are carbs really that terrible?

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  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    Agreed. We also don't crave the same thing all the time. I tend to crave salty foods, not sweet, but occasionally I really really REALLY want a Cadbury egg. Not because it's sugary, but because I love the taste. But I don't crave it very often, just occasionally. We all go through cycles of 'craving' things, and those things change based on how we feel, what's going on, and sometimes even what our body is wanting. Like, sometimes I'll crave a big steak. When that happens, it's usually the fact that I've had mostly chicken for a while or not enough protein. That's when I really want that steak. But then, I do better with red meat as my main protein source. No idea why, that's just me.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    ... pizza ....The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I suspect this as well. I think it is a pleasant sensory experience which includes textures, scents, and the memories surrounding the food. Hubby is craving some Hungarian delicacies this month, which no doubt are all wrapped up in mothers and warm kitchens.

    With my modified little stomach, I have new aversions and new likes. Fresh milk does not sit well as it tends to go right through. Thickened milks like Kefir and the yogurts, I am totally down for. Soft spongy white breads don't sit well as they expand in the stomach leading to an overfull feeling, but more heavily textured breads like sourdoughs and ryes perform very well.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    dubird wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    Agreed. We also don't crave the same thing all the time. I tend to crave salty foods, not sweet, but occasionally I really really REALLY want a Cadbury egg. Not because it's sugary, but because I love the taste. But I don't crave it very often, just occasionally. We all go through cycles of 'craving' things, and those things change based on how we feel, what's going on, and sometimes even what our body is wanting. Like, sometimes I'll crave a big steak. When that happens, it's usually the fact that I've had mostly chicken for a while or not enough protein. That's when I really want that steak. But then, I do better with red meat as my main protein source. No idea why, that's just me.

    I've seen @Caitwn post before in regards to the fact that there has been a lot of research done on cravings, but I'm not facile enough with Google scholar to look up all the different aspects of it.

    I do think it's an interesting area, and it's one I'd love to learn more about. I used to be one of those people who felt like carbs/sugar made me crave more. I don't have those reactions/feelings any more, and haven't for some time. At least not on a level that I mistook for physical.

    Before I started losing weight this time, I still had episodes where I'd eat things out of control, and it was always a matter of them being more-ish. I loved how they felt in my mouth, I loved experiencing the taste. This included foods as diverse as cheese sticks and cookies. There were other factors coming into play, but they're a bit off topic for the thread.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Gina2xoxo wrote: »
    Good vs Evil---meh, I don't know. Here is what I believe and I am a little surprised it didn't come up in these 4 pages. Processed foods are not good for you. No matter how easy they are, no matter how tasty they are, processed foods have junk added to them that aren't meant to be good for you. Adding fructose to food has caused damage to the American population. I believe GMO's are not being digested as intended and should be avoided. I don't eat processed protein or processed carbs. Check the ingredients on your "healthy" yogurt and tell me you feel comfortable eating it. Compare that to plain greek yogurt. If you can process dairy consider dropping flavored yogurt and mix your own starting with greek.

    If you are talking about whole unprocessed carbs, I agree with you. Have it, and enjoy it, if you're lucky enough that your body can handle it. I am somewhat lucky but I have to watch my carbs more than I would like to.

    If you are eating whole unprocessed foods you will be much better off no matter what your macros end up being...

    Hi Gina,

    I've found our discussions about processed foods here to be more productive once someone pointed out the Brazilian classifications of processing - Natural/Minimal, Processed, and Ultra Processed.

    Since just saying "processed" would technically include the strawberry I pick from my garden and throw in the freezer, we would have semantics debates when someone suggested not eating processed foods. But if what you are actually talking about are Ultra Processed foods, that's a different story. And probably one best left for another thread.
    Wouldn't 0% Greek yogurt still be ultra-processed?

    Yogurt is mentioned nine times, both as a Minimally and Ultra Processed food.

    Milk and Cheese
    "This group includes minimally processed foods such as cow’s milk, cheese curds, plain yogurt, and processed foods such as cheeses."

