Carb Paranoia

lh12xx

I've always had it drilled in to me that carbs were bad, especially after reading Atkin's book a few years ago.
I tried the Atkins diet and had the usual initial big weight loss then it slowed after that. And it just didn't feel healthy! I grew tired of eating meat and eggs and started craving greens and fruit and POTATOES! The pounds came back!
I've now started a more balanced diet .. I'm eating between 1100 and 1300 calories a day (more when I go to the gym) and I try to not eat too much bread or potatoes in a day. I've not been on it long enough to document significant weight loss - only about a week!
I guess what I'm looking for is some reassurance that the "balanced" approach works too, and by still eating carbs, in a controlled but not restricted manner, I will still lose weight.
Sounds really basic - but someone please tell me the low-calorie works just as well as (or even a little as well as!) the low-carb approach?

ajanmillie

ive been doing low calorie since i joined in march and it definitely works. I suffered from the same atkins thing that you did. some days i eat alot of carbs. i have lost 102 pounds following mfp so guess what, I know I can say the carb myth is debunked for me.

k_perz

Hello, and Good Luck!

I read a book called Lean for Life last fall. It is a pretty balanced approach to a meal plan. Over the last 13 months I have lost 36 pounds. When I first started I was really strict with the diet; after awhile it became a lifestyle change, and now I hover around 1350 calories a day on a non-workout day.
Lean for Life is a low-carb, low-calorie, moderate-protein diet. You eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and monitor your grains. At breakfast, for example, you could choose between a fruit OR a grain, and so on. I would highly recommend this diet to ANYONE! It was recommended to me by a friend who'd lost a good amount of weight on it, and her parents had done it before her.
Has anyone else tried this approach?

LesliePierceRN

I'm a huge fan of carbs! They comprise better than 50% of my calorie intake, and I've lost 45 pounds this year. It's all about burning them off, and carbs are easy to burn off because it's your body's go-to fuel. It's also the only thing that your brain uses for fuel. The rest of your body will grudgingly use other sources for fuel, but no dice with the brain. It demands glucose, no ifs, ands or buts. Just really load your diet up with low glycemic carbs, though. Replace all your whites for browns, basically. The slow release in multigrain/wheat sources allows for even blood sugar, decreased insulin resistance and less of it gets stored as fat. I've really burned away the belly fat by switching. And the multigrain carbs are as satisfying as the white, without the crash that comes an hour or so later. And you can use agave syrup instead of white sugar for sweetner, because it's low glycemic too. Just get yourself into a good aerobic burn several times a week to boost your metabolism and burn those calories. Personally, I prefer running, but whatever works for you that allows you to enjoy the workout is what you should do.

Grokette

I've always had it drilled in to me that carbs were bad, especially after reading Atkin's book a few years ago.
I tried the Atkins diet and had the usual initial big weight loss then it slowed after that. And it just didn't feel healthy! I grew tired of eating meat and eggs and started craving greens and fruit and POTATOES! The pounds came back!
I've now started a more balanced diet .. I'm eating between 1100 and 1300 calories a day (more when I go to the gym) and I try to not eat too much bread or potatoes in a day. I've not been on it long enough to document significant weight loss - only about a week!
I guess what I'm looking for is some reassurance that the "balanced" approach works too, and by still eating carbs, in a controlled but not restricted manner, I will still lose weight.
Sounds really basic - but someone please tell me the low-calorie works just as well as (or even a little as well as!) the low-carb approach?

If you weren't eating greens and then proceeded to start adding in Fruit in Phase 2 on Atkins, then you were not doing Atkins correctly.

If you are going to embark on the low carb journey, especially a structured elimination plan like Atkins, you have to do it by the book from start to finish.

Yes, you do eat more fats and protein, but you should have been eating plenty of vegetables also.

FairyMiss

every one is diffrent. i am not paradoid of them.
well except they hurt my tummy.

scagneti

I've always had it drilled in to me that carbs were bad, especially after reading Atkin's book a few years ago.
I tried the Atkins diet and had the usual initial big weight loss then it slowed after that. And it just didn't feel healthy! I grew tired of eating meat and eggs and started craving greens and fruit and POTATOES! The pounds came back!
I've now started a more balanced diet .. I'm eating between 1100 and 1300 calories a day (more when I go to the gym) and I try to not eat too much bread or potatoes in a day. I've not been on it long enough to document significant weight loss - only about a week!
I guess what I'm looking for is some reassurance that the "balanced" approach works too, and by still eating carbs, in a controlled but not restricted manner, I will still lose weight.
Sounds really basic - but someone please tell me the low-calorie works just as well as (or even a little as well as!) the low-carb approach?

