how to keep carbs low and protein high

hml_rachel

I read how people are keeping their carbs under 100 and their protein over 100 g. but I don't see how people can do that. even though I don't eat a ton of starchy foods (like rice, pasta and breads)that you think has lots of carbs in them I still seem to eat a lot it.

what foods do you eat that have low carbs but are still healthy for you and foods that are high in protein? take a look at my food diary to see where I'm coming from.

3dogsrunning

Just a glance at your diary, you eat -
Oatmeal, granola bars, bananas, sugar and substitute coffee creamer, bread, potatoes, rice. Your lean cuisine had 46 grams of carbs. That's almost half if you are aiming for under 100.

*none of these are bad, but all in one day will lead to a higher carb intake. Start substituting some of them.
Chicken and lots of veggies instead of chicken and rice/potatoes. Or do eggs for breakfast instead of oatmeal. Drop the granola bar.

ETA - your morning coffee has 14 grams of carbs alone.

3dogsrunning

The other part of your question - protein. I make it my first priority in every meal to get enough protein. That comes before anything else. I look for snack with protein, like Greek yogurt, tuna, even cold chicken cut up.

tonynguyen75

I used to struggle with getting enough protein. You have to change the way you build your meals. After you get your calorie counting and exercise in order, the next step is your macros. Must people will find that they need to increase protein and reduce carbs. Once you know how many calories to consume, now it's how you fill those calories.

Try this:

Meal 1:
2 whole eggs
126g egg whites
2 slices of Dempsters Flax Bread
2 slices of back bacon

575 calories. 49g of protein. 43g of carbs. 21g of fat.

You can even cut out the bread there and replace it with raw spinach.

Another meal that I've done that's given me good ratios of calories, proteins and carbs is:

<100g white rice
6 oz chicken breast
130g of cambell's steak chilli.

You can even cut out the white rice there. Most of my meals now contain only around 5-10g more carbs than protein, then I supplement the end of the day with 2 scoops of protein powder. That's how I get by while still enjoying white rice, breads, etc.

I drink my coffee black though. I suggest you get into the habit. It cuts out a lot of extra calories.

ndj1979

i have my carbs set at 25% of my macros ....

why do you want to eat so low carb?

As for getting more protein - eat eggs, steak, chicken, pork, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, etc...i have no problem hitting 200 grams of protein a day ...

EDesq

Do you know what long term high "protein" will do to your lymphatic system, liver and kidneys...Research! Also, you should distinguish between Carbs, Simple and Complex. Starches are COMPLEX Carbs that are usually harmful vs. Simple Carbs that occur in Natural Plants. So all Carbs are NOT equal. I might also add that your BEST source of Amino Acids (protein) are Plant Based, and I DO NOT mean Legumes.

Sabine_Stroehm

It's hard to do with pre-packaged foods, that's for sure. If it's a real goal, you're going to have to change how you think about food, or supplement a lot.

Cranquistador

Do you know what long term high "protein" will do to your lymphatic system, liver and kidneys...Research! Also, you should distinguish between Carbs, Simple and Complex. Starches are COMPLEX Carbs that are usually harmful vs. Simple Carbs that occur in Natural Plants. So all Carbs are NOT equal. I might also add that your BEST source of Amino Acids (protein) are Plant Based, and I DO NOT mean Legumes.

lolwut?

BeachIron

Do you know what long term high "protein" will do to your lymphatic system, liver and kidneys...Research! Also, you should distinguish between Carbs, Simple and Complex. Starches are COMPLEX Carbs that are usually harmful vs. Simple Carbs that occur in Natural Plants. So all Carbs are NOT equal. I might also add that your BEST source of Amino Acids (protein) are Plant Based, and I DO NOT mean Legumes.

lolwut?

In for more youtube videos and websites with agendas as proof

taso42

Why?

ndj1979

Do you know what long term high "protein" will do to your lymphatic system, liver and kidneys...Research! Also, you should distinguish between Carbs, Simple and Complex. Starches are COMPLEX Carbs that are usually harmful vs. Simple Carbs that occur in Natural Plants. So all Carbs are NOT equal. I might also add that your BEST source of Amino Acids (protein) are Plant Based, and I DO NOT mean Legumes.

ummm what the heck are you talking about? Protein damages the lymphatic system...bahahahahahahaha...eagerly awaits study..

ronrstaats

Do you know what long term high "protein" will do to your lymphatic system, liver and kidneys...Research!

Absolutely nothing unless you already have a problem with your lymphatic system, liver and kidneys...

pcastagner

Do you know what long term high "protein" will do to your lymphatic system, liver and kidneys...Research! Also, you should distinguish between Carbs, Simple and Complex. Starches are COMPLEX Carbs that are usually harmful vs. Simple Carbs that occur in Natural Plants. So all Carbs are NOT equal. I might also add that your BEST source of Amino Acids (protein) are Plant Based, and I DO NOT mean Legumes.

