LCHF - Low Carb High Fat Diet Ver 2

[tombeej]

This is true but it also means that one should eat less if not training (and thats not always easy)

 

If you've reached your personal internal equilibrium, your 'natural state' as it were, then you won't drop further weight by diet alone. If your genes aren't programmed for you to have a permanent sick-pack then that's how it's going to be unless you use training to take it to the next level.

 

But it should never, ever be about eating less.

 

My view is that a lot of people have unrealistic expectations of themselves sometimes. They expect that if they eat well and live well then they should have single-digit fat percentages and athletic builds. Only a very small percentage of the population have these gifted genes.

 

I believe it's about accepting ourselves for who we are - we have to learn to love the bodies we were born with. If sports or physical fitness is a chore then that's where you are, and you ain't going further.

 

For the rest of us, it takes a little extra work to get that 'beautiful body'. But it's about being more active, eating less should never be the path to follow.

 

If you do want to look more athletic then live a more athletic lifestyle - i.e. be more active. If you want to be an athlete, then train to be an athlete. To the best of your natural ability - wherever that will take you.

 

Being a healthy athlete should generally mean that you have lower body fat and a better muscular physique than your identical twin who is a healthy sedentary person. That's just common sense that we all know.

 

The human body thrives on physical activity. And it declines far quicker if it lives a sedentary life. Our genetic makeup literally begs for physical activity. It's amazing how quickly we respond (positively) to a bit of good old exercise.

 

First get the diet right (without eating less - just eat more of the good stuff). If you are sedentary and you are at a stable weight that just means you're in a state of natural equilibrium. Start training properly and you'll soon find yourself a new (better) equilibrium. If you stop training, you inevitably return to your old equilibrium. Trying to stop that from happening by eating less is not going to help though.

 

It's just up to us which equilibrium we want to stay at...

[tombeej]

PS. forget about BMI. its nonsense

 

Ja, according to the BMI chart, the healthy person is the one on the left!

[Boesman Benson]

Guys, help me here. I have been on LCHF for the last year. I have lost ZERO weight, although I feel good health-wise (ie no IBS etc). I want to lose some weight as I want to do some cyling and running races again this year.

 

Current BMI is 20.4, but I know that I can safely go to 19 or even 18.5 which would mean I need to lose about 2kg. I have done VERY little training for more than a year now as I had to have a foot op and am only now getting back into the swing of things.

 

I have been incredibly strict with my eating though and would have thought this would get me to where I want to be. A tad disappointed I must say.

 

Please make my day :-)

 

Tracy I have good news for you. At a BMI of 20, you are probably around your ideal weight (55kg/165cm).

 

To drop to 18.5 you will have to make some more sacrifices (more strict with diet than what you have been) which are likely to have negative impact on your long term health. Only you will know if loosing 2kg will be worth the additional sacrifices.

 

Keep eating healthy and start training again and do those events you want to do.

[tombeej]

To add to earlier posts:

 

Often, when we become more active and our body composition changes, we're gaining muscle mass and losing body fat. So the scale says 'no weight loss', but we're starting to look and feel great.

 

The bathroom scale is a poor measure.

 

Body fat percentage is a better measure. The good old fashioned measuring tape is another good one. What's happened to your waist line, your arms, chest, etc.

 

But at the end of the day, we could all become vegetarians and live off grass. We'll lose lots of weight then. Or we could take hardcore diet pills and eat 1 meal a day. But does weight loss always equate to health?

 

The primary reason why I changed my diet was to become healthy, not to lose weight. I guess that's why I'm happy with where I am. I'm healthy, so I've reached my goal. For those folks who started LCHF with the general aim of losing weight only, then I can see how things might get frustrating if they've already reached their equilibrium.

[SimpleDom]

Great post this. I'm the same. I don't want to lose weight, but I'm looking for health and better energy management through this kind of eating.

 

My problem is that I keep losing... I'm also hungry quite often, so I've realised I probably need to eat more. My meals are certainly higher percentage of fat compared to anything else, but I suppose I need to eat larger portions or higher percentage fat....

 

To add to earlier posts:

 

Often, when we become more active and our body composition changes, we're gaining muscle mass and losing body fat. So the scale says 'no weight loss', but we're starting to look and feel great.

