Does counting carbs really matter?

bcattoes

It matters to me if I'm under 40% of total calories. But 40% is quite a lot.

MFP errs by including all carbs in the same category. So a low-glycemic whole oat and a sugar packet count the same on MFP. But not in your body.

All sugars get broken down the same, in your body.

Fiber is a carb and is processed differently than other carbs.

Fiber is seperate, to carbs (in my view, but sure yes you are right)

I'm talking sugar as in, whether its from a fruit or a can of soda.

There is also difference in how fructose and glucose are processed.

It isn't going to make any difference, sugar is sugar. For a start, sugar is half fructose already

I don't know what you mean by "make any difference". Any difference for what?

sarah5893

I lost 50lbs in about 7 months and I ate nowhere near 50-100g of carbs, I ate about what myfitnesspal set out and I haven't struggled at all... that might not be the same for everyone it just depends on your body.
The whole low carb thing frustrates me actually, not being able to eat fruit on a diet? ridiculous!

Fuzzipeg

For me it makes a huge difference. I aim for 50 net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) a day and at least 100 grams of protein. I am hypothyroid so expect weight loss to be slow. Since May 7, I'm down 27 pounds. I'm never hungry. My doctor gave me these numbers.

Carbs cause water retention. For every gram of carbs, 4 grams of water are stored. Simple carbs are terrible for us. I do not eat grains, starchy vegetables, breads, sweets. My carbs are from fruits, vegetables and dairy.

Processed foods are not our friend. If you want a good book read "Salt, Sugar, and Fat - How the Food Manufacturers Hooked Us" by Michael Moss. He's the one that got the Pulitzer Prize for exposing the addition of pink slim to ground meat. "Pandora's Lunchbox" is another good one. It made me swear off processed foods.

50-100 is very doable. Just remember to increase your protein and fat is not your enemy. You'll see quick weight loss and I know I'll eat this way the rest of my life because I have so much more energy and feel satisfied all the time.

Be aware of the Carb Flu - when you first cut back you may feel headachy, nausea, tired because of carb withdrawal. Take some aspirin. Drinking a cup of full sodium salt will also help.

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I found this item very interesting, on several levels and also as a person who used to have thyroid problems. I overcame my issues going as near salicylate free as possible and using iodine rich foods. My blood test are back in the normal range and no thyroid related symptoms. I use a glass of bicarbonate of soda, if I feel I am getting too much Salicylates in my system, it helps.

all the best to everyone in finding out what works for you. and knowing if it works for you isn't always the best thing for everyone else.

ChangingAmanda

Unless you have some underlying medical condition, weight loss is about calories in verses calories out. Eat less calories than you're expending and you're going to lose weight. Some of us find that goal number right off the bat and have consistently lost weight since day one. Others it takes a few weeks of tweaking to find the sweet spot.

I don't count carbs, I don't eat clean, I don't deny anything, I fit what I want into my calorie budget. I can't live without chocolate or sweets which is why I have ice cream or oreos nearly every day. This is a lifestyle change and I'm not going to stop eating or drinking anything that I won't be able to live without until the day I die. This is why I've only stopped drinking soda. Everything else is fair game.


(Disclaimer: This past six weeks have been difficult with vacations and an injury so I haven't been eating as well as I should but I'm not gaining either. So if you diary peek, it's not complete).

ritchiedrama

It matters to me if I'm under 40% of total calories. But 40% is quite a lot.

MFP errs by including all carbs in the same category. So a low-glycemic whole oat and a sugar packet count the same on MFP. But not in your body.

All sugars get broken down the same, in your body.

Fiber is a carb and is processed differently than other carbs.

Fiber is seperate, to carbs (in my view, but sure yes you are right)

I'm talking sugar as in, whether its from a fruit or a can of soda.

There is also difference in how fructose and glucose are processed.

It isn't going to make any difference, sugar is sugar. For a start, sugar is half fructose already

I don't know what you mean by "make any difference". Any difference for what?

To her, to her weight loss, to anything. Her life is not going to change in any shape way or form. Why do you all try and over complicate everything? It makes no sense.

Does counting carbs really matter: Providing she gets adequate protein/fat NO it does not matter, even if all her sugar comes from fruit, or if it all comes from table sugar.

scottaworley

It matters to me if I'm under 40% of total calories. But 40% is quite a lot.

MFP errs by including all carbs in the same category. So a low-glycemic whole oat and a sugar packet count the same on MFP. But not in your body.

All sugars get broken down the same, in your body.

Fiber is a carb and is processed differently than other carbs.

