how many carbs do you eat? advice needed..
tashatashae
Posts: 311 Member
im trying to get started on low carb for medical reasons. im trying to get information on low carb so i can start . my problem is i don't know how i am going to give away sweets if i had a choice i would just eat sweets and that's it. I really don't know what to do i knows its more than just chicken and salad. i dont want to do keto are anything just low carb, i feel overwhelm knowing that i not only have to count calories i have to count carbs.
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Check out the introductory threads at the beginning of this group. Read them thoroughly, which should answer most of your questions, then come back with more specifics. (Can't post you a link as I'm on my phone.)0
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Knowledge is power. Read and research. You can do this, and all your concerns and more have been faced and beaten by many many folks.
Good luck!0 -
Ooo, there's lot of good food. Go slowly and be easy on yourself don't beat yourself up. Start easy you don't have to make complex food. Fatty meats - pretty much any meat - slow cooked crock pot with veggie is great...I make buffalo wings...steak, chuck, pork ribs, whatever meat you like. Eat non-starchy veg with butter. There's a lot of dairy you can eat. Some of my fav snacks are nuts and avocado. The blog 'I Breathe I'm hungry' has really simple recipes that have helped me. You can get a low carb protein powder for smoothies. Googling recipes and looking for ones that get you excited and are simple is good.0
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The cool thing is - your craving for sweets is greatly diminished when you eat low carb. Eliminating all grains, sodas, juices is a good place to start. I like the Diet Doctor. http://www.dietdoctor.com/how-to-lose-weight.0
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My significant other was told by his doctor that if he wanted him to keep him alive, he MUST lose weight. My SO said okay, can you refer me to a dietitian to help me do that? The doctor said you don't need one, just do the Atkins diet. So he set himself a date in May and now has lost 55 pounds so far.
You can do it too. He also loved sweets of all kinds and would live on bread and potatoes and cakes and donuts. But we found all sorts of new recipes, found out how to make some low carb treats. It is very possible!! After weaning yourself off of the sweet stuff you will be very surprised at how good you feel and how sickeningly sweet the stuff you used to eat is.
Read everything you can, and comb the internet for recipes, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. He was. And he and his doctor are very happy with his progress.0 -
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10039486/what-is-low-carb-an-overview-and-guide
That's the link wab was talking about.
It gives you a good general overview, and after "Getting Started" gives you advice to get started if you don't really want to do a "plan" from the starting gate.
As far as plans, Atkins is good and Diet Doctor is a good one to ease into. I've gotten several people rolling in my real life doing Dr. Eenfeldt's version of LCHF (Low-Carb/High-Fat).
I personally do Keto. Which is under 50g total carbs daily and many find too restrictive, but if you get into the other plans and still have some issues with cravings, Keto is a good plan to do for a few months to reign that in.0 -
i want to do more like 100 g of carbs vs 200 plus i eat now0
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I'm doing about 25-30 carbs per meal. About 90 per day. I've only lost 3 pounds so far, but I feel so much better. I don't crave food all the time. I don't binge eat anymore (so far). I feel like a new person.tashatashae wrote: »i want to do more like 100 g of carbs vs 200 plus i eat now
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Why 100g? Are you trying to keep candy in your carb budget? If so, don't. It will undermine your efforts.
Everybody talks about carb levels, but the eating habits you've formed due to the TYPE of carbs you're eating are probably just as important.
Cut out all of the candy. Cold turkey. Form some new eating habits. If you do, you'll be amazed at how you no longer miss the candy.0 -
tashatashae wrote: »i want to do more like 100 g of carbs vs 200 plus i eat now
Okay, here is the deal. You could do okay with that. 100 grams is better than 200+. HOWEVER, if this is for medical reasons, then it is probably important, and less carbs & keto will get you healthy faster. Why play around if it is a matter of health?
Do you exercise regularly?
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Why 100g? Are you trying to keep candy in your carb budget? If so, don't. It will undermine your efforts.
