OT Low carb diet update.

[The Spin Meister]

Several months ago were a couple threads on low carb diets. Wondering if some tried it and what results they got.

Here's another interesting article that shows that low carb ketone diet helps retain brain function and cognitive abilities.

https://www.studyfinds.org/low-carb-diet-may-reverse-prevent-age-related-cognitive-decline/

Rapid brain deterioration usually takes hold at around the age of 60, but dietary ketosis appeared to be able to improve brain function and stabilize neural networks in individuals under the age of 50. The research team believe this is because ketones provide “greater” cellular energy than glucose, even when the two substances are calorically matched.


“This effect matters because brain aging, and especially dementia, are associated with “hypometabolism,” in which neurons gradually lose the ability to effectively use glucose as fuel. Therefore, if we can increase the amount of energy available to the brain by using a different fuel, the hope is that we can restore the brain to more youthful functioning. In collaboration with Dr. Eva Ratai at Massachusetts General Hospital, we’re currently addressing this question, by now extending our studies to older populations,” Mujica-Parodi concludes.

 

[lj4heisman1]

20 real pounds since dec 27

 

[ClarkstonMark]

I lost 15 lbs Jan 6 Mar 3 but I’m slowly gaining it back this week in Scottsdale

 

[ouirpsu]

Lost 10 lbs in a month by greatly - but not totally - reducing carbs. Put it all back on since, but it does work.

 

[OhioLion]

Find time to get a walk in each day if possible. At least 3-4 times a week if not every day. If just 20 - 30 minutes, I found is huge help in keeping weight off. And, I’ve decided I’m not going to set weight loss goals, but overall change my lifestyle (well, the eating aspect anyway).

OL

 

[FrontFlipper1]

Have lost 10-13 pounds since Jan 1 attacking my carb intake. Blood sugar control is the main reason. Dropped 70-90 points. Feeling mentally clearer. 61 yrs old.

 

[psuro]

I have dropped 32 lbs since end of July with 24 pounds lost since mid October when I changed my dietary habits to low carb

I steered reducing my carb intake slowly and now am down to about 15% carbs. I don’t anticipate going any lower. Keto maxes you out at 5% or less but I don’t think that is feasible for me. I also lift weights and do cardio. I have put on some muscle.

My goal was to redevelop my work out habits and develop better eating habits. So I was willing to take a slower weight loss so my efforts can be sustainable. I average 0.13 lbs lost per day and I am ok with that.

I am 55 years old.

 

[katchthis]

I have dropped 32 lbs since end of July with 24 pounds lost since mid October when I changed my dietary habits to low carb

I steered reducing my carb intake slowly and now am down to about 15% carbs. I don’t anticipate going any lower. Keto maxes you out at 5% or less but I don’t think that is feasible for me. I also lift weights and do cardio. I have put on some muscle.

My goal was to redevelop my work out habits and develop better eating habits. So I was willing to take a slower weight loss so my efforts can be sustainable. I average 0.13 lbs lost per day and I am ok with that.

I am 55 years old.

Roughly a 500 cal/day deficit from your pre-diet regimen, assuming not much change in calories expended , which is a great goal for long term weight loss.

 

[The Spin Meister]

Have lost 10-13 pounds since Jan 1 attacking my carb intake. Blood sugar control is the main reason. Dropped 70-90 points. Feeling mentally clearer. 61 yrs old.

Good to hear people getting good results. Went on it several years back and lost 10-15 lbs but a) I wasn't that heavy to start and b) I have a large organic garden and have always had a pretty good diet. I just had to quit eating bread, cake, anything with flour. Also, ice cream and potato chips are my two vices.

Find time to get a walk in each day if possible. At least 3-4 times a week if not every day. If just 20 - 30 minutes, I found is huge help in keeping weight off. And, I’ve decided I’m not going to set weight loss goals, but overall change my lifestyle (well, the eating aspect anyway).

OL

Good not to set weight goals but to make a lifestyle change. My experience is that when some one achieves their goal....or gets close to it....they slack off on the self discipline.

At the gym where I worked out I would teach some women how to lift weights. Always told them to never weigh themselves as adding some muscle would add pounds. Better to put on favorite tight jeans or little black dress and see how it fits. Wait a three months and then try them on again and see the improvement. Alas, they would always still weigh themselves and quit lifting after they gained a couple pounds in the first month.