 

The bathroom scale is a poor measure.

 

Body fat percentage is a better measure. The good old fashioned measuring tape is another good one. What's happened to your waist line, your arms, chest, etc.

 

But at the end of the day, we could all become vegetarians and live off grass. We'll lose lots of weight then. Or we could take hardcore diet pills and eat 1 meal a day. But does weight loss always equate to health?

 

The primary reason why I changed my diet was to become healthy, not to lose weight. I guess that's why I'm happy with where I am. I'm healthy, so I've reached my goal. For those folks who started LCHF with the general aim of losing weight only, then I can see how things might get frustrating if they've already reached their equilibrium.

[tombeej]

Great post this. I'm the same. I don't want to lose weight, but I'm looking for health and better energy management through this kind of eating.

 

My problem is that I keep losing...

 

 

That's not a problem!

 

You're still heading towards your natural equilibrium. All those years of crappy carbs and grains kept you in an unnatural, inflamed state. Now that you've removed them from your diet you've 'freed' your body to return to where it should be, and it's going there as quick as it can. When you finally reach your natural state your weight will level out all by itself.

 

It's what happened to me. I was overweight and unhappy (definitely not in equilibrium/balance). When the weight loss started to happen it was very linear, very constant every month. And it just kept going until I'd lost 17kg. At that point it immediately flattened out, and that's generally how I've stayed. I must confess, I have fallen off the wagon for a month or so a couple of times in the past 2.5 years (eating lots of crap again - I have a major sweet tooth) and immediately started gaining weight. So lesson learnt.

 

I have learnt now that my natural state is around 85 - 86kg. If I'm training well it's 82kg.

 

 

Edit: Like me, you're also commuting, hey Dom? Makes me hungry too! Best way to keep trim, for sure

Edited August 1, 2014 by tombeej

[davetapson]

I've ramped up my training and doing some low rep heavyish weights to gain a bit of strength (dunno what you call it - deadlift straight into miltary press - i.e. pick up a barbell from the floor and lift it above your head at a weight that you can't do 3 x 5 rep sets).

 

My normal steady state weight is 76kg - up and down within 76kg.

 

From my training, I'm getting leaner (in that my belt is slightly looser) and gaining some muscle (this is relative mind you - I'm not exactly a hulk) in that my pants legs feel slightly tighter.

 

So I read that I am losing some fat, and gaining some muscle. My understanding is that muscle is heavier than fat.

 

My weight is gradually dropping despite this - now my normal range revolves around the exact 76kg mark - so instead of being 76.something, it's now 75.something to 76.something.

 

I'm not sure there is a point to this, but just detailing what I'm finding...

 

But definitely, ramping up your training does decrease body fat from your steady state and normal food consumption. Not sure you should use weight as a measure, but rather changes in how your clothes fit you.

[SimpleDom]

 

That's not a problem!

 

You're still heading towards your natural equilibrium. All those years of crappy carbs and grains kept you in an unnatural, inflamed state. Now that you've removed them from your diet you've 'freed' your body to return to where it should be, and it's going there as quick as it can. When you finally reach your natural state your weight will level out all by itself.

 

It's what happened to me. I was overweight and unhappy (definitely not in equilibrium/balance). When the weight loss started to happen it was very linear, very constant every month. And it just kept going until I'd lost 17kg. At that point it immediately flattened out, and that's generally how I've stayed. I must confess, I have fallen off the wagon for a month or so a couple of times in the past 2.5 years (eating lots of crap again - I have a major sweet tooth) and immediately started gaining weight. So lesson learnt.

 

I have learnt now that my natural state is around 85 - 86kg. If I'm training well it's 82kg.

 

 

Edit: Like me, you're also commuting, hey Dom? Makes me hungry too! Best way to keep trim, for sure

Yip. Commuting. And that's why I think I should eat more.... It's a huge amount of physical activity. Perhaps an excuse for a carb or two.

[Tracey8670]

Ok, so I have really irritated myself - all the answers I have received based on my earlier I already knew. My point - why did I need validation of this? Idiot woman.

 

Jokes aside tho - thanks guys. Obviously you are all right and you did in fact make my day.