Everybody talks about carb levels, but the eating habits you've formed due to the TYPE of carbs you're eating are probably just as important.
Cut out all of the candy. Cold turkey. Form some new eating habits. If you do, you'll be amazed at how you no longer miss the candy.
Agreed. For me, one bite leads to two which leads to the whole box which leads to a binge.0 -
I aim to stay around 25-30 a day. I'm a month into the diet and I don't really find this level difficult to maintain right now. I often have a square of 90% dark chocolate before bed and that seems to keep any cravings for sweets away.0
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Everything I've read says to stay below 50 grams of net carbs per day. I personally stay below 20 grams because I FEEL better when I do. I also have health issues and I can tell you that Keto has helped more than ANY medication I've EVER tried. Once you cut the sweets out, within a week or two you will NOT crave them anymore. Sugar is more addictive than heroin. You have to detox that out of your system just like you would with any drug.
Not only have I lost 78lbs in 9 months, but I have tons more energy because my body is using fat as fuel instead of carbs. 9 months ago, I could barely get out of bed and make it through my work day because of severe pain and inflammation. Now I'm jogging daily, spending more time with family, and actually enjoying my life.
Believe me, I KNOW how hard change is, but this one is well worth it
You can do this!0 -
i exercise i don't eat candy i like to bake so i like baked goods. i don't see myself eating a whole bunch of meat all day im just trying to cut where i can. the medical issue is not a "issue" yet and i don't want it to become one .. my acl was 5.6 when i was pregnant 3 months ago. to my understanding its best to set yourself up with something you can sustain. cooking for my toddler, husband and my newborn when he gets a little older, 25g is not going to last a lifetime. even when i was gestational diabetic i got to eat carbs just a certain amount every meal i didn't count calories though so it was easier for me. also i have acanthosis nigricans which is showing me something is going on in my body.0
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tashatashae wrote: »im trying to get started on low carb for medical reasons. im trying to get information on low carb so i can start . my problem is i don't know how i am going to give away sweets if i had a choice i would just eat sweets and that's it. I really don't know what to do i knows its more than just chicken and salad. i dont want to do keto are anything just low carb, i feel overwhelm knowing that i not only have to count calories i have to count carbs.
@tashatashae I do count my carbs especially when I keep knocking myself out of nutritional ketosis. I do not count calories unless the scales state I am gaining weight and I am clueless as to why.
After being into LCHF for over a year now for pain management I am convinced it is eating grains that caused the leaky gut that lead to obesity. Since I went off of all grains and most all sugars cold turkey I lost my pain in 30 days.
My suggestion is that you consider eating for better health and NOT just to be low carb at this point in time.
If you leave off ALL form of grains including the sugars from them as well you may find any leaking gut issue clearing up over the next six months. If that is the case then brain inflammation should be reduced/stopped so our leptin can come back online to help us know when we get full and to stop eating.
The craving for sugar may actually start to decrease well before six months.
What works for me may be wrong for you so Google like crazy and read like crazy and your brain/gut will guide you I expect.
Go for total health instead of some number on the scales or some carb count. One can fine tune after any leaking gut issues start to resolve based on my experience. Rooting out ALL forms of grain may take you six months to learn how to do because in one form or another they are in every processed food on the market it seems.
Best to your success.0 -
im just not going do keto. if i say i am telling a lie to myself and you guys. i remember i took all the starchy carbs out of my diet for a week .. at the end of the week i lost i knew it wasn't "real" though just glycogen. anyway, at the end of the week i didn't want bacon or eggs, or meat anymore.. that was like 2 months ago and i still cant manage eggs and i love eggs . the "weight" was back in 2 days all but 2 lbs i think.0
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Baked goods, candy, grain, flour, starchy carbs, it is all sugar for all intents and purposes as far as your body is concerned. You can eat carbs, but should focus on high fiber carbs like non-root veggies. It makes no sense to cut out bread and pasta if you are still going to eat cake and brownies (for example).
