Car-bo-hy-drate.

Riodejaneiro2013

OK, so i dont and probably will never seriously limit carbs (or anything for that matter).... i just like them too much!!
But I was just wondering why lots of people who want to lose weight do this? and why some people argue it is a myth? On here everyones seems to have an opinion but I want to know the science and why this is popular belief or true....
Thanks in advance!

stephyj528

well if youre mainly eating veggies and protein youll lose faster, not to mention its wayyy healthier. that being said when i was in college i got to my lowest weight and i ate a big piece of cake every single day. along with pizza, cereal and other carb filled college foods lol. i was just so busy that i didnt eat but one slice of pizza where now i can have 3 or 4..huge diff. you can still enjoy food you just have to think what got you unhappy with your weight in the first place..probably not carbs but simply eating too many. i def love carbs tho! goodluck be gentle with yourself too, do whats good for you.

Bakkasan

When I can eat 3000 calories of ribeye steak, chicken, and vegetables with under 40carbs a day while still losing weight and never being hungry VS 1800 calories I will take #1. Just a preference is all!

Both work for me

rose313

I limit carbs because foods with carbs generally have a lot of calories too, and they don't really fill me up. But I'm not a super low carb person or anything. 40% of my intake is carbs.

LoraF83

well if youre mainly eating veggies and protein youll lose faster, not to mention its wayyy healthier. that being said when i was in college i got to my lowest weight and i ate a big piece of cake every single day. along with pizza, cereal and other carb filled college foods lol. i was just so busy that i didnt eat but one slice of pizza where now i can have 3 or 4..huge diff. you can still enjoy food you just have to think what got you unhappy with your weight in the first place..probably not carbs but simply eating too many. i def love carbs tho! goodluck be gentle with yourself too, do whats good for you.

You won't lose faster just because there are fewer carbs in your diet. You lose because you are eating fewer calories. Your explanation of your weight in college pretty much sums it up - you didn't eat as much, so you lost weight.

Some people like low carb. Some people are successful on it. But carbs are not the magic key to weight loss (unless you have a medical condition that would make carb intake a problem).

Carbs are fuel. You want to train to run a 10k? Carbs can help you do that. A lot of runners eat carbs before long runs so they have energy. There are whole articles devoted to it in running magazines.

I personally eat carbs - pizza, rice, bread, bagels, fruit, veggies, etc. I'm still losing weight - simply because I have a calorie deficit.

3foldchord

I don't limit them, but I do try to choose them wisely. 'white carbs' (processed sugars and flour) get stored as fat- so they say. so I try to choose better carbs, in case 'they' are correct.

SomeoneSomeplace

I eat a LOT of carbs. I do endurance runs so I need my carbs. Without them I'd probably collapse after two miles. I don't eat very much fat however. It just so happens that I'm not into red meat or sweets and dairy bothers my stomach and those are the biggest culprit for fat. I know people say that those who do low carb can't do low fat, and people who do low fat can't do low carb. IDK if that's true but I eat plenty of carbs and have still lost weight! And the days I haven't eaten some form of carbs for breakfast or lunch I get really tired quickly when I go to run so they really are needed to fuel your body for running especially.

That and protein. Protein is key in any diet.

LoraF83

I don't limit them, but I do try to choose them wisely. 'white carbs' (processed sugars and flour) get stored as fat- so they say. so I try to choose better carbs, in case 'they' are correct.

All excess calories can be stored as fat.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/453956-can-carbohydrates-be-stored-as-fat/

Mindmovesbody

I limit carbs because foods with carbs generally have a lot of calories too, and they don't really fill me up. But I'm not a super low carb person or anything. 40% of my intake is carbs.

This actually isn't the case. Veggies are carbs...good ones. It depends on where your carbs are coming from. Refined sugars and simple carbs = bad, whole grains, veggies, brown rice = good carbs.

Edit to add that what I meant by this actually isnt the case is that foods with carbs are not generally higher in calories if you are eating the right kind of carbs!

sarahrbraun

FOr me personally, I have a metabolic issue called insulin resistance. When I followed the MFP suggested macros and worked out 90 minutes 3-4x a week, it took me 3 months to lose 7 pounds. When I reduced my carbs to under 100g net per day, I lost 8 pounds the first month, 6 pounds the second month, and I am on track to lose 4-6 pounds for the 3rd month. Oh yeah, and after the first 2 weeks, I reduced my workout to 60 minutes 3-4x a week, yet I am still losing!

