“I was looking for something fast and effective”

February 2 2015 by in Success stories

Before and after

Avishek Nag , Ireland, had been overweight most of his life and was bullied as a kid. Finally he reached a turning point – while pursuing the woman he’d fallen in love with – and wanted to find something that would make weight loss sustainable. He was looking for something fast and effective.

Here’s his story:

The Email

Dear Andreas,

I wanted to share my story with you as a token of gratitude because LCHF way of eating has really changed my life in a positive way. I really want to spread this concept of LCHF to more people who are buried under conventional nutrition myths. I must thank you and other experts who back this science of low-carbohydrate living unlike other self-proclaimed experts.

My journey started a year back in January, 2014. I have been a fatso for most of my life and has been under constant bullying and harping regarding my health and physique from my friends and family. I was very much shrouded under the addiction of food and did not pay attention to anyone or anything. I kept on eating the junk and piling on the weight. But then suddenly I fell in love with someone and to win her heart I needed to put down some weight. That was the turning point. I did some self-assessment and decided that I should do something about my weight, which could solve most of my problems and make everyone around me happy.

I tried many diets and exercise routines previously and could lose some weight but eventually could not stick to them and could not keep the weight off. So, this time I was looking for something that is fast and effective. Then I came to know about low-carbohydrate lifestyle from a friend and slowly I started to do my own research on this intriguing subject. While doing my research I found YouTube lectures, blogs, and articles of many experts which included your blog too (www.dietdoctor.com). I felt that I found a treasure in front of me. I was always a meat and egg-lover and LCHF lifestyle fell completely in tune with my likings. I thought if I could suppress say, 20% of the stuff that I liked to eat (e.g., rice and bread and potatoes) and still can enjoy the 80% stuff that I like (e.g., meat, eggs, fish, butter) and lose weight, how beautiful would be that?! And thus started the beautiful journey of LCHF.

I kept losing weight, and felt very energetic and lively. I was enjoying every bit of it and gradually it became my greatest passion. I kept on looking up into different scientific evidence on how healthy this lifestyle is beyond weight loss. I lost about 35 kilograms (77 lbs) in a year, I lost 10 inches (25 cm) of waistline, I ran my first ever 5k (3 mile) run, my blood pressure dropped from 160s/100s to 130s/80s, I did my first 35 km (22 mile) hike and so on. My life became full of positivities and everyone who love me are very happy with it. I would like to continue with this lifestyle and would also like to inspire people to embrace this healthy way of eating. I have a dream, that the war against conventional nutrition myths which are based on false research, end soon and people realise how a low-carb/LCHF/paleo style lifestyle can end most diseases. Thanks for the good work that experts like you are carrying on!

Yours truly,

Avishek Nag, Ph.D.
Dublin, Ireland

P.S.: It is ok to publish my photo and name.

Update

Avishek writes in the comments below that he did actually win the heart of the girl he loved, they are now about to be married.

LCHF for Beginners

How to Lose Weight

“Why Was I Still Fat?”

“I Never Knew Dieting Could Be So Tasty”

“I Finally Kept My Promise to My Mom”

PS

Do you have a success story you want to share on this blog? Send it (photos appreciated) to andreas@dietdoctor.com. Let me know if it’s OK to publish your photo and name or if you’d rather remain anonymous.

40 comments

Top comments

Avishek
February 3 2015 33
Yes I did Olgue. We are marrying this Thursday.

Read more →
Pierre
February 3 2015 4
"I have a dream, that the war against conventional nutrition myths which are based on false research, end soon and people realise how a low-carb/LCHF/paleo style lifestyle can end most diseases. "

The problem, you will have to fight the powerful lobbies of grains, sugar and all kind of junk food producer that thrive on bad habits of people.

You also have the pharmaceutical lobby who harvest the dividend of medical problems caused by this kind of "food" that people crave and ask.

Read more →

All comments

1
bill
February 2 2015 2
Avishek:

Wonderful post. Thanks.
2
Vicente
February 2 2015 2
Congratulations Avishek!

Thanks for sharing your story.
3
Olgue
February 2 2015 2
But... Did you win the girl?!
Great job Avishek!
4
Avishek
February 3 2015 33
Yes I did Olgue. We are marrying this Thursday.
5
Apicius
February 3 2015 4
Really? You mean a calorie is not a calorie? You mean starving yourself and putting yourself through draconian exercise regimes doesn't work with everyone?