    Ultra
    "Milk drinks and yogurts that have been sweetened, coloured, and flavoured are ultra-processed foods, and as such should be avoided."

    Why does adding sugar or flavor take something from minimally processed to ultra processed?

    See pages 39-45. http://189.28.128.100/dab/docs/portaldab/publicacoes/guia_alimentar_populacao_ingles.pdf

    I think it explains why the Brazilian government frowns upon some forms of sweetened or flavored yogurt, but it doesn't explain how the simple act of sweetening or flavoring an item -- in any way, with anything -- makes it something to be avoided.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited October 2015
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    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    nvmomketo wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Double-Stuff Oreos=54% carbs, 43% fat.

    I wonder though... if you're at olive garden and there's those "bread" sticks that people adore, and a bunch of pads of butter, which one will you gorge on while waiting for the meal...

    Most people put butter or olive oil on bread. I suspect Olive Garden bread (based on memories from the '90s) has fat in it, too. The only bread I will compulsively eat (naan) does.

    Plain fat isn't appealing, but neither is plain sugar.
    Yes, clearly many of the hyper palatable foods have both carbs and fats in roughly equal quantities. And many do not (popular breakfast "cereal" being a good example). I don't see a lot of people on here crying because they can't stop eating fat. Not many folks feel "addicted" [sic] to fat.

    And if I didn't work on it I'd eat hyperpalatable foods (i.e., sweets or salty, fatty, starchy things like fries, as well as basically any delicious restaurant thing, like curries from an Indian restaurant) beyond what I should (and sometimes for emotional reasons). To blame carbs for this seems bizarre.

    I wouldn't say it is bizarre. I'd say it is an individual thing. For me, it was sugar. Take out the fat and give me a soda or ju-jubes. I didn't crave the taste of potatoes but they were a gateway food for me that led to more sugary stuff.

    Sometimes it IS the carbs.

    Sometimes it is other foods. I can't binge on salty or fat foods. My body doesn't work that way. I love cheese, but I can't sit and eat it for hours like I could carbs. An individual thing.

    That is me as welll

    Me as well. It's a lot of people.

  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
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    i ate 72 percent of my 988 calories today in carbohydrates. im not hungry. i don't feel groggy or weighed down. The carbs were spent spent on oatmeal, veggie straws, and fruit. everyone hates carbs, but will i really gain weight if I eat a high percentage of them, like this?

    With that few calories, effectively, you're approaching the "low carb" range, nearing 100g carbs/day.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    If ingredients are just ingredients, why all the motivation to figure out what's actually in aspartame or sucralose but not in other ingredients. That seems... odd. If it's fair game to consider all of the "stuff" that's included in aspartame, it seems like it would also be fair game to consider all the "stuff" that's in an apple or egg or blueberry? No? If not, why not?

    I know you're not the only one discussing "the stuff in aspartame" but quoting you anyway :wink:

    Aspartame is a single ingredient. It's a compound. The only "stuff" in aspartame is elements. It is C14H18N2O5. It's formed by chemically binding two other compounds (which happen to be called amino acids), aspartic acid and phenylalanine.

    So I agree with what I think you're saying. We (or, some people) say "oh no, scary chemical aspartame" when it's really much simpler, on a chemical/molecular scale, than blueberries or eggs.

    (check out http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/aspartame if you want to read more about aspartame, that was my main source today)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited October 2015
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    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.

    Yeah, that's why I tend to jump in. And usually, it's a new person that just started Atkins or something and has lost weight their first week so concludes it's the best diet plan ever and everyone should use it because it worked for them! Unfortunately, a lot of those people don't return to these topics, espically when they go off the rails, and we all tend to just rehash the same argument over and over again. So, I've kinda stopped chiming in when it's clear the OP isn't paying attention to their topic and it's just going to devolve into a popcorn post.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.