 

[katchthis]

Good to hear people getting good results. Went on it several years back and lost 10-15 lbs but a) I wasn't that heavy to start and b) I have a large organic garden and have always had a pretty good diet. I just had to quit eating bread, cake, anything with flour. Also, ice cream and potato chips are my two vices.



Good not to set weight goals but to make a lifestyle change. My experience is that when some one achieves their goal....or gets close to it....they slack off on the self discipline.

At the gym where I worked out I would teach some women how to lift weights. Always told them to never weigh themselves as adding some muscle would add pounds. Better to put on favorite tight jeans or little black dress and see how it fits. Wait a three months and then try them on again and see the improvement. Alas, they would always still weigh themselves and quit lifting after they gained a couple pounds in the first month.

Checking a scale is like checking your stock portfolio, better to do it infrequently to cut down on emotional impulse moves.

 

[psuro]

Roughly a 500 cal/day deficit from your pre-diet regimen, assuming not much change in calories expended , which is a great goal for long term weight loss.

I track my caloric intake and expenditure every day With two exceptions I have had more than 500 calorie deficit each day since Feb 1. I have dropped a little over seven pounds since then.

it has to be a lifestyle and not a diet in order to be successful.

 

[Uh Clem]

I eat and drink what I want and have lost 15 lbs since January by limiting my food intake from noon to 8:00 pm every day. Intermittent fasting has worked for me when no other diets have. I don’t count calories or grams or percentages. I have 10 more lbs to go before hitting my target weight.

 

[tboyer]

Dementia (mainly Alzheimers) has exploded in the US following the same timeline as the obesity and diabetes explosion. The explosion began around 1980 as the US government pushing the low-fat diet dogma and the food industry marketed low-fat carbohydrate-based junk food.

There's an intriguing explanation for this and it involves blood sugar and carbohydrates.

The idea is that it's not good for your brain for you to live with constantly elevated blood sugar.

It's not just the sheer volume of carbs that Americans eat, it's that they eat carbs constantly for 16 hours a day. In the 80s and 90s doctors actually thought it healthy to start you day with orange juice and a banana muffin (as long as it was low-fat) and then spend the next 15 hours snacking on carbs and sugar (as long as it was low-fat).

We now know that was a disaster but we don't know exactly why. But blood sugar is probably at the heart of it.

Because of constantly elevated blood sugar, your pancreas just doesn't get a break, it has to pump insulin all day, and eventually you get insulin resistence and metabolic disorder leading to diabetes and abdominal cancers. And, some neurologists think, the constantly elevated blood sugar might be the key ingredient in Alzheimers -- your brain is getting constantly marinated in glucose and insulin. Maybe that's not good.

European cultures love their carbs but they are much more traditional about eating at defined times every day, with no snacking between meals. So while your overall calorie intake might be just as high as in the US, your pancreas is getting a break, and your system gets a break from glucose and insulin.

 

[AldenT]

I eat and drink what I want and have lost 15 lbs since January by limiting my food intake from noon to 8:00 pm every day. Intermittent fasting has worked for me when no other diets have. I don’t count calories or grams or percentages. I have 10 more lbs to go before hitting my target weight.

IF is amazing. Good for you and I hope you reach your goal.

 

[The Spin Meister]

I have dropped 32 lbs since end of July with 24 pounds lost since mid October when I changed my dietary habits to low carb

I steered reducing my carb intake slowly and now am down to about 15% carbs. I don’t anticipate going any lower. Keto maxes you out at 5% or less but I don’t think that is feasible for me. I also lift weights and do cardio. I have put on some muscle.

My goal was to redevelop my work out habits and develop better eating habits. So I was willing to take a slower weight loss so my efforts can be sustainable. I average 0.13 lbs lost per day and I am ok with that.

I am 55 years old.

---
Interesting that you lost 8 lbs from July to Oct and then 24 after you went low carb. In most diets you loose the most in the first few weeks and then it gets harder.

And you were spot in in another post saying it is a lifestyle change, not a diet.

My mother, in her 90s, had a heart attack in 2015 and spent three months in a nursing home where the diet was very high carb.....lots of pasta....and she gained 30 lbs. Got her home, put her on a strict low carb diet and she lost it all in five months. She also got off many meds as her blood pressure dropped, her irritable bowel improved markedly, blood sugar improved.

