Carbs And Protein: All Confused....

Kekibird

Yeah....I was curious about proteins and carbs so I plugged them into Google search and read some articles.

Man have I been all wrong!

I was basing my understand of carbs and proteins purely on myths. You know the whole "CARBS ARE BAD!!!! THEY MAKE YOU FAT!!! EAT ONLY PROTEIN!!!!" Oi.....

Now I could use some suggestions, support, or even information about carbs and protein in a daily routine.

I know that it's a personal choice in the end based on my body and my personal needs ('cuz I'm a snowflake) but I'd love to hear from someone with knowledge about nutrition (and that can share with me in lay-terms) how to eat carbs and proteins and how to use them in conjunction with exercising and eating.

Or just pointing me in the right direction to a blog or website that can easily explain it would be great...

Sincerely,

Overwhelmed Katie

Kminor67

Carbs provide you with energy, but you want to try to stick with natural carbs. Wheat flour, brown rice, etc. have a lower glycemic index, which means less of it turns to sugar in your bloodstream. Also, natural carbs contain more fiber, which helps keep you fuller longer, and helps your digestive tract.

You need protein to function, and I think that they set the protein low on this site. My husband's nutritionist tells us you need between 60-100 grams of protein a day. Lean protein also keeps you fuller longer. My suggestion would be to track protein, carbs, fat and fiber along with your calories. Hopefully this will keep you on track.

Mindful_Trent

Carbs and protein AND fat are ALL important for our bodies.

erickirb posted the following response on another thread ( http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/146510-s00-confused ), and I think it's the best advice I've seen on the issue of carbs/protein/fat:

Total calories is what matters more than anything. Essentially a Balance diet consists of 20%-30% fats, 15-30% Protein and 45-60% carbs. Anywhere within those ranges is considered "balanced" and you can do trial and error to see what works best for your body.

---

General rule is, you want to avoid as much as the processed carbs (flours/pasta/regular breakfast cereals/etc.) and go with as whole-grain/unprocessed as you can. I try to get most of my carbs from vegetables (yes, they are carbs!), fruits (1 a day), and more calorie-dense carbs like quinoa, steel-cut or rolled oats, brown rice, barley, etc. Starchier veggies (potato, yams, etc.) are good for you in moderation.

Protein is good for you - keeps you full longer and is essential to building/maintaining muscle, but if you eat too high of a protein %, it can stress your kidneys and isn't good for your body.

Don't forget fat - it's important for your health too! Try to get healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, and nuts. Animal fats are okay in moderation, but try to avoid the man-altered trans-fats (anything with "hydrogenated oils" - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/trans-fat/CL00032 ).

motherpopcorn562

. I have questions about this as well. Does your protein intake depend on your body type?

Buckeyt

I agree Carbs get a bad rap. The problem is most Americans eat thier carbs in a high calorie nutrient deficient form such as donuts, cakes and the like. Carbs are essential. Carbs, once turned into the right sugars, are what our muscles burn.

The low carb thing works not because you're cutting carbs but you're cutting calories. I know when I lost a ton of weight on a low carbs diet I was eating less and coupled with exercise I lost about 80 pounds. I gained it back not because I ate carbs but because I ate more in total.

I typically try to maintain a 40/40/20 ratio of carbs/protein and fat. Right now I'm actually trying to bulk up and don't pay attention to those ratios at all. I just try to hit my calories and am probably at 50/30/20 now.

lutzsher

Your best route is to log every morsel, keeping your totals in mind as you eat each day, to teach yourself this.
I was on MFP for almost 6 months before I lost any weight because I had to teach myself how eat in a balanced healthy way, how to shop, how to prepare my new choices, everything.
Basically remember to eat a balanced diet, ensure you consume some of each micronutrient each day (lean proteins, carbs, fats, etc) but stay away from any "white" carbs (white bread, white rice, white pasta, etc), instead always opt for the whole wheat or multigrain versions. This is important to consume for your fibre and your energy levels.

A good rule is "everything in moderation" . . . so have what you want but keep the portion size in mind.

I often work much more than full time so sometimes can't fit in a good workout, on those days I ensure to eat a maximum of only my 1200 calories. I have NEVER eaten any more than 1/2 of my exercise calories back as my scale won't move if I do, but that may be different for you. Basically, the more you exercise the more you need to eat, again keeping those totals in mind at the bottom of your food page.

