Any thoughts on Carbohydrate addiction

Ginger4real

I have always been a chip /french fry person..sweets never got to me ...crunch and salt I guess are my weakness....I read a few things that lead me to view myself as a carb addict..I get sleepy after I eat carb loaded foods...I did awesome when I went on Atkins ..but of course over did it and didnt stick to it ...anyone out there who knows about Carbs and would like to share some insight on how to cut them down ..with out over doing it and cutting them out ? I was eating 10 or less a day and lost 35-40 ish pounds in a month and a half ... but gained it all back and more ....I can be in full ketosis within 24-48 hours where it takes others 2 weeks or more ....probably because I over do it ..and they use the good sense to ease into it.

pizzygirltx

bump

lutzsher

We consume complex carbs every day, but as with anything moderation is key. I am not a fan of any plan, such as Atkins, that has you cut out an important food group. It is not healthy and you will just put that weight right back on as that diet is just not sustainable for life.
Enjoy a few servings of your favorite carbs each day, but keep the portion size small. This way you are not depriving yourself and enjoying the things you love.
I eat what I want, but keep the portion size in mind depending on what it is.

chris_elizabeth

I am also a salty craver!! I found a couple 'chip' alternatives which I mean are still not great but can help you cut the urge, and just eat less of them right?

Popchips - they are super tastey only 180 calories for 31 chips (and ya sure still have sodium and fat, BUTT its not as bad as normal chips!)
They also have a lot of salt free chips out now, another option to atleast get you 'crunch crave' gone, but not have AS negative impact as a normal chip!


I am also interested to hear what people have to say on here!!!

lloydrt

This was on Dr Oz yesterday, about addiction to carbs.......Kinda scarry. I think , for the most, what they were trying to enforce, was high complex carbs , versus low complex, ie, sweet potatoes, whole wheat grains, etc versus, chips, fries, white bread, etc

The whole point of Dr Oz show was to get people weaned off of carbs and onto grains and fruits.............I think eating wheat, rye, whole grains is OK, just in portion control.....Lloyd

lloydrt

sorry, double post.....

vim_n_vigor

Can you take a first step of changing the carbs you are eating - maybe swapping fries for sweet potatoes, nuts (lightly salted) for the chips? One thing that seems to be working for me right now is only eating carbs at a certain time of the day when I have already had a meal - I am only allowing myself carbs after dinner - when I have already had protein and I am not as hungry. Maybe you can try something like that too ( I have only been doing this 2 days, so can't tell you if it will work long term for me)

sam363

Try reading about The Zone diet by Barry Sears. Low carb, good carbs and what they do for you and why. Plus how to balance out protein, fat, and carbs. Right now I am counting carbs. I try limit 2-3 servings per meal and 1-2 servings per snack. One serving is 15g. I don't have to go over board one way or another and if I have something that is carb loaded I can get back on track with the next meal. Remember that losing 1-2 lbs a week is the best way to keep it off for good. So if you are consistently losing a ton then evaluate what you are doing and adjust. You are not doing your body any favors by losing so much a such a short period then gaining it back. Good Luck!

Melisa454

I don't know if you watch the Dr Oz show, but his topic yesterday was just that. Check it out on his website. It is still on the home page.

http://www.doctoroz.com

Leanne1795

I am low carbing at the moment and I couldn't eat chips if I tried. See, the point of doing Atkins is that, if you do it properly, you end up thoroughly weaned off of the huge carby amounts that you used to enjoy.
I use the Atkins forum on minimins to keep me on the right path. There is a lot of encouragement and support there. Some great recipes too, like celeriac chips! Yummy. If you want to start again then come and join us.

DaChozn

I have always been a chip /french fry person..sweets never got to me ...crunch and salt I guess are my weakness....I read a few things that lead me to view myself as a carb addict..I get sleepy after I eat carb loaded foods...I did awesome when I went on Atkins ..but of course over did it and didnt stick to it ...anyone out there who knows about Carbs and would like to share some insight on how to cut them down ..with out over doing it and cutting them out ? I was eating 10 or less a day and lost 35-40 ish pounds in a month and a half ... but gained it all back and more ....I can be in full ketosis within 24-48 hours where it takes others 2 weeks or more ....probably because I over do it ..and they use the good sense to ease into it.