Of course I'm joking....I used to be a slave to the incompetent advice of so-called diet experts, saying if you reduce 3500 calories per week, and eat predominantly "healthy whole grains", it would guarantee one pound loss per week. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Good job, Avishek!
6
Avishek
February 3 2015 3
Thanks Apicius! It's a tough battle...not to be in this way of eating, but to combat near and dear ones blinded by existing nutrition myths! But I am ready to take it on....people think fat means unhealthy and skinny means healthy...my sympathies to the latter group, they are ignorantly doing damage to themselves....I consider myself lucky that my internal disease was manifested externally and I am in the process of healing it through LCHF.
7
Usman
February 3 2015
hi Avishek, Many Congratulations on winning over the love of your life. i am also on this diet since 6 months but not loosing too much, i would appreciate if u cud fill me in on your daily diet.
thanks a bunch .
rgds
Usman
8
Liz
February 3 2015 1
Awesome story Avishek! Glad to hear you got the girl too, I've just started on this journey, so it's great to see all the positive results
9
Francisco Paisana
February 3 2015 2
Congratulations Avishek!

We are all awaiting your return here to Dublin! :)

Regards,
Francisco
10
Ashish
February 3 2015 2
Proud to be called your friend :).... Sontakke
11
Avishek
February 3 2015 1
Thanks everyone!

@Usman...just follow the list of foods that you can eat from diet-doctor's list from this link http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf
12
Pierre
February 3 2015 4
"I have a dream, that the war against conventional nutrition myths which are based on false research, end soon and people realise how a low-carb/LCHF/paleo style lifestyle can end most diseases. "

The problem, you will have to fight the powerful lobbies of grains, sugar and all kind of junk food producer that thrive on bad habits of people.

You also have the pharmaceutical lobby who harvest the dividend of medical problems caused by this kind of "food" that people crave and ask.
13
Liz
February 3 2015 2
So true Pierre, after all we are talking about multi billion dollar companies, and unfortunately money talks. Since my husband and I have started this journey our shopping bill has reduced from $180 per week to $70 per week (Australian), there is so much crap in the middle of the grocery stores that we just don't need to eat, or can make tastier and healthier ourselves. This will be a long term battle, I can imagine the companies will be paying for a lot of research to try debunk the lchf way of life
1 comment removed
15
ramya
February 4 2015
avishek, please post your recipes and daily schedule...i am eager to start this...thanks in advance
16
Avishek
February 4 2015 1
Hi Ramya,
Dietdoctor himself has a page in this website listing the dos and donts of lchf lifestyle including few recipes. There are numerous Facebook pages too that post nice recipes. Please search with keywords "low carb", "paleo", "ketogenic ". Good luck.
17
ramya
February 4 2015
checked out but no clarity on my weight loss...i am going for exercise classes and also on lchf diet since one week and i lost 4 pounds only...but the result is due to exercise or due to diet i am not sure but my weight is uneven day to day...i completely avoided rice,sugars and flours also please be give some suggestion

Replies: #18, #19, #41
18
Reply to comment #17 by ramya
erdoke
February 4 2015 2
That's normal and how it should be. Just continue.
By the way, 4 pounds lost over one week is nothing most would worry about.
19
Reply to comment #17 by ramya
Zepp
February 4 2015
Its probably water loss by diet.. its very comon the first week!

Heres another way to put the concept!

http://www.fitintegrity.com/uploads/9/5/1/6/9516119/no_sugar_no_starc...
20
Jim
February 6 2015 1
Congrats to you doc. Glad the good guy got the woman of his dreams...
21
Davide
February 6 2015
Hello all

I don't know if this is the right place in the website to ask a question.
firs of all congratulation to all the people that have lost weight with LCHF diet.
I have been trying this life style for almost 3 week, at the week end I have one free meal ( one meal only ) which contains flour or other carbs...
my energy level is very low and eat only things allowed as coconut oil, butter olive oil two portions of proteins a day and two salads, one at lunch one for dinner.
is it possible my weight has not gone done not even a bit?
is it because all the diets I did in the last 25 years? (yes 25....)
I read somewhere that the body fat is actually decreasing but the muscle is slightly increasing? is that possible?

Reply: #22
22
Reply to comment #21 by Davide
Zepp
February 6 2015
Three weeks is nothing.. it took me three months befor anyting happend!

After three weeks your brain is just able to use more ketones, your muscles take months to be adapted to use more fats.

The better shape you are in the faster your muscles adapt to use fat.. runners make it in a month!

Your energy levels is dependant of your ability to use fat as predominant fuel.. and your calorie intake.. try to up the fat!