If you weren't eating greens and then proceeded to start adding in Fruit in Phase 2 on Atkins, then you were not doing Atkins correctly.

If you are going to embark on the low carb journey, especially a structured elimination plan like Atkins, you have to do it by the book from start to finish.

Yes, you do eat more fats and protein, but you should have been eating plenty of vegetables also.

Yeah, I didn't understand that either. The most veggies I've ever eaten in my entire life is when I did Atkins years ago. How can you plan a meal with no side dish? Now that I've cut all wheat & grains out for October, again I'm eating more (in quanity and in different) veggies than I ever would have. Carbs are around the 80g a day mark, but that's because I'm not trying to lose weight and because I eat a fair amount of fruit. Oh, and sweet potatoes (cut into fries, drizzled in olive oil and cooked in the oven) which I've discovered that I LOVE!!

rentrikin

I agree with ladymuscles. I just finished reading Skinny Chicks don't eat salads and it made tremendous nutritional sense. I just started this on Monday and have lost almost 2 lbs. I am eating healthy carbs at every meal along with a lean protein. As I have been doing this, I realize I am basically just eating healthy. The other change in this for me is eating every 4 hours while awake, this serves to help keep my blood sugar stable. Rhonda

foremant86

i eat anywhere from 150g-200g of carbs a day and my weight loss is fine.

hockey7fan

There are lots of different ways to get carbs. I get all my carbs from veggies and fruit. I eat protein, fat, veggies and fruit. I have Celiac disease so I can't have wheat, oats, barley or rye and my dietician put me on the Primal Blueprint diet to control blood sugar and insulin responses so I don't develop Type 2 diabetes.

I eat between 50 and 100 grams of carbs a day all from fruits and veggies. I started on July 30th and have lost 27.5 pounds so far. It's working well for me.

If you want to eat carbs and just avoided all the processed garbage that is in the stores, you'd be much healthier. Skip the Vita-Top muffins and the WW snacks and crap like that and eat potatoes, rice, real oatmeal, corn, peas, beans if you want carbs.

sleepytexan

Don't worry about it. These anti-carb nazis are ridiculous.

Acg67

I guess what I'm looking for is some reassurance that the "balanced" approach works too, and by still eating carbs, in a controlled but not restricted manner, I will still lose weight.
Sounds really basic - but someone please tell me the low-calorie works just as well as (or even a little as well as!) the low-carb approach?

they work in exactly the same way, calorie restriction. Carbs are yummy so enjoy them and stay under your goal and you'll lose weight

Metsfn4life

I wouldn't stress too much about carbs. I see a lot of people on here that do. I eat between 100-200 g a day and I have lost weight successfully. I just try to stick to whole wheat breads, brown rice, etc. Don't deprive your body of anything, otherwise, when you re-introduce it, you will gain weight...which is what happens with Atkins dieters.

Never forget, a calorie is a calorie no matter where it comes from. Your main focus should be staing under your calorie goal and exercising everyday to be healthy!!

Adrenaline_Queen

Don't worry about it. These anti-carb nazis are ridiculous.

I would, high carbs are not good for you.............. 40 carbs 40 protein and 20 fats..

There are good carbs granted, you get them in vegetables, but to many will alter your diet as will hitting over 40, so yes it does make a difference.

Stay away from sweets and cakes, then half the battle is done xx

Acg67

Don't worry about it. These anti-carb nazis are ridiculous.

I would, high carbs are not good for you.............. 40 carbs 40 protein and 20 fats..

There are good carbs granted, you get them in vegetables, but to many will alter your diet as will hitting over 40, so yes it does make a difference.

Stay away from sweets and cakes, then half the battle is done xx

please explain why they are not good for you and also why you would recommend a ratio of C/P/F vs let's say setting minimums in P/F and filling the rest of the cals in however?

alyssamiller77

Atkins and low-carb diets in general are just another approach to weight loss. It can work if you can stick to it, but as you found, for someone that loves foods that have higher levels of carbohydrates, that type of diet is hard to stick to. The good news is that despite the biased marketing driven literature you get with the those diets (remember, every "diet plan" has the goal of getting you to use their method by scaring you away from the rest), carbs are not evil and are not in and of themselves the source of your weight gain.