Are you a person that if you eat a little carbs, you go overboard (points to myself! haha)? Some people (me included) have to have a structured diet to keep from sabotaging their efforts. I have the same effects you described when I indulge in carb loaded food. I can never go as extreme as Atkins for an extended period of time (unless I'm fasting after a splurge), but I have found a way to control my cravings and still have my carbs everyday and still lose weight. Let me know if you're interested and I'll PM ya.

Ginger4real

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I think i have my brain so conditioned that food = fat ...I need to learn not to fear food but use it as fuel ..I'm low energy , sleepy all day etc... I am trying this time to just cut out the white basic flour type breads ...cut back on sugar ..such as kid type cereals and basic white sugar in coffee. The hardest thing to do for me seems to be, to eat more often ...I forget then when im weak and hungry I grab soe quick fix thats carb loaded ..and want to go to bed ...terrible feeling. Any suggestions of foods that are good carbs that can replace my bad ones would be awesome ...like~ if there are crackers that can replace chips or maybe a good bread to replace my regular white bread or bagels..toast is my grab and go snack. I bought some honey wheat and oat bread ..I do like the flax or country harvest breads...My daughters are having a hard time adjusting to not having white bread in the house.

Ginger4real

I have always been a chip /french fry person..sweets never got to me ...crunch and salt I guess are my weakness....I read a few things that lead me to view myself as a carb addict..I get sleepy after I eat carb loaded foods...I did awesome when I went on Atkins ..but of course over did it and didnt stick to it ...anyone out there who knows about Carbs and would like to share some insight on how to cut them down ..with out over doing it and cutting them out ? I was eating 10 or less a day and lost 35-40 ish pounds in a month and a half ... but gained it all back and more ....I can be in full ketosis within 24-48 hours where it takes others 2 weeks or more ....probably because I over do it ..and they use the good sense to ease into it.

Are you a person that if you eat a little carbs, you go overboard (points to myself! haha)? Some people (me included) have to have a structured diet to keep from sabotaging their efforts. I have the same effects you described when I indulge in carb loaded food. I can never go as extreme as Atkins for an extended period of time (unless I'm fasting after a splurge), but I have found a way to control my cravings and still have my carbs everyday and still lose weight. Let me know if you're interested and I'll PM ya.

Yes I am interested ...I dont know if I go over board...but it seems to be all I buy ....Not that I havent ate a whole big bag of chips before ....but usually I can stop ...but then the next thing I have is carb loaded too...I never liked Veggies as a kid ..complex from my mom forcing me to eat everythign on my plate ..I learned to hate all of them ...starting to eat more of them now though

Ginger4real

Ps im 3 days into this site so im just figuring out the message boards and what not ..bare with me if I mess it up..just tried the quote thing for the first time

Ginger4real

bump

What does bump mean ?

MissKim

I have always been a chip /french fry person..sweets never got to me ...crunch and salt I guess are my weakness....I read a few things that lead me to view myself as a carb addict..I get sleepy after I eat carb loaded foods...I did awesome when I went on Atkins ..but of course over did it and didnt stick to it ...anyone out there who knows about Carbs and would like to share some insight on how to cut them down ..with out over doing it and cutting them out ? I was eating 10 or less a day and lost 35-40 ish pounds in a month and a half ... but gained it all back and more ....I can be in full ketosis within 24-48 hours where it takes others 2 weeks or more ....probably because I over do it ..and they use the good sense to ease into it.

friend me and read my blog carbs are very addictive, i sound alot like you. you have to do what you gotta do to get the weight off, and then you have to make this a lifestyle! you can never go back to eating the way you used to eat. You have to find the carb limit that your body can handle without gaining weight. and stick to it! it doesn't mean you can never have a "treat" again, but it shouldn't be everyday, or every week even. special occasions only. 80-90% of the time should be healthy clean natural foods.

DianaPowerUp

There are tons of articles out there about carb addiction, and really how it's all related to your insulin levels. You eat carbs, your insulin goes up dramatically (as opposed to other macros), and when your insulin crashes down, you burn out, and immediately crave that carb feeling again. It's a roller coaster of insulin ride. Some people have less of an issue with this, others (like myself) , it's pretty dramatic.

I now eat a low carb diet (not no carb), and most of my carbs come from the fruits/veggies I eat. I can tell you that as soon as I eat bread, cereal, pasta, or whatever else like that, I want more and more, sooner and sooner, It's a vicious cycle for me, that I couldn't break until I cut that stuff out of my diet. Now, the weight just melts away with little to no effort, and I don't have those terrible cravings or feelings of, "OMG I have to eat NOW!!!!" like I used to. I feel more "even keel" so to speak.

