I simply CAN NOT cut carbs! will I STILL lose?

BombshellPhoenix

First you must define what carbs means to you. I personally define carbs as fruit, grains (rice, potatoes, etc), and veggies. See, with those you can have an abundance! But if you mean you mean fatty carbs like processed chips and whatnot, those pose a problem. By no means cut the good, wholesome carbs because those are what the body needs to thrive! So carb up my friend :flowerforyou:

Wut? No such thing as fatty carbs. Clearly, fats and carbs are two different delicious macros.

Also, the only thing that makes fat is any food eaten in a surplus.

Flab2Fab27

Rawr

PunkyRachel

Carbs are not bad! I refuse to give up pasta, bread, or rice. I switched to grilled meats instead of fried breaded meats. I switched to whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, egg noodles, and brown rice. I also bake my fries now, and I don't fry anything for that matter either. However I did cut out the greasy chips and other snacks, with only the occasional treat now and then.

Oh and yes you still lose weight while eating carbs, just look at my ticker.

sloseph

carbs are boss, there is no need to cut them out at all, it's just asking for you to give up on you're diet, i can't grasp how anyone could cut them out

all you need to do is make sure you are in a calorie deficit, so as long as your MFP counter doesn't go into the red you will be fine

if you find you haven't got enough cals for the day you might need to reduce you're portion sizes, but eat what you want as long as you stay under your calorie goals

touslesmemes

I found out my cal total to LOSE weight is 1700/day. Sometimes I go over sometimes under BUT I am never above 2000 calories.

My meals are like this: I eat 3x //day of pretty balanced meals & drink 100oz of water/day: grilled protein (chicken, lamb chops, steak), fattoush salad (olive oil & sumac & lemon on lettuce), TBSP hummus and either a cup of rice or a serving of bread is a typical meal for me. I find that I do better when I dont cut out grains or fat on the salad.

The minute I try skipping the bread / rice and instead eating a little more protein my energy levels drop. If I cut fat out too much I am not satiated either. I never eat sugar/junk or processed foods that have shelf lives- I find them to be empty calories and I dont crave them.

My question is this, do I HAVE TO cut down on carbs to lose? I really hope not

You do not need to decrease carbs to lose weight.

dammitjanet0161

You sound a bit like me - whenever I've tried to eat something like a huge chicken breast with a pile of salad or veg but no starchy carbs, I swear I'm genuinely hungry with a rumbling stomach an hour later. Add in a few carbs to the meal like some grains or potatoes/sweet potato and I feel satisfied and am fine for hours.

Don't believe the hype, not everyone reacts badly to carbs so need to cut them out if they don't cause you any problems!

Verdenal

First you must define what carbs means to you. I personally define carbs as fruit, grains (rice, potatoes, etc), and veggies. See, with those you can have an abundance! But if you mean you mean fatty carbs like processed chips and whatnot, those pose a problem. By no means cut the good, wholesome carbs because those are what the body needs to thrive! So carb up my friend :flowerforyou:

"Carbs" in a diet discussion usually means starchy foods: Rice, pasta, noodles, bread, other grains, and a few types of vegetables such as potatoes, corn and peas. Other vegetables, while technically carbs, are not a problem. Even a strict high protein diet usually permits lots of the non-starchy vegetables.

BombshellPhoenix

No, you simply have to be in a deficit.

^This.

The Sexypants post should be required reading for all MFPers: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants

^this. Id cut someone if I couldn't have carbs. they make me happy. For body comp and health, I focus on meeting my macro and micro goals but after that BRING ON DA CARBS. :P For weight loss, it's all about deficit.

Speaking of carbs...almost spelled crabs, ahem.... I'mma have me some gelato tonight.

Snip8241

No, you simply have to be in a deficit.

^This.

The Sexypants post should be required reading for all MFPers: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants

This.....don't cut anything out. Just stay in a deficit.

