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LCHF questions

M

mud_shark

Member
Messages
8
Type of diabetes
Type 2
A couple of LHCF questions if I may...

I'm interested to know whether people eating LCHF count calories - or simply try and stick to eating only a few grams of carbs/day and not really worry about how much fat you're consuming? Don't you run the risk of overdoing the calories and putting on weight?

I gather that it takes 2-3 weeks to enter ketosis, and it's very easy to slip out of it = back to the drawing board?

Thanks for looking
 
Hi there

Up until a week ago I did keep track of my calories via MFP but at the moment I am doing a 2 week LCHF programme which specifically says not to count calories. I will make a decision on my long term options after this coming week.
 
never really counted the cals, just dropped the carbs to what's in veg and nuts, so didn't really count them either, went for lots of walks, watched my weight fall off and my numbers go into control. I think I was fortunate though.

I find counting an interesting exercise. Look at a range of almonds available in the high street and be surprised to see what carbo content they have. I've seen from 6 to 20% for, what appear to be exactly the same product, whole almonds in their skins..

I think you would be hard pushed to exceed your cal need if you drop carbs coz you probably won't want to go Full Fat because of our preconditioning to the evils of fat... which I think I am now overcoming... not too hard as I love cheese and thought I was going to have to give it... unlike bread, which I also love.... but have given up.
 
I've never normally counted calories - just worked out what I could eat within my chosen range of ( less than 50g) carbs per day. You do need to eat full fat if you go very low carb, as this is needed as replacement energy, but this doesn't necessarily mean you must stuff yourself full of it. Being in ketosis means you're burning fat, so you do need to have enough either dietary or body fat for your energy needs. Use one of the low carb/keto calculators such as this one to work out your personal carbs/protein/fats proportions (Googling will find you others).

You can slip in and out of ketosis, and I used to believe this was a problem, but apparently once your body is fat adapted, then it will happily switch between whatever fuel sources are most readily available. I find I tend to go in and out of ketosis all the time, depending on what I've eaten carbs and fat wise and how much fuel I've used up.

Robbity
 
Never count calories just grams of Carbs, proteins and fat. My fitness Pal does show the calories automatically and interestingly I am always under the amount it recommends, or if I do go over I am dramatically under the following day.

I am losing a steady 1 - 1.5 kilos a week and have lost 16 kilos so far since 10th February.

I do not hold back on fats at all but am finding that naturally I am eating much smaller portions and also happily missing meals as not hungry.
 
Nope....don't do any counting..other than occasionally check up some carbs if in doubt. I'm trying hard to push myself to increase my fat intake...it does take some time to get used to it...but I'm getting better. To start with it is the taste buds...little increase with fat after yeeeeears doing low-fat is shock for the mouth...and then I've had to train my brain to think that fat REALLY is my friend....never mind getting guilt feelings pushed away. But it is all rewarded and still is utter miracle when I step on scales and discover that I've managed to lost another pound!.....and what about blood sugar readings being in normal range!
My scales and blood sugar readings are telling me that I'm doing it ok...far easier and take less time than continuous calculations and weighing what I eat!
 
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actually got into trouble when i started counting calories. but in my case, i was morbidly obese and initially, LCHF really suppressed my appetite. increased my caloric intake to meet my "supposed" daily requirement/basal metabolic rate (not even Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and my weight loss stalled. ate to satiety again, ignored calories and weight loss resumed.

conversely high fat bone broth also stalled my weight so i suppose you need to be aware of liquid calories in whatever form.
 
I must admit I obsess a bit and use MFP every day to count cals, I used the keto calculator in my signature below ...but the plan is to lose another 3 stone and then eat til I am full................but low carb .....
 
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I use MFP t count calories and carbs, although their carb amounts are not always right, so I have to double check the database often. I have a lot of weight to lose, so maybe I wont count calories when I have lost some more weight. 3lbs in 3 weeks : )
 
Does nobody ever worry about the damage there doing to the body loading up on fat? Heart attacks etc? Im looking at starting this and im T1 anyone do this and is T1? What things do people eat?
 
Stephen89 said:
Does nobody ever worry about the damage there doing to the body loading up on fat? Heart attacks etc?
Click to expand...

Nope.
If you have doubts about going higher fat then you need to do your research before you start. The recent studies and papers all seem to be talking the same sense nowadays and putting the old low saturated fat thinking to bed - at last.

Every time I turn round there is more evidence about this.
 