Fiber is seperate, to carbs (in my view, but sure yes you are right)

I'm talking sugar as in, whether its from a fruit or a can of soda.

There is also difference in how fructose and glucose are processed.

It isn't going to make any difference, sugar is sugar. For a start, sugar is half fructose already

I don't know what you mean by "make any difference". Any difference for what?

Does counting carbs really matter: Providing she gets adequate protein/fat NO it does not matter, even if all her sugar comes from fruit, or if it all comes from table sugar.

Or *GASP* HFCS

fleetzz

My TDEE is 1822. I would gain on 1900.

Again, except for 3 days in the past 3 months my intake has been consistently net 1200 calories.

If you look at my diary I have scant processed foods and measure to the gram so underestimating intake I think is a rare problem. I agree that overestimation of calories burned can be an issue so I try to not eat back all of the calories. However, I was doing low carb and was losing great and since I introduced carbs the loss of 1 lbs a week stalled.

It sounds like you are telling me that my maintenance net calories is 1200. So if i want to lose I need to go lower.

Give me some advice as to why my weight loss has stalled then. I am stumped. Gained .2 lbs in 2 months,

I wouldn't call that a gain...most people have natural body weight fluctuations of 3-5 Lbs day to day due to water retention/release, food in/out, etc. You are maintaining...which means you are eating a maintenance level of calories. This could be due to what would appear to be pretty radical inconsistency in your intake, overestimation of calorie burn, underestimating intake (i.e. not weighing/measuring...just guestimating...also if you eat out a lot or eat a lot of processed foods, calorie counts can be substantially off).

It has nothing to due with carbs...I ate plenty of carbs during my losing due to they provide awesome jet fuel for my training...without the carbs, my training would be for ****...I lost 40 Lbs easily eating carbs. When I was sedentary, I ate a higher protein and higher fat diet and benefited from that...but once I started really training and racing, carbs because pretty important.

I'm losing more eating 1900 calories than I ever did eating 1200.

Alisha_countrymama

For some people it does and some people it doesn't. My body is sensitive to sugar and carbs, so I keep mine low. But I also watch my calories too. Just listen to your body. When I eat to many carbs, I get serious cravings, and hunger pains. So when I keep my carbs low 50-75 net carbs (carbs minus fiber) I do better.... It's worked for me. I've lost 150 pounds.

ritchiedrama

fleetz, page 2, I gave you adequate macros/calories.

MyaPapaya75

I try to keep mine at 180 grams,,,

scottaworley

My TDEE is 1822. I would gain on 1900.

Again, except for 3 days in the past 3 months my intake has been consistently net 1200 calories.

If you look at my diary I have scant processed foods and measure to the gram so underestimating intake I think is a rare problem. I agree that overestimation of calories burned can be an issue so I try to not eat back all of the calories. However, I was doing low carb and was losing great and since I introduced carbs the loss of 1 lbs a week stalled.

It sounds like you are telling me that my maintenance net calories is 1200. So if i want to lose I need to go lower.

Give me some advice as to why my weight loss has stalled then. I am stumped. Gained .2 lbs in 2 months,

I wouldn't call that a gain...most people have natural body weight fluctuations of 3-5 Lbs day to day due to water retention/release, food in/out, etc. You are maintaining...which means you are eating a maintenance level of calories. This could be due to what would appear to be pretty radical inconsistency in your intake, overestimation of calorie burn, underestimating intake (i.e. not weighing/measuring...just guestimating...also if you eat out a lot or eat a lot of processed foods, calorie counts can be substantially off).

It has nothing to due with carbs...I ate plenty of carbs during my losing due to they provide awesome jet fuel for my training...without the carbs, my training would be for ****...I lost 40 Lbs easily eating carbs. When I was sedentary, I ate a higher protein and higher fat diet and benefited from that...but once I started really training and racing, carbs because pretty important.

I'm losing more eating 1900 calories than I ever did eating 1200.

Not trying to give a one size fits all - just saying that you might want to bump up your calories (say something around 1500) and see if that helps you.

cseckinger1

I eat low carb, but don't count the carbs. It's a lifestyle. Just eat lean protein & lots of green veggies. Stay away from processed foods, & no sugar. For the first 2 wks or so, just eat eggs, meats of all kinds, all the green fresh veggies you can find, & drink a lot of water. It's easy. No fruits or potatoes, no corn or pasta. Last night I made a chili w/lean ground, onion, cabbage, & chili flavor packet. I eat till I'm satisfied. The sugar is the important thing, no sugar.

ritchiedrama

I eat low carb, but don't count the carbs. It's a lifestyle. Just eat lean protein & lots of green veggies. Stay away from processed foods, & no sugar. For the first 2 wks or so, just eat eggs, meats of all kinds, all the green fresh veggies you can find, & drink a lot of water. It's easy. No fruits or potatoes, no corn or pasta. Last night I made a chili w/lean ground, onion, cabbage, & chili flavor packet. I eat till I'm satisfied. The sugar is the important thing, no sugar.