A balanced approach works great. It has for decades been the most popular form of weight loss. If you want evidence, look at my diary and then look at my ticker. I eat carbs every day, well over the 100g per day that low carb zealots claim to be the entrance to wait gain hell and yet magically I lost 28 pounds in 10 weeks and have been in a successful maintenance since I hit my goal. So rest assured, having a balanced approach will not only work, it is healthy for you and for many people is a much more sustainable diet since it doesn't force you to give up any foods that you love. You just need to learn how to eat them in a balanced fashion.

Good luck to you!!

sleepytexan

Don't worry about it. These anti-carb nazis are ridiculous.

I would, high carbs are not good for you.............. 40 carbs 40 protein and 20 fats..

There are good carbs granted, you get them in vegetables, but to many will alter your diet as will hitting over 40, so yes it does make a difference.

Stay away from sweets and cakes, then half the battle is done xx

Well . . . I've been within the healthy weight range for my height for my entire life, and I NEVER restrict carbs. I also am an athlete, and every other athlete I know (and I know many) eats carbs without worry every day. In fact, we eat EXTRA carbs before an event. Fads are fads. Eating properly from all food groups is the key. No need to avoid sweets and cakes -- just have the sense to eat 1, not a dozen, and have the sense to move your body everyday. Again, carb-nazis are ridiculous.

foodluver27

I am a big believer in carbs. They are what give us energy..especially for those who are active. Our body needs them (hello..krebs cycle!) Also they are brain food too. I have had a few family members who did the atkins diet and yes the weight fell off within weeks but guess what..that weight came back even faster! Now they have gained all their weight back and then some. Also, when they were on their low-carb diets..they looked terrible. They actually kind of looked like they were malnourished...that happens when all you are eating is meat and cheese. Yes you are allowed to eat the non-starchy vegetables..but a lot of people who do this diet mostly focus on the meats and cheese. And who really wants to do a diet where you are not allowed to eat fruit?! You just need to ask yourself...can I eat this way for the rest of my life. Because that is the way low-carb diets are....if you want to keep weight off you have to keep avoiding all those carbs. But if you lose weight eating carbs (healthy such as wheat and whole grains) then guess what you can still keep that weight off eating the food you enjoyed while you lost weight. There is no reason to be scared of a potato..just don't smother it in cheese, sour cream and bacon. I know there are a lot of die hard low-carb eaters out there on MFP and if they want to choose that diet..go for it. But I know they importance of carbs and I will continue to eat them and I have lost 5 pounds already while eating them...at a healthy rate..I say us carb eaters should unite! :happy:

foodluver27

Don't worry about it. These anti-carb nazis are ridiculous.

I would, high carbs are not good for you.............. 40 carbs 40 protein and 20 fats..

There are good carbs granted, you get them in vegetables, but to many will alter your diet as will hitting over 40, so yes it does make a difference.

Stay away from sweets and cakes, then half the battle is done xx

Well . . . I've been within the healthy weight range for my height for my entire life, and I NEVER restrict carbs. I also am an athlete, and every other athlete I know (and I know many) eats carbs without worry every day. In fact, we eat EXTRA carbs before an event. Fads are fads. Eating properly from all food groups is the key. No need to avoid sweets and cakes -- just have the sense to eat 1, not a dozen, and have the sense to move your body everyday. Again, carb-nazis are ridiculous.

You tell 'em SleepyTexan

FairyMiss

Well . . . I've been within the healthy weight range for my height for my entire life, and I NEVER restrict carbs. I also am an athlete, and every other athlete I know (and I know many) eats carbs without worry every day. In fact, we eat EXTRA carbs before an event. Fads are fads. Eating properly from all food groups is the key. No need to avoid sweets and cakes -- just have the sense to eat 1, not a dozen, and have the sense to move your body everyday. Again, carb-nazis are ridiculous.

well bully for you

FairyMiss

edited for computer buttheadedness

cramernh

Don't worry about it. These anti-carb nazis are ridiculous.

I agree with this statement because there are TONS of carb-free radicals that will attempt to drill it into you of their lifestyle... just like the radical vegans or the radical vegetarians...

Fortunately though not all of us are like that.

Each person will react differently on the food-lifestyles we choose for ourselves..

I dont have much choice in the matter where my health is being monitored by an Endocrinologist... I can not consume any potato, rice, white flour, bleached white flour, limits set on dairy (which is fine, Im not a real fan of it anyways), no breads unless I can find a low-carb variety that is not made with processed junk - thankfully I have found a couple but even then, I have to limit it. Ive been low-carbing for about two months and the results are PHENOMINAL!

