You do NOT have to cut carbs...

kelika71

If you want to, fine. It is not a necessity, though. I'm a Type 2 Diabetic and I've seen post after post saying drop carbs. No, you don't have to do this. In fact, you could be doing more harm than good if you don't know what you're doing!

Think of a car. Would you run that without gas?? No?? Well, that's essentially what you're doing when you don't give your body carbs.

Just today alone, I did 178 grams of carbs. Ya know what? My blood sugars are in NORMAL range. Carbs are not the enemy. NOT measuring, overloading, binging...those are the enemies. Everyone needs them and in balance with everything else.

The most important thing I was taught in my Diabetic class: You CAN still eat the things you love!! You just need to determine HOW MUCH you can eat without throwing your numbers out of whack.
They meant blood sugar, but it's calories, carbs, sodium...EVERYTHING. Bottom line, carbs aren't bad if you eat the right ones. Example: Candy bars: bad. Sweet potatoes: good.

TwilaG

Thank you! Carbs are my favorite food. I cannot imagine a life completely without them. I have been learning moderation. It does make a difference.

Crystals422

Thank you for this post. You lost a lot of weight so I belive what you are saying. I know know that I can enjoy my whole wheat english muffin or a whole wheat tuna sandwich and not have to worry about all the hype about carbs.

kelika71

Definitely, moderation is the key. Whole grains, fresh veggies and fruit (not an overload of fruit) is good for you. Pasta...I'm not a big pasta eater, but if you are, fix it "al dente." Follow the serving sizes and make sure they fit into your allotted calories, carbs, etc. If you follow the basic guidelines and such, you can't go wrong.

The general rule is 45-60 grams per major meal. 15 grams per snack. The only time I get up to 60 grams of carbs is about an hour before working out. Otherwise, I stay at the lower end. It does work, it will stabilize blood sugars with a steady diet, exercise and water.

Proof: My Diabetic doctor told me on my last visit, "I'm staying out of your way. You know what you're doing and you're doing it right." I've never felt better in my life.

NanRunsOnPaleo

I wish I can believe that for myself. but I've been a failure with weight loss and have this fear of carbs [whole grains] so I'm back to trying Paleo/ Primal...........

kelika71

I wish I can believe that for myself. but I've been a failure with weight loss and have this fear of carbs [whole grains] so I'm back to trying Paleo/ Primal...........

I've been there before, thinking it wouldn't work. After all, I was addicted to carbs and gaining. Once I started eating the "right" carbs, things started falling into place. Brownies, cakes, cookies, puddings...not the right carbs. Eating right, exercising, drinking water helped me cut the cravings and start losing weight.
So many have said that having PCOS makes it more difficult. Nah! Set your mind to it and you can turn failure into success.

iamhealingmyself

Proof: My Diabetic doctor told me on my last visit, "I'm staying out of your way. You know what you're doing and you're doing it right." I've never felt better in my life.

sounds like he needs to hire you as a consultant/trainer for his other patients who can't quite grasp the concepts. Who better than someone who's been there to help others through such a major life change?

iamhealingmyself

I wish I can believe that for myself. but I've been a failure with weight loss and have this fear of carbs [whole grains] so I'm back to trying Paleo/ Primal...........

don't forget there is a learning curve and an adjustment period with such a major change. It won't happen overnight. It could be you made too drastic of a cut in carbs and it backfired only fueling your cravings instead of curbing them. Of course if you cut carbs and fats and don't have adequate protein intake you will be in trouble too. IF you do cut the carbs, you need to replace that energy with either protein or fat (good fats of course).

I believe that denial of foods only sets you up for failure (unless you have a deathly allergy or something) because you will obsess about what you can't have instead of focusing on what you CAN have. I eat whatever I want - in moderation and I try to make better choices in the carbs I do take. Sometimes though there is nothing like that special piece of chocolate or a serving of greasy and salty chips. Just don't buy the large bag and don't graze - portion control is key.

Allibaba

I am vegetarian so carbs are a pretty important part of my diet. I generally follow the rule not to eat anything white and I try to eat clean and have a balance of different foods. Each person has a different philosophy on what will make them lose weight, but for me, I love carbs and I would never give them up. Also I know the way I am eating now is something I can do for the rest of my life and I am fine with losing the last 20 lbs slow and steady so that I will keep it off.

SamsGonePaleo

This makes me happy, being hypoglycemic It was constantly drilled into my head that carbs are the enemy. Really they are not, I still have oatmeal and whole grain bread / flour. I just watch portion sizes. Sugar is my enemy, so I just avoid white carbohydrates.

kelika71

It was drilled into my head, too. Then, thanks to being diagnosed as Diabetic, I had to go to classes. Doctors, insurances, etc. are on people's cases to lose weight/get healthy. Perhaps, they should start educating people BEFORE they become Diabetic.

