Thoughts?

  • Hello!
    This is my first time posting on a forum ever.
    I am trying to lose weight again for at least the hundredth time.
    I have tried every approach to weight loss.

    The only thing that has every been successful for me is low carb.

    But even then, there are so many different approaches to low carb.

    even though I've always lost weight, I can never keep it off with low carb.

    Does anyone have any idea on how to approach a low carb diet in a way that I can lose weight consistently for months?

    Before, I would do great on induction, but then I would fall off the wagon whenever I would try to slowly add in more carbs.
    So I tried to stay on induction for an extended period of time, but then I would get sick of low carb and cheat on the weekends and gain all the weight I lost.

    So what are your approaches?

    How long do you stay on induction and how much and when do you add in more carbs?
  • I'm calorie counting (not carb counting), but I do pay attention to my macronutrients and try to eat more protein and fat. It definitely helps with keeping me feeling satiated throughout the day. I don't know how I could ever do a higher carb diet. I'd feel hungry all the time!

    I've been calorie counting for two months now and I'm finding it relatively easy. The thing that helps me is focussing on the logging itself, and rewarding myself for that. I do weigh myself often, but I don't worry about it if my weight jumps around a lot. If I am consistently logging calories, it means I'm doing a good job and I deserve a reward every month or so.

    I think my mindset is also different than it has been on previous diets, because I plan on calorie counting indefinitely. Even once I reach my goal, I think I will be logging my calories for the rest of my life. I think it's useful data I'm gathering about my eating habits, and it's become part of my daily routine. I use MyFitnessPal to log, although I've heard LoseIt is very good as well, and there are other apps and methods available (even a notebook works fine for some).

    For me it's important to let myself have the things I want. I don't always have them right away when I want them - sometimes I have to plan ahead a bit - but if I want pizza, I eat pizza. I just keep track of it and move on.

    You could do low carb without cutting out carbs entirely - you don't have to do keto to get the satiation effects of a higher-fat, high protein diet.

    Anyway, that's just what works for me.
  • thank you for the reply!

    that was actually the same approach I've been trying for the past few months.
    I'm been tracking my macros, and the same thing, If I want something that isnt terribly healthy, I just plan it in to my macros for the day.

    However, so matter how hard I try, I feel like I have control when it comes to moderation.
    I get a little taste of sugar and i go crazy and binge on it.

    thats why I feel like I want to try low carb again.

    When I go a few weeks of no sugar and low amounts of carbs, I feel like I can start to break this addiction to sugar.

    I just cant seem to handle moderation.
  • Yeah... sugar is a tricksy one.

    For me, sugar is difficult because it makes me feel hungry shortly afterwards. I guess my body burns through it and then says "wait, that's it?" or something along those lines. Same for all simple carbs.

    I've definitely had some higher calorie days as a result of carbs, but I just keep logging even when I go way over.

    Have you tried having sugary things with/right after meals that have more fat and protein? If you wait until you've had some fat and protein, and then ate a cookie, maybe you wouldn't feel the need to binge at that time?

    I do that with some things... I just wait until I'm full of healthy stuff so I'm not starving when I begin.