I love my vegetables but have to watch portions because of some that contain natural carbs... and thats ok.. the whole point is moderation, portion control, and going with what works best for you - or in my case, under the advice and care of a well-educated doctor. The endo I have I absolutely love and is helping to do more research into my Metabolic X Syndrome and my severe PCOS case... Im less-of-a-mess because of her guidance and my compliance...

alyssamiller77

the whole point is moderation, portion control, and going with what works best for you

And in my very humble opinion, this is the best advice out there and I endorse it fully.

questionablemethods

Carbs (by that I mean starchy and/or sugary carbs) are delicious! I looooove them.

That is why I limit them.

For me, at least right now, it is easier to say "[insert carb-y food here] is a special treat that I can only have once in awhile" than to say "well I'm going to have a precisely measured amount at every meal." Protein and fat, without the carbs, are far more self-limiting for me. I've never binged on a stick of butter--despite its deliciousness.

Low-carb ways of eating are a form of calorie restriction. You will regain the weight if you stop restricting the calories. Duh. It is the same for every, single weight loss plan.

doughnutwretch

Carbs are not bad, they just have to be consumed in moderation, much like everything else, to ensure you are staying within your calorie goals. If you like carbs, have some, just make them fit.

I have lost 20 lbs by eating a balanced diet of proteins, carbs and fats. I have my goals on MFP set to custom and am hitting approximately 40/30/30, meaning 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fats. Days I don't workout I consume 1300-1500 calories and around 75g of carbs and days I do workout I consume 1700-2000 calories and over 100g of carbs. I get carbs from fruits a lot of the time, but I enjoy rice, pasta, and beans too.

Grokette

Carbs are not bad, they just have to be consumed in moderation, much like everything else, to ensure you are staying within your calorie goals. If you like carbs, have some, just make them fit.

I have lost 20 lbs by eating a balanced diet of proteins, carbs and fats. I have my goals on MFP set to custom and am hitting approximately 40/30/30, meaning 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fats. Days I don't workout I consume 1300-1500 calories and around 75g of carbs and days I do workout I consume 1700-2000 calories and over 100g of carbs. I get carbs from fruits a lot of the time, but I enjoy rice, pasta, and beans too.

Maybe for you carbs are not bad, but for many of us they are. Especially carbs coming from grains, beans, lentils, dairy and some fruits.

I am happy to see your ratios are working for you. They would not work for me or many others. We are all bio-individually different and unique.

doughnutwretch

Carbs are not bad, they just have to be consumed in moderation, much like everything else, to ensure you are staying within your calorie goals. If you like carbs, have some, just make them fit.

I have lost 20 lbs by eating a balanced diet of proteins, carbs and fats. I have my goals on MFP set to custom and am hitting approximately 40/30/30, meaning 40% protein, 30% carbs and 30% fats. Days I don't workout I consume 1300-1500 calories and around 75g of carbs and days I do workout I consume 1700-2000 calories and over 100g of carbs. I get carbs from fruits a lot of the time, but I enjoy rice, pasta, and beans too.

Maybe for you carbs are not bad, but for many of us they are. Especially carbs coming from grains, beans, lentils, dairy and some fruits.

I am happy to see your ratios are working for you. They would not work for me or many others. We are all bio-individually different and unique.

Okay, so explain to me why carbs are bad for you, particularly the starchy carbs, beans and lentils and carbs derived from fructose? What are the noticed affects they have on your body?

And keep in mind, I was not telling anyone to set their ratios like mine. The OP requested we share our stories with carb consumption so that's my story.

CharlieLopez2005

I've always had it drilled in to me that carbs were bad, especially after reading Atkin's book a few years ago.
I tried the Atkins diet and had the usual initial big weight loss then it slowed after that. And it just didn't feel healthy! I grew tired of eating meat and eggs and started craving greens and fruit and POTATOES! The pounds came back!
I've now started a more balanced diet .. I'm eating between 1100 and 1300 calories a day (more when I go to the gym) and I try to not eat too much bread or potatoes in a day. I've not been on it long enough to document significant weight loss - only about a week!
I guess what I'm looking for is some reassurance that the "balanced" approach works too, and by still eating carbs, in a controlled but not restricted manner, I will still lose weight.
Sounds really basic - but someone please tell me the low-calorie works just as well as (or even a little as well as!) the low-carb approach?

