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[Admiral Woofington]

I'm doing weight watcher points and exercising 4-5 times a week, if not more, with intense 30 minute video sessions.

I've gone down 2 belt sizes in a month or so, so I do feel I'm losing weight. Am I losing it as fast as if I were doing some extreme diet? No

But I'm also not depriving myself from food, as long as I keep within my points. So it's more sustainable than an extreme diet that I'd go back to cheating on it at some point.

 

[shadowkat]

Well, I never tried low carb but I have lost a ton of weight over the past year (over 70lbs and counting). I just track what I eat and switched to whole wheat breads, pastas and brown rice.

Whatever you do, it has to be something that you can maintain.

 

[NewGame]

It doesn't matter. As long as you burn more calories than you eat, then you lose weight.

While that is the simple nature of the body, you also need to consider where those calories come from as supplementing an exact calorie amount with sugar leads to insulin issues which in turn prevent the burning of fat in the body.

Some guy removed all the normal food from his diet and replaced it with a 1:1 sugar diet


Alternatively, you could use the Occam's razor, don't eat anything. No one in a concentration camp was fat.

 

[Mr. PlayStation]

I am 6.2" and was 280lbs, I tried to cut down on carbs but would still eat rice and potato chips every now and then. It's hard to cut down on carbs so I made it a point to be conscious with my calorie intake and burn rate. I tried to live on a calorie deficit routine even when i took in carbs every day and managed to drop from 280lbs to 175lbs!

 

[HStallion]

I don't eat with low carb in mind and still lost wait. It's about moderation in most cases.

 

[entremet]

Yes. You can try low fat and high carb. That's basically what most of the world eats. Specifically most of the world that is relatively slim. People aren't eating meat 3x per day. That's a luxury reserved for us Westerners.

 

[jchap]

Low carb works for me because it cuts the bad things I normally eat and I don't have to think too hard about what I'm eating. I don't have the diligence to count calories.

 

[The Technomancer]

Low carb makes it easy but if you're counting calories just keep what goes out greater than what goes in. Works for me

 

[jb1234]

I do both low carb and counting calories. I find that high crab just isn't satiating enough for me and I desperately crave food throughout the day.

 

[GatorBait]

Yeah, the bolded is key to me. That's why I think i'm gonna switch to CICO instead of low carb. I can't see myself keeping this up for another 3 months, let alone for life.

That's really the key. Slow and steady weight loss is OK, as long as you're able to stick with it. How long will it take you to lose the weight if you only lose 0.5 to 2.0 lbs/week? It may be quite a long time, but if your diet is one that is sustainable, that's all time that is invested into changing to a healthy lifestyle. Remember, just losing the weight isn't the only goal - so is keeping it off.

 

[starchild excalibur]

As for the 6'2" 355, you can do it. I was 6'2" 316 and could only run on the treadmill for a minute at a time. Now I'm 196 shooting for 185 and run several 5k's a week at 41 years young. Find something and stick with it! Good luck bro

Thanks, man! And congrats on your accomplishment. I don't think I've been sub-200 since early high school.

That's really the key. Slow and steady weight loss is OK, as long as you're able to stick with it. How long will it take you to lose the weight if you only lose 0.5 to 2.0 lbs/week? It may be quite a long time, but if your diet is one that is sustainable, that's all time that is invested into changing to a healthy lifestyle. Remember, just losing the weight isn't the only goal - so is keeping it off.

Yeah, my fear is sliding back. I did low carb in 2012 and was able to lose 70 pounds or so (started around 351, got down to 285/288-ish), but it all came back the minute I got a job that had free soda and chips in the kitchen. When I did low carb last time around I just ate a lot of chipotle, sushi rolls, and lettuce wrap burgers. Not only was I spending more than I wanted to, but it got tiresome. Gonna give CICO a solid shot especially now that I think I have a lot of my worst vices under control.

 

[Cerun]

I just focused on counting calories and eating a bit healthier. Lost almost 80 lbs so far so it works for me so far. Need to start working out though.

 

[Oscar]

Low carb has been working for me.

