Carbs

AshHeartsJesus

Out of curiosity how many carbs do you eat a day? How has it been losing weight?

I have been doing low carb at about 75 grams a day after trying carb cycling that I just didn't really like. Below 50 carbs just doesn't work for me.

My macros are at 1500 calories 75 carbs 75 fat and 131 protein. I am a 4'10 woman 131.5lbs 12lbs or so from my first goal weight. I have lost over 40lbs.
I workout 6 days a week usually mostly to Sydney Cummings doing a variety of exercises. My focus is total body strength while burning fat.

sijomial

I never specifically restricted carbs, I set minimum goals for protein and fat and carbs tended to fill the rest up to my desired calorie level.
But on a big cycling day I would prioritise carbs for energy and performance - maximum 650g in an exceptional day.

My weight loss tracked my calorie balance as that's what drives fat loss, not the number of carbs.

sarahbetherck

I try to stick close to my %s. 45% carbs/20% fat/35% protein but focus more on the calories. I'm not hungry and I've been losing steadily all month.

sardelsa

I eat 300-400g per day, losing 0.5lb per week. But I am taller and have much higher calories.

AshHeartsJesus

I would love to be taller on the calorie end of it 😭

AnnPT77

I generally ate around 150g carbs while losing weight, and eat around 200g at maintenance, but I honestly don't pay much attention to them. I have a protein minimum, a fat minimum, a calorie goal, and a veggie/fruit servings target. The carbs just fall wherever they end up, as part of hitting those goals. I don't care at all what the actual carb number is.

Carbs don't spike my appetite, and I'm not insulin resistant or diabetic (nor have any other relevant health condition), so no reason to specifically limit them.

If it matters, I'm 5'5", about 128 pounds right now, age 64, mostly in maintenance (for 4+ years, after losing from class 1 obese at 183 pounds in 2015). I've been losing ultra slowly (intentionally) for the past few months (like a pound a month or less 😆) on 1850 net calories plus anything from zero to 350 calories of exercise. On that, the nutritional targets are 100g minimum protein, 50g minimum fat, and 5+ minimum (ideally 10+) 80g veggie/fruit servings.

Katmary71

About 200, I eat a ton of produce and no grains. I'm trying to do 45% carbs 40% protein, and 15% fat but keep going over on fats and carbs.

CardinalComb

Changed my diet completely about a year ago to high fat low carb. I eat around 50g or less grams of carbs a day and 2000-2500 cals a day. I was doing about 1200 cals and lost 65 lbs in the first 6 months. I've been maintaining weight although still losing fat, gaining muscle over the last 8 months.

psuLemon

I eat around 35-70g total with around 30-50g net.

VegjoyP

I don't generally count grams, I just focus on over all percentages and balance. I tried really low carb but I am not going to restrict broccoli, cauliflower, greens, vegetables to fit a number. I do aim to keep cabs at about 25 % but my macros are set at 40% Protein,30% Fat and 30% carbs.

deb122884

Macros Carbs (150g) 50%,
Protein & Fats 30/20
Im 60, 5'4"- Calories 1200 -trying to lose weight. Currently 134.8, GW 130. Weight lifting 3x's a week fo 30-45 minutes.
Below 100 Carbs I get shaky, lethargic, no energy. Tried Keto before and was Terrible on my GERD.

QuilterInVA

That much protein daily can ruin your kidneys.

quiksylver296

QuilterInVA wrote: »

That much protein daily can ruin your kidneys.

That's mostly an old wives' tale, presuming one is healthy overall.

quiksylver296

Carbs - 175 grams 5 days a week, 275 grams 2 days a week.

ccrdragon

I eat lower carb and usually limit my carbs to around 100g net per day. I make up for any differences with protein (usually) and fat (sometimes).

QuilterInVA wrote: »

That much protein daily can ruin your kidneys.

Only if you have pre-existing conditions that limit your kidney functions. Healthy kidneys can handle a lot more than that.

siyeonsimpp

I usually have anywhere from 150g-200g of carbs per day, but I usually don't really pay much attention to the carbs, rather than the calories, which I think are more important in weight loss.

kshama2001

I once lost weight effortlessly while eating very high carb. Since I wasn't trying to lose weight, I cannot quantify it. But I was eating tropical fruit all day long, plus rice and beans 2-3 times per day.

I had created a calorie deficit by not having access to high calorie/hyper-palatable food - I was in Costa Rico at a primitive yoga retreat center with no refrigeration, so, not conditions easy or desired to replicate.

As I love to cook and eat, I struggle when I have full access to American supermarkets and kitchens.