So you do that, feel free. But writing "no sugar" means nothing. It doesn't affect your fat loss.

toutmonpossible

If you are close to or at your goal weight and want to lose fat I believe the amount of carbs consumed does matter. If you have lots of weight to lose I would focus on calories.

mamagoody74

I've had the same problem. I lost five pounds very quickly (in one week) and then stopped. I am exercising more and am WAY under my calorie goal of 1300/day. For my weekly summaries, I am between a 1200-2400 calorie deficit. Last week is was - 2489. What gives????? I was told that my body was in starvation mode and I'm eating too little, but I don't know if I believe it and I'm afraid to increase the calories.

fleetzz

I started dieting late Feb 2013. and had been losing about 1 lb per week doing low carb. I joined MFP over a year ago but just found it again and started logging in May. I was getting close to goal weight so started increasing fruit (was previously only including veggies). I lost in May/Early June, but noticed that since mid June my weight has been bouncing around, wasn't too worried because I figured that was normal.

However when I went back and checked my weights month-month today I noticed I haven't lost a thing in 2 months, and that was shortly after I started to introduce fruit and increase my carbs from < 30 grams per day to 150 or so. Didn't think it would make as much as a difference as adding carbs did, but I bet I would be much closer to goal weight if I had not.


I don't LIKE the low carb diet, but right now I am really thinking that at least for me the low carb diet works to lose weight.

There was one day I was 1900 I think it was my birthday, but I am trying to eat back calories based on exercise, but don't want to eat back too many calories because I am not convinced MFP reports calories correctly.

Net calories:
In the past 3 months I had 2 days where net calories were over 1500 (and by < 100 calories) and the rest of the time my net calories are right around 1200 calories.


Total calories:
In the past 3 months I had 2 days over 1600 calories, one was that day on my birthday, I had 3 days in the past 3 months where I was over 1500 calories total.



So again, I am eating too much? Where do I cut back?

How long have you been dieting? My progress has slowed down massively after losing 30 lbs since January. I've been advised to take a diet break hoping that things will sort itself out, have a read of this, it may apply to you: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

Back to the post, I haven't restricted carbs and I've been doing just fine. :laugh: A lack of carbs makes me miserable, you need them for energy, they're not the enemy! Eat up! Calories in vs calories out is the most important factor in weight loss.

scottaworley

I've had the same problem. I lost five pounds very quickly (in one week) and then stopped. I am exercising more and am WAY under my calorie goal of 1300/day. For my weekly summaries, I am between a 1200-2400 calorie deficit. Last week is was - 2489. What gives????? I was told that my body was in starvation mode and I'm eating too little, but I don't know if I believe it and I'm afraid to increase the calories.

You're not in starvation mode, but you are eating too little.
Eat more food.

bcattoes

To her, to her weight loss, to anything. Her life is not going to change in any shape way or form. Why do you all try and over complicate everything? It makes no sense.

Does counting carbs really matter: Providing she gets adequate protein/fat NO it does not matter, even if all her sugar comes from fruit, or if it all comes from table sugar.

Oh. Well I don't know her so perhaps that's true and perhaps not. Some medical conditions make carbs matter very much. And many people find sugary foods that also contain fiber, such as fruit, more satiating than sugary foods without fiber. And then there are the psychological factors of weight loss. What "matters" is completely individual when it comes to weight loss.

WendyTerry420

I eat low carb, but don't count the carbs. It's a lifestyle. Just eat lean protein & lots of green veggies. Stay away from processed foods, & no sugar. For the first 2 wks or so, just eat eggs, meats of all kinds, all the green fresh veggies you can find, & drink a lot of water. It's easy. No fruits or potatoes, no corn or pasta. Last night I made a chili w/lean ground, onion, cabbage, & chili flavor packet. I eat till I'm satisfied. The sugar is the important thing, no sugar.

So you do that, feel free. But writing "no sugar" means nothing. It doesn't affect your fat loss.

Yes, if you are in a deficit, your body will NOT store fat. It just can't. Body fat is stored energy. There is nothing extra to store if you have a caloric deficit.

rebelq

It does seem counter intuitive, but my weight often stays the same when I am not eating enough. Staying on my calorie goal ensures regular loss.