to carb or not to carb.....that is the question!

veracruz

I am re-vamping lifestyle choices and in doing online research, I have come across many conflicting articles about carbs. Some say carbs are vital to weight loss success and some say that you should highly-limit the amount of carbs you eat. What have you found works for you?

jillmarie125

It really is all about calories in vs calories out. For me- if i lower my carb count which naturally ups my protein and fat I feel better. Its easier for me to stay under my calorie goal that way. I am eating food that keep me fuller longer. So the best thing to do is find out what your calorie intake should be and play around with your macros.

dbmata

I'm going to be eating the **** outta some pop tarts tomorrow... but then again, I'm going to be hiking through snow with a 45# pack for about 5 hours, followed by another few hours of work.

ktsmom430

ALL things in moderation, including carbs.

Miamiuu

I'm doing 30 day low carb at 30 grams a day. You will definitely lose weight on it. Low carbing makes it easier to create a defecit because you feel fuller. Best thing to do is try it out. Sorry meant edit not report

melaniecheeks

Carb sensitivity varies greatly from person to person. Experiment and see what works best for you.

Ash7303

I'm sold on it. This has been the easiest thing I've tried and finally making progress. Going low carb and putting the body into ketosis is working magic for me. I think for short term, it is great to lose fat fast, but I will not be doing this long term. I don't want a heart attack with all the fat I'm eating. Over 14 days averaging 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbs (<20g) (not to mention very low or no sugar and drink tons of water). Calories average 1,000-1,500. I have not exercised one day yet, but I'll work that in next. So doing just that as my daily diet for 14 days and no exercise I've dropped 13.4lbs. Started at 234 and aiming for 200. FYI, I'm 6'2" male, and from what I heard, easier for the guys to drop the weight vs ladies, but I think it'd certainly be worth the try.

Sawjer

Just make it good carbs and have a healthy ration of proteins/fats in your diet and stick to your calorie limit Good luck!

zombilishious

A proper cut/diet requires restricting the amount of carbs you take in. Any overdose of carbs is stored as fat . Carbs cause insulin spikes which increases sugar cravings, so you want to eat even more carbs. Plus, it lets your body produce more cortisol, which burns your fat and protein...

joan23_us

I am re-vamping lifestyle choices and in doing online research, I have come across many conflicting articles about carbs. Some say carbs are vital to weight loss success and some say that you should highly-limit the amount of carbs you eat. What have you found works for you?

please read this thread... it will open your mind

http://www.simplyshredded.com/layne-norton-the-most-effective-cutting-diet.html

and i quote " Well The Diet Should Have Three Main Goals:

Spare as much muscle mass as possible.
Lose as much fat as possible.
Not cause the person to lose intensity in the weight room. "

and this:

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates have probably gotten the worst reputation of the macronutrients due to the ketogenic dieting rave. Ketogenic dieting refers to reducing carbohydrate intake to practically nothing, while simultaneously raising fat and protein intake. With little glucose for the brain to utilize for energy, the body will begin producing ketones. Ketones are by-products of fat oxidation and the brain can use ketones for energy. This does indeed have a potent fat burning effect, as insulin levels will be severely reduced due to lack of carbohydrate intake. Low insulin levels correlate with high rates of fat oxidation. Indeed, the ketogenic diet may be the single best way to lose the maximum amount of body fat in the shortest amount of time. However, if you will quickly refer to our goals during a pre contest diet you will notice that maintaining muscle is number one on our list, with fat loss second. If one has not properly scheduled enough time to lose body fat and they are in need of drastic measures, then using a ketogenic diet may be their only choice in order to become contest-ready in time. Unfortunately, they will not maintain an optimum amount of muscle mass.

final note: fatloss is a journey and you want an approach that will be sustainable in the long term... so in my humble opinion tapering carbs slowly is the best way as it will be more flexible and sustainable long term.

aeb09

I've been doing keto as well (as described by Ash7303) for a few weeks and feel great. It's a lifestyle change for me, not a diet. I am keeping under 18g total carbs a day; although that was hard when I first started (actually harder to get my fat intake high enough than to keep the carbs down) I really enjoy it and do not feel like I am depriving myself. I have PCOS which includes insulin resistance, so it's necessary for me to be strict about this and to not eat "moderate carbs" like your average person just looking to lose weight.

