do BJJ. Martial arts has been my dream since I was a kid, and while I tried to dabble in Tae Kwon Do and Wing Chun growing up, it was not for me. I wanna get thin, and then be comfortable rolling around with hot girls in Gi's all day...


Though I'm not sure it will work out that way. Anyways, this is a good thread. It has been a good tool to not... go on the binge so to speak. I really mean that. Even the posts with people struggling or having problems is helpful or encouraging. I guess it's just a feeling that you know that you're not alone. Obesity is not as bad everywhere in Europe as it probably is in the states, so.. Yeah.

 

[elrechazado]

Where's a good source of caffeine for someone on a low-carb diet who doesn't like coffee?

There's caffeinated just about everything, including gum, bottled water, etc. Personally, I don't get much caffeine other than from chocolate, excedrin when I have headaches, or the rare diet soda.

 

[LFG]

For those also on low carb or CKD diets here are some good "snacks" that I have found work for me:

Sugar Free Jello
Pickles
Pellegrino
String Cheese
Microwavable Pork Rinds
Sugar Free Drink Mixes, even Metamucil

I found that I don't do too well with nuts or PB because I eat too many too quickly.

i've been snacking on almonds. but i can go through a pound of them in about 3 days =/

i've been eating pepperoni chips (slices microwaved to crunchy) and dipping them in guacamole. pretty good!

strawberries in cottage cheese is yummy. i eat about 1/3 cup of cottage cheese and 3 to 4 strawberries.

picked up 85% cocoa dark chocolate bar. 5g carbs per serving which is 4 squares of this particular brand. haven't tried it yet, but will probably only eat 2 squares at a time.

 

[elrechazado]

I never tried pork rinds my entire life, but they are such a great replacement for potato chips and doritos when you're watching carbs. Lots of protein in them as well shockingly.

 

[BronzeWolf]

tracking calories is unsustainable...

 

[valparaiso]

meh, gaf, say what you will, but i honestly don't see how keto diets can work for non-sedentary people.

since i started two weeks ago, my energy levels plumetted like crazy (even after successfully entering ketosis), and i can hardly get through my workouts. i started adding about 50 grams of carbs to my diet (between my pre- and postworkout meals) a couple of days ago, but if things don't improve by next week i'm calling it quits and going back to my trusty 40/30/30 split.

 

[teh_pwn]

meh, gaf, say what you will, but i honestly don't see how keto diets can work for non-sedentary people.

since i started two weeks ago, my energy levels plumetted like crazy (even after successfully entering ketosis), and i can hardly get through my workouts. i started adding about 50 grams of carbs to my diet (between my pre- and postworkout meals) a couple of days ago, but if things don't improve by next week i'm calling it quits and going back to my trusty 40/30/30 split.

Long duration exercise does better on some carbs, and it does take a few weeks along with plenty of protein for the body to become efficient at burning free fatty acids as efficiently as glucose. I would agree that if you're doing lots of exercise, you should do 50-150 grams per day. I still think that avoiding fructose would be a good idea, unless you're consuming while running.

In my opinion, short duration high intensity exercise is good enough because I see the affect of exercise on insulin sensitivity, anabolic hormones, and reduction of cortisol more important than the # of calories burned. But whatever works for you empirically is clearly the best option. Good luck.

 

[teh_pwn]

Where do you get your chocolate? I've been enjoying some (can't think of the brand offhand) that I found randomly in the candy aisle. 85% cacao. I eat it with smuckers natural peanut butter (ingredients: peanuts, salt)(yes, I know too many omega 6 in peanuts, but it's so good and has 1 carb per 2 tbsp). I'd like to buy some chocolate in bulk though.

For some reason I forgot to comment on this.

Omega 6 isn't like transfat wherein you want to eliminate it entirely. It has it's merits as an essential nutrient. It's just that too much causes the immune system to create excessive inflammation and that modern food's PUFA is nearly all omega 6. The relevance with obesity/fat loss is that body wide inflammation causes inflammation of the hypothalamus. And inflammation of the hypothalamus causes excessive hunger and reduced metabolism due to less sensitivity to leptin.

You only need to replace about 10 grams worth of omega 6 with omega 3, and you should be good. I base this off this post by Guyenet. What I do is put 10 grams of lemon fish oil in my yogurt. Try to eat it daily.

A lot of my posts probably infer that I'm eliminating omega 6, but really I'm reducing all omega6, but in particular I'm eliminating soybean oil. I have a slight soy allergy, and I suspect soybean oil is very rancid due to the way it is extracted from soybeans (hexane, heat). It's not like pressing olives or whole peanuts.

 

[Poigea]

meh, gaf, say what you will, but i honestly don't see how keto diets can work for non-sedentary people.

since i started two weeks ago, my energy levels plumetted like crazy (even after successfully entering ketosis), and i can hardly get through my workouts. i started adding about 50 grams of carbs to my diet (between my pre- and postworkout meals) a couple of days ago, but if things don't improve by next week i'm calling it quits and going back to my trusty 40/30/30 split.

I kind of agree. I decided to give a week of keto a shot during my rest week of P90X. I noticed that I was not able to keep up with the workouts as well this week, even though they were less strenuous. I do think that it is excellent for cutting body fat and it was nice to try it on my recovery week.

I think I will bump it up to 50-80g a day next week when I start the next phase to see how that goes. I was eating more than that before when I was on the previous phase so we will see what happens.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

I'm doing okay with the Ice Coffee. That's actually working, and it takes the edge off when I really feel like some sweets.
I don't know how to brew cold coffee though. Do I really need to buy a seperete cold-brewing-device-magica?
What I do now, is that I take the hot coffee in a strong pot(not instant) and I put it in the fridge for a day, and then I just mix it with 50% skim milk and sweetner, vanilla and 4-6 ice cubs. It tates good, but I don't know what its really like to taste like.
I've never had professional "Ice Coffee" as we dont have Starbucks most places in Scandinavia, or in our coffee shops. We do have Nescafe Ice Coffee, but thats instant and has calories and sugar in it! gahhh...
Im making a hot pot of coffee with a french press. Are others doing this too?


I am going to try frozen yoghurt tomorrow... the sister site to Giant Bomb, Tested.com had a strange but informative video about greek yoghurt, sugar(Ill use artifical sweetner), blueberries, vanilla extract! I hope its good, but I dont have an Ice maker.
Do you think I could just put it in the freezer?

 

[Xelinis]

meh, gaf, say what you will, but i honestly don't see how keto diets can work for non-sedentary people.

since i started two weeks ago, my energy levels plumetted like crazy (even after successfully entering ketosis), and i can hardly get through my workouts. i started adding about 50 grams of carbs to my diet (between my pre- and postworkout meals) a couple of days ago, but if things don't improve by next week i'm calling it quits and going back to my trusty 40/30/30 split.

A standard keto diet is no good for non-sedentary. You need to adopt the Cyclic Ketogenic Diet.