I've been following a lifting program for the last year or so, but my diet is shit.

Switching to low carb has helped a ton

 

[Rahvar]

Lost about 100 lbs a few years back. Didn't change what I ate as much as how much. I held muself to below 2000 calories a day. First two weeks were the worst since I was used to eating larger portions. I supplemented breakfast and lunch with snack bars if needed and filled my stomach with salad if I was still hungry after dinner.

A small ~120 calorie ice cream after dinner served to feed my sugar cravings. And I switched to diet soda.

Of course I had to excersize as well, but I didn't go to the gym. A 40-45 minute walk on weekdays and 2 on Saturday and Sunday. I had snacks every Saturday as well.

 

[Cynar]

I lose weight every day because I track my calories regardless of what I eat like a careful lad.

Same. It's really simple. Also I find I'm eating way more food and drinking more water. I've been at it since July 20th of last year and just hit 40 lbs lost with just using my Fitbit, daily walks and some very light weight strength training. 4 lbs away from my goal.

 

[Syphon Filter]

I lose weight every day because I track my calories regardless of what I eat like a careful lad.

first post got it, as long as you know how many calories you're getting in.

 

[One Eyed Willy]

Every time I go on weight loss diet, I never.. have never, nor will never anything kind of special diet or anything like "low carb". All I do is simply eat less calories than I burn and the weight will always come off.

Years ago I lost like 40lbs, while eating fast food and pizza weekly. I simply just tracked how much in/out and only hit my target calorie intake a day. I never looked at fat, carbs etc. This has been a winning formula.

 

[gaiages]

I imagine, if your body has a normal metabolism and you don't have any issues that would make weight loss difficult, if you lost weight via low carb and switched back to normal eating you would keep the weight off provided you keep an eye on your calories. You will likely gain a bit of water weight back though.

For some people that doesn't quite work though--I appear to have some sort of insulin resistance or another undiagnosed issue (working on figuring it out) preventing weight loss by any means other than cutting carbs, so if I ever abandon that way of eating I'll likely gain that weight back. That is not true for others though, but the problem with going back to high carb is that a lot of people don't track what they eat or get lazy, so they gain it back. That goes for any kind of diet or eating plan though... unless you adopt it or the lessons you learn from it into your lifestyle, it's not going to keep the weight off forever.

At the end of the day, you just need something that works for you, and that you know you can stick to. For some people that's low carb, for others it's CICO, and so on. Pick what works best for you.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Every time I go on weight loss diet, I never.. have never, nor will never anything kind of special diet or anything like "low carb". All I do is simply eat less calories than I burn and the weight will always come off.

Years ago I lost like 40lbs, while eating fast food and pizza weekly. I simply just tracked how much in/out and only hit my target calorie intake a day. I never looked at fat, carbs etc. This has been a winning formula.

"Every time I go on weight loss diet"

Sounds like you've had lots of lasting success and certainly posses advice worth listening to!

 

[Dizzan]

I've been following a fairly strict diet for the last 11 weeks (along with an intense 45 minute workout 4-6 times a week, football training for an hour and a game on the weekend). It is low carb and only ever the "better" carbs - ie brown rice, low GI bread (cardboard). All other carbs are from veges etc.

I won't be able to keep it up forever but I am going to look at the way I eat a lot differently. You really shouldn't think of it as a diet but as a shift in your mentality when it comes to food. I am a massive foodie so it is difficult to change my mindset.

See below on what I am currently eating.

Lemon and warm water every morning.
Magnesium tablet - important to repair muscles damaged or growing
Breakfast - omelette with spinach or a few eggs and toast.
Morning snack - almond milk and organic protein shake.
Lunch - salad with protein
Afternoon snack - handful of nuts (literally 10) or hummus with cucumber.
Dinner - protein with veges, sometimes rice - no real sauces just herbs and spices.

I am not meant to be having a cheat meal but on the weekends there is a bit of a slip but there is no reason I can't keep it up during the week and just make slightly smarter choices on the weekend.