[tombeej]

Cool thing about this thread, Tracey is that we can bounce off each other. I might be needing a pick-me-up from you tomorrow, you never know .

 

My signature at the bottom of my posts is more of a message to me than for anyone else. I still haven't got that one right, though. I've turned falling off the wagon into an art form!

[Cejay]

Hi guys,

 

My wife and I started to "Bant" a week ago,yesterday we did the Eston Mtb race a mere 60km,she hit the wall at 20 and I bonked at 50,how long before we will be riding "normally" again.

 

I believe this topic must have been addressed somewhere in the 217 pages,but would appreciate some feedback and HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Doing the Crater Cruise in September and started to train for the Homeward Bound challenge in November

 

Thanx

[SimpleDom]

Hi guys,

 

My wife and I started to "Bant" a week ago,yesterday we did the Eston Mtb race a mere 60km,she hit the wall at 20 and I bonked at 50,how long before we will be riding "normally" again.

 

I believe this topic must have been addressed somewhere in the 217 pages,but would appreciate some feedback and HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Doing the Crater Cruise in September and started to train for the Homeward Bound challenge in November

 

Thanx

I'm still very new to this, but Hang in there! It took me about 4 weeks of very strict eating. Last week Saturday I thought I was going to die. Yesterday I went for a 90km ride, and I've never felt better on the bike. It's so hard to describe the feeling of almost unlimited endurance. I was pretty fit already, but this was different.

 

Take some emergency bananas and plenty of water. I found when I got into trouble, a banana would help after about 10 mins.

[Grondpad]

Hi guys,

 

My wife and I started to "Bant" a week ago,yesterday we did the Eston Mtb race a mere 60km,she hit the wall at 20 and I bonked at 50,how long before we will be riding "normally" again.

 

I believe this topic must have been addressed somewhere in the 217 pages,but would appreciate some feedback and HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Doing the Crater Cruise in September and started to train for the Homeward Bound challenge in November

 

Thanx

 

You will have to change your mind-set w.r.t riding normally for a while and experiment with some stuff. Your focus for now should be on getting fat adapted and that will take a while. You probably raced at a high avg HR this weekend? You will now need to ride at less than about 75% if you want to burn fat as fuel rather than carbs so a high HR for a prolonged period will get you into trouble (hit the wall).

 

Another option that many on this forum do (including me) is live LCHF but race on carbs. On race day (on race day only, not on long training rides) I chuck down whatever I can find. The day after the race I am back in ketosis with no probs. For me it works but that is not to say it will work for you. All these post on this topic shows that we all differ but there are some guidelines to follow.

 

Experiment on some long training rides. You will know what works for you.

[Sniffie]

Hi guys,

 

My wife and I started to "Bant" a week ago,yesterday we did the Eston Mtb race a mere 60km,she hit the wall at 20 and I bonked at 50,how long before we will be riding "normally" again.

 

I believe this topic must have been addressed somewhere in the 217 pages,but would appreciate some feedback and HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Doing the Crater Cruise in September and started to train for the Homeward Bound challenge in November

 

Thanx

The time to adapt will depend on a number of factors, but the most important I think is how strict (no cheating with carbs) you can be. Any thing from 6 weeks to 6 months. Forget about racing for at least 6 weeks, stay low carb and aerobic. Once adapted you can race on carbs, like Grondpad and many others, and be back in full ketosis the next day. The most important thing now is to be very strict with your low carb efforts for the next 6 to 8 weeks, otherwise you may never become fully fat adapted.

[tombeej]

In the news: Tim Noakes diet is 'criminal' says cardiologist.

 

Johannesburg cardiologist Anthony Dalby has called sport scientist Tim Noakes's high-fat diet "criminal".

 

The visibly distressed doctor took on Noakes at the Vitality Summit in Sandton on Friday.

[Rocket-Boy]

In the news: Tim Noakes diet is 'criminal' says cardiologist.

 

Johannesburg cardiologist Anthony Dalby has called sport scientist Tim Noakes's high-fat diet "criminal".

 

The visibly distressed doctor took on Noakes at the Vitality Summit in Sandton on Friday.

 

I read about this, its typical though Dalby is still sticking to what he learnt in med school which is the old food pyramid.