Wut?

Potatoes are not plants? Flour is the ground up seed of a what now?

DatMurse

I might also add that your BEST source of Amino Acids (protein) are Plant Based, and I DO NOT mean Legumes.

Yea. You are right. All the essential amino acids are high in in the plant based protein that your body cannot synthesize....

OH WAIT THATS ANIMAL PROTEN!

Red_Sparrow

Do you know what long term high "protein" will do to your lymphatic system, liver and kidneys...Research! Also, you should distinguish between Carbs, Simple and Complex. Starches are COMPLEX Carbs that are usually harmful vs. Simple Carbs that occur in Natural Plants. So all Carbs are NOT equal. I might also add that your BEST source of Amino Acids (protein) are Plant Based, and I DO NOT mean Legumes.

-Rabbit starvation occurs when you're eating like 300g of protein a day and nothing else. 100g of protein+high carbs that the OP eats isn't anywhere approaching this kind of diet or even remotely harmful or abnormal.

-Starches occur in "Natural Plants". Commonly.

-I like my amino acids to come from a tub shipped to my doorstep.

ndj1979

So all Carbs are NOT equal.

I thought the declaration of independence said that all carbs are created equal...?

Cait_Sidhe

Why?

this.

3dogsrunning

i have my carbs set at 25% of my macros ....

why do you want to eat so low carb?

As for getting more protein - eat eggs, steak, chicken, pork, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, etc...i have no problem hitting 200 grams of protein a day ...

If I am not mistaken, based off of today, 100 grams of carbs would be 25% of her calories.

Then again I may have totally effed up the math.

ETA - I also didn't exactly think she was looking to lower it, just wondering how people go that low.

Sabine_Stroehm

Why?

this.

Out of curiosity, why do you want your protein as high as it is?

tonynguyen75

Protein helps preserve muscle mass while cutting (not as much as lifting though), increases satiety and tastes better than carbs. Why WOULDN'T you want to increase your protein?

DatMurse

Protein helps preserve muscle mass while cutting (not as much as lifting though), increases satiety and tastes better than carbs. Why WOULDN'T you want to increase your protein?

protein also loses 25% of its calories to be metabolized by the body. so its 3cals. it also takes 33% of those 3 cals to be converted to glucose. so it becomes 2 cals

Helloitsdan

^Assuming the proper training protocol is in place and no other metabolic conditions interfere i.e.: insufficient digestive enzymes, adrenal issues etc...

LAW_714

Do you know what long term high "protein" will do to your lymphatic system, liver and kidneys...Research! Also, you should distinguish between Carbs, Simple and Complex. Starches are COMPLEX Carbs that are usually harmful vs. Simple Carbs that occur in Natural Plants. So all Carbs are NOT equal. I might also add that your BEST source of Amino Acids (protein) are Plant Based, and I DO NOT mean Legumes.

Wow. That's ... wow. Where does one start to deconstruct that post...

Simple and complex carbs both occurring in 'natural plants'? Starches as complex? 'Natural plants' (are preternatural ones an alternative?)

pcastagner

Do you know what long term high "protein" will do to your lymphatic system, liver and kidneys...Research! Also, you should distinguish between Carbs, Simple and Complex. Starches are COMPLEX Carbs that are usually harmful vs. Simple Carbs that occur in Natural Plants. So all Carbs are NOT equal. I might also add that your BEST source of Amino Acids (protein) are Plant Based, and I DO NOT mean Legumes.

Wow. That's ... wow. Where does one start to deconstruct that post...

Simple and complex carbs both occurring in 'natural plants'? Starches as complex? 'Natural plants' (are preternatural ones an alternative?)

Well that part is right. Starches are complex carbs.

Cait_Sidhe

Why?

this.

Out of curiosity, why do you want your protein as high as it is?

Is that directed at me? If so, it's so I run less of a chance of losing my lean muscle mass while losing fat. I don't really limit my carbs though. I tried once and it caused me to go off the deep end into a week long binge.

I find that when I try and keep my protein high, the carbs just sort of fall into place anyway. Today is not a good example of that.

Snow3y

I read how people are keeping their carbs under 100 and their protein over 100 g. but I don't see how people can do that. even though I don't eat a ton of starchy foods (like rice, pasta and breads)that you think has lots of carbs in them I still seem to eat a lot it.

what foods do you eat that have low carbs but are still healthy for you and foods that are high in protein? take a look at my food diary to see where I'm coming from.

Don't bother, Just eat normally..

pcastagner

Why?

this.

Out of curiosity, why do you want your protein as high as it is?