I've only dropped 2 kilos but my body shape has changed fairly significantly. Back fat has gone, manboobs are gone and are starting to resemble pecs and I really feel great day to day.

It is really hard work getting up at 4:40 every day to hit the gym up before working for 12 -14 hours every day but completely worth it.

Just remember the famous words of Kate Moss - "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" haha

 

[oneils]

Can't really comment on whether or not low carbs is the way to go. I do think people over complicate it. I lost 45 lbs without calorie counting or any exercise.

I just started cooking and eating out less. I eat whole foods. That's it. I eat 4 times a day.

Now, I'm no fitness model, but I'm back to a normal weight and I'm relatively content.

 

[Jabronium]

I've done keto on a cut as well as CICO isocaloric cuts. As far as trimming weight, both worked well for me. However, on keto, I found my blood pressure jumped from 120/75 to 145/85, and my lifts tanked (bench 4RM went from 265 to 250 in just 8 weeks). Think I'll be sticking with a more traditional cut next time.

 

[Pagusas]

Just avoided excess sugar and added moderate exercise and I went from 180 to 165 in a month.

 

[Widdle Puppy]

it doesn't matter if you take in a high or low amount of carbs, you will lose weight only if you are creating a prolonged caloric deficit over a period of time. It just so happens to be that many foods which keep you from causing a surplus in your diet are high in carbs (example: soda which has a lot of sugar which is classified as a carb).

 

[Alter_Fridge]

If you want to lose fat but maintain and grow muscle you definitely need to keep calories up there, but you want them to be of the protein and good fat variety.

Cutting out high GI carbs (and raw sugars) is the best way.

You can cut overall calories massively and you'll lose weight, but a lot of that will be muscle. And who wants that

 

[kunonabi]

I've been losing weight pretty easily on bagels, smoothies and healthy popcorn so I've never done the low carb thing. Watching the calories and exercise works just fine.

 

[Alter_Fridge]

I do both low carb and counting calories. I find that high crab just isn't satiating enough for me and I desperately crave food throughout the day.

 

[Commander Jameson]

I've tried Carb Night and low-carb (in terms of cutting out bread, rice, pasta, sweets/candy) before but never lost any weight. I even put on a little bit doing Carb Night. Even when I'd be going to the gym to do 30-45 mins of cardio 3-4 times a week. It felt like I had to do all that just to stay constant (72-75kg / 159-165lb).

I've put on a fair bit of weight over the past six months (due to personal reasons with my GF) and not been able to get into any kind of rhythm with going to the gym, so I'm now at 78kg / 171lb), which is my heaviest ever and I hate it.

I am back and available to get a regular exercise routine going. I have a good gym just round the corner that I am a member of. I need to find something with my diet that a) works, b) I can stick with, c) provides some flexibility with not being at home (i.e., having lunch during work-days).

 

[Korey]

Rename the thread to "I literally want to have my cake and eat it too."

 

[MadraptorMan]

Kinda off topic but, is there any way to lose weight and also drink alcohol regularly? I am fine with going low carb or cutting certain foods if it means I can drink more...cause I like drinking (not a ridiculous amount but my tolerance is pretty high so I worry about its impact on my weight).

I've started doing mild exercise (planks and sometimes push-ups) every night but I dunno if that's good enough.

 

[Drazgul]

Portion control and counting calories (the latter of which you don't really need to be extra careful about once you get a feel for it), that's all there really is to it when it comes to maintaining your weight. IMO low carb is great for losing the extra weight, but carbs are way too delicious to not allow myself some in perpetuity. Fuck those low carb pizzas and such, those aren't the way they're meant to be!

Personally, I'd much rather eat what I want and just limit how much I eat - regular monitoring of your weight is helpful since if I notice it starts to climb, I can do some intermittent fasting to fix it before it becomes a problem.

 

[Hazmat]

Low carb isn't the only way to lose weight, it's an effort to help you cut calories (which is the real target) by completely cutting out a big source of them. If you can stick to a diet that keeps your calorie count where it needs to be to lose weight you'll lose weight regardless of how many carbs are in there.

