I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

[pinkfusion]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

I already know I could never eat like that again. I dont miss bread at all. In fact, it stinks to me. Its so strange. But I love it.

[msanjelpie]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

First day totals

Honey
Oatmeal
Raisins
Milk

Whey Yogurt Shake
Peaches

Bagel raisin mini
Cheese, cream

Crystal Light
Butter
Rice
Chicken, breaded breast patty

Bagel raisin mini
Cheese, cream

Totals

Calories 1,351
fat 41.5
carbs 191.2
protein 61.7

Bagel at bedtime helped with the night time hunger. No weight lost or gained - stayed the same.

On to the second day...

[JulieB]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

Are the calories you listed above (1351) similar to what you were doing calorie-wise on Atkins?

[msanjelpie]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

On Atkins I was between 1500 and 1600 per day... The last time I did a low-cal diet I stayed between 1200 and 1300 calories per day. But I'm a lot older now so I don't want to be that strict. AND I don't wanna be hungry!

I'm now out of ketosis... the taste in my mouth is gone. I'm finding I have more energy. Must be my body burning the carbs instead of my fat. So far I don't have any water retention. At this point I'll just be happy if I don't gain weight...

[sombersusie]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

good luck to ya hon! for myself i know i have a sugar craving monster inside me, one taste is NEVER enough. i love oatmeal too, i'd often start my days off with oatmeal and raisins, good stuff. but by the end of the day, heck middle of the day it was give me the carbs...no stopping it. let us know how it's going....

[keriann_forgoodthistime]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

Hi guys.... just so you know I'm not going anywhere... this board has been my lifeline for 5 months, and no matter what the outcome gain/lose low carb/low cal etc... I'll still be here checking in several times a day...

So far for today I'm around 550 calories, 4 grams of fat and 96 carbs. I'm noticing some queasiness after eating, urine smelling sugary, sweet things tasting too sweet and I have to eat more often than every 6 hours.

I might not make it the whole month, but at least then I'll know one way or the other...

Just wanted to wish you good luck on finding what works for you...You've already lost 33 pounds on atkins and KNOW that this lifestyle works - but I can totally understand wanting to know whether or not the other would work as well. The question is - is the grass just as green on the other side?

Maybe(and i'm saying this because, obviously, you're on an atkins board)...you will go back to eating low-cal and it'll be more of a "wow - eating low-cal does nothing for me...i didn't lose anything...LOW-CARB is the way to go."

But on the other hand - maybe low-cal will work for you and maybe you'll like it better. You won't know til you try, which is what you are doing.

I can totally understand wanting the "freedom" of being able to eat certain foods (especially more convenience foods) than what you can on low-carb...but also remember that convenience comes with a price. I love knowing that I eat very fresh whole unprocessed foods - and no chemicals.
To me, low-carb actually has more freedom mainly because I love full-fat foods and not having to COUNT anything (i've gotten to where I don't even count carbs anymore, just know what to and what not to eat). Low-Calorie eating (like someone else mentioned, I think it was Liv) - brings back the obsessive compulsiveness of having to know every single little thing I put in my mouth and I just can't eat that way anymore. But that's just me.

Either way - I absolutely wish you luck and hope you succeed on whichever lifestyle you can live with!!

[ThinSoon]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

I wish you luck finding what works for you. We all have to find that out whatever the WOE is.

I recently had some minor surgery and have been off plan for over a week. Not necessarily bad cards but eating what was in the house. My initial weight loss is gone and I feel terrible. However, I know many people who do the lower calorie - ww plan and have one friend who has kept the weight off for over 5 years so it does work for some!

I look forward to watching your progress and know that you will find what works best for you!!

