Carb help.
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Beth_Marshall
Posts: 30 Member
I am really struggling not to go over my carb limit. I don't eat pasta rice or potatoes and have a seaded sandwich thin for lunch. So most of my carbs must be coming from fruit and veg? Should this be something to look at or because they are from beg should I it worry?
Thanks
Thanks
2
Replies
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What is your goal?
for weight loss all you need is to eat at calorie deficit. how those fall into macros is more about sociaty/health. i don’t monitor carbs very closely and it has not stopped my progress.7 -
Carbs don't effect weight loss. I would be more focused on getting adequate protein. But that is largely for satiety and helps with muscle retention.7
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That's another thing, I'm struggeling to hit my protein goal...don't know if it's set to high ?0
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Beth_Marshall wrote: »That's another thing, I'm struggeling to hit my protein goal...don't know if it's set to high ?
What are your goals?0 -
1 -
It looks like you custom-set your goals to be lower on carbohydrates and higher on protein than the default. If there isn't a specific reason you did that, why not just go with the defaults and see if those are easier for you?0
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Is 1200 what MFP gave you, or did you set that? Your calories are kind of constraining all of your macro intakes.
1200 is usually kind of unnecessarily low for a lot of people - there are instances where it makes sense like somewhat short, sedentary women. For a lot of people they end up with MFP pitching 1200 because they're trying to lose 2 pounds a week and don't have a lot to lose.3 -
I think 40/30/30 are good macros for 1200 cal, as the default protein goal (20%) is a little low for someone at that calorie level -- 60 g, and often for someone at a significant deficit.
You might want to consider whether you really need to eat 1200.
If you want to stick with it, the trick is looking at where your carbs are coming from and if there are meals where protein is really low. Often you can hit the goals just by increasing portions of higher protein foods, decreasing portions of higher carb foods (not non starchy vegetables, which shouldn't be the issue with a 120 g carb goal), and if there are meals where you get very little protein (some people have this issue at breakfast or lunch or with snacks if they snack), think of additions that will have more protein.2 -
I think 40/30/30 are good macros for 1200 cal, as the default protein goal (20%) is a little low for someone at that calorie level -- 60 g, and often for someone at a significant deficit.
You might want to consider whether you really need to eat 1200.
If you want to stick with it, the trick is looking at where your carbs are coming from and if there are meals where protein is really low. Often you can hit the goals just by increasing portions of higher protein foods, decreasing portions of higher carb foods (not non starchy vegetables, which shouldn't be the issue with a 120 g carb goal), and if there are meals where you get very little protein (some people have this issue at breakfast or lunch or with snacks if they snack), think of additions that will have more protein.
More on whether you really need to eat 1200: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/1 -
Beth_Marshall wrote: »I am really struggling not to go over my carb limit. I don't eat pasta rice or potatoes and have a seaded sandwich thin for lunch. So most of my carbs must be coming from fruit and veg? Should this be something to look at or because they are from beg should I it worry?
Thanks
I'm confused about your statement "I don't eat pasta rice or potatoes". In your diary entry for February 25, 2019, you do list rice and potatoes, as well as bread, which is also wheat like pasta.
While one doesn't need to eat low carb in order to lose weight (just create a calorie deficit) I do find protein more filling so do look to reduce carbs some.
Here are some suggestions to reduce carbs based on what you ate today:- Instead of oats for breakfast, you can have higher protein, lower carb foods like eggs (which I personally find a heck of a lot more filling than oats.)
- For your lunch today, you could have either the curry or the fried rice.
- For your dinner today, you could have either the bread or the potatoes.
(I find potatoes way more filling than bread. I do still eat bread, just in much smaller quantities.)2 -
Beth_Marshall wrote: »That's another thing, I'm struggeling to hit my protein goal...don't know if it's set to high ?
the biggest two places you can increase protein is ::
- breakfast (see above recommendation for eggs, or add more protein using cow milk or nuts to the oats instead of almond milk and maple sirop.
- snacks: greek yogurt, jerky, boiled eggs (or just egg whties), meats, protein rich bars ( you can make your own to balance them out as needed)1 -
Personally, I treat protein and fat as maximums to go over every day and let carbs fall wherever they fall within my calories after that. For just weight loss, you don't even have to watch protein, fat, or carbs at all. Calories are king for weight loss. If you have specific/medical reasons to watch your carbs then you'll likely to have to watch all carb sources, but you'll want to check in with your treatment team or advice that's more specific to your needs about that. If you're just watching carbs because you want to or because you think you need to for weight loss, then it's personal preference whether or not you cut back on them.