Yes...wasn't it only last year that British heart foundation finally announced that the link with saturated fats or higher fat intake doesn't have link to coronary health issues....and that was based on scientific research evidence from different sources, they only looked at it...held their hands up in the air and couldn't argue about it.
But it certainly is not advertised as much as the usual 'low fat' jargon that is still hailed as 'healthy'..

ETA....just looked at BHF web pages....they haven't changed much of their diet advise...it is still on similar lines as the old 'hail low-fat'...though not put quite so strickly...it is now put out as 'small amounts of saturated fats'..
But that is not what the evidence says....and yet there is also announcement..
"
Saturated fat guidelines
At the moment UK guidelines encourage us to swap saturated fats for unsaturated fats. You might have seen reports about a study we helped to fund which suggests there’s not enough evidence to back the current UK guidelines on the types of fat we eat. We think more research is needed before suggesting any major changes to healthy eating guidance.
"
 
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I eat LCHF but i did put on weight with too many calories from dairy. I removed dairy from my diet and now have fats from avocado...olive oil ect and the weight is steadily falling off.

I think for me....i need to keep the calories in check as i 'OTT' on the creams and cheeses ect.
 
Stephen89 said:
Does nobody ever worry about the damage there doing to the body loading up on fat? Heart attacks etc? Im looking at starting this and im T1 anyone do this and is T1? What things do people eat?
Click to expand...

Full fat to lose weight, low fat to gain weight.

Natural fats are good.
Vegetable fats are bad.

It is as simple or as complicated as you want it to be and who you believe.

Other than virgin olive oil of course!
 
Quality fats are good, I try to avoid saturated, and stick to none saturated.

It's who you believe.
 
with or without type 2 or being overweight, virtually all of my life, when like most, I've gained weight, only to lose twice as much as I gained, and the proverbial yoyo effect, ultimately all this means is that you end up heavier than you ever were first time ever on a diet, probably like me, in your teens.
I have never bought into this thing about fats - I believe the only fat you should cook with, regardless of your weight, diabetes etc or just a plain skinny healthy person, is butter, the other is extra virgin olive oil, the really green stuff which I love.

I'm having a problem, however, because this week from Sunday I decided to take the 2 week LCHF diet, but I want to know what to substitute when the daily recipe says pork, beef etc, because I don't eat any of that stuff and never have, I don't see the alternatives so if anyone else is or has done this 2 week challenge will you let me know what I can substitute, or do I simply give up the challenge, copy the list of what is low carb and do it to suit myself. I won't count anything, even if I started, I know within a very short space of time I will stop counting, I simply cannot be bothered counting carbs or calories, I have b etter things to do with my time, it I strongly dislike anything which means I've got to faff about making food - sorry folks, it may be ok for some, but it's not me - your guidance on lchf foods would be welcome.
 
I am forever tinkering with recipes to suit my requirements (celery is the Devil's creation, and that is just the first that springs to mind).

Just replace ingredients you don't like with foods that you do like, ensuring that your replacements do not add extra carbs. So chicken instead of beef, salmon instead of mackerel, celeriac instead of sweet potato. That kind of thing.

I don't count carbs either. Tried it for 3 weeks. Incredibly boring and irritating, and I have total sympathy for insulin users who HAVE to do it.

I just eat to my meter and my appetite, ensuring a range of nutritious food choices. Can't be doing with phaff.
 
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Even on lchf, if you overeat, you don't lose weight.
The only way I lost was to invest a lot of time working out what I could eat every day.
Now I keep my weight in check by the fact I have enough experience of looking at food and knowing how must I can eat.

If you don't want to keep score, have you considered the Newcastle Diet?
 
NurseDee said:
I eat LCHF but i did put on weight with too many calories from dairy. I removed dairy from my diet and now have fats from avocado...olive oil ect and the weight is steadily falling off.
Click to expand...

I think I may be guilty of overdoing the fat, in fact I know I am. I cut out something like 90% of my carb intake the day I got diagnosed with T2, about 6 months ago. I had lost about 10kg in the 4-6 weeks pre-diagnosis, and since then have put on a couple of kg, and taken them off again - but definitely no dramatic, or even steady weight loss. Suppose I should be glad I'm not putting anything on and that I'm stable at 10kg below my previous weight. My sugars are pretty good (generally between 6-7.5) but at a little under 140kg, I am very keen to get into double digits, eventually.

I thought the idea of all the fat was to make you feel full, but i suppose if you overdo it, the calories IN will be too great. Perhaps this is where the carb/protein/fat macros come into it all...
 
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