    When I read this I started thinking about eating carbs and realized how hard it is to think of carbs that I eat without fat or protein. Then I remembered those that I don't eat because I like to pig out on them. Cocoa Puffs comes to mind. I can literally eat a box of Cocoa Puffs, and since I don't like milk and use almond milk, fat and protein are not added. So, I guess I could eat a large amount of just carbs.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.

    When I read this I started thinking about eating carbs and realized how hard it is to think of carbs that I eat without fat or protein. Then I remembered those that I don't eat because I like to pig out on them. Cocoa Puffs comes to mind. I can literally eat a box of Cocoa Puffs, and since I don't like milk and use almond milk, fat and protein are not added. So, I guess I could eat a large amount of just carbs.

    It probably means that you just really like Cocoa Puffs. I mean, would you do the same with every cereal, or is just Cocoa Puffs? Sometimes, we like the taste of things and it has nothing to do with how many carbs or fat or protein something has.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    dubird wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.

    When I read this I started thinking about eating carbs and realized how hard it is to think of carbs that I eat without fat or protein. Then I remembered those that I don't eat because I like to pig out on them. Cocoa Puffs comes to mind. I can literally eat a box of Cocoa Puffs, and since I don't like milk and use almond milk, fat and protein are not added. So, I guess I could eat a large amount of just carbs.

    It probably means that you just really like Cocoa Puffs. I mean, would you do the same with every cereal, or is just Cocoa Puffs? Sometimes, we like the taste of things and it has nothing to do with how many carbs or fat or protein something has.

    Not just Cocoa Puffs, but not every cereal either. I don't like those little red things that fall off in the milk when I eat Apple Jacks, for instance.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited October 2015
    Options
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.

    When I read this I started thinking about eating carbs and realized how hard it is to think of carbs that I eat without fat or protein. Then I remembered those that I don't eat because I like to pig out on them. Cocoa Puffs comes to mind. I can literally eat a box of Cocoa Puffs, and since I don't like milk and use almond milk, fat and protein are not added. So, I guess I could eat a large amount of just carbs.

    For some reason, I'm just not into those foods, at all.

    I do really like just carbs like fruits and vegetables, but I don't really overeat them. Even potatoes and sweet potatoes I like much better with some fat (and I'm much more likely to overeat a potato cooked with a chicken in chicken fat or mashed potatoes with butter than I am dry roasted potatoes). I tend to eat oatmeal without fat, but I'm not really likely to overeat it or have cravings afterwards (and I feel the same starting the day with oatmeal + other things as I do eggs + other things).
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Options
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.

    When I read this I started thinking about eating carbs and realized how hard it is to think of carbs that I eat without fat or protein. Then I remembered those that I don't eat because I like to pig out on them. Cocoa Puffs comes to mind. I can literally eat a box of Cocoa Puffs, and since I don't like milk and use almond milk, fat and protein are not added. So, I guess I could eat a large amount of just carbs.

    For some reason, I'm just not into those foods, at all.

    I do really like just carbs like fruits and vegetables, but I don't really overeat them. Even potatoes and sweet potatoes I like much better with some fat (and I'm much more likely to overeat a potato cooked with a chicken in chicken fat or mashed potatoes with butter than I am dry roasted potatoes). I tend to eat oatmeal without fat, but I'm not really likely to overeat it or have cravings afterwards (and I feel the same starting the day with oatmeal + other things as I do eggs + other things).

    Funny thing is, I'd only overeat sugary cereals. Things like plain Cheerios or Rice Krispies would never be overeaten, but Honey Nut Cheerios or Cocoa Krispies ... yeah, I could put a hurtin' on those. It's the evil sugar!
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    Options
    dubird wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.

    When I read this I started thinking about eating carbs and realized how hard it is to think of carbs that I eat without fat or protein. Then I remembered those that I don't eat because I like to pig out on them. Cocoa Puffs comes to mind. I can literally eat a box of Cocoa Puffs, and since I don't like milk and use almond milk, fat and protein are not added. So, I guess I could eat a large amount of just carbs.