That being said carbs are a good source of calories to cut or reduce because they don't provide much besides quick energy/sugar, but if a life without potatoes and bread isn't a life you can live then you just need to limit them and enjoy in moderation.

 

[SMattera]

Kinda off topic but, is there any way to lose weight and also drink alcohol regularly? I am fine with going low carb or cutting certain foods if it means I can drink more...cause I like drinking (not a ridiculous amount but my tolerance is pretty high so I worry about its impact on my weight).

I've started doing mild exercise (planks and sometimes push-ups) every night but I dunno if that's good enough.

It's possible but not likely.

It's chock full of empty calories and it really destroys your motivation to be active.

Best case scenario, limit yourself to a few shots of vodka (or vodka water, vodka diet, etc) a couple nights a week max.

Low carb isn't the only way to lose weight, it's an effort to help you cut calories (which is the real target) by completely cutting out a big source of them.

Strictly speaking this isn't true. A lot of people in the low carb community believe you can eat more calories than you otherwise would've and still lose weight. They point to insulin responses and other factors that make it difficult to lose weight when you consume carbs. Listen to Gary Taubes on a podcast or read his work. The evidence for this line of reasoning really isn't there, but nutrition science is notoriously low quality anyway.

 

[KaYotiX]

Count calories. Easier way to lose weight without sacrificeing foods.

Lost 35lbs so far because of it.

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

If you are hitting your calorie goals and loosing weight you probably are reducing carbs as a side effect. I eat lower carb than I did before, but I still eat carbs, probably too many. You could also just watch calories and get good excersize too. Still have your carbs, but don't like eat an entire birthday cake every day.

 

[balohna]

I've been losing weight and I eat bread every day.

 

[Oppo]

"Every time I go on weight loss diet"

Sounds like you've had lots of lasting success and certainly posses advice worth listening to!

don't be like that. i experienced a similar thing. had to try some methods to find out what worked, you know?

CICO is fine and all but i dislike the frame it puts forth of "being lazy and eating too much". that is just too simplistic for what is happening to folks. yes they took in more cals but it doesn't address the why. the hormonal effects, the insulin response. that stuff counts too. and it's not just "eat less you fat fuck".

people are sick of fad diets and so i get the notion of backlash and reminding people that there are no shortcuts. but calories DO burn differently depending on what they are.

for me, i get good results by tracking cals and avoiding sugar and flour products. i get less good results if i treat all calories as "equal".

 

[Raging Spaniard]

Watching my calories didnt work for me (I just ate the same junk, but less of it), IF worked well and now combining it with keto is working even better.

 

[Hazmat]

Strictly speaking this isn't true. A lot of people in the low carb community believe you can eat more calories than you otherwise would've and still lose weight. They point to insulin responses and other factors that make it difficult to lose weight when you consume carbs. Listen to Gary Taubes on a podcast or read his work. The evidence for this line of reasoning really isn't there, but nutrition science is notoriously low quality anyway.

I'm not going to listen to some podcast to get some bullshit food pseudoscience. Low carb diets caught on because they established a simple rule that idiots could understand: cut carbs, lose weight. Foods high in carbs are also high in calories, and cutting them out wholesale kills things like bread, potatoes, and pasta which were likely high contributors to the person's weight problem.

One of the real reasons for any fad diet's success is that it gets you to look at your food. While you're checking a box of Pop Tarts for its carbs you also say "holy shit" at its calorie content and put it back on the shelf for good because, honestly, it wasn't really good anyway.

 

[Oppo]

I'm not going to listen to some podcast to get some bullshit food pseudoscience. Low carb diets caught on because they established a simple rule that idiots could understand: cut carbs, lose weight. Foods high in carbs are also high in calories, and cutting them out wholesale kills things like bread, potatoes, and pasta which were likely high contributors to the person's weight problem.

One of the real reasons for any fad diet's success is that it gets you to look at your food. While you're checking a box of Pop Tarts for its carbs you also say "holy shit" at its calorie content and put it back on the shelf for good because, honestly, it wasn't really good anyway.

you're ignoring a whole area of hormonal response. if you don't want to listen at least read some of the Taubes stuff and make up your mind, since none of this is a simple as you are making it out to be (your point is addressed handily, for instance).

there is some truth to empty carb calories obviously but it's just not the whole story. you've fallen into the same trap, "lazy fucks eat too much, sack up and fix yourself".

