Cutting carbohydrates

HarpingOn

Been going to a gym to do interval training through the dark winters when I can't use my bike.

The diet advice from the trainer there was that my 1900 calories might be a bit low even, and that I should massively cut carbs and eat more protein instead.

Most of my meals seem to be pasta, white bread sandwiches, basmati rice, home made pizza bases etc. Which I make and the whole family eat.

I so want to avoid making separate meals, anyone got any sugestions to help out? If exercising for weight loss, is this sound advice anyway?

thanks people

Jadesfattorment

If you want to add protein to your diet try eating peanutbutter sandwiches, they're high in calories and protein, they will give the energy to keep working out! I hope this helps,

UponThisRock

High intensity cardio on a low carb diet is a terrible idea. That "trainer" doesn't know what he's talking about.

hottottie11

Unless medically necessary, cutting carbs does not offer any advantage over any other reduced calorie diet. The initial quick weight loss is water weight and your long term weight loss is comparable to any other reduced calorie diet.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19246357

Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates.


Abstract
BACKGROUND: The possible advantage for weight loss of a diet that emphasizes protein, fat, or carbohydrates has not been established, and there are few studies that extend beyond 1 year.

METHODS: We randomly assigned 811 overweight adults to one of four diets; the targeted percentages of energy derived from fat, protein, and carbohydrates in the four diets were 20, 15, and 65%; 20, 25, and 55%; 40, 15, and 45%; and 40, 25, and 35%. The diets consisted of similar foods and met guidelines for cardiovascular health. The participants were offered group and individual instructional sessions for 2 years. The primary outcome was the change in body weight after 2 years in two-by-two factorial comparisons of low fat versus high fat and average protein versus high protein and in the comparison of highest and lowest carbohydrate content.

RESULTS: At 6 months, participants assigned to each diet had lost an average of 6 kg, which represented 7% of their initial weight; they began to regain weight after 12 months. By 2 years, weight loss remained similar in those who were assigned to a diet with 15% protein and those assigned to a diet with 25% protein (3.0 and 3.6 kg, respectively); in those assigned to a diet with 20% fat and those assigned to a diet with 40% fat (3.3 kg for both groups); and in those assigned to a diet with 65% carbohydrates and those assigned to a diet with 35% carbohydrates (2.9 and 3.4 kg, respectively) (P>0.20 for all comparisons). Among the 80% of participants who completed the trial, the average weight loss was 4 kg; 14 to 15% of the participants had a reduction of at least 10% of their initial body weight. Satiety, hunger, satisfaction with the diet, and attendance at group sessions were similar for all diets; attendance was strongly associated with weight loss (0.2 kg per session attended). The diets improved lipid-related risk factors and fasting insulin levels.

CONCLUSIONS: Reduced-calorie diets result in clinically meaningful weight loss regardless of which macronutrients they emphasize. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00072995.)



In addition, be realistic with yourself. Don't start a diet that you will not be able to stick with post-weight loss.

shakybabe

Maybe just reduce your carbs so you don't eat as much eg if you planning on doing pizza don't have any other bread that day like toast, sandwiches or jacket potato/chips etc, try sweet potato chips instead of white potato, have a bowl of salad for lunch instead of sandwiches etc. if family are having meat, veg and potatoes just cut your potato portion or reduce it and have bigger portion of veg instead?

quietlywinning

Is what you are doing working? Your ticker shows a good loss, so it appears your diet is fine. If it works and you enjoy it and it's convenient within your family situation, there is no reason to change it.

auctoritas

It's possible to cut carbs without going low carb, especially if your diet just contains too many carbs compared to fat and protein to begin with.

Instead of pasta, have a steak with a side of veggies. Instead of like, oatmeal, yogurt, or cereal for breakfast, have some bacon and eggs. You can cut down on carbs by switching out meals where you'd be eating very carb heavy for lower carb meals without any difficulty. Stuff like that.

Yeah it's not NECESSARY to cut carbs, and SOME people on this forum have great results eating ice cream all the time, but try cutting back on some of your carb meals and see how it works out. It certainly wouldn't hurt your health to have some roasted broccoli as a side instead of rice, or a vegetable and beef stew instead of a pizza.

melaniecheeks

Agree with reducing carbs, which is feasible , with a little planning, along with feeding a family.

(btw Sweet potato is great, and has loads of good stuff in it, but isn't really much of a carb saver compared to regular potato)

Sandwiches - make the filling, use bread for the others, and pile yours into lettuce leaves.

Have eggs for breakfast instead of cereal.

Make a big salad at dinner time, and have a huge portion for you, with less pasta/ rice etc.

AdAstra47

Been going to a gym to do interval training through the dark winters when I can't use my bike.

The diet advice from the trainer there was that my 1900 calories might be a bit low even, and that I should massively cut carbs and eat more protein instead.

I so want to avoid making separate meals, anyone got any sugestions to help out? If exercising for weight loss, is this sound advice anyway?

Absolutely. This is great advice, this is also what my doctor told me, and there are lots of ways to substitute foods so your family might not even notice the reduction in carbs.

First of all, check out the paleo / primal / Atkins / South Beach threads & groups on here. Lots & lots of good recipes and suggestions.

Cauliflower is very useful. It's a lower-carb, healthy veggie, but when it's steamed and then finely chopped (or put through a potato ricer) it can be a substitute for potatoes or rice in virtually any recipe. Many people even make cauliflower-crust pizza.

Spices are key. You can serve grilled chicken every night of the week if you season it differently and serve it with different veggies each time. Italian spices with some mushrooms & cheese; curry & red pepper with bell pepper strips; lemon juice & garlic with feta cheese & spinach... you get the idea.

Atkins Muffin-in-a-Minute recipes are great, too. Personalized muffins you make in a coffee cup, stick 'em in the microwave for one minute & you're done. You can create lots of different variations & flavors, but they use flaxmeal instead of flour so they're much lower in carbs. I've had a group of little kids really enjoy mixing up their own individual muffins, choosing what they want from a collection of spices & add-ins (cinnamon, nuts, chocolate chips etc.) and then taking turns putting their muffins in the microwave & watching them rise & cook. Snack and entertainment in one!

Useful sites:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-resource-guide/
http://www.fitnessinanevolutionarydirection.com/p/caveman-cuisine.html
http://marinasprimalcooking.wordpress.com/

Good luck to you!

smileybooliz

I've lost weight in the past doing a low carb diet. Quite a decent amount of weight actually (50 pounds) The thing I found is that it's a hard way to live most of the time.Plus, since I couldn't stick to it I gained most of that weight back pretty quickly. I think most of us trying to lose weight should cut down on the carbs a bit, at least the refined ones...white flour, sugar etc. I eat whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and my carb count isn't really too high most days and I'm really not trying to keep track. Take it from someone who'd lived the low carb life...it can work but you'll probably feel deprived and go on a carb binge! Moderation in all things is my motto. Keep it balanced and the weight will eventually come off. Good luck!!

HarpingOn

Thanks everyone, some food for thought. I think my breakfast, and weekday lunches are the places I can make reductions without affecting the family meals, so I'll give that a try. Just need to invent myself a great low carb breakfast and desk lunch :-)