You guys are all doing what I started December 29th. Very low carb. I've lost 15 lbs so far and my BP is down, with some calorie restriction-1400/day, more or less . Had my labs done last week-all normal, slightly higher cholesterol than before. I'm keeping my carbs under 30 gm/day. My hemoglobin A1C was normal too. I have many more pounds to lose, but I'm confident I can maintain this diet virtually all the time as my way of life, which is really important.
I found two books by Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek really enlightening. The books explain the biochemistry behind the low carb ketogenic diet.The biochemistry makes sense (I majored in biochemistry and am a retired pediatrician). Also dietdoctor.com is a useful resource.
So, I consume no carbs except what I get in vegetables. There are some great no carb bread recipes, using psyllium husk powder, almond and coconut flour, and egg whites, and they're easier than regular bread. I'm not hungry, I'm not grumpy, I can have some wine and hard liquor, but I've lost all interest in alcohol, in addition to most of my food cravings. have a lot more energy, and my mood is way better. Very low carb can be beneficial for type 2 diabetes, it's worth researching and considering. I love being able to eat my chicken skin, steak, butter, cream in my coffee, in addition to a reasonable amount of olive oil. I love to use coconut oil in foods as well, and eat high omega-3 fish 1-2x per week.
By the way, I got the diet recommendation from a fellow physician on this board, who did a keto diet to lose weight-and lost a lot.
I keep telling myself, "Nothing tastes as good as being thin and healthy feels."