I still eat real food! For dinner I am eating rotini and meatballs. The rotini is by a company called dreamfield's that makes a 5g carb pasta. For lunch I had a huge salad with turkey AND summer sausage. For breakfast I had 2 eggs, 4 slices of soy bacon, and 1/2c raspberries. Yesterday I had a slice of pizza for dinner!

3foldchord

All excess calories can be stored as fat.

I try to choose those wisely, too, to avoid excess.

rose313

I limit carbs because foods with carbs generally have a lot of calories too, and they don't really fill me up. But I'm not a super low carb person or anything. 40% of my intake is carbs.

This actually isn't the case. Veggies are carbs...good ones. It depends on where your carbs are coming from. Refined sugars and simple carbs = bad, whole grains, veggies, brown rice = good carbs.

Edit to add that what I meant by this actually isnt the case is that foods with carbs are not generally higher in calories if you are eating the right kind of carbs!

I agree. I was thinking like pasta and cake, the wrong kind of carbs

mmapags

I limit carbs because foods with carbs generally have a lot of calories too, and they don't really fill me up. But I'm not a super low carb person or anything. 40% of my intake is carbs.

This actually isn't the case. Veggies are carbs...good ones. It depends on where your carbs are coming from. Refined sugars and simple carbs = bad, whole grains, veggies, brown rice = good carbs.

Edit to add that what I meant by this actually isnt the case is that foods with carbs are not generally higher in calories if you are eating the right kind of carbs!

Carbs have 4 calories per gram just like protein. Makes no difference if they are the "right" kind (nutrient and fiber dense) or "wrong" kind.
"White carbs" don't store as fat any more than and other food does. It's simple. Eat is a deficit, lose fat. Eat in a surplus, store fat.

Some people do well to limit carbs. I personally, limit carbs as they can cause a hormonal cycle that causes cravings if you overindulge. I take in plenty of carbs, 175 to 200 grams on heavy workout days to relplenish glycogen. If you are working out with intensity, you will want a reasonable amount of carbs to replace glycogen and help with recovery on workout days or you can potentially lose lean muscle mass as your body uses the amino acids in your muscle tissue for glycogenesis instead. This is also a good reason to get plenty of protein on workout days. Also for protein synsthesis to rebuild muscle tissue but that is a whole othe thread.

kaervaak

I eat a LOT of carbs. I do endurance runs so I need my carbs. Without them I'd probably collapse after two miles. I don't eat very much fat however. It just so happens that I'm not into red meat or sweets and dairy bothers my stomach and those are the biggest culprit for fat. I know people say that those who do low carb can't do low fat, and people who do low fat can't do low carb. IDK if that's true but I eat plenty of carbs and have still lost weight! And the days I haven't eaten some form of carbs for breakfast or lunch I get really tired quickly when I go to run so they really are needed to fuel your body for running especially.

That and protein. Protein is key in any diet.

Actually, endurance exercise is not hurt in the slightest by being low carb as long as you have sufficient fat reserves/intake to fuel your body through the exercise. I've actually run across some interesting results showing that being in a state of nutritional ketosis is actually better for endurance exercise than in a carb fed state because your body is already out of glycogen when you start exercising so it has no choice but to run on fat stores. Most endurance athletes deplete their muscle glycogen stores within about 2 hours of work (hitting the wall), but if you start without those reserves you can go much longer before you run out of fuel since your body stores much much more energy in fat than it does in glycogen. Ketosis does hurt your maximum power output, so it's not ideal for sprinters or powerlifters for example, but it seems to be either neutral or a small net positive for endurance sports.

Here's an interview with Peter Attia (his blog is migrating to a new server so it's inaccessible right now, but I'll link to it anyway for future reference): http://asweetlife.org/a-sweet-life-staff/featured/the-ketogenic-diet-and-peter-attias-war-on-insulin/24184/

Dr. Attia's Blog post on the interplay of ketosis and exercise:
http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/the-interplay-of-exercise-and-ketosis-part-i

AmyFett

everyone is different! I personally can't do the low-carb thing, there's not many options for me. I am not a fan of most meat and I hate any and all seafood. So I'd live on fruit and veggies. I'm too picky to do a special diet like that. I could calories and try and watch my sugar, and it seems to be working for me

mmapags

I eat a LOT of carbs. I do endurance runs so I need my carbs. Without them I'd probably collapse after two miles. I don't eat very much fat however. It just so happens that I'm not into red meat or sweets and dairy bothers my stomach and those are the biggest culprit for fat. I know people say that those who do low carb can't do low fat, and people who do low fat can't do low carb. IDK if that's true but I eat plenty of carbs and have still lost weight! And the days I haven't eaten some form of carbs for breakfast or lunch I get really tired quickly when I go to run so they really are needed to fuel your body for running especially.