Looking through your diary for the past month, it looks like you've logged really consistently up until this past week, so that's great! Without knowing your stats, your fat totals look low some days. That might be worth looking into. But again, it's largely personal preference and what makes you feel the best unless there's a medical issue at play.1 -
If you're like me, lots of carbs do fatten me, try to limit starchy foods like bread, rice, pasta, potatoes to 3 portions a day. A portion is a slice of bread, a small potato or half a cup of pasta or rice or bulgur.
Of course, cut sugar, eat sweetened stuff rarely, don't add sugar in your food and so on and so on.
Plus, I don't think only reducing carbs on a long term is the answer.
Rather, like with fats, we have to look for quality too.
And when we talk about carbs, the way you cook food and combine various foods makes the difference between
low quality carbs and the good ones. Fried potatoes and baked potatoes eaten on a daily base it's a no no.
Boil a potato in skin on very low heat with a dash of salt, cool it immediately when done in cold water and refrigerate it overnight and you'll have a different kind of carb. It's about glycemic index. The same goes with pasta. Boil it al dente. Combine pasta with cheese or minced meat and tomato sauce, and there, you have a nice healthy meal.
Of course, quantity is essential. A "fist" of pasta, a small potato, that's a portion.
Also, there are foods with lots of carbs but very healthy due to the high fibre and vegetable protein content.
These are pulses. Beans, green young peas, lentil, chickpeas, but no more than half a cup a day.
Pay attention to "hidden" carbs. Better limit fruits to maybe 3 portions a day. Pay attention to fruits like grapes, bananas, tropical fruits - limit portions and don't eat them daily. Berries are my diet's best friends.
Ideal for any diet but pay attention to the freezed ones, sometimes sugar is added.
What proteins you eat is also vital. Variety is esential here, I'd say.
Eat some meats, lean ones, but also eggs, fish, sea food, dairy, cheese, pulses, mushrooms.
Avoid processed meats.
While carbs do fatten me, so do fats, healthy or not.
Howether, some meals, rich in fats are satiating, you don't have to eat much to fill full.
Like a handful of peanuts or walnuts. Or 2 tbsp of humus.
17 -
Excess calories fatten you, regardless of the macro they come from.9
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Release yourself from the macros management bondage and just focus on making sure you achieve a daily calories deficit that aligns with your weight loss goals.6
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If you're like me, lots of carbs do fatten me, try to limit starchy foods like bread, rice, pasta, potatoes to 3 portions a day. A portion is a slice of bread, a small potato or half a cup of pasta or rice or bulgur.
Of course, cut sugar, eat sweetened stuff rarely, don't add sugar in your food and so on and so on.
Plus, I don't think only reducing carbs on a long term is the answer.
Rather, like with fats, we have to look for quality too.
And when we talk about carbs, the way you cook food and combine various foods makes the difference between
low quality carbs and the good ones. Fried potatoes and baked potatoes eaten on a daily base it's a no no.
Boil a potato in skin on very low heat with a dash of salt, cool it immediately when done in cold water and refrigerate it overnight and you'll have a different kind of carb. It's about glycemic index. The same goes with pasta. Boil it al dente. Combine pasta with cheese or minced meat and tomato sauce, and there, you have a nice healthy meal.
Of course, quantity is essential. A "fist" of pasta, a small potato, that's a portion.
Also, there are foods with lots of carbs but very healthy due to the high fibre and vegetable protein content.
These are pulses. Beans, green young peas, lentil, chickpeas, but no more than half a cup a day.
Pay attention to "hidden" carbs. Better limit fruits to maybe 3 portions a day. Pay attention to fruits like grapes, bananas, tropical fruits - limit portions and don't eat them daily. Berries are my diet's best friends.
Ideal for any diet but pay attention to the freezed ones, sometimes sugar is added.
What proteins you eat is also vital. Variety is esential here, I'd say.
Eat some meats, lean ones, but also eggs, fish, sea food, dairy, cheese, pulses, mushrooms.
Avoid processed meats.
While carbs do fatten me, so do fats, healthy or not.
Howether, some meals, rich in fats are satiating, you don't have to eat much to fill full.
Like a handful of peanuts or walnuts. Or 2 tbsp of humus.
What causes weight gain is excess calories, not a specific macro or macros ratios.
And using a 'fist' of something is a horrible way to accurately figure out a portion size. A food scale is under $20 and will give you accurate measurements, so you know exactly how much of something you're eating.
And then in terms of weight loss there are no 'good' foods or 'bad' foods, only calories. Quality (whatever that means) doesn't matter, neither does how something is cooked. Calories is what determines weight loss, weight gain and weight maintenance.
OP, if your goal is to lose weight don't stress out about your macros-eat the foods you like and keep within your calorie targets. Everything else is majoring in the minors and has a very minimal impact.5 -
If you're like me, lots of carbs do fatten me, try to limit starchy foods like bread, rice, pasta, potatoes to 3 portions a day. A portion is a slice of bread, a small potato or half a cup of pasta or rice or bulgur.
