What do you think about carbs?

jessicamarie81

I've been monitoring my calories, etc for the last week and I think my carb count is too high according to MyFitnessPal's recommendations. I know you can customize it to your own personal likings but I really don't know what a good amount to take in would be, I'm just thinking it's too high. Any suggestions?

Samana06

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/8-reasons-carbs-help-you-lose-weight-2442968/

I haven't read the whole article ... but it popped up on my home page when I logged on! Carbs aren't really bad ... it's just the TYPE of carbs you take in ... I think!

♥_Ellybean_♥

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/8-reasons-carbs-help-you-lose-weight-2442968/

I haven't read the whole article ... but it popped up on my home page when I logged on! Carbs aren't really bad ... it's just the TYPE of carbs you take in ... I think!

What she said

jessicamarie81

Thanks! I've been trained over the years to think they are bad...

jennylynn84

They're yummy!

LOL.

No seriously, I think mine are set to around 50%. I believe that's lower than MFP starts you. I heard that below 40% is technically considered "low carb" and I'm just not down with that. Cuz... yum.

♥_Ellybean_♥

Thanks! I've been trained over the years to think they are bad...

It really just depends on how you eat them...

udallmom101

I have always been told by my Mother, who is a diabetic, that it's the type of carbs. I try to stick to the rule if it's from fruit, vegetables, or whole grains, I don't worry. If it's in something that is processed I try to avoid or cut back on it. My Mother is only suppose to have no more than 30 carbs in a meal, 20 in a snack. I try my hardest to stick with that measure.

rsonthelake

You've got good carbs and bad carbs. Bad carbs is what they refer to as simple carbohydrates, and good are complex carbs.

Simple carbohydrates
These are just what they sound like: simple sugars. Simple sugars are quickly converted to glucose in your body . Simple carbohydrates include naturally occurring sugars and are most usually found in refined and processed foods, including white breads, sugary beverages and candy.

Complex carbohydrates
Complex carbs are more slowly digested and almost always found in foods more healthful than their simple counterparts. You find complex carbohydrates in:

Fruits
Vegetables
Whole grain foods

Hope this helps.

iplayoutside19

I've been monitoring my calories, etc for the last week and I think my carb count is too high according to MyFitnessPal's recommendations. I know you can customize it to your own personal likings but I really don't know what a good amount to take in would be, I'm just thinking it's too high. Any suggestions?

I guess my question is why do you think that?

Atkins has done a good job of creating "Carbafobes"

If we're being technical veggies and fruits would have to go....they're carbs.

kym117

I am not sure if it's the carbs or the protein but I used to eat little protein and lots of processed carbs in fact lots is an understatement, I used to live on them, I found I was up and down in energy but usually down and irritable. I have changed my eating habits over the last 24 days and feel much better!

NoAdditives

Your body can only process a certain amount of carbs (and fats) at one time. If you eat more than you can metabolize the rest get stored as fat. And yes, this is true even if they're good carbs.

NOLAdy

I like carbs. It took me a while to get the hang of eating a low carb diet. I'm now in a pretty good zone. It took me joining a gym and getting a good strngth training type of workout. That made me want to follow a better diet, and changed the way I thought about things. I allow myself at least one carb a day, if I want (and I usually do) . Rice, pasta, bread...whatever. Oh and cereal is a common breakfast for me, I'd say 2 or 3 times a week. I don't pay attention to the grams that much because I'm not trying to do a low carb diet, I just want to balance it out more in general. When I was younger, I'd diet and pretty much live on carbs because they were convienent and cheap. Now I've broadened my knowledge of food (thanks to all of the reality cooking shows) and have a much better idea of what to eat.

I follow the "everything is good, in moderation" rule.

taletreader

I've lowered mine a little (to 45 or 50 % down from 55 %), but not because I'm against carbs but because I wanted to raise my proteins a little bit (without cutting down on fats). On most days I seem to end up eating 150-160 g of carbs, dipping sometimes down to 120 g and going up to 200 on occasion.

crystal_sapphire

it took me a long time to realize that carbohydrates only further my binging issue once I start a binge. Despite eating complex carbs - whole wheat pasta, whole grain breads, I would binge.

For now the only carb intake I'm getting is from vegetables and 1/2 cup frozen berries. It's working for me and I've been having stretches of binge free days (still working on weekends as my bf likes to make whatever).


Anyway, complex carbs as mentioned above are not bad for you. You just have to find what works for you though.

jessicamarie81

LOL, yes they are certainly yummy

jessicamarie81

Yes, Atkins and the South Beach diet both have made me a carbaphobe...but good carbs are what I need. Thank you all for the comments

TrainingWithTonya

Honestly, there's no such thing as a Bad Carb. Even simple sugars have their place in a healthy, balanced exercise and nutrition plan. For people who do a lot of endurance training, for example, simple sugars are a requirement for immediate energy supply during their event or training or after their event or training for replenishment of their glycogen stores. Since the breakdown of carbs gives the by products that are required for fat burning, extra carbs are a good thing. If you don't have enough, then the body has to make them from the breakdown of protein (muscle) which can have a negative effect on the metabolism and performance in the gym. Having a large supply of carbs (both complex and simple) allows the protein that is ingested to be saved for muscle and other tissue building instead of having to be broken down for energy production, so a higher carb diet actually spares muscle and teaches the body to burn more fat when combined with a well rounded exercise plan (including both resistance and cardio). Seventy to 80 percent of my intake is carbs because I'm literally exercising almost constantly while training clients and teaching exercise classes, in addition to walking all over campus for my exercise physiology classes which are a lot of hands on learning. I need the extra simple sugars and complex carbs to keep my blood sugar from dropping too low due to all the exercise. Plus, I'm donating a kidney so I will have to be on a low protein plan for the rest of my life to keep from overworking the one kidney I have left to deaminate the protein. I also have a high risk family history of heart disease and cancer so I have to maintain a low fat intake as well. High carb works great for me.

Pinkranger626

Carbs are very important to your body! you need them to perform basic functions like thinking since your body uses them for energy. Making sure you get more carbs from fruits vegetables and whole grains will help you feel better and function better since they also come with fiber and usually vitamins and minerals. reducing your intake of carbs like white bread and pasta will be helpful but I do not believe that you should cut them out.

jessicamarie81

Thank you, very informative!

erin6026

Your body needs and loves carbs, as long as they're the right ones! There are "starchy" carbs like what you find in mac and cheese, and crackers and white breads, etc. (the processed, artificial ingredient kind)

Then there are carbs in vegetables, yams, squash, potatoes and whole grains that your body loves (and they have a lot more fiber).

If all your meals are "white" (full of starchy carbs) then I'd do some adjustments. For example if I have oatmeal for breakfast, then I'll try to eat an egg, lean meat and veggies for lunch and then salad and another protein for dinner. There should be lots of color to your meals!

Don't worry about it too much though!