What about the carbs?!?!

dangerousdumpling

Eating disorders/deteriorating relationship with foods can start with this type of nutritional dissection.........

I think it improved mine lol I started this at 270 lbs and still gaining. Avoiding bad carbs gives me more energy and has helped me lose weight.

I'm glad to hear that you've found something that works for you. Everyone has to find their balance and everybody's balance is different. Some have to go to greater lengths at first to find their balance and that may mean labeling carbs as either good or bad in their own mind. And that works for them.

Others don't have to go to extremes with limiting or removing certain foods from their diet because to them those foods aren't trigger foods. They have a different relationship with food and realize that it doesn't have power over them. It's their own choices on how much and how often they can fit certain foods into their lives that matter. They realize that "bad carbs" in moderation are OK and nothing bad happens when they're eaten. It's enjoyable and doesn't have to mean a slippery slope to a binge or regaining weight.
That's why people are disagreeing with you. They have different feelings about food. It's all just food, it can be enjoyed in moderation, and doesn't need to be labeled in any way.

Medical conditions aside, it's a good idea to work on learning this kind of mastery over food. Yes, we need food for fuel and we feel better when we make nutritious choices. But what would my life be like if I couldn't have pizza night with my family? Or if I couldn't laugh in the kitchen with my kids while eating cookie dough. Or if I couldn't have date night with my husband and enjoy drinks and a good meal. I don't want to live without that stuff. I don't eat 5 slices of pizza or half of the cookies or an app+dinner+ dessert+2 drinks anymore, though. That's the key. Moderation and fitting into my calorie goal.

In short, do what works for you, but don't expect others to agree. They're all simply different ways to achieve a calorie deficit.

skylark94

Eating disorders/deteriorating relationship with foods can start with this type of nutritional dissection.........

I think it improved mine lol I started this at 270 lbs and still gaining. Avoiding bad carbs gives me more energy and has helped me lose weight.

Everyone is different. I've tried the so-called "good carb only" approach. I bonked hard.

That's the whole key to success. Everyone needs to experiment and find the approach that works best for them. Saying one type of food is "good" or "bad" does everyone a disservice.

haroon_awan

Carbs? Where?!?!

tigersword

There is no such thing as a good carb or bad carb. This entire post is based on misinformation. Carbs are carbs. Calories matter. Getting enough protein matters. Getting enough fat matters. Getting enough fiber matters. Agonizing over white rice vs brown rice is silly.

HeidiCooksSupper

Eating disorders/deteriorating relationship with foods can start with this type of nutritional dissection.........

No, no, no. It results in better, more nutritious choices. Choose brown rice rather than white much of the time. Choose leafy green and other healthy vegetables over mashed potatoes. Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet, full of the nutrients needed for health.

Does this mean never eat mashed potatoes, bacon, ice cream, a fast food burger and fries? No. It means make smart choices most of the time. Learn the ins and outs of a healthy diet and apply that information. Man does not live by calories alone.

tigersword

Eating disorders/deteriorating relationship with foods can start with this type of nutritional dissection.........

No, no, no. It results in better, more nutritious choices. Choose brown rice rather than white much of the time. Choose leafy green and other healthy vegetables over mashed potatoes. Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet, full of the nutrients needed for health.

Does this mean never eat mashed potatoes, bacon, ice cream, a fast food burger and fries? No. It means make smart choices most of the time. Learn the ins and outs of a healthy diet and apply that information. Man does not live by calories alone.

Brown rice is actually a terrible choice. All the nutrients in brown rice are trapped in the fiber, which your body cannot digest. So your body can't actually use any of the nutrients in brown rice. White rice, on the other hand, is very easily processed by the body, and as the nutrients are transferred out of the fiber and into the rice kernel in the processing of the rice, it's highly bio available and gives you a great nutrient boost.

As has been said, agonizing over specific choices like that generally backfires. Hit your calorie and macro goals and fill them with foods you enjoy. That's all there is to it.

Duck_Puddle

I have a much simpler and effective guideline.

Good carbs: the ones that are tasty
Bad carbs: the ones that are not

^this is my philosophy as well. And so much less reading.

zyxst

Do the bad carbs stand in the corner or do you just give them a time-out?

Duck_Puddle

Carbs? Where?!?!

See, now that ^ is Good carbs. Now I get it, I just needed a picture.