If you have a history of 25 years calorie reduction.. you need to make your body used to burn of calories, and thats often by eating more calories.. preferably more fats!

But I can tell you its not that much a metabolic issuie as a mental issuie.. its more about a mindshift and to rely on ones apetite regulation!

And did you know.. calories counts.. both ways!

Theoretical and in some cases, several years of stupid calorie defecits canabalise on your muscles and internal organs.. the body make energy of it.

Then one need to restore those first.. and make contact whit ones apetite regulation.

Reply: #26
23
Joh
February 7 2015 1
I am a 78 yr old woman and lost 7 kilo's in a few months.
Example of one day:
Breakfast : French Brie and coffee with cream
Lunch: 2 egg omelet and Gouda cheese
Dinner: Porc chop, red paprika, broccoli, two cherry tomatoes
Dessert Greek yoghurt and a few blue berries
Snacks a few almonds, or half an avocado or olives
If I can lose weight, anybody can!
I have been on the same weight for two years now!
i have NOT done much exercise
24
Lindy
February 7 2015
I want to thank Avishek for sharing his positive story (well done and Congratulations for Thursday!) and thanks to all the other people who have posted.
I am very new to this way of eating. Asa 67 year old and T2 diabetic I can see the sense of low or no carbs but I am still a tad afraid of plunging in to eating cream, cheese etc. because they are so high in calories. Joh's post is helpful - actually seeing what types of foods she eats in a day.
Today I weighed in at 74.9kg and I should be 65kg so a long way to go!
Do many of you eat cauliflower rice and zucchini noodles?
I'm a beekeeper and an apitherapist friend tells me to take 2 tbs raw honey and 1tsp Ceylon cinnamon before bed to help me to lose weight. Pretty much total carbs though isn't it? Anyone tried that?

Reply: #25
25
Reply to comment #24 by Lindy
erdoke
February 7 2015 2
Lindy,
I'm not sure that adding 2 tablespoons of honey is the best idea for a type 2 diabetic to improve insulin resistance and lose weight.
26
Reply to comment #22 by Zepp
Davide
February 7 2015 1
Thank you for your answer.
Can you please explain me the concept of cannibalize internal organs and muscles after counting calorie diets?
The thing I am sure about is today was my weight day and I put ON 2,5 kilos in one week...
now I have questions
*is it possible that dairy and eggs even in small quantities can give trouble with weight loss?
I follow the plan perfectly but to put up weight doesn't have very sense to me.
I am lost. Maybe it doesn't work with everyone as every person is different.
my sugar carbs intake is really low, and I don't under-eat, is it possible I over eat on nuts? I eat 100 grams per day, is that too much? still I am below my carbs intake...
27
Zepp
February 8 2015
Your muscles and organs are broken down all the time and rebuildt, its about protein biosynthesis!

"Some ingested amino acids are used for protein biosynthesis, while others are converted to glucose through gluconeogenesis, or fed into the citric acid cycle. This use of protein as a fuel is particularly important under starvation conditions as it allows the body's own proteins to be used to support life, particularly those found in muscle."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein

I.E. if one use the amino acids as fuel they dont goes to protein biosynthesis for muscles.

No there are seldome problems whit eggs and dairys in small amounts, rather increse eggs instead, its one of the moste nutrient foods one can eat.

Ofcourse it not works as well for every person as for other persons.. and in the end its about calories anyhow.

But the low carb high fat is a way to get low normal insulin, that make one able to burn more fat.

That supose leding to a lower apetite if one have a lot of body fat, one eats more seldome and use storde fat betwen meals.

Eating only twice a day is normal.. nothing inbetwen.

But aim at a three times meal plan at first, try to avoid snacking.. it goes in steps.

Did you read this?

http://www.fitintegrity.com/uploads/9/5/1/6/9516119/no_sugar_no_starc...

Its much more about the mindshift, try to find any advice in that pamflet that could help you.

Reply: #28
28
Reply to comment #27 by Zepp
Davide
February 8 2015
Hello Zepp

Thank you again.

it's about calories too? I thought I could eat as much as I wanted as I read somewhere on the website? if it's about calories too, how would you advise me to work out the right amount of calories for my body ? I am a 36 yo male 181 cm tall and 102 kg.
I read about people eating 5000 calories on LCHF diet and not putting weight on?
is this kind of diet leading to lose body fat without touching muscles?