The more you work with the site the better your understanding of what will work for you, and what won't . . . so give yourself the patience to figure that out by just doing it!

Good luck!

amycal

The type of carb youe at makes a BIG difference. fruits and vegetables are mostly carbs but so are cookies. REFINED carbs are the worst esp with sugars and coupled with transfats. I recently heard "you should eat plants, not food made in plants" That's a good general guidelie.

TateFTW

All of the info about how and why to use carbs and proteins as part of a diet plan is available online. Google "complex carbs" and start reading up, then start eating up. Carbs certainly don't make you fat at all.

Focus on complex, low GI (glycemic index) carbs and lean proteins, but don't be afraid of proteins that include fats as well (I usually eat eggs more than once a day).

If you really want the info, then you need to go find it. Once you yourself are informed, you don't have to worry about who to trust anymore.

countjackula

Yeah....I was curious about proteins and carbs so I plugged them into Google search and read some articles.

Man have I been all wrong!

I was basing my understand of carbs and proteins purely on myths. You know the whole "CARBS ARE BAD!!!! THEY MAKE YOU FAT!!! EAT ONLY PROTEIN!!!!" Oi.....

Now I could use some suggestions, support, or even information about carbs and protein in a daily routine.

I know that it's a personal choice in the end based on my body and my personal needs ('cuz I'm a snowflake) but I'd love to hear from someone with knowledge about nutrition (and that can share with me in lay-terms) how to eat carbs and proteins and how to use them in conjunction with exercising and eating.

Or just pointing me in the right direction to a blog or website that can easily explain it would be great...

Sincerely,

Overwhelmed Katie

More carbs on exercise days, fewer carbs on rest days.

Simple carbs post-workout.

TateFTW

Yeah....I was curious about proteins and carbs so I plugged them into Google search and read some articles.

Man have I been all wrong!

I was basing my understand of carbs and proteins purely on myths. You know the whole "CARBS ARE BAD!!!! THEY MAKE YOU FAT!!! EAT ONLY PROTEIN!!!!" Oi.....

Now I could use some suggestions, support, or even information about carbs and protein in a daily routine.

I know that it's a personal choice in the end based on my body and my personal needs ('cuz I'm a snowflake) but I'd love to hear from someone with knowledge about nutrition (and that can share with me in lay-terms) how to eat carbs and proteins and how to use them in conjunction with exercising and eating.

Or just pointing me in the right direction to a blog or website that can easily explain it would be great...

Sincerely,

Overwhelmed Katie

More carbs on exercise days, fewer carbs on rest days.

Simple carbs post-workout.

That kind of vague over-simplification adds nothing to the conversation.

Kekibird

Yeah....I was curious about proteins and carbs so I plugged them into Google search and read some articles.

Man have I been all wrong!

I was basing my understand of carbs and proteins purely on myths. You know the whole "CARBS ARE BAD!!!! THEY MAKE YOU FAT!!! EAT ONLY PROTEIN!!!!" Oi.....

Now I could use some suggestions, support, or even information about carbs and protein in a daily routine.

I know that it's a personal choice in the end based on my body and my personal needs ('cuz I'm a snowflake) but I'd love to hear from someone with knowledge about nutrition (and that can share with me in lay-terms) how to eat carbs and proteins and how to use them in conjunction with exercising and eating.

Or just pointing me in the right direction to a blog or website that can easily explain it would be great...

Sincerely,

Overwhelmed Katie

More carbs on exercise days, fewer carbs on rest days.

Simple carbs post-workout.

That kind of vague over-simplification adds nothing to the conversation.

Hummm...is the information right though? Because if it is, this is what I'm looking for. Everything else goes right out my other ear.

Katie

Edit: I asked the forum because I have Googled (as I mentioned in my OP) and read. But none of it really makes sense to me. It's just too much information. Like info overload. So I just needed someone to break it down simply.

Mindful_Trent

That kind of vague over-simplification adds nothing to the conversation.

Hummm...is the information right though? Because if it is, I need vague and over-simplified. Everything else goes right out my other ear.

Katie

I think what Tate was trying to point out is that it's not that simple - there are many type of carbs - good carbs and then lots of refined/processed carbs that you should avoid or keep to a minimum.

TateFTW

Yeah....I was curious about proteins and carbs so I plugged them into Google search and read some articles.

Man have I been all wrong!