    It probably means that you just really like Cocoa Puffs. I mean, would you do the same with every cereal, or is just Cocoa Puffs? Sometimes, we like the taste of things and it has nothing to do with how many carbs or fat or protein something has.

    Not just Cocoa Puffs, but not every cereal either. I don't like those little red things that fall off in the milk when I eat Apple Jacks, for instance.

    Then I suspect it's not the carbs. I mean, I like Life cereal as well as Marshmallow Mateys, but while I'm happy with Life cereal, I will pig out on Marshmallow Mateys. And Life has a lot more carbs, so for me, that's not it. I just like it better. Sometimes a preference is just a preference, there's no underlying reason for it. That's not to say if you pig out on something you should just learn to 'deal with it'. The reason I don't pig out on MM anymore is because they are not allowed in my house! I don't crave 'carbs', though a lot of my favorite foods have them.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Options
    dubird wrote: »
    dubird wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.

    When I read this I started thinking about eating carbs and realized how hard it is to think of carbs that I eat without fat or protein. Then I remembered those that I don't eat because I like to pig out on them. Cocoa Puffs comes to mind. I can literally eat a box of Cocoa Puffs, and since I don't like milk and use almond milk, fat and protein are not added. So, I guess I could eat a large amount of just carbs.

    It probably means that you just really like Cocoa Puffs. I mean, would you do the same with every cereal, or is just Cocoa Puffs? Sometimes, we like the taste of things and it has nothing to do with how many carbs or fat or protein something has.

    Not just Cocoa Puffs, but not every cereal either. I don't like those little red things that fall off in the milk when I eat Apple Jacks, for instance.

    Then I suspect it's not the carbs. I mean, I like Life cereal as well as Marshmallow Mateys, but while I'm happy with Life cereal, I will pig out on Marshmallow Mateys. And Life has a lot more carbs, so for me, that's not it. I just like it better. Sometimes a preference is just a preference, there's no underlying reason for it. That's not to say if you pig out on something you should just learn to 'deal with it'. The reason I don't pig out on MM anymore is because they are not allowed in my house! I don't crave 'carbs', though a lot of my favorite foods have them.

    Oh, I wasn't saying I pigged out because of the carbs. I was just thinking of examples where I eat large amounts of carbs alone. Cereal was all I could come up with.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    Options
    dubird wrote: »
    dubird wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.

    When I read this I started thinking about eating carbs and realized how hard it is to think of carbs that I eat without fat or protein. Then I remembered those that I don't eat because I like to pig out on them. Cocoa Puffs comes to mind. I can literally eat a box of Cocoa Puffs, and since I don't like milk and use almond milk, fat and protein are not added. So, I guess I could eat a large amount of just carbs.

    It probably means that you just really like Cocoa Puffs. I mean, would you do the same with every cereal, or is just Cocoa Puffs? Sometimes, we like the taste of things and it has nothing to do with how many carbs or fat or protein something has.

    Not just Cocoa Puffs, but not every cereal either. I don't like those little red things that fall off in the milk when I eat Apple Jacks, for instance.

    Then I suspect it's not the carbs. I mean, I like Life cereal as well as Marshmallow Mateys, but while I'm happy with Life cereal, I will pig out on Marshmallow Mateys. And Life has a lot more carbs, so for me, that's not it. I just like it better. Sometimes a preference is just a preference, there's no underlying reason for it. That's not to say if you pig out on something you should just learn to 'deal with it'. The reason I don't pig out on MM anymore is because they are not allowed in my house! I don't crave 'carbs', though a lot of my favorite foods have them.

    Oh, I wasn't saying I pigged out because of the carbs. I was just thinking of examples where I eat large amounts of carbs alone. Cereal was all I could come up with.
    Dr. Kellog would be proud, especially if it leaves you placid.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Options
    senecarr wrote: »
    dubird wrote: »
    dubird wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    The craving argument being used in this discussion seems a bit spurious (not as pertains to the people making them, but rather in a universal sense). It's a popular line that carbs lead to more carb cravings, but I think it's more appropriate to say that tasty food is more-ish.