Wildflower0106

My body reacts negatively to fiber so I have to limit what people call "good carbs". I also can't have acidic fruits so that is even more "good carbs" I had to eliminate. In my situation "bad carbs" serve me better than what most people call "good carbs". This is why I like balance and moderation over categorizing foods as good or bad. For dinner I am making fresh veggie and chicken stir fry over a bed of white rice... I think it sounds pretty healthy...

lsigall

Brown rice isn't a terrible choice*. It's a good source of insoluble fiber, which we need in addition to soluble fiber and our other nutrients. As long as we are getting enough of the other nutrients, brown rice is a good addition to our diets. It helps "sweep" away the bulk, as any insoluble fiber does.

*Unless you have IBD, are in a flare, and need to really restrict your fiber intake. I speak from painful experience there. Fortunately my IBD is currently in remission.

magerum

Carbohydrates are probably one of the more unclear things about nutrition. Simply because they come in such a range: good carbs, bad carbs, fast carbs and slow carbs and each of them has its place in our diets and each of them fills a different void. It’s also one of the things that trips people up most often. So, today we’re going to take a little peek behind the curtain and try to shed some light on carbs to help you make better and more informed food choices.

What are good carbs and what do they do?

One of the most important things about good carbohydrates is that they are absolbed into our bodies slowly. Which helps avoid spikes and valleys in our blood sugar levels (reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes). They also help you to feel satisfied longer than other foods, reducing your tendancy to munch on other things! Good carbs are excellent sources of fiber, which is another essential source of our nutrition. A diet that is high in fiber has been shown to have decreased risks of heart disease, there is some evidence to suggest that it may help to prevent colon cancer and promote weight control and helps to lower blood cholesterol. Now, where can you find these amazing carbohydrates? Well, whole grains are an excellent source of good carbs and fiber, vegetables, fruits, oats and beans.

To get more fiber into your diet here are some quick tips:

1. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Just 5 servings a day of fruits and vegetables can get you about 10 grams of fiber a day depending on which ones you choose.
2. Include beans and bean products in your diet. A half cup of cooked beans can add 4-8 grams of fiber to your day.
3. The better carbs for most people are unprocessed or minimally processed whole foods that contain natural sugar, like fructose or lactose in milk.

But, the problem with the typical American diet is that it is anything but high in fiber, which leads me to the other side: the bad carbs.

What are bad carbs and what do they do?

Bad carbohydrates consist mainly of sugars, added sugars and refined white grains. Unfortunately, our diets are made up of tons of bad carbs! How often do we have a bagel or a muffin in the morning made from white flour followed by a hamburger on a white bun and ending with white rice for dinner? Even many whole grain breads have white flour listed as the second ingredient on the label! Generally, the more refined or the ‘whiter’ the grain-based food the lower the fiber content, which we have already discussed as being very important! Sugars and refined grains supply quick energy to the body in the form of glucose. That’s a good thing-if your body needs quick energy, for example, if you’re running a race or sports competition. But because of their high calorie content and low fiber benefits coupled with the sheer volume of such foods in our diets compounds to add up to lots of extra pounds over time! The more you can incorporate and substitute good carbs into your diet to replace bad carbs the happier, healthier and slimmer your body will become!

Looking for more information or need some help, message me!!

Nonsense. There are no "bad carbs". Please don't demonize food and spread dangerously antiquated information. Thanks.

Sabine_Stroehm

Eating disorders/deteriorating relationship with foods can start with this type of nutritional dissection.........

As it can with calorie counting. Just saying.

magerum

Eating disorders/deteriorating relationship with foods can start with this type of nutritional dissection.........

As it can with calorie counting. Just saying.

I see what you're trying to say, but where's the line? I balance my bank accounts. Am I at risk for a banking disorder?

PikaKnight

Eating disorders/deteriorating relationship with foods can start with this type of nutritional dissection.........

As it can with calorie counting. Just saying.

I see what you're trying to say, but where's the line? I balance my bank accounts. Am I at risk for a banking disorder?

Anyone with banking disorders can feel free to paypal me excess funds at no additional cost.

tameko2

There is no such thing as a good carb or bad carb. This entire post is based on misinformation. Carbs are carbs. Calories matter. Getting enough protein matters. Getting enough fat matters. Getting enough fiber matters. Agonizing over white rice vs brown rice is silly.

No need to agonize. I have it all worked out.

Chipotle bol - brown rice
Chipotle burrito - white rice

Its really the delivery method that matters.