Tracey

[msanjelpie]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

Day 2

Honey
Oatmeal
Raisins
Milk

diet soft drink

Bread, rye
Butter-margarine
Cheese, American

Crystal Light (3)

Egg (2)
Mayonnaise
Bread, whole wheat

Bagel raisin mini
Cheese, cream

Totals

calores 1,294
fat grams 48.8
carbs 167.7
protein 46.3

I'm getting lazy... 3 sandwich items yesterday. Gas has returned. Forgot that it had disappeared with the low carb. My hands are puffy with water retention now. Weight up ½ pound.

[dewdropinn]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

Good luck with that, I keep thinking I can do that and I end up getting hungrier and then eating too much of the carbs. Then I just feel gross even if I don't gain, it stalls me for ages.
Congratulations on the 33 lbs.

This is exaclty how I feel. I tend to eat way more even if its low cal or low fat, and a lot of what I ate was emply carbs and calories like low fat crackers etc. And the feeling of feeling overly full is awful, and I dont feel that way with low carb

[ThinSoon]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

Day 2

Honey
Oatmeal
Raisins
Milk

diet soft drink

Bread, rye
Butter-margarine
Cheese, American

Crystal Light (3)

Egg (2)
Mayonnaise
Bread, whole wheat

Bagel raisin mini
Cheese, cream

Totals

calores 1,294
fat grams 48.8
carbs 167.7
protein 46.3

I'm getting lazy... 3 sandwich items yesterday. Gas has returned. Forgot that it had disappeared with the low carb. My hands are puffy with water retention now. Weight up ½ pound.

You don't have much in the way of veggies or fruit?

[sombersusie]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

maybe try a salad and some veggies today, need some vitamins in there!

[Fleur]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

I just wanted to share my experience - I lost about 55lbs on Atkins since September last year. At Owl Rung 7 I sort of lost my way and began eating carbs again - not really a conscious decision, I just drifted. My hunger was still in check and I started off with small low cal meals... however eating a "few" carbs soon snowballed and the balance of my diet tipped back to carb laden - over weeks my appetite crept back up, causing me to crave snacks in the mid afternoon and evening after my meal. I have not gained significatnly, my weight has stayed between 119 and 122 fluctuating up and down - but I can feel I am retaining water, my boobs are heavier and not in a good way, and I feel softer on the hips and haunches. I have had a bloated stomach - which was banished on Atkins and my digestion is uncomfortable again. I realised that eating carbs was leading me doen a bad path and have decided to return to Atkins and stick with it - moving through the stages at a faster rate than last time to avoid food boredom... I wouldn't recommend switching from low carb to low cal to anyone who wants to lose/keep the weight off....

Good luck though...

Fleur xx

[Empyre]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

This thread is kinda fun, msanjelpie has become our Guinea pig
I'm eagerly awaiting the 1 month results either way.

best of luck

[msanjelpie]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

Well resident guinea pig here checking in... I wasn't eating salad because I knew it wouldn't really fill me up as a meal and I didn't want to have to count the calories from the dressing...

Yesterday was day 3.

Today is day 4. I woke up this morning more puffy than yesterday. Today I can't get my ring off my finger. I hopped on the scale with a feeling of doom and yes I gained another ½ pound. Apparently if I want to actually lose on low cal I need to lower my calories a lot lower than they were on Atkins. (The metabolic advantage at work.)

So, I said "That's It!... back to induction I go..."

Things I learned: I CAN do low cal if I want to switch it up for a bit... but don't expect to lose... Rice and bread and cereal just didn't taste as good as I remembered... Fruit tastes way too sweet. The extra energy from carbs felt like 'fake' energy... I miss being an Atkineer! I'm actually looking forward to hopping on the scale tomorrow!

Thanks to all of you for your interest and support. It has been a fun 3 days... but now I'm heading back to reality... I'm FAT and I need to LOSE not fiddle around with gaining or maintaining. Scrambled eggs here I come...

[ThinSoon]

Re: I'm switching from Low Carb to Low Cal

Well at least you tried it and now you know, we all need to find out what works best for our bodies.

Welcome back to low carb!

Tracey