With that said, many people are very successful by reducing carbs to a reasonable amount, hitting macro goals and creating a calorie deficit. You may not find the perfect plan that works for you right away, and that's okay. There's a learning curve with healthy eating and, in time, you'll figure out what your body reacts to best. It's okay to move from one thing to the next, but be sure to give your body time to adjust (a few weeks) before trying something else!

minky_r

I had been low carbing for about 10 years. Lost over 100lbs. I maintained for about 7 years and then the weight just kept creeping up...I am now on calorie count. I feel amazing!! yes the weight loss has been very slow because my body is still adjusting. I didn't know it at the time, but I was in a high protein, high fat, low carb prison. Yes you will get fast results. You will not be able to maintain a single pound lost, unless you make this your lifestyle....please note these opinions come only from my experience. If you are doing this short term, my advise to you is go ahead lower the carbs, higher the protein. Please make sure the fats are the good fats. When the 30 days are up however, if you plan to abruptly stop, you will be disappointed. Good lucky on your journey

macchiatto

I tend to have a hard time losing weight unless I go lower-carb. I am currently trying to see if aiming for around 100 gm/day will work for me, which I don't think is technically considered "low carb." But I have PCOS and apparently insulin resistance and was previously prediabetic so YMMV. (Those conditions are relatively common though, so those on here who make it sound like it's rare for someone to actually need to go lower-carb may be a bit misleading.)

tennisdude2004

I have found limiting carbs to about 100g for me had worked well.

MistressPi

Low carb works for me. I feel great when I keep carbs around 30 to 40 g per day, spreading those carbs throughout the day.

The demographics of patrons who use this website are heavily skewed towards a low-fat diet, though, so don't be surprised if you get a raft of responses from people who can't understand why anyone would want to cut the carbs.

kuolo

A proper cut/diet requires restricting the amount of carbs you take in. Any overdose of carbs is stored as fat . Carbs cause insulin spikes which increases sugar cravings, so you want to eat even more carbs. Plus, it lets your body produce more cortisol, which burns your fat and protein...

Umm eating high carb lowers cortisol not the other way round.

OP it's a personal choice. Personally I can't tolerate eating very low carb (depression, insomnia, never satiated, stomach pains, low energy) and lose weight fine with carbs. But I know a lot of people like it. So only you can find out if it works for you.
Having said that almost all of my carbs come from legumes and vegetables, so I'm not eating ultra high/simple carb either. (I don't eat bread or pasta anyway.)
Different people have different ideas about what low carb means, too. Find what works for you.

ETA: after quick scan of my food diary I seem to eat about 120g a day.

JoRocka

A proper cut/diet requires restricting the amount of carbs you take in. Any overdose of carbs is stored as fat . Carbs cause insulin spikes which increases sugar cravings, so you want to eat even more carbs. Plus, it lets your body produce more cortisol, which burns your fat and protein...

any over dose of calories above maintance is stored fat.

The reason why people go to low carb while cutting is because carbs tend to be calorie dense- it's easier to eat more in the way of protein and fat and stay in or under your calorie goal.

that's it- there is no magic beyond the fact that you can eat 1500 calories of bread in one sitting- and it's much harder to eat 1500 calories of chicken and veggies in one sitting.

Carbs aren't bad.
Insulin spikes aren't bad outside of medical issues. That's how you build muscles.

It's a personal choice- I lower my carb intake while cutting because- as I mentioned it means I get to eat more. Otherwise- when I'm not cutting- I go ham with the carbs.

sijomial

The only limit I put on carbs was to stay under my calorie goal.
Just over 670g of carbs in a day was my highest while losing weight and it doesn't seem to have done me any harm.

Would suggest trying to keep your weight loss diet as similar as possible to what you plan your maintenance diet to be, if that's going to be low carb then go for it. If it's not then would I would say it's not the right choice for you.

kuolo

Would suggest trying to keep your weight loss diet as similar as possible to what you plan your maintenance diet to be, if that's going to be low carb then go for it. If it's not then would I would say it's not the right choice for you.

^^^ I think this is very good advice

LolBroScience

A proper cut/diet requires restricting the amount of carbs you take in. Any overdose of carbs is stored as fat . Carbs cause insulin spikes which increases sugar cravings, so you want to eat even more carbs. Plus, it lets your body produce more cortisol, which burns your fat and protein...

Strong spreading of misinformation...