She had been on Prilosec for heartburn/acid reflux for years which is a very bad medicine.....just read the warning label. I gave her a dill pickle every night before bed as that helps for heartburn. Was off the Prilosec in two weeks.

Another change I made for myself was to eat more nuts, especially walnuts as I read that walnuts will help lower cholesterol. Mine dropped by 35 points.

Low carb seems to be a great way to improve health.

 

[Cletus11]

Went intermittent fasting (had been generally doing it for the past 20 years as i don't eat breakfast) but only starting in early January i went to black coffee in morning as was told the cream and sugar in my morning coffee cups was enough sugar to blow the intermittent fasting benefits. Hate black coffee, but it certainly works. In the end, when you skip a meal, you eat less calories in a day for the most part.

I have also gone to vegetarian lunches and instead of eating a sandwich, which has been my lunch since I can remember, I have gone to purely fruits, veges, dairy, and nuts in some combination. So basically no longer eat a sandwich for lunch but basically three of the four list above, ie...a tomato, apple, and piece of cheese. So less calories at lunch and good healthy calories. Then I go normal dinner but have gone to eating more salads (put anything and everything in my salad so they are big) so that keeps away some carbs also. Snacking between meals is also a no as is any type of sugar drink (iced tea, soda, etc...). If i have to snack, my goto is my own mixed nut mix (so i can put the ratio's in i like) or fruit.

It has been a life change, but i think i am going to stay with it. Down 20 pounds in 6 weeks with the above diet and getting in more exercise (exercise mainly waking 60-75 minutes 5 times per week along with push-ups and sit-ups after the walk). Last 4 weeks have held that weight as I start to figure out how much I can eat on a daily basis to hold the weight (versus losing the weight)by adding in the occasional dessert and a large dinner.

Another big something that I think has a major benefit. Once per week I will skip a meal such that I basically go 24 hours between meals. So I eat lunch and dinner and then the following day will skip lunch (as already skip breakfast) so basically I go from dinner to dinner with nothing in between. Helps in both that day you always lose a pound so if you gained any during the week that is your lose it back day. And some research that i have seen shows that when your body goes into that fasting mode it starts to eat some of the 'bad' stuff for lack of a better term. I will say, I now feel better as the weight loss is like not walking around with a 20 pound weight vest on. But I also sleep better which I think is part of it.

I would highly recommend people trying it. Takes a little bit getting used to but after about 2 weeks, you are there and it just becomes routine. Just have to mentally fight your way through those first 2 weeks as you get hungry and have to resist the urge to eat.

 

[YeOldeCup]

I have leveraged low-carb a number of times over the past decade whenever I have "let myself go." Works perfectly if you are committed. I typically increase my physical activity at the same time. I've dropped 7 since starting again last Monday (185 - 178), though there is always a rapid drop to start. I also use keto-sticks to measure my ketosis state. Headed to the NCAA wrestling championships in Minny, then to the Olympic trials at PSU, so I figured I'd cut weight too...

I'll soon be 61.

 

[psuro]

---
Interesting that you lost 8 lbs from July to Oct and then 24 after you went low carb. In most diets you loose the most in the first few weeks and then it gets harder.

And you were spot in in another post saying it is a lifestyle change, not a diet.

My mother, in her 90s, had a heart attack in 2015 and spent three months in a nursing home where the diet was very high carb.....lots of pasta....and she gained 30 lbs. Got her home, put her on a strict low carb diet and she lost it all in five months. She also got off many meds as her blood pressure dropped, her irritable bowel improved markedly, blood sugar improved.

She had been on Prilosec for heartburn/acid reflux for years which is a very bad medicine.....just read the warning label. I gave her a dill pickle every night before bed as that helps for heartburn. Was off the Prilosec in two weeks.

Another change I made for myself was to eat more nuts, especially walnuts as I read that walnuts will help lower cholesterol. Mine dropped by 35 points.

Low carb seems to be a great way to improve health.

I lost the 8 pounds from July until early Sept and then plateaued. I was working out at the gym, but my diet still included a lot of carbs and refined sugars. After initiating the low carb process, that is when I started dropping the weight a bit faster.

Kudos on your mom's success.