I was basing my understand of carbs and proteins purely on myths. You know the whole "CARBS ARE BAD!!!! THEY MAKE YOU FAT!!! EAT ONLY PROTEIN!!!!" Oi.....

Now I could use some suggestions, support, or even information about carbs and protein in a daily routine.

I know that it's a personal choice in the end based on my body and my personal needs ('cuz I'm a snowflake) but I'd love to hear from someone with knowledge about nutrition (and that can share with me in lay-terms) how to eat carbs and proteins and how to use them in conjunction with exercising and eating.

Or just pointing me in the right direction to a blog or website that can easily explain it would be great...

Sincerely,

Overwhelmed Katie

More carbs on exercise days, fewer carbs on rest days.

Simple carbs post-workout.

That kind of vague over-simplification adds nothing to the conversation.

Hummm...is the information right though? Because if it is, I need vague and over-simplified. Everything else goes right out my other ear.

Katie

Arguably, which is the problem. Theoretically, if you give yourself a solid, balanced diet, you shouldn't need to chage macros depending on training or non-training days, but there are good arguments on both sides.

The same is true for the idea of post-workout carbohydrates. There are a number of variables, including but not limited to your goals, the diet you use most of the time, and what type of training you use, not to mention personal insulin sensativity, that all affect how you can/should use post workout carbs. This is why over-simplification can be a bad thing.

utamore

One important caveat to the "avoid simple carbs" rule is immediately after exercise. Exercise depletes your body's glycogen, which you will want to replenish both for muscle growth and fat burning. "Bad" carbs like white rice, white flour, and potatoes actually help replenish glycogen more quickly immediately after exercise, so if you're going to splurge on them, do it after working out.

Kekibird

Hummm....it would seem then that my mistake wasn't in believing myths about carbs and protein but in believing there was a simple answer because now, if possible, I'm more overwhelmed :ohwell:

Oh well....back to the drawing board I go...

Katie

countjackula

Arguably, which is the problem. Theoretically, if you give yourself a solid, balanced diet, you shouldn't need to chage macros depending on training or non-training days, but there are good arguments on both sides.

The same is true for the idea of post-workout carbohydrates. There are a number of variables, including but not limited to your goals, the diet you use most of the time, and what type of training you use, not to mention personal insulin sensativity, that all affect how you can/should use post workout carbs. This is why over-simplification can be a bad thing.

And excessive attention to detail can result in information overload. Exactly what have you added to this conversation other than saying "it depends"? (Which I agree with, btw.)

hpsnickers1

Hummm....it would seem then that my mistake wasn't in believing myths about carbs and protein but in believing there was a simple answer because now, if possible, I'm more overwhelmed :ohwell:

Oh well....back to the drawing board I go...

Katie

I know the feeling. Calorie counting is easy. Balancing out those calories to get the best nutrition for your body? - very, very difficult to understand.

I'm still working with the numbers, myself. I worry about too many carbs so I adjust then I worry about not enough protein so I adjust. The percentages MFP gives you are actually not bad - they are average and generic numbers. I lowered my carbs a bit (and upped my protein) because diabetes runs in my family and I'm learning that carb control has a lot to do with controlling diabetes (they turn to sugar and affect your insulin levels).

I'm staying within what accountant_boi said. I have seen these numbers over and over again:
"Total calories is what matters more than anything. Essentially a Balance diet consists of 20%-30% fats, 15-30% Protein and 45-60% carbs. Anywhere within those ranges is considered "balanced" and you can do trial and error to see what works best for your body".

utamore

Hummm....it would seem then that my mistake wasn't in believing myths about carbs and protein but in believing there was a simple answer because now, if possible, I'm more overwhelmed :ohwell:

Oh well....back to the drawing board I go...

Katie

Calorie counting brings out the OCD in all of us, but just remember, humans have been living for thousands of years eating whatever we could get our mits on. It's only recently that some people like us have the luxury of overeating. You could obsess down to the micronutrient level about having the perfect diet, but really, as long as you have achieved the basic level of health you're looking for, you may not need to worry any more than that (unless like someone else mentioned you are worried about genetic propensity for diabetes or somethign like that).

TateFTW

One important caveat to the "avoid simple carbs" rule is immediately after exercise. Exercise depletes your body's glycogen, which you will want to replenish both for muscle growth and fat burning. "Bad" carbs like white rice, white flour, and potatoes actually help replenish glycogen more quickly immediately after exercise, so if you're going to splurge on them, do it after working out.