Rocbola

I've had success in losing weight doing both low-carb and high carb, but i found that a high carb diet makes me feel a lot more energized, helps me recover faster and improves my stamina. It takes a little effort and knowledge to do a high carb diet right. The best high carb foods i've found through my experience are fruits.

Edmond_Dantes

Low carb works for me. I feel great when I keep carbs around 30 to 40 g per day, spreading those carbs throughout the day.

The demographics of patrons who use this website are heavily skewed towards a low-fat diet, though, so don't be surprised if you get a raft of responses from people who can't understand why anyone would want to cut the carbs.

This is true. Low carb diets are healthy and effective. Try it out!

_Resolve_

I have found without carbs my training suffers, they give me the fuel i need to crush goals daily.

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Apocalypz

The only people who truly have to "worry" about carbs are diabetics. All in moderation for the rest of us.

snikkins

Low carb works for me. I feel great when I keep carbs around 30 to 40 g per day, spreading those carbs throughout the day.

The demographics of patrons who use this website are heavily skewed towards a low-fat diet, though, so don't be surprised if you get a raft of responses from people who can't understand why anyone would want to cut the carbs.

I wouldn't say the majority of the people on this website advocate a low fat diet but maybe I'm looking in the wrong places.

I, myself, can't do low carb because it makes me hangry but as other posters have said, as long as you make sure you up your fat and protein intake to compensate and you enjoy doing it, I don't think there's an issue.

wonderwoman234

Here is a recent blog by my nutritionist you may find helpful:

The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD April 2014
Carbohydrates: Why are they so confusing?
Carbohydrates seem to be a source of confusion for athletes and fitness exercisers alike. Due to the Paleo Diet, Grain Brain, Wheat Belly, and other trendy diet books, many active people don’t know what to eat. They just think they should avoid pasta, bagels, juice, bananas and sugar—even if these foods are non-problematic for them. Yet, most of the carbs are evil, fattening & bad for you hype is targeted not to athletes but to the masses of overfat, underfit people whose bodies do not handle carbohydrates as healthfully.

What are “carbs”?
Some athletes are confused about carbs because they do not even know what carbohydrates are. One marathon runner claimed he “stayed away from carbs.” Yet, he routinely ate oatmeal for breakfast, whole wheat wraps for lunch, and sweet potato with dinner. He failed to understand that oatmeal, wraps, and potatoes are carbohydrates. He was actually limiting his intake of refined sugars; there is a big difference! Here's what he needed to know about Carb Biochemistry 101:
• Carbohydrates include both sugars and starches. Carbs are in fruits, vegetables, grains, and milk (lactose). These carbs all digest into the simple sugar glucose. Glucose travels in the blood and, with the help of insulin, is taken up for fuel by the muscles. Athletes who restrict carbs pay the price—“dead legs” and inability to perform at their best.
• All carbs—both sugars and starches—are equal sources of muscle fuel. Regardless of whether you eat a starchy potato or sugary candy, the end product is the simple sugar glucose. Some of that glucose feeds your brain; some of it fuels your muscles; and some gets stored in muscles as glycogen, ready to be used for fuel during hard and extended exercise.
• Sugars and starches are biochemically similar. For example, an unripe banana (or any fruit) is starchy. As it ripens, it becomes sweeter; the starch converts into sugar. In comparison, peas (and other vegetables) are sweet when young and their sugar converts into starch as they mature.

Are carbs bad for you?
Regarding health, some carbs are better for you than others because they offer more nutrients. For example, the sugar in sport drinks provides "empty calories" with no nutritional value (unless they are fortified to give a healthier appearance). The sugar in orange juice is accompanied with vitamin C, folate, potassium, and many other vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds that contribute to good health.
While juice offers slightly less nutritional value than you’d get by eating the whole fruit, most anti-juice hype is targeted at overfat people. Liquid calories from juice, soda and sports drinks do not contribute to satiety (fullness). Hence, drinking sugary beverages with meals adds extra calories that can contribute to undesired weight gain. Yet, for active people who want to gain weight, juice can help a skinny athlete easily boost calorie intake while simultaneously adding carbs for fuel that enhances muscle-building workouts.
Even though refined sugar adds “junk calories” to a sports diet, you need not eat a sugar-free diet to have a good diet. A fit and healthy person’s menu can accommodate 10% of calories from refined sugar (World Health Organization's guidelines). Yet, if you frequently consume sports drinks, gels, and sports candies—as well as other sweets—you can easily consume more than 250 to 350 calories (10% of calories) from refined sugar. Please don’t displace too many fruits, veggies and whole grains with empty calories from sugar...