You may do fine on 100 grams, but if you are developing health issues, then as wabmester said above, the TYPE of carbs is just as important.0 -
tashatashae wrote: »i want to do more like 100 g of carbs vs 200 plus i eat now
100g is the recommendation to begin at in the link I posted. A good place to dip your toes in and test the water. If you have no particular idea what to do or have no specific doc-prescribed carb-level, that is. 100g is a good place to start for PCOS or diabetics. However, it's going to be a YMMV (You're Mileage May Vary) proposition. Some people find that 100g isn't low enough. And then again, some do. Humans are different and respond differently to the sugars in different foods.
You're going to have to give up most sugars and starches. Period. No candy bars or huge plates of breads, rice, and pastas. They aren't good for you anyway.
The good news is that there are many many many healthy recipes for low-carb versions of yummy desserts and meals that you can work into your carb count, even where I hang out under 50g.
At the top of the group are stickies. One is called the Launch Pad. Lots of info in that post and a ginormous list of recipe sites sits at the bottom of it.
I recommend reading the Diet Doctor site to give you an at-a-glance guide to the kind of foods you need to eat.
Low-carb at its base is this:- Stay under your carb level for the day.
- Eat your protein minimum range (use a keto-calc like http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/)
- Fill the rest of your intake with tasty, healthy fats (saturated and monounsaturated fats).
- Drink enough water.
- Make sure you keep your electrolytes up.
Sodium<potassium<magnesium. Low-carb diets cause the body to excrete more sodium, so you need to keep it up to have enough on-hand for your body to properly run. 3,000-5,000mg of sodium (in your foods, in broth and/or in water with Mio and salt mixed in like Gatorade does). Try to get 2,000mg of potassium as best you can eating potassium rich foods or using a potassium salt in broth. Eat magnesium-rich foods and get a magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate supplement, or soak in epsom salts. We want to try to get 300-400mg a day.
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tashatashae wrote: »to my understanding its best to set yourself up with something you can sustain
I totally agree -- sustainability is key. I set my carb target to 100g/d, and I lost 40lbs, got to a normal BMI, and both my blood sugar and lipid markers are now in the normal range. But ...
I was keenly aware of which foods were problematic for me. I cut out all baked goods, even low-carb baked goods. Recognize which foods are causing cravings and overeating for YOU. Avoid your triggers.
Forgive me for saying so, but you talk about "sweets" like an addict would.
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baconslave wrote: »tashatashae wrote: »i want to do more like 100 g of carbs vs 200 plus i eat now
100g is the recommendation to begin at in the link I posted. A good place to dip your toes in and test the water. If you have no particular idea what to do or have no specific doc-prescribed carb-level, that is. 100g is a good place to start for PCOS or diabetics. However, it's going to be a YMMV (You're Mileage May Vary) proposition. Some people find that 100g isn't low enough. And then again, some do. Humans are different and respond differently to the sugars in different foods.
You're going to have to give up most sugars and starches. Period. No candy bars or huge plates of breads, rice, and pastas. They aren't good for you anyway.
The good news is that there are many many many healthy recipes for low-carb versions of yummy desserts and meals that you can work into your carb count, even where I hang out under 50g.
At the top of the group are stickies. One is called the Launch Pad. Lots of info in that post and a ginormous list of recipe sites sits at the bottom of it.
I recommend reading the Diet Doctor site to give you an at-a-glance guide to the kind of foods you need to eat.
Low-carb at its base is this:- Stay under your carb level for the day.
- Eat your protein minimum range (use a keto-calc like http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/)
- Fill the rest of your intake with tasty, healthy fats (saturated and monounsaturated fats).
- Drink enough water.
- Make sure you keep your electrolytes up.