Naughty_ZOOT

Perhaps you could try adding in more veggie based carbs to make up for any reductions in rice, etc...they are lower in calories and the fiber is quite filling plus you would be getting even better nutrition overall. I imagine if you looked at an equal portion of veggies to say rice that you will find that the veggies would fill you up and be only a fraction of the calorie load thus increasing your deficit but not your hunger. Just a thought.

riffraff2112

My carb level has consistently been higher than my recommendations, still lost 45+ lbs and have reached my goal.
I eat too many fruits and drink too much coffee, none of which i intend on giving up.

Just be in deficit and all should be well.

VeganAmandaJ

I'm the same! I've lost 50 lbs and more importantly, many many inches and several sizes over the past year+ and I haven't cut carbs really at all. I don't go crazy but if I want to have a sandwhich that involves bread, I do. I eat cereal, I even eat pita bread and pita chips and tortilla chips sometimes. I think moderation is key. For example, I can't buy a loaf of yummy bread from the store because I'll promptly eat half of the loaf by myself So try to not to go over the amount of carbs MFP has set for you, I do 35% Protein, 35% Carbs and 30% Fat and it works for me.

I've never really cut my carbs, and I've lost weight just fine (both now, and in the past). I only eat whole grains and make sure they don't push me over my calorie limits. Even my veggie-only salad has about 23g of carbs in it, so I don't know how some people stay around 20 - 25%!

I say keep doing what you're doing for a while, and if you don't see results, re-evaluate at that time. If it feels right and ends up working, don't mess with a good thing until you need to.

nomorefatplease2

Calories in, calories out. You can eat nothing but McDonald's and lose weight. You could eat nothing but chocolate and lose weight. You could eat nothing but hamburgers and lose weight. The types of food you eat will affect things like nutrition, digestion, appetite, and cravings, but they will not affect your body's ability to metabolize. Some people find, however, that a low-carb diet helps to curb their appetite and reduce cravings. It's not a necessity, though. Enjoy your carbs.

LAT1963

Everyone's body is different.

i bias my diet low-carb/moderate fat because that is what makes me feel full at a calorie level that still allows me to lose weight. Because I'm not ravenous all the time, I stay within my target limits.

Staying within your target calories is what makes you lose weight. Eating nutritionally dense foods and adequate fiber is what keeps you healthy.

The balance between carbs, fats, proteins, and fiber is what keeps you feeling full and energetic while meeting these other constraints.

You have to experiment to find your own personal sweet spot for weight loss, given all these variables and limiting conditions.

Phoenix__Rising

If excess weight is indicative to accumulating in. your middle, you may need to
watch your carbs. Some of us aren't as apt to rid ourselves so quickly of the carbs
in which we eat. I'd say scale back 10% for a week and bump your protein maybe
up that week the 10% .. just experiment. Just a thought .. of course you may
decide a better approach. All the best in getting the pounds killed.

amcook4

My registered dietitian actually told me to eat more carbs than I was, so yeah, low carb isn't the only way to lose weight. Best of luck

MKEgal

I found out my cal total to LOSE weight is 1700/day. Sometimes I go over sometimes under BUT I am never above 2000 calories.
... My question is this, do I HAVE TO cut down on carbs to lose? I really hope not

Nope, have all the healthy carbs you want, as long as it fits your calorie goal: whole grains, vegetables, fruits.
Just keep your TOTAL calorie intake under 1700 per day, and eventually you'll hit 170 lb.
Ignore "net", ignore exercise calories. That's what my doctor told me, & you can see how well it's working.

FaylinaMeir

I've lost a considerable amount of weight eating as much carbs as I want. Usually 200-400g a day. *points to siggy* just sayin...

Isakizza

Weight loss is all about calories, having a deficit.

I always ate carbs, anywhere between 150-200g per day. Right now I aim for 140-150g per day.

bajoyba

I was absolutely not willing to cut carbs for the rest of my life, so I didn't cut them to lose weight.

I have my carb goal set at 45% of my total calorie intake. Sometimes I'm under, sometimes I'm over, and sometimes (like today) I'm way way over. But I'm happy with my progress so far. And I still get to eat pizza. :happy: