LCHF diet - has anybody else lost too much weight?

[DianeW001]

I was LCHF (still am of course) and lost a lot of weight within the first 12 months. Then I couldn't stop losing. I kept a strict food diary including portion sizes and weighed a lot of things. Using this I increased my calories - definitely not carbs. I added extra eggs (an extra 1 every day), introduced cheese to my diet as I hadn't eaten that previously, and a glass of red in the evenings. It was a fine balancing act and took quite a while to get that balance right, but I did eventually. Gained a couple of pounds, and have maintained this now for over 2 years. So basically, I increased fat and protein calories with the eggs and cheese.That worked for me.

Thank you for your response. I will try just increasing the amount I eat and see how I get on.

 

[AndBreathe]

Hi, and thank you for your reply. My BMI is 17.8, I don't self test and just have the HBA1C readings to go off.

Thanks for responding Diane. It does sound like you're very slight now.

In terms of what to do next, I would suggest you seriously consider acquiring some testing kit, so that you can monitor the effects of the next steps you take. The steps (whichever you choose) will have the potential to impact your blood scores, both in the shorter and longer term, and without that day-to-day feedback from self testing, you won't have that insight. You've done so well, it'd be a shame to back-track on that in an effort to me actually doing better.

Aside from that, as I see it, the quick way to stop weight loss and perhaps gain a few pounds to get you back, or closer to being in the "healthy" zone", you could up your carbs. However, that could impact your blood scores.

Once folks have lost a bit of weight, their bodies can sometimes, but not always, deal with a few extra carbs, without any material impact on their bloods.

The alternative is to either up overall portions a bit, ensuring you up the protein and fat, but by how much is an individual thing.

When I was looking to stop weight loss, I upped my portion sizes, then also had to add more fat, in the form of cheese and nuts initially. I say initially, as I chose that approach because they were simple to "dose", in controlled amounts, so that longer term I knew sort of how much extra fat/protein, or whatever I needed to eat. It took me several weeks to achieve a balance, but I was testing throughout that so that I know my increased eating wasn't increasing my bloods.

You have to decide what to do, but I would urge you to consider testing, to give you confidence. If you do decide to test, then I further suggest a week or so of testing to give yourself some benchmark figures, which allow comparison against what you're doing now.

Personally, I found it trickier stopping the weight loss than starting it. Good luck with the puzzle.

 

[lindisfel]

I reckon if one starts eating carbs one can go over 'the hill' of getting the point of blocking leptin. Then its the slippery carb slope of never feeling satisfied when one eats and before you can say, "Bobs your uncle!" One is feeding one's face with chip butties and other high carb foods! Its the road we've all travelled and it ends up in tears! Derek

 

[douglas99]

Thank you, I will try that. The LCHF diet tends to make me feel full, but I do love the diet. I often don't have lunch, just a full breakfast and a meal in the evening.

I think you could eat more, before adding carbs back in.
Work out the average calories per day, and ramp up the amount of LCHF food to get to your target for maintenance weight.

 

[DianeW001]

Thanks for responding Diane. It does sound like you're very slight now.

In terms of what to do next, I would suggest you seriously consider acquiring some testing kit, so that you can monitor the effects of the next steps you take. The steps (whichever you choose) will have the potential to impact your blood scores, both in the shorter and longer term, and without that day-to-day feedback from self testing, you won't have that insight. You've done so well, it'd be a shame to back-track on that in an effort to me actually doing better.

Aside from that, as I see it, the quick way to stop weight loss and perhaps gain a few pounds to get you back, or closer to being in the "healthy" zone", you could up your carbs. However, that could impact your blood scores.

Once folks have lost a bit of weight, their bodies can sometimes, but not always, deal with a few extra carbs, without any material impact on their bloods.

The alternative is to either up overall portions a bit, ensuring you up the protein and fat, but by how much is an individual thing.

When I was looking to stop weight loss, I upped my portion sizes, then also had to add more fat, in the form of cheese and nuts initially. I say initially, as I chose that approach because they were simple to "dose", in controlled amounts, so that longer term I knew sort of how much extra fat/protein, or whatever I needed to eat. It took me several weeks to achieve a balance, but I was testing throughout that so that I know my increased eating wasn't increasing my bloods.

You have to decide what to do, but I would urge you to consider testing, to give you confidence. If you do decide to test, then I further suggest a week or so of testing to give yourself some benchmark figures, which allow comparison against what you're doing now.

Personally, I found it trickier stopping the weight loss than starting it. Good luck with the puzzle.

Thank you so much for this - it is really helpful to me. I intend to start by increasing portions, still LCHF, and making sure I have 3 meals every day, then see how I go after a couple of weeks. If there is no weight gain then, I will get some testing strips and maybe increase the carbs a little.

 

[DianeW001]

I think you could eat more, before adding carbs back in.
Work out the average calories per day, and ramp up the amount of LCHF food to get to your target for maintenance weight.

Thank you. After reading all of the replies, I have decided that this is my first option

 

[douglas99]

Thank you. After reading all of the replies, I have decided that this is my first option

If you LCHF, I'd avoid carbs.
Fat in itself made me gain weight, but you do need to start watching the calories for weight either way.

 

[wiseowl_123]

Good evening @DianeW001 I was diagnosed in October 2016 started LCD 50 carbs a day 2 Metformin per day the first 10 weeks the weight literally fell off me, went from 12 stone 2lbs down to 10 stone 6lbs =1stone 8lbs in 40 waist to 36 waist,had to get a new wardrobe,but at 12 weeks it has settled down and have now stayed at 10 stone 6lbs for the last month,but I decided to cut back on the Metformin(after talking to my doctor so now I only take one tablet a day,I got so fed up of people saying to me wow you have lost weight are you alright, every where I went (LOL) you will be alright it will sort its self out

 

[dawnmc]

You drop the carbs, you drop the weight. You add more carbs, you add the weight. This is usually the case. The hard part is finding a balance. Eating enough carbs to add weight, but not upsetting your BG too much and then finding the number that maintains your weight at the weight you want. It's all easier said then done.

Or you can add more protein to your diet and see if that works.

It's up to the individual to decide what path they take.

Unfortunately saying that is like 'calories in, calories out'. Dropping the carbs works for some in losing weight but not for all.

 

[Tophat1900]

Unfortunately saying that is like 'calories in, calories out'. Dropping the carbs works for some in losing weight but not for all.

Yes, I agree, of course. There is no one size fits all approach.

Carb and protein intake is what I was specifically talking about, not calories. And adjusting intake to see if a difference takes place to gain weight and then maintain it at an acceptable level. Being this is the problem the OP is facing. People who lose a lot of weight after dropping their carb intake (LCHF diet) pretty much fit what I was talking about (Including the OP) in terms of 'dropping the carbs, you drop the weight and adding them adds weight'. The whole point of my previous post was for those of us that fit that scenario. Maybe I should of been more clearer on that.

It's not always easy to discuss complex issues on the net.