What is healthier low carb dieting or calorie counting?

[YellowCanary1]

I am bf my gorgeous 7 week old and have approx. 50lbs to lose. If you are making healthy choices under both diets which diet is better? It strikes me counting calories allows for a more balanced diet to support bf?

What do others think?

[HeySoulSister]

Low carb all the way.... No messing around 'counting'

[Talkinpeace]

with Low Carb, you are restricted on what you eat by food groups.
With calorie counting you are restricted by amounts
with 5:2, once you get the feel for the right amount of calories for your body
you get to eat what you like and not calorie count!

[BIWI]

Why calorie counting doesn't work

Low carb is definitely a better way to lose weight, and you won't fuck up your metabolism along the way.

[BIWI]

And The Minnesota Experiment proved it

[Talkinpeace]

BIWI

I know low carb works for you, but I'm not willing to give up Pasta and baguettes and risotto

so I'll stick to 5:2 as it works for me, and many others who do not like to be told what they can and cannot eat.

[Talkinpeace]

PS
That Minnesota experiment was on 32 men aged between 20 and 33 who were already physically fit
its statistical applicability is therefore extremely limited for

• women
  
• those over 33
  
• those who are not already fit
  
• any randomly selected sample of people, as they were self selected
  
• and as they were concientious objectors in WW2, chances are they were all white : many overweight people are not.

[RandallPinkFloyd]

I don't think it's helpful to push one diet over all others. There's good and bad about all diets. It's horses for courses. There is no one size fits all, if there was we'd all be doing it!

You have to find what works for you. As long as it's healthy, sustainable and it works that's all that matters.

I personally couldn't cut out an entire food group for the rest of my life but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work for you. I have lost just under 5 stone since January without "fucking up my metabolism" in the slightest. But I certainly wouldn't presume to preach my diet choice as the absolute best and only sensible option for the rest of the population.

Just take things gently OP, you only have birth 7 weeks ago! Go with what ever option feels right for you, give it a month, if it's not working then have a re-think. The main thing is don't feel like you have to stick rigidly to one specific diet or another, take your time and find a balance that works for you.

Good luck and congrats on that delicious snugly baby!

[BIWI]

Can I just say - low carbing isn't about cutting out an entire food group. It's about eating lower carb not no carb.

And the OP asked which was best, so I'm giving my opinion!

[BIWI]

Talkinpeace - I have no issue whatsoever with 5:2, but that's not what the OP asked ...

[RandallPinkFloyd]

No issue with giving an opinion at all, that's the whole point of the thread as I read it.

I think it's possibly an issue with the phrasing of an opinion as fact. Ie "low carbing is definitely best" - a bit preachy, "I think low carbing is best" - giving an opinion. I think it great that low carbing works so well for you, it's just not something I would personally chose that's all.

[OneLittleToddleTerror]

Well calorie counting worked for me. And l love my carbs. I think you just have to go with whatever that works for you.

And the experiment you linked doesn't apply to a lot of people doing calorie counting. I don't starve. I don't feel hungry because I eat enough. My daily goal is between 1500-1600 calories a day. That's three square meals of 300-400 calories each and another 300-400 for snacks. A typical day of snacks for me are a couple of pieces of fruit, a yoghurt, and a mini muffin. If I am going to eat pudding with dinner, I skip the muffin and the yoghurt. I don't think you can call that deprived.

[BIWI]

OK. I think low carbing is better than counting calories. For the reasons I have given.

But yes, each to their own, and if something has worked for you then I couldn't be more pleased.

[HaPPy8]

I think calorie counting personally. Low carbing is, to me, far more restrictive.

[ChunkyPickle]

I prefer low-carbing (I feel amazing when I low-carb), but I'm not sure about how being in keytosis would mesh with breastfeeding, so I think I'd go with 5:2 if I were breastfeeding.