So yes, I do believe in carb addiction. I am a carb addict. A recovering one. I still will have bread from time to time, or have a waffle on Sunday morning, but I am much more conscious about what/when I put something into my body, b/c I know the effects it has on my system. So now, I have a pretty primal lifestyle, which is working great for me (look at my before and after pix).

Oh, and how to cut them out? I just started eating "differently". Breakfast was the hardest, b/c I'd always eaten cereal. Now I have something high in protein - eggs, greek yogurt, or ricotta cheese and fruit.

Lunch - no more chips, bread (ah, sandwiches....), but I eat a large salad full of nuts, cheese, with some turkey breast on the side

Dinner - that's easy. protein (meat, chicken, fish) with a side of veggies. (my hubby and kids will get some addn'l starch)

Hope that helps! But once you cut down on that stuff, you'll find that the cravings are less and less. And the less you crave it, the less you eat it.

Ginger4real

I didn't see these responses until tonight ..I would love to join any groups that discuss carb issues. I am currently watching my carbs again and cutting sugar ..feel free to add me if anyone would like

naturallykat

Another recovering carb addict here. Its no wonder you feel sleepy after carbs and then are hungry again, that's the insulin talking.

I used to think I could never give up my carbs. My mindset has changed, and now I enjoy high protein, high fat food (I eat paleo, google it) and my attitude towards eating has really changed as a consequence of my food intake, as I don't feel hungry until a lot later than my previous diet, and I seem much more in tune with my satiety when I eat, too.

I allow myself a carbs day once a week, so that I don't feel deprived (although alcohol is sneaking in for a few days, I must control that one!). I have carbohydrates daily in the form of any lovely vegetables including carrots and sweet potatoes, just not from processed stuff or grains.

Their website seems to be down at the moment, but there's usually lots of support and articles on Nerd Fitness' site for Paleo style eating, and they have a great forum you can join.

maremare312

I'm a carb lover too! I'm working on not basing my meals on carbs, and/or only having one serving of carbs. 1 piece of bread, 2 small corn tortillas, half a cup of rice, 1 cup of whole wheat pasta per meal for me. I'm not worried about counting carbs at all, I eat tons of fruits and veggies. Every meal my concentration is eating protein and fruits and veggies and then the extra grainy carb is more of an afterthought or an accompaniment. Things like potato chips that I might binge on I either don't bring into the house or buy in single portion servings.

RonSwanson66

This was on Dr Oz yesterday

then it must be bull****.

littlegoat

I can completely understand people who feel like they're addicted and have to cut them out to lose weight. Hey, if you can make it into a lifestyle change and you're happy doing it, more power to you!

For me though, as much as I can admit I may have a bit of an addiction to them (depending on your idea of what an addiction isI however I don't feel like I suffer any negative effects due to it in the least. I only really crave them on occasion, the same way I crave apples if I don't have them for a while, or tuna, or a whole host of other things. Personally I couldn't cut them out, and wouldn't want to, but I've adopted more of an "everything in moderation" approach, and getting more bang for my buck as it were. If I want some carbs, alright, but I may as well have ones with better nutritional value like whole grains instead. Same goes for protein, fats, etc.

temp666777

Fortunately it's fairly easy to END your carbohydrate addiction.

The secret is the magic number: 72 grams of carbs. Eat exactly 72 grams of carbs per day. If you can keep this up for about 4 to 5 weeks, your whole psychology - your mind, your soul if you will! - will completely change.

You'll find yourself walking about amazed that you were ever overly interested in potatoes, pasta, sweets.

This "magic" figure of 72 grams a day was figured out by Dr. Lutz based on his vast clinical experience and the scientific reasoning he explains in his book.

I urge you to buy a copy of "Life Without Btread" by Dr Wolfgang Lutz (or if you happen to read German, the original "Leben Ohne Brot").

Once again, you can get by USING WILLPOWER, but who wants to do that? You have to actually CURE your mind - change your very "soul" if you will, even though that sounds overly dramatic - so that you actually DO NOT WANT to eat carbs.

Imagine if (bizarrely) you literally DID NOT WANT to eat carbohydrates.

This can be done. Fact. And it takes about 5 weeks. The secret is you have to eat EXACTLY 72 grams of carbs a day -- you have to be very accurate - and you can't blow it even one day. Start today and in 5 weeks you'll become one of these freaky people who runs around everywhere yelling at people they should read Dr Lutz book

It's only five weeks - try it. It makes you literally "a different person" so expect drama in your life.