Is that directed at me? If so, it's so I run less of a chance of losing my lean muscle mass while losing fat. I don't really limit my carbs though. I tried once and it caused me to go off the deep end into a week long binge.

I find that when I try and keep my protein high, the carbs just sort of fall into place anyway. Today is not a good example of that.

You don't need as much protein as supplement companies claim to do prevent muscle loss. And going above what your body needs isn't going to mean even less muscle loss. It's one of those blown out of proportion claims partly based in truth.

Since protein prevents muscle loss, then even mo protein must prevent even more muscle loss, right? Well, no. And most of the source material for justifying all this crazy protein comes from studies done on steroid users, a subset of the human race that is actually able to use all that brotein.

Eat your 1g per lb of body mass if you like it and have the money. Otherwise, don't sweat it. As long as you aren't deficient it's not an issue.

DatMurse

Why?

this.

Out of curiosity, why do you want your protein as high as it is?

Is that directed at me? If so, it's so I run less of a chance of losing my lean muscle mass while losing fat. I don't really limit my carbs though. I tried once and it caused me to go off the deep end into a week long binge.

I find that when I try and keep my protein high, the carbs just sort of fall into place anyway. Today is not a good example of that.

You don't need as much protein as supplement companies claim to do prevent muscle loss. And going above what your body needs isn't going to mean even less muscle loss. It's one of those blown out of proportion claims partly based in truth.

Since protein prevents muscle loss, then even mo protein must prevent even more muscle loss, right? Well, no. And most of the source material for justifying all this crazy protein comes from studies done on steroid users, a subset of the human race that is actually able to use all that brotein.

Eat your 1g per lb of body mass if you like it and have the money. Otherwise, don't sweat it. As long as you aren't deficient it's not an issue.

people reccomend .8g per lb

What studies for steroid users are out there? what are you talking about?

Link me the study that talks about steroid users

pcastagner

Why?

this.

Out of curiosity, why do you want your protein as high as it is?

Is that directed at me? If so, it's so I run less of a chance of losing my lean muscle mass while losing fat. I don't really limit my carbs though. I tried once and it caused me to go off the deep end into a week long binge.

I find that when I try and keep my protein high, the carbs just sort of fall into place anyway. Today is not a good example of that.

You don't need as much protein as supplement companies claim to do prevent muscle loss. And going above what your body needs isn't going to mean even less muscle loss. It's one of those blown out of proportion claims partly based in truth.

Since protein prevents muscle loss, then even mo protein must prevent even more muscle loss, right? Well, no. And most of the source material for justifying all this crazy protein comes from studies done on steroid users, a subset of the human race that is actually able to use all that brotein.

Eat your 1g per lb of body mass if you like it and have the money. Otherwise, don't sweat it. As long as you aren't deficient it's not an issue.

people reccomend .8g per lb

What studies for steroid users are out there? what are you talking about?

Link me the study that talks about steroid users

.8g per lb is eminently reasonable, and much lower than I was told to eat at first. (1-1.5 g per lb)

People reference Tarnopolsky et al. (1988) to support much higher protein consumption, which looked at elite body builders and did not exclude steroid users.

When I came to Japan and started eating more carbs due to environment, the sky didn't fall and I didn't lose all my muscle despite cutting, so I started asking around. I found this page, which makes sense to me http://mennohenselmans.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/

LAW_714

I read how people are keeping their carbs under 100 and their protein over 100 g. but I don't see how people can do that. even though I don't eat a ton of starchy foods (like rice, pasta and breads)that you think has lots of carbs in them I still seem to eat a lot it.

I eat less than 100g carbs most days and I eat lots of carbs. "Lots" as defined by the quantity of my plate and its proportion as compared to other macros. (and I'm eating 1600+ calories a day and staying under 100g carbs). The difference for me is that I moderate the refined carbs of flour and sugar (haven't eliminated either entirely. I just eat them occasionally).

What do I eat? Yesterday alone the carbs I ate consisted of: Red Pepper/Tomato soup, honeydew melon, blue berries, whipped cream, sweet potatoes, broccoli, half and half, Almond-Coconut milk, and 72% Ghiradeli dark chocolate all for 90g carbs.

You can 'limit' carbs while eating plates full of them. Looking at proportions on my plate I'd say I eat more carbs than meat. I just consume most of my carbs in the form of vegetables and fruits with some milk products thrown in while limiting sugar and bread. It takes a bit of practice, but I don't feel deprived or like I'm not allowed enough fruits and vegetables.

Alehmer

I don't drink calories, eat no grains, and hardly any starches (a minor amount of beans or lentils here and there in a meal) unless directly after a heavy workout, and that's about the only way I can keep them to less than a third of my calories on average. Basically you need to be on a Meat & veggie diet with a bit of fruit.