That and protein. Protein is key in any diet.

Actually, endurance exercise is not hurt in the slightest by being low carb as long as you have sufficient fat reserves/intake to fuel your body through the exercise. I've actually run across some interesting results showing that being in a state of nutritional ketosis is actually better for endurance exercise than in a carb fed state because your body is already out of glycogen when you start exercising so it has no choice but to run on fat stores. Most endurance athletes deplete their muscle glycogen stores within about 2 hours of work (hitting the wall), but if you start without those reserves you can go much longer before you run out of fuel since your body stores much much more energy in fat than it does in glycogen. Ketosis does hurt your maximum power output, so it's not ideal for sprinters or powerlifters for example, but it seems to be either neutral or a small net positive for endurance sports.

Here's an interview with Peter Attia (his blog is migrating to a new server so it's inaccessible right now, but I'll link to it anyway for future reference): http://asweetlife.org/a-sweet-life-staff/featured/the-ketogenic-diet-and-peter-attias-war-on-insulin/24184/

Dr. Attia's Blog post on the interplay of ketosis and exercise:
http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/the-interplay-of-exercise-and-ketosis-part-i

With all due respect, your info on burning fat instead of carbs for glycogen replacement is just plain wrong. Fat is not a substitute for glycogen for endurance or other higher intensity activities. Anyone who thinks it is should try it and see how you feel after the first mile or so. Also, see how well you recover. Also, Attia is a just plain quack!

PercivalHackworth

I don't limit them, but I do try to choose them wisely. 'white carbs' (processed sugars and flour) get stored as fat- so they say. so I try to choose better carbs, in case 'they' are correct.

All excess calories can be stored as fat.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/453956-can-carbohydrates-be-stored-as-fat/

The article has been written by a bro.

Dave198lbs

With all due respect, your info on burning fat instead of carbs for glycogen replacement is just plain wrong. Fat is not a substitute for glycogen for endurance or other higher intensity activities.

so when glycogen stores are depleted does the marathon runner just sit down? or does he have enough stored glycogen to run the entire 26 miles?

EmmaM2211

I limit carbs because foods with carbs generally have a lot of calories too, and they don't really fill me up. But I'm not a super low carb person or anything. 40% of my intake is carbs.

^^^This^^^

Edit to say - agree with what someone above said - most of my carbs now come from fruit and veggies...other than my toast on a morning. Those kind of carbs can be very filling for not as many calories!

suelegal

well if youre mainly eating veggies and protein youll lose faster, not to mention its wayyy healthier. that being said when i was in college i got to my lowest weight and i ate a big piece of cake every single day. along with pizza, cereal and other carb filled college foods lol. i was just so busy that i didnt eat but one slice of pizza where now i can have 3 or 4..huge diff. you can still enjoy food you just have to think what got you unhappy with your weight in the first place..probably not carbs but simply eating too many. i def love carbs tho! goodluck be gentle with yourself too, do whats good for you.

You won't lose faster just because there are fewer carbs in your diet. You lose because you are eating fewer calories. Your explanation of your weight in college pretty much sums it up - you didn't eat as much, so you lost weight.

Some people like low carb. Some people are successful on it. But carbs are not the magic key to weight loss (unless you have a medical condition that would make carb intake a problem).

Carbs are fuel. You want to train to run a 10k? Carbs can help you do that. A lot of runners eat carbs before long runs so they have energy. There are whole articles devoted to it in running magazines.

I personally eat carbs - pizza, rice, bread, bagels, fruit, veggies, etc. I'm still losing weight - simply because I have a calorie deficit.

There's another piece to your analysis. There are people who are insulin sensitive. White carbs especially really throw that off. Not all are as several sensitive to be diabetic or hypoglycemic however, reducing carb intake makes a huge difference in the way the calories are expended AND how hungry you are.

Protein is fuel too, carbs especially white carbs are quick fuel and for us insulin sensitive folks that's the issue. Since I'm not a runner I can't speak to that, but I get all the fuel I need with my protein intake.

curtnrod

Carbohydrates are classified as simple or complex. The classification depends on the chemical structure of the food, and how quickly the sugar is digested and absorbed. Simple carbohydrates have one (single) or two (double) sugars. Complex carbohydrates have three or more sugars.