Of course, cut sugar, eat sweetened stuff rarely, don't add sugar in your food and so on and so on.
Plus, I don't think only reducing carbs on a long term is the answer.
Rather, like with fats, we have to look for quality too.
And when we talk about carbs, the way you cook food and combine various foods makes the difference between
low quality carbs and the good ones. Fried potatoes and baked potatoes eaten on a daily base it's a no no.
Boil a potato in skin on very low heat with a dash of salt, cool it immediately when done in cold water and refrigerate it overnight and you'll have a different kind of carb. It's about glycemic index. The same goes with pasta. Boil it al dente. Combine pasta with cheese or minced meat and tomato sauce, and there, you have a nice healthy meal.
Of course, quantity is essential. A "fist" of pasta, a small potato, that's a portion.
Also, there are foods with lots of carbs but very healthy due to the high fibre and vegetable protein content.
These are pulses. Beans, green young peas, lentil, chickpeas, but no more than half a cup a day.
Pay attention to "hidden" carbs. Better limit fruits to maybe 3 portions a day. Pay attention to fruits like grapes, bananas, tropical fruits - limit portions and don't eat them daily. Berries are my diet's best friends.
Ideal for any diet but pay attention to the freezed ones, sometimes sugar is added.
What proteins you eat is also vital. Variety is esential here, I'd say.
Eat some meats, lean ones, but also eggs, fish, sea food, dairy, cheese, pulses, mushrooms.
Avoid processed meats.
While carbs do fatten me, so do fats, healthy or not.
Howether, some meals, rich in fats are satiating, you don't have to eat much to fill full.
Like a handful of peanuts or walnuts. Or 2 tbsp of humus.
I would also add that glycemic index is meaningless unless you are eating a particular food by itself on an empty stomach. As soon as you start combining foods (or eat the foods before your stomach empties from previous foods) the glycemic index of a given food goes out the window because your body does not process foods individually - the foods combine in your stomach and that changes the time that it takes to digest, which changes the effects on hormones, blood sugar levels and everything else.1 -
Beth_Marshall wrote: »I am really struggling not to go over my carb limit. I don't eat pasta rice or potatoes and have a seaded sandwich thin for lunch. So most of my carbs must be coming from fruit and veg? Should this be something to look at or because they are from beg should I it worry?
Thanks
I struggled with carbs as well. Then I researched carbs, then talked to my fat doctor, as well as my primary care doc. I educated them with my research. To get past carbs, you have to understand there are carbs in just about everything. The difference is "good carbs" vs. "bad carbs". Apples, bananas, rice, meat.....all good carbs. Pasta, any pasta, bad carbs. Also, don't be afraid to eat. I did, and that fear consumed me.
As far as upping your protein, I use Muscletech 100% whey protein. Again, it frustrated me because it says add to milk. Well the calories shot up. Ok, mix with water....nope, tasted really gross! So, I add it to my coffee (2 coffee pods), a 5.3 oz carton of yogurt, and a scoop of protein powder. Shake that goodness, and that's my breakfast.15 -
Sorry, that's false. With the possible exception of trans-fats, there are no "good" and "bad" foods. It's all about context and dosage. Pasta is not bad. When combined with high-calorie sauces, it can be easy to overdo, but that still doesn't make it (or the sauce) "bad".5
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DaveScadlock wrote: »Beth_Marshall wrote: »I am really struggling not to go over my carb limit. I don't eat pasta rice or potatoes and have a seaded sandwich thin for lunch. So most of my carbs must be coming from fruit and veg? Should this be something to look at or because they are from beg should I it worry?
Thanks
I struggled with carbs as well. Then I researched carbs, then talked to my fat doctor, as well as my primary care doc. I educated them with my research. To get past carbs, you have to understand there are carbs in just about everything. The difference is "good carbs" vs. "bad carbs". Apples, bananas, rice, meat.....all good carbs. Pasta, any pasta, bad carbs. Also, don't be afraid to eat. I did, and that fear consumed me.
As far as upping your protein, I use Muscletech 100% whey protein. Again, it frustrated me because it says add to milk. Well the calories shot up. Ok, mix with water....nope, tasted really gross! So, I add it to my coffee (2 coffee pods), a 5.3 oz carton of yogurt, and a scoop of protein powder. Shake that goodness, and that's my breakfast.
Oh I bet that went over well....
OP, again-in terms of weight loss there are no 'good' foods or 'bad' foods and macros ratios play a very minimal role in weight loss. People keep trying to make this whole process way more complicated than it needs to be.
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