Sodium<potassium<magnesium. Low-carb diets cause the body to excrete more sodium, so you need to keep it up to have enough on-hand for your body to properly run. 3,000-5,000mg of sodium (in your foods, in broth and/or in water with Mio and salt mixed in like Gatorade does). Try to get 2,000mg of potassium as best you can eating potassium rich foods or using a potassium salt in broth. Eat magnesium-rich foods and get a magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate supplement, or soak in epsom salts. We want to try to get 300-400mg a day.
thank you!0 -
tashatashae wrote: »to my understanding its best to set yourself up with something you can sustain
I totally agree -- sustainability is key. I set my carb target to 100g/d, and I lost 40lbs, got to a normal BMI, and both my blood sugar and lipid markers are now in the normal range. But ...
I was keenly aware of which foods were problematic for me. I cut out all baked goods, even low-carb baked goods. Recognize which foods are causing cravings and overeating for YOU. Avoid your triggers.
Forgive me for saying so, but you talk about "sweets" like an addict would.
i am addicted to it i fight it everyday and i will win .. i cut myself down to 1 a day. i use to have to have it after every meal than just random. i think i have a eating disorder of some sort or a addictive personality.0 -
My wife & I didn't do cold turkey. We both eased into LC.
I CUT BACK to 60g carbs per meal, stayed there a few weeks then dropped to 45 a meal.
It took a while but I'm down to less than 18 carbs a day now.
It's a great WOE, the further down the rabbit hole I went the easier it got.
I've had Diabetes for 32 years & LC finally gives me a handle on it.
As far as weight loss goes it ain't too shabby either, I've lost 83 lbs, my wife's lost 53 lbs.
OR 
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you low "carbers" are kinda hardcore i like it! thanks to everybody who has responded or will respond.
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tashatashae wrote: »tashatashae wrote: »to my understanding its best to set yourself up with something you can sustain
I totally agree -- sustainability is key. I set my carb target to 100g/d, and I lost 40lbs, got to a normal BMI, and both my blood sugar and lipid markers are now in the normal range. But ...
I was keenly aware of which foods were problematic for me. I cut out all baked goods, even low-carb baked goods. Recognize which foods are causing cravings and overeating for YOU. Avoid your triggers.
Forgive me for saying so, but you talk about "sweets" like an addict would.
i am addicted to it i fight it everyday and i will win .. i cut myself down to 1 a day. i use to have to have it after every meal than just random. i think i have a eating disorder of some sort or a addictive personality.
We're here for you if you need support.
You'll see many posts here about "falling off the wagon." Willpower is tricky. You can use willpower to fight the urge to visit the bathroom, for example, but eventually the urge always wins.
IMHO, if you can find a satiating substitute for your trigger foods, you'll no longer need to rely on willpower. I recognized my snacking behavior. Rather than fight it, I embraced it and simply found better snacks.0 -
tashatashae wrote: »tashatashae wrote: »to my understanding its best to set yourself up with something you can sustain
I totally agree -- sustainability is key. I set my carb target to 100g/d, and I lost 40lbs, got to a normal BMI, and both my blood sugar and lipid markers are now in the normal range. But ...
I was keenly aware of which foods were problematic for me. I cut out all baked goods, even low-carb baked goods. Recognize which foods are causing cravings and overeating for YOU. Avoid your triggers.
Forgive me for saying so, but you talk about "sweets" like an addict would.
i am addicted to it i fight it everyday and i will win .. i cut myself down to 1 a day. i use to have to have it after every meal than just random. i think i have a eating disorder of some sort or a addictive personality.
We're here for you if you need support.
You'll see many posts here about "falling off the wagon." Willpower is tricky. You can use willpower to fight the urge to visit the bathroom, for example, but eventually the urge always wins.
IMHO, if you can find a satiating substitute for your trigger foods, you'll no longer need to rely on willpower. I recognized my snacking behavior. Rather than fight it, I embraced it and simply found better snacks.
I found it easier to add trigger foods to my "Not in my house! list"
You'd get a kick out of me shopping, I shop off a list.