 

[SporeCrawler]

Personally i feel more stuffed when eating high protein compared to high carb. So its easier to eat low calories without suffering tol much

 

[Rei_Toei]

In my experience, people try to cut out carbs alltogether, which is hard, and they fall of the low-carb wagon. I switched from bread in the morning to yoghurt/quark with fruits in the morning, kept the sandwiches for lunch and (most of the time) ditched the carbs in my evening meal. When I stay off beer with this set-up, I lose weight. Of course I know the calories in my meals. So going from 'carbs in all meals' to 'mostly only carbs in one meal' already makes a big difference for me. YMMV though, as always with everything related to food, diets and losing weight.

 

[Skinpop]

counting calories doesn't work for long term weight loss.
Short term most people can do great, but within 5 years 99% regain the lost weight.

 

[big_z]

I lose weight every day because I track my calories regardless of what I eat like a careful lad.

this right here is all you need and what I did to lose 150-160lbs a few year back and keep it off. I did try low carb for a month but only lost about 2/3 of what I would have tracking calories and eating clean. Lack of carbs also made my poops not enjoyable... and I like pooping. I did gain a few pounds when I switched back to eating rounded meals which I guess is to be expected and explains why a lot of people balloon back up after doing a low carb diet. I dunno for me low carb is not worth it and I wouldn't recommend it but hey everyone is different. Find what works for you and stick to it.

 

[amanset]

That's because bread is high-glycemic. Might as well be eating sugar.

Maybe for certain types of white bread. Wholemeal has a vastly different glycaemic index.

 

[amanset]

I lost a load of weight just by cycling to work instead of taking the train. Unfortunately an injury stopped me cycling for some time and I never really got back on the cycling thing and ended up putting it all back on.

I've finally got back on it though.

 

[Apt101]

I got mad chubby years ago and lost all the weight in three months by merely reducing my caloric intake to 1500 a day and working out four-to-five times a week (sometimes less).

I know plenty of people who dropped weight quickly doing low carb diets but damn that shit is miserable. I'd rather eat pasta and bread but just workout an extra 15-20 minutes a day.

 

[Anarion07]

counting calories doesn't work for long term weight loss.
Short term most people can do great, but within 5 years 99% regain the lost weight.

Now where does that statistic come from?
Of course it will help long Term if you keep counting and dont fall back into bad eating habits.

 

[Aiii]

counting calories doesn't work for long term weight loss.
Short term most people can do great, but within 5 years 99% regain the lost weight.

They regain their weight because they stop counting calories. This says nothing about the diet, or the regimen, but everything about the willpower of the people doing it.

 

[Hitman]

For years I did Keto or variations of. From the most extreme Ultimate Diet 2.0 which is carb cycling, to run of the mill Keto, to Paleo-ish diet which is mostly low carb. Of course I yo yo'd and when it came time to do another run of Keto, my blood pressure was too high and I needed to try something that cut out the animal fats more so. So I did a Vegan diet for 2 weeks, I dropped weight and blood pressure fast. Nowadays I tend to lose more weight on Vegan than I do on Keto. Most recently though I've just switched to heart healthy diet of low calories that I wouldn't call Keto. I cut out all processed foods, added sugars, most fatty meats (pork, beef), but still include things like whole wheat bread, chicken, fruits, and veggies.

To be honest, this most recent hybrid diet I've found to be the easiest to stay on but not as effective as Keto for weight loss. That being said, I feel healthier having access to all macro calories. It's easy to find food to fit the diet, and you still get rid of the killers in sugar and saturated or trans fats. Psycologically, it works for me too. I love having more options. And the strict carb counting is more complicated than just eating right and reducing portions. 12 pounds lost in about a month and half so far, and blood pressure into the normal range from high. Plus more energy everyday and I barely feel restricted.