-
How Does Cutting Out Carbs Feel?
For some people, cutting out carbs results in increased energy, reduced hunger, and feeling stronger, while for others it can result in constipation, headache, and muscle cramps. I have some experience with low carb diets myself. I lost probably about 25-30 pounds on one a year or so ago. It was the “diet of hope” that my mom told me about. It is a pretty restrictive diet, high in protein, and very low in carbs. You’re only supposed to eat a little bit of cheese twice a week or so, and you’re not supposed to eat things like nuts until you get to the later, more lenient stage of the…
-
How to Lose Weight When You Feel Hopeless
To lose weight when you feel hopeless, you can identify the root cause of the hopelessness, which may involve seeking professional help, take the process one day at a time, and not beat yourself up for backslides. I certainly know what it feels like to be hopeless. There have been multiple times in my life where I felt absolutely and completely hopeless. I was in so much agony that I did not know how I would ever come out alive, or have anything resembling a life again. Sometimes, I still feel a bit hopeless at times. But I think that I have gotten through the worst of it, I have…
-
Why am I so Tired on a Low Carb Diet?
Low Carb diet plans can make people tired due to electrolyte loss, water loss, and fluctuations in blood glucose. You can feel tired from not eating enough calories or being dehydrated. Low Carb Diets and Keto Diets On a low carb diet you limit your carbohydrates, especially those found in things like sugars, pasta, and breads. It is generally high in protein and fat. Sometimes you also avoid starchy vegetables and most fruits. Starchy vegetables are things like corn, potatoes, and beets. For a standard low carb diet, you are generally eating anywhere from 50 to 130 or so carbs a day. There are many different diets based on cutting…
-
How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Week on a Low Carb Diet?
In 5 days, one work week, I lost 5.9 pounds on a low carb diet. You may lose more, or less than this, although 6 is probably on the high end, the exact weight you could lose after week 1 varies from 1 or 2 pounds to 10 or more pounds. The results from this blog came from an actual experiment that I conducted on myself, where I tried a pretty standard low carb diet. In all fairness, I only did the diet for 5 days, not an entire 7, so it is more like a work week. I am currently doing a project, where I try a wide variety…
You May Also Like
A real weight loss journey
-
How Do I Fight Stress Related Weight Gain?
To fight stress or cortisol induced weight gain, you want to reduce your levels of stress. The most important thing you can do is to eliminate the main source of your stress. However, to reduce stress you can also exercise, see a professional therapist or dietician, get the correct amount of sleep, avoid caffeine and stimulates, nurture healthy relationships, and practice mindfulness or meditation. How Does Increased Cortisol Lead to Weight Gain? Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone. Cortisol is responsible for triggering the body’s “fight or flight” response. During times of increased stress, adrenaline and cortisol are released. This causes an increase in heart rate and energy levels,…
-
How Much Weight Can I lose on a Low Carb Diet in 2 Weeks?
After 2 weeks on a low carb diet, anywhere between 3-15 pounds of weight loss can be expected, although 3-6 is more common. On a low carb diet, some people may lose ½ pound a week, while some may lose 2 pounds or more a week. What is Special About the First 2 Weeks? During the first 2 weeks of a low carb diet, a lot of the weight that is coming off is water weight. It is normal to lose a lot of weight at the beginning of a diet, more than you do later on. The glucose in the liver that is readily available for energy takes the…
-
How Does PTSD Affect Weight Gain
Although the exact mechanisms are unknown, it is hypothesized that PTSD may affect weight gain through over activation of the stress hormones affecting the metabolism, PTSD medications that cause weight gain, sleep deprivation, or unhealthy habits that develop to cope with difficult feelings. PTSD is short for post traumatic stress disorder. It is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people that have experienced a terrifying event. These events can include serious accidents, terrorist acts, sexual violence, or war/combat. Men can experience PTSD, but more women than men tend to experience PTSD. Women with PTSD gain weight quicker and are more likely to be overweight than women without PTSD. However,…
-
What is a Good Ratio for a Low Carb Diet
A good ratio of macronutrients for a standard low carb diet is 5-15% carbs, 40-50% protein, and 30-35% fat. Ratios differ and favor fat more than protein on different variations of the low carb diet, such as the keto diet, however. What is a “ratio”? To be clear, when I talk about ratios, I am talking about ratios of macronutrients. Macronutrients are “the nutrients your body needs in large amounts, which include fat, carbohydrates, and protein.” Carbohydrates are the primary fuel for the body. They provide energy for the central nervous system and muscles during exercise or movement. Carbohydrates are sugars, starches, and fibers found in vegetables, fruits, grains, and…
-
Can Mental Health Affect Weight
Mental health can affect weight, mental illness can increase the occurrence of comfort eating, anxiety, and depression, and various psychotropic medications all have the potential to contribute to weight gain. From my own experience, as I talked about in my opening blog post, I know that mental health can absolutely affect weight. I gained about 40 pounds over the last year, that I am almost positive I would not have gained if my mental health had been better. Normally I am pretty good about monitoring my weight and making sure that it doesn’t get too out of hand. However, over the past year, I just ate whatever I wanted, whenever…
-
How Many Carbs Should You Eat Per Meal on a Low Carb Diet?
We all know that on a low carb diet we’re supposed to be reducing our carbs, but exactly how many carbs should we be eating at every meal? On a 40 carb low carb diet, you should be eating roughly 10g of carbs for lunch, breakfast, and dinner, and 2 snacks with 5 carbs for each snack. This example is taken from the Atkins 40 diet. How many carbs you eat per meal depends greatly on what kind of diet you’re on. If you’re not on a low carb diet, then you will be eating a lot of carbs per meal, they will be making up the bulk of your…