OP - a lot of people find it easy to set up a diet where they have certain food on the 'No' list. It essentially forces you to cut your calories by eliminating certain choices from your diet. For some people this is easier than just counting calories, or they find it easier to manage their calories when they do it that way. This is basically where the whole 'good/bad' rhetoric comes from - you basically eliminate sweets and the kinds of food that people tend to mindlessly snack on or eat (like chips, crackers, bread and butter -- the kind of stuff they give you at a restaurant while you wait). Eliminating those 'bad' carbs means you stop eating that stuff. But its not the bread's fault. Or the chips. Its because you mindlessly added 300-500 calories worth of snacks and then ate a meal on top of it.

Anyway. I think its a fine strategy as long as you understand that its not the sugar. Also, by replacing that type of stuff with fibrous stuff you increase your fiber intake and most people dont' eat enough. But again. Its not the evil carbs. You could have balanced it by getting more fiber without completely cutting out carbs (like adding a cup of fibrous vegetables to your dinner of meat and mashed potatoes and still having a sandwich on delicious white bread with some vegetables included for lunch).

Sabine_Stroehm

I did research this before I wrote it up...and I gotta say it's certainly working for me and has worked for a lot of others who are doing the same thing that I know .

It does work well. It's not a very popular approach on here, however.
I didn't dissect your post to see if you were scientifically accurate in all that you said, nor will I play semantics with you, as is so popular on here as a form of "discussion", however fwiw, while I don't use the same terminology you do, I eat very much as you describe. I NEVER eat white bread (or any packaged foods with enriched or bromated white flour). In fact I don't eat anything that specifically says "enriched" or "fortified". I eat white rice in sushi only.
I don't eat foods with more than 5grams of added sugar.
I don't eat much in the way of heavily processed, packaged "convenience foods".

I eat a lot of whole foods, including whole grains. I eat lean meats. I eat vegetables and fruits.
I drink wine. I eat dark chocolate from time to time.
I have a sandwich for lunch as often as suits me. I have a whole grain pizza whenever the mood strikes me.
But by and large, I eat a lot of whole foods, mostly plants. Not too much.

I've been told my way of life "isn't sustainable", but I've been doing it for 12 years AND KEPT MY WEIGHT OFF for 12 years AND AM HAPPY, so I think it's going pretty well.

It works, because it does two things for you: it creates a caloric deficit and it keeps you from feeling cravings, or having those dreaded blood sugar swings.. Some people like that effect. I'm one of those people.

Keep doing what works for you, then get to goal weight and keep doing it.
(friend me if you'd like):flowerforyou:

Sabine_Stroehm

Eating disorders/deteriorating relationship with foods can start with this type of nutritional dissection.........

As it can with calorie counting. Just saying.

I see what you're trying to say, but where's the line? I balance my bank accounts. Am I at risk for a banking disorder?

No. Don't be silly.
I choose not to have credit cards. Am I at risk for a banking disorder? No. Don't be silly.
ANY approach to weight loss that becomes obsessive or whathaveyou isn't good.

Does eliminating starchy carbs lead to an ED? No. Does calorie counting? No.
Does eating Atkins? no. Does eating a la IIFYM? no.

HeidiCooksSupper

Brown rice is actually a terrible choice. All the nutrients in brown rice are trapped in the fiber, which your body cannot digest. So your body can't actually use any of the nutrients in brown rice. White rice, on the other hand, is very easily processed by the body, and as the nutrients are transferred out of the fiber and into the rice kernel in the processing of the rice, it's highly bio available and gives you a great nutrient boost.

Sigh ... Where to start?

Brown rice is, for most people, the healthy choice between rices. Brown rice is made white by the REMOVAL of the bran and the germ, which does nothing to transfer the nutrients out of the fiber and into the rice kernal.

Much of the white rice sold in the US is "enriched." Enriched white rice has had some nutrients added to it but still it has LESS of almost all nutrients than brown rice. Information comparing the values for each nutrient in brown and white rice has been made into an easy to peruse chart at http://www.rebeccablood.net/domestic/rice.html. The builder of the chart used USDA data which is the data used for just about all nutritional information on printed packages, in commonly used databases, etc.

Actual data, it's so darn prejudicial.

Cindyinpg

Do the bad carbs stand in the corner or do you just give them a time-out?

Yes, and the good carbs get to play video games after supper. Not sure what the slow ones get. Maybe a private tutor. :laugh: