Low carb dieters??

laydeejamz

Hey
Anyone on a low carb diet? how much carbs do you eat per day? I've researched this but kept coming up with different amounts. I'm attempting a low carb diet at the moment and getting about 50 to 150 grams a day, mfp suggests 214. Am I eating too much or too little?

I'm 6ft4 and about 18 stone at the moment if that helps and eating about 1300-1500calories a day

BritanyFitness

I'm on a low carb diet.. My carb intake is about 20 to 30 grams a day.
It's really hard, but it works.

BritanyFitness

This works for me personally, I don't know how you;ll body will handle it so see what works for you.

timwhoa

I have been doing atkins induction phase , thats 20 grams of carbs per day, I have not counted a single calorie in 3 months and I have lost 62 pounds thus far, I never go hungry, the food is awesome and filling,

HeyGoRun

I do the zone way 40-30-30
Too low is not realistic.

endoftheside

I eat lower carb than some. I am at about 1550 calories a day (but add exercise calories) and around 135g of carbs works well for me. I found this number through trial and error--too many carbs and I start feeling carb crazy, too few and my diet lacks diversity and I get grumpy because I feel too restricted.

JaceyMarieS

20 g is a bit low for me for more than a week or so. I'm happiest between 35-50 g. I stay in ketosis and my blood sugar stays where it needs to at that level.

Tigermum9

I do the zone way 40-30-30
Too low is not realistic.

what is this?

Sugarbeat

I'm working down to lower carb eating. At the moment I'm working on getting it below 165, which is what my dietician recommended. I'm diabetic and need to be low carb, before anyone starts on the "all calories are the same" bandwagon (which I'm sure is coming). For me going slower into it ensures that it will be a lifestyle change rather than a "diet." I HAVE to do this so I'm committing myself.

00snook

The only problem with low carbs is that if you are going to do any serious exercising, you need the carbs in order to be able to work out efficiently.

One way to go about lowering carbs is to only allow yourself to eat them first thing in the morning, then around when you exercise (some before, and some after).

This has been proven to be the best time for eating carbs. First thing in the morning kick starts your metabolism and gives you energy during the day. Then eating some carbs before exercise (1.5 hours works for me) gives you energy for the workout, and carbs combined with protein after will feed those aching muscles and allow you to get fitter.

Something like this works well.

Breakfast - scrambled eggs with 1 piece wholemeal toast
Snack - protein shake
Lunch - salad with protein (eg Tuna salad)
snack - nuts
Pre workout - some sort of sandwich (wholemeal bread again)
Post workout - protein shake with honey
Dinner - anything sensible including plenty of veg, some sort of protein and a bit of carbs.

You have to adjust quantities of course depending on your calorie requirements, and could easily miss out the snacks if you wanted to (though eating regularly is good for metabolism)

James

hauhaut901

I have been doing atkins induction phase , thats 20 grams of carbs per day, I have not counted a single calorie in 3 months and I have lost 62 pounds thus far, I never go hungry, the food is awesome and filling,

Don't keep yoru body on ketosis for too long. It can cause issues later down the road.

mrmagee3

I have been doing atkins induction phase , thats 20 grams of carbs per day, I have not counted a single calorie in 3 months and I have lost 62 pounds thus far, I never go hungry, the food is awesome and filling,

Don't keep yoru body on ketosis for too long. It can cause issues later down the road.

Says who?

ssm_1972

Being a Vegy, I do not have so many options and I am really Struggling on lot on Carb issue. I am always crossing 250 and bit surprise as how peoples on MFP are down even under 100 (

ELEANOR43da

I am unsettled about the entire low carb situation. I am a diabetic and need so many carbs to keep things balanced. I find if I have a carb of some sort in a small amount each meal it works for me . I am not going to cut out my pasta,rice or potato...........just decreased from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup of potato at times and 1/2 cup from 1 cup of pasta and rice dishes. Never go over a small potato. The only thing I stay away from are breads,pastries and cakes. I go all natural sugar for the most part. .I guess if you have no medical condition it my be easier to decrease to a lower level without problems arising .

dsjohndrow

I would caution against a diet that you cannot sustain for a lifetime. That said, you can eat less carbs. I try to balance my carb and protein intake evenly. 35% carbs / 35% protein / 30% fat. It is also good to get fiber and essential fats. I stick with lean red meat, fish, chicken, eggs, low fat cheese (Swiss and goat) a small amount of whole grains, low fat dairy, nuts, beans (garbonzo!), avocados and fruit. Skip the potatoes, rice, bread, and wheat products. I used to do protein shakes, but it's expensive and there is a lot of junk in them.

mrmagee3

I am unsettled about the entire low carb situation. I am a diabetic and need so many carbs to keep things balanced. I find if I have a carb of some sort in a small amount each meal it works for me . I am not going to cut out my pasta,rice or potato...........just decreased from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup of potato at times and 1/2 cup from 1 cup of pasta and rice dishes. Never go over a small potato. The only thing I stay away from are breads,pastries and cakes. I go all natural sugar for the most part. .I guess if you have no medical condition it my be easier to decrease to a lower level without problems arising .

Couple follow ups:

* Why do you need carbs to keep your blood sugar balanced?
* What problems arise from eating too low carbs?
* Are you T1 or T2?

I'm T2 diabetic. Given that carbs are the primary sources of blood glucose (protein and some fat can break down to sugar, though it's far more inefficient) I don't understand the mechanism in which being devoid of carbs would cause blood sugar fluctuations in you.

mrmagee3

Also, to answer OPs question, I eat around 20-30g per day, have done so for over a year, and have lost around 75 pounds. I've maintained my weight for the past month, and I'm dropping calories today in order to lose some more.

changing4life

If you get your carbs from nutritionally dense carbs like beans, nuts, fruits, veggies and low fat dairy, you will do just fine. Just avoid processed carbs, and white carbs like white rice and white pasta, cookies, cakes, candy, etc.

mspoopoo

I try to stay below 90 carbs a day.

I reduced them slowly too.

Josee76

I do the zone way 40-30-30
Too low is not realistic.

what is this?

This is how she splits her macros in % = 40% protein / 30% carbs / 30% fat

kidcrew_bob

ultra-low carbs (ie Atkins low) are ok for a jump start but ultimately unsustainable (IMHO) - plus can make you feel a bit weird when exerting - my legs turned to jelly on a modest walk 2 weeks in !! You can get sick of bacon, eggs, cheese - hard to believe I know having been a long-time porker.... BUT I got to a point where all I wanted was a glass fresh orange and a bowl of cereal ..!!

My view is just count the calories (and this website is the easiest method I have ever seen - by far) and do the maths (as we say in UK!!) - look at the carbs in a "do I really need it" way and just minimise them - 2 slices bread instead of 3, forgo the crunch bar / biscuit, leave half that rice, pasta, chips etc...

So long as your cals burned exceed cals scoffed then you are in the losing business by definition - if not you are cheating, misrepresenting OR forgetting what you've eaten - it is that simple.....