Too many times I've seen the misinformed giving information out here and other places and it's due to what's been ingrained in our heads. The truth is, have good carbs and limit the bad. No one has to give up anything. Those giving up things, that's just a personal choice. It's not needed if one fits it into the numbers.

dj_stevie_c

It's balance as far as I'm aware.

Balanced intake of Carbs, Fat, Protein, Vitamins etc.

I've managed to lose weight while eating bread/potatoes etc

lodro

It was drilled into my head, too. Then, thanks to being diagnosed as Diabetic, I had to go to classes. Doctors, insurances, etc. are on people's cases to lose weight/get healthy. Perhaps, they should start educating people BEFORE they become Diabetic.

Too many times I've seen the misinformed giving information out here and other places and it's due to what's been ingrained in our heads. The truth is, have good carbs and limit the bad. No one has to give up anything. Those giving up things, that's just a personal choice. It's not needed if one fits it into the numbers.

So actually what this means is that you have cut down on carbohydrate intake. Considering that lots of people eat carbohydrates exclusively, and easily consume over 1000 grams daily, your 178 grams of carbohydrates mean quite a restriction.

Also, carbohydrates from white flour and from whole grain products are not handled all that differently by the body. Even diets that seek to restrict carb intake allow carbs from vegetables (except potato) and emphasise portion control for vegetables that contain more carbs (like carrots)

kelika71

It was drilled into my head, too. Then, thanks to being diagnosed as Diabetic, I had to go to classes. Doctors, insurances, etc. are on people's cases to lose weight/get healthy. Perhaps, they should start educating people BEFORE they become Diabetic.

Too many times I've seen the misinformed giving information out here and other places and it's due to what's been ingrained in our heads. The truth is, have good carbs and limit the bad. No one has to give up anything. Those giving up things, that's just a personal choice. It's not needed if one fits it into the numbers.

So actually what this means is that you have cut down on carbohydrate intake. Considering that lots of people eat carbohydrates exclusively, and easily consume over 1000 grams daily, your 178 grams of carbohydrates mean quite a restriction.

Also, carbohydrates from white flour and from whole grain products are not handled all that differently by the body. Even diets that seek to restrict carb intake allow carbs from vegetables (except potato) and emphasise portion control for vegetables that contain more carbs (like carrots)

178 g vs. 70 g is hardly a restriction. Actually, I haven't cut down on carb intake. I've limited the "bad" carbs: chips, desserts, etc. I still have them, but when they fit into my numbers. I've INCREASED good carbs. So, to say that I've cut down is wrong. I've traded bad for good. Big difference.

You're wrong on how they are handled by the body. That "bad" stuff will cause your blood sugar to spike and then drop drastically. That's why most people feel tired and sluggish after a high "bad" carb.
The good carbs will raise your blood sugar but they come down slowly and will not cause you to crash.

If you had read what I said from the start, you can have anything...fit it into the numbers (i.e. "portion control").

lodro

It was drilled into my head, too. Then, thanks to being diagnosed as Diabetic, I had to go to classes. Doctors, insurances, etc. are on people's cases to lose weight/get healthy. Perhaps, they should start educating people BEFORE they become Diabetic.

Too many times I've seen the misinformed giving information out here and other places and it's due to what's been ingrained in our heads. The truth is, have good carbs and limit the bad. No one has to give up anything. Those giving up things, that's just a personal choice. It's not needed if one fits it into the numbers.

So actually what this means is that you have cut down on carbohydrate intake. Considering that lots of people eat carbohydrates exclusively, and easily consume over 1000 grams daily, your 178 grams of carbohydrates mean quite a restriction.

Also, carbohydrates from white flour and from whole grain products are not handled all that differently by the body. Even diets that seek to restrict carb intake allow carbs from vegetables (except potato) and emphasise portion control for vegetables that contain more carbs (like carrots)

178 g vs. 70 g is hardly a restriction. Actually, I haven't cut down on carb intake. I've limited the "bad" carbs: chips, desserts, etc. I still have them, but when they fit into my numbers. I've INCREASED good carbs. So, to say that I've cut down is wrong. I've traded bad for good. Big difference.

You're wrong on how they are handled by the body. That "bad" stuff will cause your blood sugar to spike and then drop drastically. That's why most people feel tired and sluggish after a high "bad" carb.
The good carbs will raise your blood sugar but they come down slowly and will not cause you to crash.

If you had read what I said from the start, you can have anything...fit it into the numbers (i.e. "portion control").

With insulin resistance, another thing needs to be factored in: total glycemic load on your body. It's true that with more fiber, you have fewer insulin spikes. By that reasoning, having as little carbohydrate as possible would reduce insulin spikes even more. However, for the total glycemic load on your body, it doesn't matter if your bagel is whole grain or white flour: carbohydrate is carbohydrate.

Yes, portion control: I wasn't writing about the difference between 178g and 70g (although considering glycemic load, 70g would be the better number) but the difference between your way of eating and that of the majority of the american and european population.