"Balance" is usually thought of as a good adjective, but I've never been clear what it means exactly in the context of dieting and food choices. For some, a "balanced" approach to food is literally 33% carbs, 33% fat, and 33% protein, or some permutation thereof, in which case "balance" in terms of macronutrient ratios looks more like numerology. For some of my gym trainers fresh out of school, a "balanced" diet is literally following the USDA-approved food pyramid--i.e. high carbs, low-fat (which is not completely "balanced" per se). And yet for others, a "balanced" diet is a cafeteria approach to eating where "there are no bad foods, only bad portions." The adjective "balance" can become ridiculously complicated if you try to approach magic food numbers in terms of micronutrients--i.e. vitamins A through Z, and more. And then there are probably many more interpretations of what "balance" means in terms of dieting, but to me, it seems to be a vague description when looked at more closely.

CharlieLopez2005

I agree with ladymuscles. I just finished reading Skinny Chicks don't eat salads and it made tremendous nutritional sense. I just started this on Monday and have lost almost 2 lbs. I am eating healthy carbs at every meal along with a lean protein. As I have been doing this, I realize I am basically just eating healthy. The other change in this for me is eating every 4 hours while awake, this serves to help keep my blood sugar stable. Rhonda

Even though I'm a low-carb dieter myself, I don't think it's for everyone necessarily. But I would say that for diabetics or someone very prone to it at least (like me), a low-carb approach to eating is a better, more sensible approach than higher-carb diets since a diabetic's body doesn't handle carbs nearly as well as a non-diabetic's body.

questionablemethods

I agree with ladymuscles. I just finished reading Skinny Chicks don't eat salads and it made tremendous nutritional sense. I just started this on Monday and have lost almost 2 lbs. I am eating healthy carbs at every meal along with a lean protein. As I have been doing this, I realize I am basically just eating healthy. The other change in this for me is eating every 4 hours while awake, this serves to help keep my blood sugar stable. Rhonda

Even though I'm a low-carb dieter myself, I don't think it's for everyone necessarily. But I would say that for diabetics or someone very prone to it at least (like me), a low-carb approach to eating is a better, more sensible approach than higher-carb diets since a diabetic's body doesn't handle carbs nearly as well as a non-diabetic's body.

I don't even think someone has to have full-blown diabetes to be grouped in with those whose bodies "don't handle carbs as well." There are plenty of people well on their way to diabetes too who might not even have a weight problem. I'm not saying this is the case for everyone, but for me, I know there was something wonky going on with my blood sugar even though I have been tested for diabetes multiple times. But yet I would be ravenously hungry just a couple hours after eating a large bowl of steel cut oats, apple and milk. My life was revolving around making sure that I never left the house for more than a couple hours without a snack. But in becoming fat-adapted (not relying on blood sugar as my primary source of fuel), I have a much, MUCH steadier appetite.

This is what seems to be working for me. I'm not paranoid about carbs. I enjoy them immensely but don't think I want them to make up the bulk of my calories. I'm doing a lot better with a lower amount.

CharlieLopez2005

I don't even think someone has to have full-blown diabetes to be grouped in with those whose bodies "don't handle carbs as well." There are plenty of people well on their way to diabetes too who might not even have a weight problem. I'm not saying this is the case for everyone, but for me, I know there was something wonky going on with my blood sugar even though I have been tested for diabetes multiple times. But yet I would be ravenously hungry just a couple hours after eating a large bowl of steel cut oats, apple and milk. My life was revolving around making sure that I never left the house for more than a couple hours without a snack. But in becoming fat-adapted (not relying on blood sugar as my primary source of fuel), I have a much, MUCH steadier appetite.

This is what seems to be working for me. I'm not paranoid about carbs. I enjoy them immensely but don't think I want them to make up the bulk of my calories. I'm doing a lot better with a lower amount.

Whenever I ate whole wheat spaghetti for dinner, I did notice that I felt like a slug about 30 minutes after I was done eating. I would literally start falling asleep or struggle to stay awake. And then I would still be hungry 3 or 4 hours later. My fasting glucose test turned out normal, but the 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test showed I was on the highest end of what the doc considered normal at 138. Had it been 139 or 140, he would've diagnosed me as diabetic, or at least pre-diabetic. But since I have diabetes on both sides of my family, he sent me to a dietitian who recommended that I keep my fat under 50g per day, which, unknown to her, was actually what I was already doing up to that point. I didn't know any better at the time and always attributed my post-meal crashes and seemingly implacable hunger to a lack of self-discipline rather than insulin surges in my body. It wasn't until much later when I learned more about diabetes on my own that I came to the conclusion that maybe it wasn't my lack of self-discipline, but rather my self-discipline in following a diet that was at odds with my particular body. And I've lost 114 lbs and 27% body fat since that epiphany 11 months ago. And all of my blood work has been exceptional.