Calorie counting is just too hard for me, I need strict rules to follow or I fall off the wagon too easily (plus I feel much worse than I do if fasting/low-carbing)

[BeenieBaby]

Interesting articles - thanks BIWI! Op I don't think calorie counting in itself is a good diet as it doesn't differentiate between good and bad calories (I.e a huge salad may have the same caloies as a kit kat!). If you don't like the idea of low carbing then a diet such as ww may work well fr you. It helped me lose weight after dc1 but unfortunately I'm stuck in a rut this time after dc2 and am following biwi's bootcamp to kick start my diet. In a way bootcamp is easier as you don't have to think about what to have (there are quite limited options especially as I'm pescatarian), and there isn't the hassle of counting points and putting everything into the calculator for ww, which made me think about food more. On the other hand the carb- flu is tough to deal with with bootcamp! But I agree with pp. 7w is so early. Just enjoy the baby and don't stress about your weight now. Enough to worry about as it is!

[RandallPinkFloyd]

No need to sigh Biwi have piece of toast if you're feeling weary

[BIWI]

SIOB

[RandallPinkFloyd]

Soz, couldn't resist!

[Talkinpeace]

on the other hand, for those of us doing 5:2, low carb on fast days is pretty much the best solution

[Lizzylou]

I do agree with Randall, we have both been on the same thread for weight loss and everyone on the thread has done thelir own thing and found what works for them.
I have tried low carb, with little success in all honesty, though I know so many (just look at the bootcamp threads!) absolute love it as a woe.
That is the key in all of this though, way of eating, not thinking diet, not thinking quick fix, thinking about changing habits for the long term and having some flexibility because you are not putting pressure on yourself to lose weight in a mad rush.

Just read some threads, think about your lifestyle and body and why you gained weight, and go from there. But you have only just had a baby, take it easy and give yourself a break. Make small changes gradually.

[LogonMounstuart]

You may well lose more/quicker low carbing but it is not recommended when you are breast feeding (ditto 5:2). If bf is important to you don't risk it. Healthy choices (as you say) and calorie counting is best for breast feeding.

[OneLittleToddleTerror]

beeniebaby the point is with calorie counting you don't eat that kitkat instead of the salad! I know the approx amount calories I need from meals and good snacks (yoghurt and fruit). Then you are left with excess where you can eat a chocolate bar, if you want. I do use myfitnesspal to track.

I like it probably because I am not a junk food person to start with. I don't actually have any urges to have a kitkat.

[BIWI]

Sorry, Logon, but there is no reason why you can't keep your carbs lower when you're breast feeding. You will be eating highly nutritious food, as your carbs come from vegetables and salad when you're low carbing, rather than bread/pastry/flour/pasta. So many more nutrients in them. And you will probably be eating more calories when low carbing, as it's a high fat way of eating.

[Talkinpeace]

You may well lose more/quicker low carbing but it is not recommended when you are breast feeding (ditto 5:2)
that is only because the dietary guidance for mums is extremely out of date

women have been combining food restriction and breast feeding for a VERY long time : its called not living in Europe or the USA

there are people on the low carb and 5:2 threads who have successfuly BF and lost weight
as well as lots of people doing ADF

as there is little or no medical evidence for the mainstream nutritional guidance, I tend to ignore it

[YellowCanary1]

Thanks all, though didn't mean to start such a debate!! opps, sorry!
At the moment I just keep a gentle eye on calorie intake but i'm not too precious about it. for example a typical day - well today in fact - I've had fruit and fibre with skimmed milk, a ham salad for lunch and brown rice with stir fry green veg (courgette, asparagus, chard) for dinner + fruit for snack.

As someone says above what I am more interested in is changing my eating habits from high sugary foods and fats (which involved a lot of meat - farmers wife!!) to a more sustainable, healthier diet, to lose weight and maintain a healthier lifestyle. A fitness friend told me my diet was still off due to too many carbs even though calories are well within allowance. I had a total of 56lbs to lose after having ds and since his birth have lost 24lbs.

I want to lose weight but above all be healthy for myself and my 2 children.