Walnuts, peanuts and almonds are good snacks.

 

[Zenophile]

Another change I made for myself was to eat more nuts

 

[bison13]

I eat mostly carbs all kinds of bread cereal pasta. And I've lost 10 lbs since the beginning of the year body fat is down over 5% and it's basically because I stop eating after 7 and I get on the elliptical for 20 minutes every night. Everybody's body is different no one diet works for them all. Blood sugar levels can have a lot to do with it too.

 

[ericstratton-rushchairman]

Dementia (mainly Alzheimers) has exploded in the US following the same timeline as the obesity and diabetes explosion. The explosion began around 1980 as the US government pushing the low-fat diet dogma and the food industry marketed low-fat carbohydrate-based junk food.

There's an intriguing explanation for this and it involves blood sugar and carbohydrates.

The idea is that it's not good for your brain for you to live with constantly elevated blood sugar.

It's not just the sheer volume of carbs that Americans eat, it's that they eat carbs constantly for 16 hours a day. In the 80s and 90s doctors actually thought it healthy to start you day with orange juice and a banana muffin (as long as it was low-fat) and then spend the next 15 hours snacking on carbs and sugar (as long as it was low-fat).

We now know that was a disaster but we don't know exactly why. But blood sugar is probably at the heart of it.

Because of constantly elevated blood sugar, your pancreas just doesn't get a break, it has to pump insulin all day, and eventually you get insulin resistence and metabolic disorder leading to diabetes and abdominal cancers. And, some neurologists think, the constantly elevated blood sugar might be the key ingredient in Alzheimers -- your brain is getting constantly marinated in glucose and insulin. Maybe that's not good.

European cultures love their carbs but they are much more traditional about eating at defined times every day, with no snacking between meals. So while your overall calorie intake might be just as high as in the US, your pancreas is getting a break, and your system gets a break from glucose and insulin.

I really recommend the book "The Case Against Sugar".

Sugar is deadly.

 

[Connorpozlee]

I’ve lost 28 pounds since January 6th. I’ve greatly reduced my eating in general and haven’t had a beer since January 1st (I did have a couple glasses of Redbreast Irish whiskey a couple of weeks ago. Phenomenal.) while increasing my time on the exercise bike. I don’t keep track of carbs and all that. I just know that if I put less food/drink into my system and exercise more it’s better for me.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

I will never give up good bread

 

[LemonEars]

I went from 205 pounds to 165 pounds in 12 months on a low carb diet. It works. I certainly missed pasta, bread, potatoes, ice cream, etc.; but it was worth it. I have a lot more energy and my blood chemistry is much better.

 

[Zenophile]

PSA for those who minimize carb intake but need an ice cream fix: Rebel Ice Cream is the real deal.

 

[psuro]

So, another tip, which I have to undertake my self - change up the work out routine. I have been doing lifting/cardio each gym session 6 times per week (which lasts a total of about 2 hours), and I am going to switch over to three days per week of cardio only, and three days of lifting and cardio. HIIT should be a big part of the cardio effort no matter when it's done.

The six times per week are the optimal effort - some weeks I do less based on schedule.

I would like to see if I can increase my fat loss this way, keeping in mind the diet will probably be the same.

 

[The Spin Meister]

Dementia (mainly Alzheimers) has exploded in the US following the same timeline as the obesity and diabetes explosion. The explosion began around 1980 as the US government pushing the low-fat diet dogma and the food industry marketed low-fat carbohydrate-based junk food.

There's an intriguing explanation for this and it involves blood sugar and carbohydrates.

The idea is that it's not good for your brain for you to live with constantly elevated blood sugar.

It's not just the sheer volume of carbs that Americans eat, it's that they eat carbs constantly for 16 hours a day. In the 80s and 90s doctors actually thought it healthy to start you day with orange juice and a banana muffin (as long as it was low-fat) and then spend the next 15 hours snacking on carbs and sugar (as long as it was low-fat).

We now know that was a disaster but we don't know exactly why. But blood sugar is probably at the heart of it.

Because of constantly elevated blood sugar, your pancreas just doesn't get a break, it has to pump insulin all day, and eventually you get insulin resistence and metabolic disorder leading to diabetes and abdominal cancers. And, some neurologists think, the constantly elevated blood sugar might be the key ingredient in Alzheimers -- your brain is getting constantly marinated in glucose and insulin. Maybe that's not good.