Mazintrov13

I lift weights 5 times a week, am 5’4 (164 cm) and 56kg 124 pounds and eat on average 210 grams of carbs a day.
I will eat more on intense training days less on others.
I will reduce them slightly if I I am cutting

AshHeartsJesus

Thanks for sharing guys. I find it interesting how people lose and cut with their diet 😊

Latrellis

220 carb avg daily (mostly good carbs, no bread), 1900-1950 cals per day. Lost 9.4 lbs in 7 wks. Unless someone is glucose intolerant, 3,500 calories is 1 lb, regardless of carbs.

silverpl2525

I am on a keto diet, so I do less that 30g of carbs a day. I don't count fiber or sugar alcohols. Initially I lost several pounds fast that was mostly water weight, and I steadily lose bit by bit, but the pounds pile on if I don't follow the diet well. I did it once before in my life and lost 40 lbs so I know I can do it. In fact it is the only diet that ever worked for me. Simple less calories in than out left me hungry and binging on ice cream once a week or so!

callsitlikeiseeit

i dont monitor carbs at all. that said, staying within my calorie goals and being 'full', prevents eating a TON of them, on an average day, at least

pafinkssteffes

Per my sister I should be getting 130g of protein, 50g. Carbs and 65g fat. I can never make the protein, always over the fat and good on carbs. Any opinions or advice.

wilson10102018

I think people can lose weight by rejecting carbs. But, in the end, it is just a shortcut to eating less calories for those who can't plan balanced meals within their calorie goals.

Definitely works for some people. And, probably no harm in being low on carbs. That is not really true of fats which are needed for body.

AshHeartsJesus

Yikes old thread 😄
I hit goal in 2020 and have still been toning and maintaing eating carbs of 120+ these days. I stay within my calories and try to eat more protien then anything else.

LORD JESUS IS KING OF KINGS

Anabirgite

I had to go look at my diary, I had not been paying attention to carb grams particularly. I have my goals set up as 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat so depending on the day and workout the numbers vary. I seem to lose with these percentages. I do prioritize for breakfast and lunch eating a variety of fruits and vegetables so that may be high percentage of my carbs.

AnnPT77

pafinkssteffes wrote: »

Per my sister I should be getting 130g of protein, 50g. Carbs and 65g fat. I can never make the protein, always over the fat and good on carbs. Any opinions or advice.

0.6-0.8 grams protein daily per pound of healthy goal weight (use midpoint of normal BMI for your height if not sure of a healthy goal weight, it'll be plenty close enough). That equates (close enough) to 0.8-1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass, for a wide range of typical people, but most of us don't have a decent method of estimating lean body mass. Or, use this source for protein estimates:

https://examine.com/nutrition/protein-intake-calculator/
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/

That's a minimum, more won't hurt a person unless they have certain specific serious health conditions. (You'd likely know if you have kidney disease or the like.)

Fats, I'd recommend something in the range of 0.35-0.45 grams daily per pound of body weight, men OK toward the lower end, maybe even 0.3g/lb. Again, more is fine, unless health conditions require limits.

The above would be on average over small numbers of days: A little under one day, a little over the next, fine. Needn't be exact.

Carbs? If diabetic, insulin resistant, or the the like, manage carbs as needed for that health condition. Otherwise, if that's not a factor, eat carbs to preference or personal results, with remaining calories. Eating more carbs causes appetite increase or cravings? Eat fewer carbs. Eating fewer carbs causes energy drop? Eat more carbs.

Protein and fats are essential nutrients, in the technical sense that your body can't manufacture them out of any other nutrient, so you need to eat some. Carbs are not essential in that sense.

Alcohol is commonly consumed, has calories, is not any of protein, fat, or carbs: It's its own thing. Probably a good plan to moderate it, eh? 😉

JBanx256

pafinkssteffes wrote: »

Per my sister I should be getting 130g of protein, 50g. Carbs and 65g fat. I can never make the protein, always over the fat and good on carbs. Any opinions or advice.

What, precisely, is your sister's reasoning for this? Does she even have an explanation for where she got these numbers?

JBanx256

Currently shooting for 225g carbs/day with a tolerance of +/- 10g.

AnnPT77

pafinkssteffes wrote: »

Per my sister I should be getting 130g of protein, 50g. Carbs and 65g fat. I can never make the protein, always over the fat and good on carbs. Any opinions or advice.

Oh yeah, and if you want to increase protein intake, this thread may be helpful:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also

It helped me, for sure, when first trying to get adequate protein on lower calories, as a vegetarian. These days, in maintenance, I'm usually exceeding my 100g protein minimum, and even that 100 is probably a bit above 1g per pound of lean body mass, for me.

watts6151

Just before I entered a maintenance phase I was over 800g per day, not really any fun at all