If it ain't on the list - it ain't going in the cart!
(Exception to rule: My Sweetie has final say on cart) OR
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tashatashae wrote: »i exercise i don't eat candy i like to bake so i like baked goods. i don't see myself eating a whole bunch of meat all day im just trying to cut where i can. the medical issue is not a "issue" yet and i don't want it to become one .. my acl was 5.6 when i was pregnant 3 months ago. to my understanding its best to set yourself up with something you can sustain. cooking for my toddler, husband and my newborn when he gets a little older, 25g is not going to last a lifetime. even when i was gestational diabetic i got to eat carbs just a certain amount every meal i didn't count calories though so it was easier for me. also i have acanthosis nigricans which is showing me something is going on in my body.
*** BINGE TRIGGER WARNING - SPECIFIC FOOD CONTENT WARNING - PLEASE SKIP IF THIS BOTHERS YOU!!! ***
The Acanthosis Nigricans tells me that you are most likely insulin resistant (it's a huge sign of it) or another metabolic syndrome. As does your attitude towards sweets. And your belief that you won't be willing or able to succeed lower carb. None of these statements are judgments in any way. Just statements.
But, let me tell you know I this, because I used to be is so very like you. While I did not have gestational diabetes, I did have all kinds of hormonal craziness. At my heyday, I was eating king-sized candy bars as if 2-3 bars was a serving. Multiple times a day. I couldn't function without the influx of sugar. And no matter what, I wanted them. Even if I wasn't hungry. I used to bake. When I made banana bread, I didn't make one loaf, I made 8 or so, because a loaf was a serving to me. I'd buy double chocolate muffins, planning to eat one or half of one, and eat the entire package. I could eat nutella with spoon, and a tub or more in a sitting. I remember one time having 4-6 large jars in the pantry. My ex used to call it my liquid crack.
And it doesn't stop there... Pasta? 3-4 plates was nothing. At one point I ate almost 2 large pan pizzas by myself... anything I made, I made in quantity. double and triple batches of macaroni and cheese. After a time, the huge block of velveeta and an entire package or three of pasta. It might last 2 meals. A family size bag of chips could last 1-2 sittings. Chips and salsa - I used to buy the largest containers of eat and eat that for meals...
I could go on and on and on, but hopefully I've made my point.
I'm 5'4" tall, 39 years old, female. At my heaviest weight recorded at my doctor's office, I was 319 pounds (in 2010). I'm currently 249 pounds (I just had a gain of a few pounds after a setback). Eating lower carb (your level is finding what works for you) is possible, if terrifying at first. It can be maintainable and forever, and healthy for your kids (they don't need bread and sugary treats for health), etc. It just has to be reasonable AND maintainable, as you said.
Meat is not critical to eating lower carb, but it does help. Finding what vegetables do and don't affect you. For example, I'm thrilled to know that I can eat tomatoes without too much trouble, despite the fact they're higher carbs... I can eat potatoes once in a blue moon in small portion. Foods to not have to be gone forever unless we can't find a way to control ourselves around them.
When you eat this way, your taste buds change. I now really enjoy foods I used to completely hate - or eat things daily I would have never tolerated trying before. And I'm going to give you a small bit of tough love here. If the "medical issue" is enough to be labeled and acknowledged, it is already an issue. It is just not raging out of control screaming for medication or hospitalization, etc. I had to accept that denial I'd been using myself.
And just because you were allowed to have a certain amount of carbs while pregnant and having GD does not mean it was the most healthy thing for you. You seem to have found a decent amount of balance, though, ti have made it through, and that is wonderful.
I too, burned myself out on bacon and eggs. I'm finally back to eating eggs, but bacon has been on a 4 month or so hiatus from my diet. The key is to not think of how you have to get rid of things - but rather how you can tweak the things you already eat to make them healthier. It's not as impossible as it seems. And i know it does seem impossible.
