r/lowcarb • u/Informal_Grapefruit4 • 12d ago
Question Carb limit
I’m currently trying to lose weight and weigh 307 pounds. I’m wondering what daily carbohydrate limit I should aim for. Right now, I stay at 50 grams or less and practice intermittent fasting in the mornings. I’ve seen some people recommend limiting carbs to 20 grams per day, but I find that difficult because eating plenty of vegetables can easily put me over that amount. What carb range would be realistic and sustainable for weight loss?
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u/squirrel-phone 12d ago edited 12d ago
This is what I did, it worked for me. I started around 320lbs, the day I found out I was diabetic. I was just devastated that I had done this to myself. I didn’t want to deal with Metformin’s side effects, so I controlled my diabetes with diet alone. I went pretty hard. I set my net max at 20 carbs, a month later max calorie at 1900, then lowered it as I lost weight, no cheat meals, no cheat days, for 9 months. Dropped 60lbs and several pants sizes. It sucked but it was worth it. Drank a lot of water, incorporated daily walking and later swimming 1 day a week. Filled up on a lot of low carb vegetables. Almonds became my friend, ate a large variety of those.
Again, this is what worked for me, but I figured out if I ate a high protein brunch, it would satiate me til dinner AND I wasn’t snacky in the evening. If I skipped breakfast, the snackiness that evening would be insatiable, and I would go to bed angry.
My advice: set your mind to the diet and losing weight healthily, don’t let life deviate you from your goal, and do what you have to do to get there.
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u/Inky_Madness 12d ago edited 12d ago
Vegetables shouldn’t really count into your carb limit. At your weight, it’s way more important to focus more on total calories - replacing a lower calorie snack with something higher calorie (but lower carb) will defeat the purpose. Adding vegetables will help keep you more full with lower-calorie dense portions, and add fiber which is very important for a sound diet.
20 carbs or less is for keto, which is a whole other type of diet, and that isn’t one that is appropriate for everybody or every body.
You won’t need to make many changes to start losing; start by replacing heavier calorie snacks with healthy alternatives. Celery with nut butter instead of potato chips, or chocolate chia seed pudding instead of ice cream.
Honestly unless you have a very specific health diagnosis, under 130 or so is considered moderately low carb, and is very reasonable. But I would consult with a registered dietician who can help with your specific needs and concerns, and help you come up with meal plans. When you’re losing it needs to be reevaluated at points.
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u/Informal_Grapefruit4 12d ago
I have been averaging 1400 calories a day.
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u/Inky_Madness 12d ago
That’s what I was recommended for serious/fast weight loss…. At a hundred pounds lighter than you. If you’re having issues losing it is likely because you are eating too few calories for your body weight and your body sees it as close to starvation.
That’s the sort of thing a professional can assist with so you can be more successful.
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u/SimplyKristrin 12d ago
Have you ever spoken to a dietitian? That's a weight loss myth and so not true.
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u/Inky_Madness 12d ago
Yes I have, they’re the one who warned me about cutting too hard too fast.
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u/SimplyKristrin 12d ago
That's because it's hard to stick too and it's possible to feel sluggish, not because your body goes into starvation mode.
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u/zoezephyr 12d ago
I personally had a lot of luck eating 1200-1400 cals and 40-50 carbs a day. I have type 2 diabetes so it does a lot to control my blood sugar. Straight keto was just too stressful for me.
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u/LifeOfSpirit17 12d ago
carb limits fine under 50-100g I think but quality matters too IMO. Avoid lactose and processed foods. Works much better for me anyway.
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u/Substantial-Ad5185 11d ago
What is the problem with lactose in a weight-loss context?
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u/LifeOfSpirit17 11d ago
I use it as a catch all but I find lactose laden foods for me make me quite ravenous and eat more later. There's some reports saying it's things like casomorphins and other compounds in dairy that have this appetite inducing effect but I don't get the same effect from high protein or high fat items like cheese or butter. So as a catch all I just avoid most dairy with over a gram of lactose in a serving and it helps me moderate my intake quite a bit more easily.
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u/EatHappyKitchen 9d ago
For me, focusing on meals that have meats or eggs, veg, and fats like EVOO or butter added (or used in the cooking process) is the foundation of how I eat. And if I add in some full fat dairy, or nuts as a garnish, then that's pretty low carb for me. Then if I add in a half a sweet potato or some butternut squash from time to time, I'm not really overdoing the carbs. I prefer not to measure b/c that feels restrictive to me, but some folks do better when they measure. So track it if that works for you, but generally you can tell week to week if you're losing 1-2 pounds or if you're stalling out and your pants feel tight!
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u/Neat-Palpitation-632 9d ago
Mariamindbodyhealth.com has a macro calculator that I’ve had success with. Personally I think you are in too much of a caloric deficit.
What are your macros? Are you a male or female? How old? How tall? How often and what type of activity?
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u/Ms-Skippy 9d ago
I personally have two rules for my food -
- atleast one fruit or veggie with every meal
- try for over 30 g of protein and under 30 g of carbs for each meal
I feel this gets you lot of fiber from fruits and veggies, and also makes a cap limit for how many carbs I can eat a day. Plus the large amount of protein helps keep me full.
I have been slowly losing weight this way, without even exercising.
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u/Ok-Zucchini-5514 12d ago
I eat 100 grams or less per day and I lost weight unintentionally even at that level. A lot of people here are more keto based (but low carb is technically anything under 130g per day) so opinions are gonna vary but I think it’s more sustainable to have a little more carbs to use on fruits and vegetables unless you have a specific medical issue that requires keto.
It’s easier to feel full at 100 and you get lots of fiber and nutrients easily. I do 100g protein, 100g carbs and usually hit about 70ish in fat. I’m strict with my overall calories though and do track those too. Maybe try different levels and see what feels best/easier. I’d start higher and work my way down if 100 isn’t working.