Cutting carbs after lunch?

Anamatronic

So I've started to cut carbs post lunch after I did two days with no carb dinners and felt much better for it. I didn't feel as bloated those evenings and in the morning my tummy felt much flatter a slice of wholewheat made me feel full so I actually ate less breakfast.
I have since decided to incorporate it into my routine but it feels like as always soon as I make the conscience decision to deny myself something, it is all I want. I go to bed thinking about carbs, literally I'm like a kid on Xmas eve desperate for Santa, I go to bed early knowing the sooner I sleep the sooner I'll get to eat carbs.
Just wondering if anyone has any good non carb replacements that may satisfy the craving and can be included with meat and veg or in a salad?
Also in the long run had anyone actually found this to actually be effective in speeding up weight loss?

amusedmonkey

The amount and timing of carbs has no effect on weight loss beyond personal preference. It would not speed up weight loss if you are still eating the same amount of calories. Is cutting carbs after lunch making dieting easier or harder for you? If it's making it harder then you need to change something. If you feel better with less carbs and feeling less bloated is important to you have you considered eating fewer carbs in general without depriving yourself of them for dinner? Would you be willing to not feel flatter if it leads to a happier diet? If that's the case, you don't need to reduce carbs. If you stick to your calories you will lose weight regardless of what you choose to do, so your decision should be solely based on picking what would make dieting easier for you.

cwolfman13

Anamatronic wrote: »

So I've started to cut carbs post lunch after I did two days with no carb dinners and felt much better for it. I didn't feel as bloated those evenings and in the morning my tummy felt much flatter a slice of wholewheat made me feel full so I actually ate less breakfast.
I have since decided to incorporate it into my routine but it feels like as always soon as I make the conscience decision to deny myself something, it is all I want. I go to bed thinking about carbs, literally I'm like a kid on Xmas eve desperate for Santa, I go to bed early knowing the sooner I sleep the sooner I'll get to eat carbs.
Just wondering if anyone has any good non carb replacements that may satisfy the craving and can be included with meat and veg or in a salad?
Also in the long run had anyone actually found this to actually be effective in speeding up weight loss?

Your rate of weight loss has nothing to do with whether or not you eat carbs at night...your rate of weight loss is determined by the size of your calorie deficit.

I don't log, so one of the ways I put myself into a deficit when I need to drop weight is by restricting carbs at night as well as at lunch most of the time...in maintenance I typically add them in at lunch...but often forgo them at dinner...but I drink beer in maintenance.

skylarmoorefitness

amusedmonkey wrote: »

The amount and timing of carbs has no effect on weight loss beyond personal preference. It would not speed up weight loss if you are still eating the same amount of calories. Is cutting carbs after lunch making dieting easier or harder for you? If it's making it harder then you need to change something. If you feel better with less carbs and feeling less bloated is important to you have you considered eating fewer carbs in general without depriving yourself of them for dinner? Would you be willing to not feel flatter if it leads to a happier diet? If that's the case, you don't need to reduce carbs. If you stick to your calories you will lose weight regardless of what you choose to do, so your decision should be solely based on picking what would make dieting easier for you.

Totally agree with all of this. I actually like carbs at night- they help you sleep better. Weight loss is all about calories in vs calories out. Unless you are a bodybuilder preparing for a show, high performance athlete, etc, meal and macro timing has such a miniscule effect. If you are feeling bloated, it may not be the carbs- it could be a digestive issue.

lemurcat12

Vegetables have carbs, so I'm not sure I understand.

I did LCHF for a while and am lower carb now (most of the time, less so the past few days), and often have dinners that are just vegetables, meat, and some sort of fat (they are not carb free). I also might use fat sources that have some carbs as well as fat (avocados, nuts). I'd say make sure the meal is satisfying and calorie-appropriate, which means (for me) adding fat. Just lean meat and veg may not be enough.

On the other hand, many people feel better with more carbs than I tend to be satisfied on, maybe experiment with different ones -- potatoes and sweet potatoes rather than bread, for example, if bread at dinner makes you feel bloated. Or have some fruit (carbs again) as a dessert and see if that satisfies without the negative effects you think you are experiencing.

Carbs cannot be generalized about IMO.

rybo

Generally any attempt to "speed up" weight loss is going to be met with failure and frustration. Mostly because the things people attempt have no impact on how fast weight loss happens & they are difficult to adhere too.
So you have a situation where having only meat & veggies (veggies have carbs) make you feel good and thin, but causes cravings. Only you can weigh out which is more important. You could try a piece of fruit as dessert. Or maybe just have a smaller portion of bread/pasta/starchy vegetables, which I am assuming you are grouping as the carbs you want to limit.

tcunbeliever

If you find that reducing carbs at night reduces hunger in the morning, then great, reduced hunger usually results in reduced eating and reduced eating will definitely aid weight loss.

However, it seems you have a somewhat unhealthy relationship with food since now you are craving carbs in the evening, and you seem to think the only reason you crave them is because you have decided not to eat them.

The most successful plan will always be whatever you can sustain the longest. It doesn't sound like this is a sustainable plan for you. It doesn't sound like restricting any one food or type of food is a sustainable plan for you because you are wired to crave most whatever you deny yourself. Maybe a more moderate plan would be more sustainable. So instead of no carbs or only vegetable carbs at night, have some carbs. Maybe fruit would be satisfying and still suppress morning hunger, or some croutons on that salad, who knows, keep trying until you find something that is a good balance for you.

ladipoet

What type of carby stuff specifically are you craving?