It took me over 6 months, recommendations from my endocrinologist, not to mention my PCP who had already been asking me to cut carbs for years, to even warm up to the idea that this was possible, doable, and maintainable. And it is. I researched and asked a million questions. I got my head in the game. And then I tore through a huge box of chocolates I got on after Christmas clearance over three days and just hit a wall. I realized I didn't want to keep living like that. So I decided to change.
I still eat some junk, I still eat out. I still eat things I shouldn't. I still eat off my plan sometimes, but this is not a slow thing to change. This is real life, and crap happens. The biggest things I would say is love yourself, forgive yourself, ditch guilt, and make the better decisions whenever possible (not the best decision, because we all know that's not possible all the time - we live in reality - but a better decision as often as possible).
Listen to all the folks here. Pick different things to try. Start at 100 grams of carbs. Figure out what foods make you feel good and what doesn't. Decide if you want to drop some. Maybe drop to 90 grams of carbs the next month. Maybe not if you lose weight and feel good at 100 grams... Maybe you'll find you feel better lower. Or higher. Only you can tell. But try to make changes only once every 4 weeks so you can see what's really working. It's all about you and your journey. Accept that in having two very young children at home, you're going to have to use some convenience foods and batch cooking. Just make them the better ones you can find. I still eat pepperoni quite often. Is the processed stuff good for me? No, not at all, but it's better than all the old junk I used to eat... LOL
And work on changing how you think about dropping your carbs. Think about all the things you can do, you get to do, and you want to do again or eventually, like with your kids and hubby... Focus on where you're going, not where you've been, and your load will lighten. Dropping your carbs will give you more energy and make it easier to keep up with your bundles of joy!! Good luck and ask us all a million questions. Unlike what I've experience before here or elsewhere, this group is all about lifting each other up and helping others succeed, too! It's not a competition, and anyone attempting to help will work to keep your best goals in mind and give advice based that direction.
Good luck.0 -
@KnitOrMiss Fantastic Read !!!! THANK YOU!0
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I agree with everyone here! A year ago I was telling my friend there was NO way I could ever give up pasta, bread, or sweets. I would never stick to it. Then I tried it. Now it's just habit. I look at cakes and candies and associate them with pain and inflammation. Bread just feels weird in my mouth. If I want bread, , like for a sandwich or something, I use a low carb tortilla, however there is something called CarbQuick that you can use for low carb baking. Until my cravings went away I had to find substitutes. Sugar alchohols are great as sugar substitutes. Erithrotol is a good one. Stevia is not bad. I used Almond flour for pie crust. Non fat, sugar free, instant pudding made with heavy whipping cream instead of milk is a great pie filling or good right off the spoon for the random sweet craving. My family loves it, and they have NO idea its sugar free.
However, just because LCHF works for me, does not mean its for everyone. I hear what you are saying about being able to keep this up for a lifetime, but I think if you gave it a month, you would be surprised.
Start where you feel comfortable. If you think you can do 100 grams a day, go for it. Any change is better then none.
Kudos to you for reaching out and for finding a starting place you can live with.
Good luck!0 -
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I don't think the people here are hardcore. I think we all recognize those "allowances" we tried to keep when we first started were the same ones that caused us to fail in the long run. They just want you be succeed. It's one thing to have 100 grams of carbs each day from vegetables and nuts. It's quite a different thing to pick 100 grams because you want to allow baked goods. Some of us even found that we had to get super strict.
I was always a sweet eater, but I didn't initially mind quitting those to get healthy. My problem was breads. I would bake several loaves a week, or bagels, or rolls, or anything else I desired. The thought of quitting bread was just too much for me. But, I quickly learned that 50 grams of bread carbs and 50 grams of vegetable carbs were totally different in how I responded to them.
There's nothing wrong with setting a goal of 100 grams. Just be aware that trying to make room for a lifetime of "just one treat a day" is like trying to quit smoking but thinking you'll be able to smoke just 3-4 cigarettes a day for long term success.0
This discussion has been closed.