Net carbs
emilybeaver
Posts: 365 Member
Does anyone do net carbs or have a preference? I am not diabetic or pre-diabetic I just need to lose about 40-50 lbs. Pros and cons of each would be helpful...
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I prefer total as I find with net I tend to get carb creep (its okay because it has lots of fiber is my excuse) and my weight loss stalls out.1
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I am not diabetic or pre, but I am insulin resistant. I stick with total carbs, unless it's due to low-starch veggies. Then I will subtract fiber. I do NOT subtract sugar alcohols, and only subtract fiber if it's good for me food (like I don't subtract it out of the cocoa I use periodically, but I do subtract the fiber from my Joseph's Flax, etc. pitas (which I generally only have a pack every few months).
My theory has always been, if I go over carbs because of nutrition and/or veggies, it doesn't phase me.
Regardless, whatever path you choose, just be sure to use it consistently.1 -
I stick with NET carbs and I am in the US. The US rolls Fiber into the total carb count. The UK does not. If I were in the UK I'd do the total carb count.
If I didn't subtract the fiber I'd be hungry all the time because I'd have to restrict a lot of healthy veggies that are full of fiber, such as broccoli and avocado.0 -
My husband has a theory of, I have never known someone to get fat off of eating vegetables and fruit...I just miss my veggies and fruit and I'm trying to find a way to get them in without having a gain or missing something up1
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I count total (well, when I was eating any) It's just easier. Using net doesn't actually result in less carbs. It's just how you count them. If you like the simplicity of not subtracting but want to allow more because of eating more veggies, you could just go by a higher number. The number itself doesn't mean anything. Those that eat 20g Max, probably have a few grams of fiber that could be subtracted. They just don't bother with it. Those that go with 50g total, might have 20g of fiber... They just don't bother with the subtraction. 50g total with 20g fiber is the same as 30g net... See what I mean? One just subtracts it in the thought process. If you know all your extra carbs are just from veggies, there's no reason to stress over the net. The veggie fiber isn't going to influence insulin. Some fiber can. But if I was allowing higher carbs for veggies, I wouldn't stress the math.1
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emilybeaver wrote: »My husband has a theory of, I have never known someone to get fat off of eating vegetables and fruit...I just miss my veggies and fruit and I'm trying to find a way to get them in without having a gain or missing something up
@emilybeaver - your husband is mistaken, sadly. Some of us do get fat from fruits. My body can't tell the difference between and apple or banana and a Snickers bar... It all triggers an insulin response and all gets dumped into fat storage.
That being said, I do agree on getting in more non-starchy veggies and low-sugar fruits (berries and stone fruits) paired with fats. Sometimes eating berries with cream or something triggers cravings for me, but I've never gotten sugar cravings from eating a few cups of broccoli!
Also, 20 grams of carbs is viewed somewhat of the induction phase of keto. Most folks not metabolically challenged/limited can go up to 40-50 grams of carbs and retain nutritional ketosis as long as they don't add back in grains or sugars.
Also, remember that unless you lived in a tropical area (in which case your genetic metabolism should be different), fruits were a very rare treat to eat AS A DESSERT ON OCCASION (due to things like lack of availability and travel, etc.). If you still treat fruits as such, and not a daily, repetitive indulgence, you can likely work most of them in, also.0 -
emilybeaver wrote: »My husband has a theory of, I have never known someone to get fat off of eating vegetables and fruit...I just miss my veggies and fruit and I'm trying to find a way to get them in without having a gain or missing something up
Read up on fructose (natural fruit sugar) and you'll likely feel differently about those "healthy fruits". At least the high fructose ones.0 -
I don't even know what I do lol. Sometimes net sometimes total. It all depends. I guess I more closely watch total but I have the fiber column next to the carb column so I can easily subtract. If you want to allow room for veggies and fruit then do that, increase your total carb amount and add those in and know you'll be netting lower. I wouldn't recommend increasing your total carb count to allow candy (like I have
) it wasn't a conscious thing just kinda directed itself that way. I was eating 80-100 earlier this year, and not even all the time, cuz I'm a bit less strict/controlling with myself, so some days I'd be higher, some lower. What I found was that I still lost weight and I know I was producing ketones because when I'm in keto I get what I call "ammonia nose", when I breath in it smells like ammonia but only in my sinuses. So I know if that happens I'm making ketones, therefore I was in ketosis at least some of the time at roughly 100g a day. 0 -
I do net. Still don't eat fruits (well avocado, olives, & coconut I do eat) and stick to the lower carb veggies. Asparagus is in season!0
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I switched from total carbs to net carbs to make more room for veggies. I still don't allow myself "room" for grains or added sugar that can be avoided. Since I've been able to eat more of my favorite veggies (leafy greens, cabbage, broccoli), I've found that my calorie count has decreased, my satisfaction has increased, and I've started to creep down on the scale again when I've been stagnant for 6 weeks.2
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I should add that usually my goal is 30-35 NET, 50 TOTAL when I'm getting veggies, but that also helps me prevent carb creep... But, if I go over BECAUSE of the veggies, I don't sweat it, because nutrition trumps calories! LOL0
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Yeah...I thin if I up my carbs to 35 (which it is set to now, I just never go over 20) I'll use those carbs for veggies...and I also was just reading the chocolate thread...I have been slacking on my magnesium supplement...guess I'll get back to taking that!0
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For diabetics, if the issue is control of blood glucose, what matters is NET carbs. If I eat 50 total carbs, and the carbs I to eat happen to include only 10 grams of fiber, I'll have a blood glucose well over normal. Probably over 180. On the other hand, if that 50 includes 30 grams of fiber (which I can't digest - so they don't turn into sugar), my blood glucose will stay within normal ranges. Counting total would get me into big-time trouble because my body only reacts to carbs I can digest.
If you're just using it to lose weight, I don't think it matters that much which one you count.1 -
I do 30 total, but I do have fiber listed in the tracker. The few times I've gone over 30, I look at my fiber and it has always put me under 30 if I was to subtract the fiber, so I don't worry.0