Replies: #29, #30
29
Reply to comment #28 by Davide
Zepp
February 8 2015
Ofcourse its about calories.. its obvius, but to say its only to lower intake and run more is a tautology, its no help, it dont explain anything how to eat or live!

And yes you can eat as much as you want if you have restored your metabolism and apetite regulation, then you eats as much as you need!

I have altso read about that, it works mayby for youngster that perfectly healty, it wouldnt work for me!

You know when one is young, active and perfectly healty the metabolisme adapts to almoste every change in calories, lifestyle and food intake!

As I said, befor muscles are more reliant of protein intake and muscle stimulation.. i.e. to use them.

Soo.. protein intake is rather a constant in your food.. its essentiall.
30
Reply to comment #28 by Davide
erdoke
February 8 2015 1
Davide,
The self experiment you refer to was designed to prove the hypothesis that the most important thing is not how much calories you consume, but rather that what happens with different foods in your body. To put it in a bit more scientific way, we are living creatures and not isolated systems where the laws of thermodynamics apply without any adjustments.
Also, the guy (Sam Feltham) who performed the experiment was (and is) most likely a healthy, insulin sensitive person. If you are an insulin resistant overweight guy, you cannot expect to react the same way to foods (to insults) as healthy individuals.
The most important thing is to regain insulin sensitivity. The reason for adding lots of fat, fermented, matured foods (containing organic acids) and fibers to your diet is exactly that, i.e. to reduce the insulin response to all other foods you eat.
If you have a weekly cheat day, I would strongly suggest that a fasting day is added right after this cheat day when you eat nothing just drink mineral water and maybe bone broth. It is even better if you can hold on with this to 36 hours.
Regarding the experienced weight gain you need to make sure that it is not muscle and bone (= lean) mass you are gaining. It often happens when switching from calorie/protein restricted diets such as vegan. The main difference between gaining weight as fat and muscle/bone mass lies in waist circumference. While it typically increases with the former, usually decreases with the latter, despite the gain in body weight.
31
Chris the Barbarian
February 9 2015 1
Don't have a cheat day, especially if you are carbohydrate intolerant (e.g. Overweight, T2D, etc) .

It takes weeks to get into nutritional ketosis, but it takes just one meal with too much carbs or too much protein to get out of it.

You may ramp up your carb intake once you have lost your pounds, but not before.
32
ramya
February 21 2015
can we use stevia? natural sweetner from plants......for flax seed muffin...please be reply
33
Zepp
February 21 2015 1
Yes ofcourse, and Erythriol too!

Or other sweetners too.. but those are not real food anyhow.. you make your own choises!

Flax seed muffins are not that much real healty foods either.. what about a real steak, veggies and garlic butter?

Try this approche, to get rid of cravings for muffins!

http://www.fitintegrity.com/uploads/9/5/1/6/9516119/no_sugar_no_starc...
34
Kapoor
March 4 2015
Actually I have a question. .I lose around 15 k g last month by jog. .. Now my weight is 87 before it was 104. .but from last month to this it is 87-89 even I'm doing gym and jog. But those are not effective now . So what should I do my hight is 5'7 I want to reduce more 10 to 12 if I can
35
Kapoor
March 4 2015
And I love milk. I can leave all other food . Is this is what effective to to weight
36
Dharshini T
April 3 2015
Congrats Avishek! Wonderful to read your story. My husband and I are also having great succes with LCHF lifestyle. Weight loss and many other health benefits.

Wish you all the best :-)
37
Tamarah
September 30 2015
What a great story,, keep Passing the word . you look awesome !!
38
Barbs
August 2 2016
Congratulations and well done!!
39
Suja
December 8 2016
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/12/161207132117.htm?utm_so...

Reply: #40
40
Reply to comment #39 by Suja
Apicius
December 8 2016
Suja,

Really? Another useless study done on rats? No thanks.

I think I will stick with real scientific evidence involving humans instead. Here's a talk by the Craig Thompson, CEO and president of Sloan Kettering Memorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUlE1VHGA40
A quote from his talk: “If you overfeed someone with fat, you don’t increase their cancer risk at all. If you overfeed someone with carbohydrates, you dramatically increase their cancer risk. Protein is half way in between.” (Craig Thompson)

Real science done on humans...wow...what a revelation.
41
Reply to comment #17 by ramya
Carrie
November 30 2017
Two pound weight loss a week is considered a reasonable and safe goal and is very do-able. Glad to see you are having even better results.

“I was looking for something fast and effective”

The Email

Update

More

PS

40 comments

Top comments

All comments

Leave a reply Cancel reply