(There will be significant, real and sometimes bizarre changes in your life. For example you will sleep considerably less each night. A huge and bizarre change. You will have a strange feeling that you have more time in the day (since you spend no time thinking about food). Health issues such as asthma-like or inflammatory issues will dramatically change. Your sex drive will skyrocket. Your sense of smell will wildly improve (also very weird). People you like and don't like will change. If you snore, you won't. And so on. But overwhelmingly, the biggest change is you'll be walking around saying "this is bizarre I don't want CHO, what's up with this?" - it's strange to suddenly be a completely different person.)

72 grams is the magic figure. If you try a lower number of grams it won't work, you just get angry and fail and your body fights it. If you try a higher number it won't work, it's too high to kick in the effect.

The only downside is it is very important you don't blow it EVEN ONE DAY in the initial four or five weeks. After a couple of months, it's no problem at all if you go a little high one day. But in the first 4-5 weeks, before "the change", if you blow it EVEN SLIGHTLY, just one day, you've completely wasted all that time and you have to start again from day one. AGAIN: you cannot blow it for even ONE DAY in the first 4-5 weeks.

You - anyone - (other than profoundly sick older people) - is only 5 or so weeks away from a completely different "soul" (the change is so dramatic it's hard to know how else to describe it). It's February 12 now, so by the end of March "carbo addiction" could just be a strange memory for you !

I hope it helps you as much as the increasing number of people (colleagues, extended family embers, etc) i've suggested Dr Lutz book to and it has utterly changed their lives.

You have utterly hit the nail on the head: you must CURE your carbohydrate addiction, and everything else will easily follow.

CarolynB38

I'll tell you what helped me. I stopped eating refined carbs for 3 days. I gave myself 3 days because it doesn't seem too long and I knew it would come to an end. Telling myself to stop refined carbs without a time limit seemed impossible, hence the limit. I avoided processed sugar as much as humanly possible, so no cakes, biscuits etc AT ALL. It seems hard but it's only 3 days. When I had a sugar craving I had dried fruit instead (make sure they're not glazed with sugar though!). The sugar in fruit is tolerated a little better than refined cane sugar so you don't get the same sugar highs and lows as with cakes and sweeties. By the end of the 3 days I really didn't crave sugary things any more so I didn't eat much of them at all. I was still eating whole grains etc just not the white stuff or the sugar. It worked for me and I felt so much better afterwards too. Now I can eat the occasional cake or biscuit and not feel out of control and have to eat the rest of the packet!

I'm not saying it will work for you, just that it did for me so perhaps it is worth a try :happy:

daisydieter

I've been hearing lots and lots of things about there being a physical addiction to gluten. That like booze or drugs, once you over-do it on a regular basis, your body becomes physically dependent.

I just finished a 3 week detox (no gluten among other items I tend to binge upon) and after the first week the cravings went away. This week, just added back 1 serving of gluten containing grains per day. I'm curious to see if that is going to trigger the cravings again or will be enough. It's been so liberating last two weeks not to be craving what I typically crave: breads, cake/cookies, chips, pizza, fries, nachos/tacos, hamburgers (mostly about the bread) and battered and fried various goodies.

ryansgram

I feel better if i eat an egg for breakfast instead of cereal or oatmeal. I cut out bread and potatoes, not totally but dont eat a whole lot. I feel much better. I eat more protein and veggies. I dont get tired like i used to or hungry after eating.

Ginger4real

Lots of good responses here ..Thanks everyone. I am doing pretty good ..My carbs range between 35-60 a day after fiber is subtracted ...I feel so much better now...more energy and exercising much more now that I don't feel like sleeping all day.

temp666777

"My carbs range between 35-60 a day after fiber is subtracted"

60 could be a bit low. 35 is way too low. Forget about finer subtraction calculations - just count total carbohydrates.

Don't take a "shot in the dark" or a "guess" .. consider sticking to 72 grams a day. Read all about the science in great detail in Dr Luzt book "Life Without Bread"

Don't forget if you're CHO is TOO LOW, it won't help you. It will just strain your body and make it impossible to carry on.

There is no advantage in being too low, it is a disadvantage. If you have a specific reason to not choose 72 grams, you would need a lot of science behind you! Check out the book, stick to 72 grams, and in as little as two months or less you will experience total magic.

Hope it helps !