There are a couple problems with this;

1. Not all exercise depletes glycogen. Resistance exercise does NOT deplete glycogen nearly enough to "require" carbs post workout. Like I said earlier, you can't generalize these things. I take in carbs post workout because I'm currently doing circuit training as my promary form of training, which depletes glycogen because of the high rep and quick tempo that requires every muscle.

2. Replenishing glycogen has nothing at all to do with fat burning, and in fact will potentially hinder fat loss, because it is once glycogen is depleted that the body starts converting stored fat into fuel for the body. By giving your body carbs, you're actually KEEPING it from using stored fat. (Edit- That being said, you also shouldn't starve yourself post workout to force your body to use fat. There should be a balance between the two, with the weekly deficit being the main catalyst for fat loss, and NOT your choice of workout and post workout nutrition.)

TateFTW

Arguably, which is the problem. Theoretically, if you give yourself a solid, balanced diet, you shouldn't need to chage macros depending on training or non-training days, but there are good arguments on both sides.

The same is true for the idea of post-workout carbohydrates. There are a number of variables, including but not limited to your goals, the diet you use most of the time, and what type of training you use, not to mention personal insulin sensativity, that all affect how you can/should use post workout carbs. This is why over-simplification can be a bad thing.

And excessive attention to detail can result in information overload. Exactly what have you added to this conversation other than saying "it depends"? (Which I agree with, btw.)

Which is funny, because I'm actually currently doing exactly what you suggested in the first post, taking in more carbs on training days and following my sessions with carbs (usually in the form of complex carbs, but a personal favorite post workout meal is subway, and their "wheat" bread is simply unbleached white bread).

My point is two-fold, and very similiar to what the OP is realizing; these things can get very complex when it comes to optimizing macro intake, especially when you get into cycling intake based on training schedule, and optimization isn't as important as following general rules and having a balanced diet all the time.

I'm actually trying to simplify things to help her further buy into the idea that including all 3 macros in her daily diet is a great idea.

VickiMitkins

lots of good comments. You just need to try it a few ways before deciding what's best for you. I, like many, have issue with insulin resistance and prefer higher protien diet. I keep mine at 30% fat, 45% carbs and 25% protien. That keeps me at about 90 grams of protien which is close to the American Diabetes Association's recommended amount for a woman of my age and size. I went there to get a number because of my insulin resistance and my desire to avoid type 2 diabetes. You may on the other hand be more active and need more carbs on a daily basis. I think trial and error is the best learning tool on this issue.

Kekibird

So after reading all this and piecing a few things together, other than being a little low on carbs (especially after a workout) I'm doing pretty close to what everyone here is saying. Looks like I just need to re-train my brain about carbs and keep at it. I think I was hoping this was some of the reason I'm stalled out. Sounds like it's just me.

Ok...I'll keep on truckin'.

Katie

utamore

There are a couple problems with this;

1. Not all exercise depletes glycogen. Resistance exercise does NOT deplete glycogen nearly enough to "require" carbs post workout. Like I said earlier, you can't generalize these things. I take in carbs post workout because I'm currently doing circuit training as my promary form of training, which depletes glycogen because of the high rep and quick tempo that requires every muscle.

2. Replenishing glycogen has nothing at all to do with fat burning, and in fact will potentially hinder fat loss, because it is once glycogen is depleted that the body starts converting stored fat into fuel for the body. By giving your body carbs, you're actually KEEPING it from using stored fat. (Edit- That being said, you also shouldn't starve yourself post workout to force your body to use fat. There should be a balance between the two, with the weekly deficit being the main catalyst for fat loss, and NOT your choice of workout and post workout nutrition.)

I won't quabble with you on your first point except to say that some resistance training can deplete glycogen enough that it is beneficial to take in carbs afteward. I'll leave that at that.

As for your second point, I think that's just wrong. Depleted glycogen causes the body to synthesize glucose from amino acids, consuming your muscles instead of your fat. This is why carb cycling works--you have a high carb day to replenish your glycogen levels and then follow it up with a few low carb days during which your body can burn a higher percentage of fat, and then restock with another high carb day. In that cycle of things, when would be the best time to do resistance training? If you want to be building muscle and burning fat, the answer is the high carb day, when your body has the resources to build muscle instead of undercutting those gains by snagging your amino acids because you've been rolling Atkins.