    If I'm not mistaken, the results of the Yale Food Addiction survey point to pizza as the most often craved/more-ish food cited by respondents. A perfect combination of savory carb/protein/fat goodness.

    The how and why of craving is probably quite complex. Right now, I'm sitting here craving a poached egg on toast. I'm hungry, so I'll go make it as soon as I'm done typing this :) My reason for craving it could be tied to good memories of having eaten it in the past, the fact that it's tasty, the fact that my stomach isn't quite settled and I associate it with my mother making it when I was feeling poorly as a child -- all sorts of things.

    I have, at another time in my life, been simply mad for egg salad. And yes, eating it made me want more. The combination of the taste and texture? I kept wanting to experience it.

    I always give anecdotes because I'm not of the belief that my experiences are unique. While I realize I'm just one person, I also realize that... I'm not super special or weirdly out of sync in how my body is. I'm going to assume that other people like me exist out there. I'm also going to assume that other people different from me exist out there. Which brings me back to my point:

    The argument for cravings isn't, imo, a good one, because cravings following the ingestion of just carbs isn't a universal phenomenon AND because I'm not convinced that cravings are purely a biological construct.

    I only speak for myself and my own experience. And to be clear: if I have dominos pizza for breakfast, it doesn't mean I necessarily keep craving pizza, I may crave nachos, cap'n crunch etc. If I have avocado and eggs for breakfast, the cap'n doesn't call so much.
    Again, just little ole me. And since it's no big deal, if I stick to the plan, to not eat heavily refined, highly palatable foods, its a great approach for me.

    And you have 14 years of experience with eating your way, so that is clearly optimum :)

    I was just trying to bring some clarity to the point, because sometimes the "carbs = cravings" mantra is stated as a universal cause/effect rather than an individual occurrence.

    Thanks for clarifying where you're coming from.

    Yes, exactly. People are different and I don't doubt that works for Sabine (and I appreciate that Sabine distinguishes between heavily refined and other carbs vs. saying it's "carbs" in general that are the issue for her).

    The only reason I jump into these arguments is because it's so often phrased not as an individual thing, but as a general rule.

    Well, and because I get tired of people generalizing about "carbs" as if they were all Oreos and potato chips and ignoring the fact that most "junk foods" are really carbs+fat (just like Oreos and potato chips).

    Personally, I have a hard time eating large amounts of just carbs.

    When I read this I started thinking about eating carbs and realized how hard it is to think of carbs that I eat without fat or protein. Then I remembered those that I don't eat because I like to pig out on them. Cocoa Puffs comes to mind. I can literally eat a box of Cocoa Puffs, and since I don't like milk and use almond milk, fat and protein are not added. So, I guess I could eat a large amount of just carbs.

    It probably means that you just really like Cocoa Puffs. I mean, would you do the same with every cereal, or is just Cocoa Puffs? Sometimes, we like the taste of things and it has nothing to do with how many carbs or fat or protein something has.

    Not just Cocoa Puffs, but not every cereal either. I don't like those little red things that fall off in the milk when I eat Apple Jacks, for instance.

    Then I suspect it's not the carbs. I mean, I like Life cereal as well as Marshmallow Mateys, but while I'm happy with Life cereal, I will pig out on Marshmallow Mateys. And Life has a lot more carbs, so for me, that's not it. I just like it better. Sometimes a preference is just a preference, there's no underlying reason for it. That's not to say if you pig out on something you should just learn to 'deal with it'. The reason I don't pig out on MM anymore is because they are not allowed in my house! I don't crave 'carbs', though a lot of my favorite foods have them.

    Oh, I wasn't saying I pigged out because of the carbs. I was just thinking of examples where I eat large amounts of carbs alone. Cereal was all I could come up with.
    Dr. Kellog would be proud, especially if it leaves you placid.

    It's been so long since I ate that much sugar in one sitting that I'd probably be bouncing off the walls. ::laugh::