European cultures love their carbs but they are much more traditional about eating at defined times every day, with no snacking between meals. So while your overall calorie intake might be just as high as in the US, your pancreas is getting a break, and your system gets a break from glucose and insulin.

I will never give up good bread

Giving up bread was strange at first. Seemed weird to have a couple eggs for breakfast but no toast or muffins. But after a week, I was fine.

tboyer; Spot on about our diet. The old days we were told the opposite of what we now know. Dr Hyman's book Eat Fat Lose Weight really nails it. The food pyramid was all wrong.

High fructose corn syrup is in just about everything we eat. Terrible stuff. Lots of other carbs, too. Diabetes, dementia, obesity are rampant and the biggest cause of our high cost, poor outcome health care industry.

 

[Code Blue]

20 real pounds since dec 27

Good job, but what do you mean "real pounds"? Did you deduct water weight (not sure how you would calculate that?)?

 

[BorisSutherland]

Yes, low-carb ketone diet helps regain brain function and cognitive abilities, but also it is helpful for maintaining overall health. I try to follow such a diet, also I practice sport. My doctor told me it is very important to move enough if I want a healthy body. Also, I was told to pass an Ultimate Light therapy at least once in six months. I was sceptical from the beginning, but the reality shows that this is really a good therapy worth to try. If you don't know what Ultimate Light therapy is, you can find more information by clicking on http://www.ultimatelightpro.com. Stay safe and take care of yourself.

 

[ClarkstonMark]

I lost 15 lbs Jan 6 Mar 3 but I’m slowly gaining it back this week in Scottsdale

So I did gain about 5 of those LBS back during this work from home period, but 10 weeks ago I made a commitment and am down 32 LBS. Probably haven't been this low since high school.
Feel a lot better and working out is much better.
I ate a lot of low carb, but threw in some cheat meals, and had a few drinks.
For a good part of this I was also intermittent fasting 14-16 hrs per day - this took some time to get used to but I can do it consistently now at 16 hrs.

 

[psuro]

So, still doing the LC diet, but in all honesty, it got a bit tough from late Sept to now. I restarted the gym, and have refocussed. I still track calories and try to keep them pretty low, but my LC percentage has increased from the target of 15%.

I don't know if I gained much weight or any at all, based solely on how my clothes fit. My gym did not re open, and that was where I weighed myself. I am going to get back into the routine of going to the gym, and after a while, I will use the scale at the new gym to see where I am at with weight.

When my gym closed, I tried to keep up with cardio by walking and I purchased a bicycle. I am sure I lost some muscle mass because I was not lifting weights.

I have become pretty good at Low Carb desserts. Chocolate mousse, peanut butter mousse, cheesecakes, salted caramel walnut (and sometimes pecan) brittle, various types of bundt cakes.

Since T-giving is going to be small, I will probably only purchase one pie, and make a couple of desserts for the fame. I am thinking of a chocolate/peanut butter mousse pie, and probably a cheese cake (strawberry). The family liked previous efforts at desserts.

 

[psuro]

So I did gain about 5 of those LBS back during this work from home period, but 10 weeks ago I made a commitment and am down 32 LBS. Probably haven't been this low since high school.
Feel a lot better and working out is much better.
I ate a lot of low carb, but threw in some cheat meals, and had a few drinks.
For a good part of this I was also intermittent fasting 14-16 hrs per day - this took some time to get used to but I can do it consistently now at 16 hrs.

I do IF from 8 PM - 12 noon the next day. I was doing about 6 days a week but got a bit lazy and now do 3/4 times a week. I do eat carbs, but rarely at the end of the day -usually at breakfast (if I have it) or at lunch.

 

[ClarkstonMark]

I do IF from 8 PM - 12 noon the next day. I was doing about 6 days a week but got a bit lazy and now do 3/4 times a week. I do eat carbs, but rarely at the end of the day -usually at breakfast (if I have it) or at lunch.

that's what I do as well, 8 or 8:30 to noon or 12:30

 

[dshellpsu]

Several months ago were a couple threads on low carb diets. Wondering if some tried it and what results they got.

