Started a low-cal and low-carb diet

[Renovatinghouse]

Hello! I just wanted to post here to track my progress. I have been doing the diet for a month and have lost 5 kilos already.

I am 5'3" and weight 87 kilos (I think that is around 13 stones). My BMI is 34 and the doctor told me I have high cholesterol, so I need to do something about it. I have been a yo yo dieter all my life and addicted to carbs. A close relative died of a heart attack at 60 and I don't want that to happen to me. So, I have started!

I am currently size 18/20 and my goal is to wear a beautiful dress size 12 in December which I have not used since two years ago.

I am posting here to try to record my progress weekly. Thank you for reading!

[Renovatinghouse]

I joined a gym but I am not sure what is the best thing go do to help with the weight loss. Should I only do cardio? or mixed with weights? Grateful for any suggestions!!

[BumPop]

Hi Renovating - Well done on the 5kilos!

What does your diet consist of exactly? If it's shakes or meal replacements, I think you'll find at least one active thread around if you search for VLCD.

I am the almost identical height and weight to you. Initially I just want to get down to 12 stone to be merely very overweight rather than obese.

I am thinking of using up some old cambridge diet sachets to get into ketosis and then go very low carb, but keeping it cheap (because we have no money ) with lots of boiled eggs, omlettes and 3 x £10 meat deals.

Probably also use protein shakes for breakfast (again already have in the house).

Exercise wise I like the idea of 0-5k building up to a fortnightly parkrun to keep me motivated. Also I read that the simple kettlebell swing is amazing for changing your body. It must be heavy though. Google 4 hour body kettlebell swing.

Good luck.

[Eglute]

Why do't you come and join us in The Low Carb Bootcamp Continues! thread?

You can use spreadsheet to add your weight and progress every week. I am sure you would find lot of usefull information andit is great to have a nice chat with friendly ladies :)

[Renovatinghouse]

Thanks Bumpop and Eglute. What is VLCD? My diet is indeed meal replacements in the first phase, and then will add the carbs gradually once I have lost 80% of the weight I need to lose.

I will join you in the Bootcamp thread, thanks for the suggestion.

[Itstartshere]

I always wince a bit when I hear about meal replacements. I did the Cambridge diet. Lost a stone and a half in a month. Put on six stones over the next year. Basically I acquired an eating disorder. I have excellent willpower incidentally, that wasn't a factor. It happens to a lot of people (not all though obviously).

Low carbing is a great way of losing weight but it really can be a huge success even if you're not doing it as a low calorie diet. Would you please reconsider doing the low calorie thing just to humour me? I just did a Whole 30, lots of people lose loads of weight on that and keep losing, but basically they eat enough food to be full, reclaim a healthy, positive relationship with food and get great health too.

Good luck with your diet. Sorry to butt in.

[Renovatinghouse]

Thanks Itstarts! I am not planning to do this diet indefinitely, only until I lose the extra weight - which is a lot by the way. I am not hungry because I am in ketosis and I take lots of supplements (sodium, potassium, magnesium, multivitamin) to avoid feeling tired, weak, etc. It is a supervised by a doctor so I get blood tests frequently to make sure that liver function, thyroid, etc is fine.

I agree that is not ideal but I am obese and need the structure and control to lose the weight. Besides I get really depressed when I see myself in the mirror and I hope that I will have fast results as last time I did it after my last pregnancy. With this pregnancy I gained 30 kilos and now have high cholesterol, achy joints and a closet full of clothes that don't fit at all.

sorry for the massive post. My idea is to gradually move to a healthy normal diet, I hope that I can get there! Thank you for your comment!

[Renovatinghouse]

BY the way, I do eat two portions (300 gm each) of low carb vegetables a day : )