Too many carbs?

[stuthemann]

I started the PP program on October 3, 2010. I've been keeping a fairly good diary and I steadily lost weight in all phases, including the maintenance phase I am trying to follow now.

I started out around 30 grams a day and lost 7 lbs in the first 7 days. I had no particular increase in exercise, though I increased my protein intake to match the requirements of the program. After I had lost about 20 lbs, starting out at 236 lbs, I remeasured myself and discovered that I had somehow also gained some 6 lbs of new muscle mass, which required a further increase in protein intake.

I have been gradually increasing my carb intake and it is currently at 265 grams a day, yet I am still losing weight. I lost 1.5 lbs last week at 265 grams of carbs a day.

The book says that some people might need 150 grams or more, but 265 seems ridiculous. I find myself wondering if I'm doing things right. Most people apparently only take in about 300 grams of carbs a day anyhow, from what I've been reading. Maybe I only needed the extra protein?

Does anyone else have this issue? Is this normal? I don't know what else to say. Thanks.

[gitfiddle]

Yes, that does seem high for Protein Power maintenance. Where is your fat level?

[stuthemann]

I haven't counted calories or fat intake, but my body mass calculations indicate that I am at 172.9 lbs of lean body mass and at last week's weight, 212.7 lbs total mass, which gives me a body fat percentage of 18.7%. I am 48 years old and male, so normal body fat is 14-20% for me.

[gitfiddle]

Okay, we'll have to wait until someone who knows more than I do to stop by.

Comments, anyone? :confused:

[mcsblues]

I'm not saying I know more than Carol (not really that brave!:tongue:) but you need to help us out a bit more before we can offer any meaningful advice.

At 265g of carbs you are not low carbing and I'm confused as to how you started on PP (which book do you have?) and have gone from 30g carb intake to 265 in 10 weeks? What was your starting weight and what is your goal (and have you reached it yet)? Are you concerned about losing too much weight or losing too fast?

Most of us here even on maintenance wouldn't consume more than 50 - 60 g of carbs, some quite a lot less. This is partly a weight maintenance thing but also don't overlook the amazing health benefits of carb restriction.


The book says that some people might need 150 grams or more ...This sounds like the original PP (http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduc t%2F0553574752%3F%255Fencoding%3DUTF8&tag=proteinpowerc-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325) and from memory it says something along the lines that some people might be able to tolerate up to 150g (or was it 50% more than their minimum protein allowance?) ... but not that they needed this many carbs (your actual carb intake requirement is zero) - and very, very few people would fall into this category anyway.

So, in essence can you tell us what your concerns are, and if it is just to stop losing (most people would like your problem!) then fat intake (and with it calories) is relevant, so it might be worthwhile keeping track for a while and maybe posting some menus. The more you can tell us the better.

Oh, and if you are calculating your LBM and fat% from the measurements in the book - that's ok for a rough guide as to your protein requirements but it is probably not that accurate (tends to underestimate fat % for a start). The (US) Navy calculations (http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/library/blbodyfatcalculator.htm) are a bit better (after which various combinations of skin fold tests are better still.

HTH

[stuthemann]

The book I have is called "Protein Power" and is copyright 1996. By Michael R. and Mary Dan Eades.

The book says that in Phase 1, we should get up to 30 grams of carbs. At that time, my LBM was calculated to be 166.1 lbs. My body weight was measured at 236.0 lbs. I am 48 years old. A normal body fat range for a man of 48 is between 14 and 20%. This means that, at that time, my body weight should have been about 193-207.6 lbs. The percent over the ideal weight of 193-207.6 was 13.6 to 22.2% over. This was not high enough to be considered at a higher level activity rate.

At the time, I estimated my activity at moderate, in that I generally walked about an hour a day. Since this wasn't vigorous excercise, nor an organized sport, I didn't consider it any more than this. The estimate of the amount of protein I needed then was at .6, which equates to a daily intake of 99.66 grams, or 100 grams, as I used it.

Beginning on October 3, 2010, my weight was 236.0 lbs and my carb intake was dropped to 31.9 grams a day, while my protein was kept at 100 grams.