Here's another interesting article that shows that low carb ketone diet helps retain brain function and cognitive abilities.

https://www.studyfinds.org/low-carb-diet-may-reverse-prevent-age-related-cognitive-decline/

Rapid brain deterioration usually takes hold at around the age of 60, but dietary ketosis appeared to be able to improve brain function and stabilize neural networks in individuals under the age of 50. The research team believe this is because ketones provide “greater” cellular energy than glucose, even when the two substances are calorically matched.


“This effect matters because brain aging, and especially dementia, are associated with “hypometabolism,” in which neurons gradually lose the ability to effectively use glucose as fuel. Therefore, if we can increase the amount of energy available to the brain by using a different fuel, the hope is that we can restore the brain to more youthful functioning. In collaboration with Dr. Eva Ratai at Massachusetts General Hospital, we’re currently addressing this question, by now extending our studies to older populations,” Mujica-Parodi concludes.

Lost about 53 lbs since January. Increased exercise (walked about 3.5 mi/day or rode stationary bike for an hour) and started using Lose It app to track my eating. Feeling great.

 

[HartfordLlion]

Good to hear people getting good results. Went on it several years back and lost 10-15 lbs but a) I wasn't that heavy to start and b) I have a large organic garden and have always had a pretty good diet. I just had to quit eating bread, cake, anything with flour. Also, ice cream and potato chips are my two vices.



Good not to set weight goals but to make a lifestyle change. My experience is that when some one achieves their goal....or gets close to it....they slack off on the self discipline.

At the gym where I worked out I would teach some women how to lift weights. Always told them to never weigh themselves as adding some muscle would add pounds. Better to put on favorite tight jeans or little black dress and see how it fits. Wait a three months and then try them on again and see the improvement. Alas, they would always still weigh themselves and quit lifting after they gained a couple pounds in the first month.

People seem to forget that on average a pound if muscle burns 9 calories a day, fat only 5. you add muscle you end up juicing your metabolism. As you get older you typically lose muscle which drives a slower metabolism.

 

[The Spin Meister]

Lost about 53 lbs since January. Increased exercise (walked about 3.5 mi/day or rode stationary bike for an hour) and started using Lose It app to track my eating. Feeling great.

That’s great! Hope your health is much better.

 

[The Spin Meister]

People seem to forget that on average a pound if muscle burns 9 calories a day, fat only 5. you add muscle you end up juicing your metabolism. As you get older you typically lose muscle which drives a slower metabolism.

So true. And one reason that weight lifting is good in the long run but may cause a temporary weight gain. All that added muscle will help burn off calories. Plus weight/resistance training is great for bone mass and strength.

 

[BriarwoodBash]

Several months ago were a couple threads on low carb diets. Wondering if some tried it and what results they got.

Here's another interesting article that shows that low carb ketone diet helps retain brain function and cognitive abilities.

https://www.studyfinds.org/low-carb-diet-may-reverse-prevent-age-related-cognitive-decline/

Rapid brain deterioration usually takes hold at around the age of 60, but dietary ketosis appeared to be able to improve brain function and stabilize neural networks in individuals under the age of 50. The research team believe this is because ketones provide “greater” cellular energy than glucose, even when the two substances are calorically matched.


“This effect matters because brain aging, and especially dementia, are associated with “hypometabolism,” in which neurons gradually lose the ability to effectively use glucose as fuel. Therefore, if we can increase the amount of energy available to the brain by using a different fuel, the hope is that we can restore the brain to more youthful functioning. In collaboration with Dr. Eva Ratai at Massachusetts General Hospital, we’re currently addressing this question, by now extending our studies to older populations,” Mujica-Parodi concludes.

Great thread to help people. Agree with all the low carb praise. Lost 23 in 2000 low carb. Put it back on over 19 yes succumbing to my weaknesses for dessert. Took off 23 again during Jan-May 2020. Maintaining as of today. Eggs and meat or veggies for breakfast, Greek yogurt with fruit or sals for lunch, meat and veggies for dinner. Little to no pasta (occasional cheat for lasagna). Nothing after 7pm, work out in am. Thought I’d share because so easy and effective, at least for me. I drum a lot too which burns cals. Went from 185 to 162, 63 years old.

 

[psuro]

I just made keto hot and sour soup. Good stuff.

 

[ClarkstonMark]

I just made keto hot and sour soup. Good stuff.

I want that recipe. I guess Ii could just google it though.