What about high fructose corn syrup?
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS), also deemed evil and fattening, is less evil and less fattening than portrayed by the media (1). (Ninety percent of 567 media reports on HFCS since 2004 replaced science with opinion and were biased to the erroneous (2).) HFCS is a double molecule comprised of 45% glucose, 55% fructose—the same as honey and similar to white sugar (50% glucose, 50% fructose). The negative hype about HFCS applies primarily to overweight folks who consume excessive calories of sweets, soda, candies and processed foods sweetened with HFCS. While no one needs excessive, lack-luster calories that could be better spent on nutrient-rich fruits, veggie and whole grains, does an athlete really need to fret about a few calories of HFCS in ketchup?

Are carbs fattening?
Despite popular belief, carbohydrates are not inherently fattening. Excess calories are fattening. Excess calories of carbs (bread, bagels, pasta) are actually less fattening than are excess calories of fat (butter, salad oil, cheese). That’s because storing excess calories of sugar as body fat requires more energy than does storing excess calories of dietary fat as body fat. This means, if you are destined to be gluttonous and want to suffer the least weight gain, indulge in (high carb) frozen yogurt instead of (high fat) ice cream!

What about sugar “highs” and “lows”?
Sugar “highs” and “lows” can easily occur in overfat, underfit people. Athletes, however, can metabolize sugar without problems. That's because exercise enhances the transport of sugar from your blood into your muscles with far less insulin than needed by the body of an unfit person. The unfit body contributes to the rise in blood sugar that triggers the need for excess insulin and leads to the “crash.”
The most common reason for “sugar crashes” (hypoglycemia) among athletes relates to running out of fuel. The shakiness and sweats are because the athlete did not eat enough carbs to maintain normal blood glucose levels and the brain is now demanding sugar. One marathoner thought the 100-calorie gel he took at mile 16 caused him to “crash.” More likely, he needed 200 to 300 calories to meet his energy needs, not just 100 calories.

You are an experiment of one
If you have intestinal distress relating to wheat, gels, onions, milk or any of a multitude of fruits, veggies and grains, your best bet is to figure out how much (if any) you can tolerate. The dose might be the poison. If you need to eliminate wheat due to celiac disease or gluten intolerance, you might have trouble getting enough carbs to fuel your muscles. That is, you’d need to eat 3 cups of blueberries to replace one bagel. Not only is that expensive, but also puts you at high risk for undesired pit stops. Consulting with a registered dietitian (RD) can be a smart idea! The referral network at SCANdpg.org can help you find a local sports RD who can address your food concerns and take the confusion out of carbohydrates.

Boston-area sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD counsels both casual and competitive athletes at her office in Newton, MA (617-795-1875). Her best selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is available at www.nancyclarkrd.com, along with her food guides for cyclists, runners, and soccer players. For online education, see www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com.


Selected References

1. Lowndes, J, S Sinnett, S Pardo, V Nguyen, K Melanson, Z Yu, B Lowther, J Rippe. The effect of normally consumed amounts of sucrose or high fructose corn syrup on lipid profiles, body composition and related parameters in overweight/obese subjects. Nutrients 2014. 17; 6(3):1128-44

2. http://www.forbes.com/sites/trevorbutterworth/2014/02/06/sweet-and-sour-the-media-decided-fructose-was-bad-for-america-but-science-had-second-thoughts/


Nancy
Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD
Sports nutrition counselor

www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com (online)
www.nancyclarkrd.com (books, handouts, PowerPoint talks)

Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook NEW Fifth Edition
Food guides for soccer, new runners, marathoners, cyclists
Twitter.com/nclarkrd

1155 Walnut St, Newton Highlands, MA 02461
Phone: 617.795.1875 Fax: 617.963.7408

"Helping active people win with good nutrition."

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StaciMarie1974

If all your carbs are from processed bread & such, not great. But carbs are naturally occurring and good for you.

Alehmer

Low carb has worked very well for the wife and I. As mentioned before, more than anything it's the fact that carbs are just so friggin caloric, and cutting them out (for the most part) significantly reduces calories and makes mindless eating much more difficult. It's nothing to eat 300-400 calories of chips in a sitting, much harder to do that with meat 'n veggies.

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