Oct October 9, my body weight was 229.0. I realized I wasn't in the category of people over 40% overweight, so I didn't need to use the Phase One part of the program. I raised my carb intake to 52.6 grams on average over the following period.

On October 14, my weight was 226.6 lbs. I thought I left the carb count same, but I went down to 44.6 until the 19th.

On October 19, my weight was 223.6 lbs and so I raised my carb intake again, to an average of 51.8 grams.

On October 25, I thought I had found my limit, as my weight had only dropped to 223.0, only .6 lbs in that 6 days. I nevertheless raised my carb intake to 59.0 grams.

On October 30, in spite of the increase and the previous weak showing of weight loss, I weighed 219.0 lbs. I raised my carb intake again, this time to 83.7 grams on average-unintentionally high, but I only realized it after the fact.

On November 6, in spite of the massive increase in carb load, my weight had dropped to 216.6 lbs.

It was at this point that I remeasured myself to see if I had done something wrong in the original calculations of lean body mass. Upon recalcultion, I discovered that my lean body mass had somehow gone from the 166.1 lbs I started with to 172.9 lbs. In addition to losing nearly 20 lbs, I had also somehow gained almost 7 lbs of muscle. I did not do anything special to do this.

Recalculation showed that I now needed about 104 grams of protein a day. I also raised my carb intake to 99.7 grams on average.

On November 133, my weight was 215.8 lbs, in spite of the relatively large increase. I raised again, ignoring the entire thing for the next week, except I continued the high protein and the walking, going to an average of 145.4 grams of carbs a day.

On Nov 20, I weighed 216.6 lbs, which was the first increase in this entire time. In spite of this, I again thought I was returning to a lower number and then discovered, I had increased again, to 166.5 grams of carbs this time.

On Nov 27, I weighed 214.8 lbs, in spite of that. I raised again, this time to 217.6 grams of carbs a day.

On Dec 2, I weighed 214.4 lbs. I increased carb intake to 254.0 grams.

On Dec 8, I weighed 214.2 lbs. I raised again, to 265.4 grams.

On Dec 13, I weighed 212.7 lbs. I increased the carb load again, this time to 279.4 grams.

On Dec 20, I weighed 214.7 lbs. maybe I found it? I went up again, to 309.8 grams.

On Dec 25, I weighed 213.5 lbs, so it is heading back down again.

I must admit, I did increase my intake of water, but the book makes that suggestion. It appears to me, that my body is, even in the worst increases, absorbing the shock of the increase, then adjusting to it and losing more weight. I think I have an unusual biochemistry. Maybe those chemicals they gave me in the Gulf War.

My concern is that I am still losing weight and I am already within my goal range.

The book didn't say I "needed" carbs, but that on maintenance, to stop the weight loss, some people might need to go over 150 grams of carbs a day.

I also lost weight very fast, as the book says most people won't lose weight that quickly. Granted, I was in fairly good shape already and relatively active. I could still drop all the way to 201 lbs, but I'm trying to find the amount of carbs I need to maintain my standard body weight. using this, I can adjust my weight anytime I want by cutting down from that. Assuming such a carb level exists.

I guess I'll just keep on keepin' on and see what happens.

Thanks for the input!

[mcsblues]

I think you need to take a breath.

In essence you have lost about 20 pounds over 12 weeks but your weight has been pretty much static the last 6 of those. Yes you have been making dramatic changes to your carb intake (which the book doesn't recommend) but you still haven't told us about your fat intake, calories or a typical menu.

On top of that you still haven't reached your goal weight;


my body weight should have been about 193-207.6 lbs

- so I'm still a bit confused why you are making big changes to something that was working just as the Drs Eades said it would.

How do you feel? Have you measured your blood sugar, blood pressure or had any other medical tests to ascertain what other benefits keeping carb intake low did have (and still could if you let it?).

Bottom line - don't panic about losing weight. You won't disappear (trust me!) and if I can convince you in any way it would be to trust your body and 'listen' to how much better you feel when your carb intake is at least less than 100g. If it ever did get to be a problem (and I really don't think it will be) there are much easier (and healthier) ways of slowing/stopping weight loss than adding a truckload of carbs :).