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Low-carb diets

How many carbs can I get away with?

4 replies

rumbleinthrjungle · 11/05/2014 15:44

I've been successfully low carbing for several years and always stuck to 20 carbs or less per day. I have about 2 stone to lose at the moment, but because of a medical condition I now have to drink 1.5 litres a day of hydration fluids which is salt and 3 level tsp of sugar per half litre of water. There is no way that I can reduce this amount, change the proportions or replace the sugar with a lower carb substitute, it's effectively medication, so I'm trying to work out how to handle having those 36 carbs per day before I even think about carbs from food.

I know the Eat Fat Get Thin diet sorts out the proportions as 10-15% carbs, 20-25% protein and 65-70% fat, and if I go with 15% carbs that gives me maybe another 12 carbs to use in veg if I stick with the leafy green low carb ones which isn't too difficult. So about 48 carbs total per day. It's under 50 carbs but I know it's likely weight loss is going to be slower than I'm used to.

Does anyone experienced in this have any comments or suggestions on ways to make this more effective? I've been doing just calorie controlled for the last 3 months and I've lost 20lbs, but have been stalled now for almost a month and been permanently starving, plus I'm gluten sensitive so have tended to eat lowish carb anyway. This would involve cutting out all fruit and higher carb veg like tomatoes and carrots, still eating about 1470 calories a day (hurray for fitness pal) just changing the proportions of where the calories come from.

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FavadiCacao · 13/05/2014 12:55

Hi rumble, I lost most of my weight eating under 100g carbs/day mainly between 50-80g. (I'm in the paleo/primal camp)
The stalling is likely to just be temporary but the permanently starving suggests that you are not eating enough or that your body is requiring extra nutrients. Variety is the key for the latter. I would suggest to up the amount of green vegetables where all vegetables are allowed. Unless you are sensitive to the nightshade family, tomatoes are nutritionally rich, roots are too. The carbs that can creep up easily are the more starch dense like potatoes and sweet potatoes and of course fruit can be very carby too.

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rumbleinthrjungle · 13/05/2014 17:05

That's really helpful, thank you! I actually cut the fruit and the starchy veg on the day I posted and have been eating much higher fat and green leafy veg and other than now not eating more than two meals a day because I'm full and don't fancy more I lost 2 pounds more or less overnight, so I think the proportions I was eating before weren't helping.

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KellyHopter · 13/05/2014 17:14

It sounds like you've made an adjustment that's working for you but I'm just wondering about your carb intake, 20g a day for two years is really strict.
It's the same amount as the Atkins induction, how have you managed it?

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rumbleinthrjungle · 14/05/2014 17:14

It wasn't for two years solid without a break, just the carb level I went to for periods where I needed to manage my weight, I'm not that much of a saint! Wink I'm gluten intolerant and don't cope well with any heavy carbs or high sugars well, so it wasn't really THAT hard, just lots of veg and salad and berries instead of higher carb fruit.

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