Are carbs bad for my diet?

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  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    I cut out carbs once and lost a bunch of weight, but that was because I was cutting out entire food groups and creating a big deficit. Also, I cut them out and lost weight but never really learned anything about proper nutritional balance. Actually my body doesn't do very well on carbs so I keep them moderate to low, unless I'm prepping for competition like I am now... then I have a good balance of macro's. And I'll eat any kind of carb as long as it fits :smile: Find a good balance that works for you, lift weights more, do cardio less, carry a nice deficit.
    Last, during the time I cut out carbs I developed a vicious sweet tooth... like if I had one chocolate I'd eat the whole bar or pint or whatever... Most if not all of my carbs are veggie carbs (root veggies, carrots, Brussels, beets, etc.) I am not a fan of rice or potatoes. Find what works for you and tweak from there.
  • ewebbw
    ewebbw Posts: 6 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ewebbw wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! I have a "two pack" or "four pack" going on right now but I'm so frustrated that bottom two abs won't peak out so I've tried the low carbs. But if calories is all that I need to focus on (as well as training) then that makes my taste buds a little happier. Another question- say my calorie goal is 1600 but I burn 500 at the gym- should I eat 2100 calories that day or still stick to the 1600 or does it not matter?

    are you using MFP method or TDEE method?


    I don't know what those are! I try to get around 1600 calories a day and eat some of the calories I exercise off. So I probably gross around 1700-1800 calories a day plus exercise
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    ewebbw wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ewebbw wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! I have a "two pack" or "four pack" going on right now but I'm so frustrated that bottom two abs won't peak out so I've tried the low carbs. But if calories is all that I need to focus on (as well as training) then that makes my taste buds a little happier. Another question- say my calorie goal is 1600 but I burn 500 at the gym- should I eat 2100 calories that day or still stick to the 1600 or does it not matter?

    are you using MFP method or TDEE method?


    I don't know what those are! I try to get around 1600 calories a day and eat some of the calories I exercise off. So I probably gross around 1700-1800 calories a day plus exercise

    How did you determine what your calorie goal should be?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    nokanjaijo wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    nokanjaijo wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    nokanjaijo wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    Carbs are problematic for some health issues or if you tend to binge on carbs - a lot of people. If this does not apply to you, you are probably fine with carbs

    This is the correct answer.

    We can't tell you if you should cut down on carbs. But you can try it, do it for a month, stay under 50g net carbs for one month. At the end of the month, you will know if it's something you want to continue with, trust me.

    And, if it doesn't work for you, keep trying different things. Finding what works for you in particular is a huge part of living a healthy life. Something will click for you eventually.

    actually it is not...people binge on plenty of other things than just carbs....

    and good luck maintaining energy for a structured lifting program and cardio on 50 net carbs a day...

    Actually it is, it's so true it's basically a tautology. She basically just said that, if you have a problem binging on carbs, then carbs are problematic for you. That doesn't imply that people don't binge on other things.

    re-read it and get back to me..

    you skipped the part where it was assumed that a lot of people binge on carbs..

    A lot of people do binge on carbs. A lot of people find we don't binge on anything but carbs. If we cut out carbs, we don't binge. Hence why a lot of people are finding success on keto.

    A lot of people don't binge.

    We have no reason to think OP has a problem with bingeing.

    Also, a lot of people who claim to binge on (or overeat, which is more common) "carbs" primarily overeat foods that are carbs+fat and would not overeat a plain potato, for example, or even apples. Cutting them out because of a low carb goal -- OR a low fat goal or some other kind of diet -- would prevent bingeing, then, unless you missed them and "cheated" (ugh) and then figured it was ruined so went overboard, but NOT because it's all because of carbs.
  • ewebbw
    ewebbw Posts: 6 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    ewebbw wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ewebbw wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! I have a "two pack" or "four pack" going on right now but I'm so frustrated that bottom two abs won't peak out so I've tried the low carbs. But if calories is all that I need to focus on (as well as training) then that makes my taste buds a little happier. Another question- say my calorie goal is 1600 but I burn 500 at the gym- should I eat 2100 calories that day or still stick to the 1600 or does it not matter?

    are you using MFP method or TDEE method?


    I don't know what those are! I try to get around 1600 calories a day and eat some of the calories I exercise off. So I probably gross around 1700-1800 calories a day plus exercise

    How did you determine what your calorie goal should be?

    I used an online calorie calculator. And thank you everyone! I don't have a binging problem but doing low carb is definitely a challenge because I love food and carbs. Especially bread and I haven't had much in at least two weeks. When I started low carb I felt really tired and moody and had horrible cravings that I suppressed. Now I feel much much better and cravings are less but still there
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    ewebbw wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ewebbw wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! I have a "two pack" or "four pack" going on right now but I'm so frustrated that bottom two abs won't peak out so I've tried the low carbs. But if calories is all that I need to focus on (as well as training) then that makes my taste buds a little happier. Another question- say my calorie goal is 1600 but I burn 500 at the gym- should I eat 2100 calories that day or still stick to the 1600 or does it not matter?

    are you using MFP method or TDEE method?


    I don't know what those are! I try to get around 1600 calories a day and eat some of the calories I exercise off. So I probably gross around 1700-1800 calories a day plus exercise

    MFP method - you plug your stats into MFP and it gives you a number to eat to that already has a deficit built into it. In this scenario you eat back some exercise calories, usually half.

    TDEE - you calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure for maintenance and then deduct 500 calories or 250 calories, depending on your goal for rate of weekly loss, and you eat to that number. Under this scenario you do not eat back exercise calories.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    nokanjaijo wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    nokanjaijo wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    nokanjaijo wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    Carbs are problematic for some health issues or if you tend to binge on carbs - a lot of people. If this does not apply to you, you are probably fine with carbs

    This is the correct answer.

    We can't tell you if you should cut down on carbs. But you can try it, do it for a month, stay under 50g net carbs for one month. At the end of the month, you will know if it's something you want to continue with, trust me.

    And, if it doesn't work for you, keep trying different things. Finding what works for you in particular is a huge part of living a healthy life. Something will click for you eventually.

    actually it is not...people binge on plenty of other things than just carbs....

    and good luck maintaining energy for a structured lifting program and cardio on 50 net carbs a day...

    Actually it is, it's so true it's basically a tautology. She basically just said that, if you have a problem binging on carbs, then carbs are problematic for you. That doesn't imply that people don't binge on other things.

    re-read it and get back to me..

    you skipped the part where it was assumed that a lot of people binge on carbs..

    A lot of people do binge on carbs. A lot of people find we don't binge on anything but carbs. If we cut out carbs, we don't binge. Hence why a lot of people are finding success on keto.

    The majority of us don't binge on carbs, or we binge on fats, or salty foods. My problem was always mozzarella sticks and philly cheese steaks...so to say that carbs are the sole binge food is wrong, and to say that a majority has a binge problem with carbs, is doubly wrong.

    and most people don't even binge on carbs or fats...


  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    I dunno. I get a little binge-y with carbs. It's more the fact that I can't fit the amount I'd LIKE to have in my day, even in maintenance. So I choose not to have bread, pasta, sweets on the reg. I'll get a nice calorie dense meal when I'm out every week though.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Me, I can take 'em or leave 'em. Don't really have a binge food group. Well, maybe ice cream sometimes. So, I get to count that as a double dip! Carbs and fats, I love you.
  • Lefty1290
    Lefty1290 Posts: 551 Member
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    If you have health issues or problems moderating them, then, you should watch your consumption. If not, then, no.

    Personally, I have both. Eczema and a major sweet tooth - both are managed with low carbs. To each their own.

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