Examples of single sugars from foods include:

Fructose (found in fruits) Galactose (found in milk products)

Double sugars include:

Lactose (found in dairy) Maltose (found in certain vegetables and in beer) Sucrose (table sugar)

Honey is also a double sugar. But unlike table sugar, it contains a small amount of vitamins and minerals.

Complex carbohydrates, often referred to as "starchy" foods, include:

Legumes Starchy vegetables Whole-grain breads and cereals

Simple carbohydrates that contain vitamins and minerals occur naturally in:

Fruits Milk and milk products Vegetables

Simple carbohydrates are also found in processed and refined sugars such as:

Candy Regular (nondiet) carbonated beverages, such as soda Syrups Table sugar

Refined sugars provide calories, but lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Such simple sugars are often called "empty calories" and can lead to weight gain.

Also, many refined foods, such as white flour, sugar, and white rice, lack B vitamins and other important nutrients unless they are marked "enriched." It is healthiest to get carbohydrates, vitamins, and other nutrients in as natural a form as possible -- for example, from fruit instead of table sugar.

Kara_xxx

The problem with fast carbs / sugars is that they are very habit forming and the more you have the more you want of them. People find it very hard to be 'moderate' with fast carb foods.

Like someone said on another thread... the difference between carbs and protein... "when have you last heard someone going on a protein binge...?!"

aricciardi21

Its unhealthy to cut all carbs out of your diet - and they are clearly the yummiest food group so there's no point!
However I do try and limit the amount I have especially later in the day as your unlikely to burn these off. Also protein fills you up much quicker as this is digested mainly by enzymes in the stomach rather than carbs which can be digested further down the GI tract.
I was told to have breakfast like a king, lunch like a duke and dinner like a pauper. Basically most carbs for breaky, less for lunch and less for dinner. I think it works.
Hope this helps xxx

hooah_mj

for me it's simple, low-carb cuts my cravings significantly.

Kara_xxx

I come from an endurance running and triathlon background, and believe me the whole community is indoctrinated with really bad science, pushed on them from sports drinks manufacturers making them believe that they need to use all that stuff...

I see people go out with drinks belts and carb gels strapped to them,... as if they're just about to do Marathon De Sables through the deserts... and they're off for a bliddy 10k -- it's ridiculous.

athensguy

With all due respect, your info on burning fat instead of carbs for glycogen replacement is just plain wrong. Fat is not a substitute for glycogen for endurance or other higher intensity activities.

so when glycogen stores are depleted does the marathon runner just sit down? or does he have enough stored glycogen to run the entire 26 miles?

Hitting the wall forces you to slow down. The easy way around it is to ingest carbs before and during the run to increase blood glucose and reduce reliance on glycogen stores.

Kara_xxx

Actually, endurance exercise is not hurt in the slightest by being low carb as long as you have sufficient fat reserves/intake to fuel your body through the exercise. I've actually run across some interesting results showing that being in a state of nutritional ketosis is actually better for endurance exercise than in a carb fed state because your body is already out of glycogen when you start exercising so it has no choice but to run on fat stores. Most endurance athletes deplete their muscle glycogen stores within about 2 hours of work (hitting the wall), but if you start without those reserves you can go much longer before you run out of fuel since your body stores much much more energy in fat than it does in glycogen. Ketosis does hurt your maximum power output, so it's not ideal for sprinters or powerlifters for example, but it seems to be either neutral or a small net positive for endurance sports.

Absolutely spot on!!!

I used to get sucked into all that "carb loading" lifestyle that comes with endurance sport and it's a big load of twaddle.

I'm eating around or under 100g of carbs a day now (used to be 400-500+) and I still breeze through a double spin class with no drop in performance.

Kara_xxx

With all due respect, your info on burning fat instead of carbs for glycogen replacement is just plain wrong. Fat is not a substitute for glycogen for endurance or other higher intensity activities. Anyone who thinks it is should try it and see how you feel after the first mile or so.

Actually if you don't think you can do a single mile without extra carbs then you really have a problem.

yarwell

Low carb diets often work simply because people eat less voluntarily. See http://www.ajcn.org/content/23/7/948.full.pdf+html for example, where a calorie reduction followed from greatly reducing the intake of one of the three macronutrients. Yes it's an old study, but it and many others show subjects self selecting a low calorie intake on low carb - compare that to the Minnesota semi-starvation study where people were driving to distraction limited to 1600 calories high in carbs.

Military personnel on exercises can run energy deficits of 4000 calories a day, this is more than double the carb reserves in glycogen so extreme endurance is fuelled from fat reserves,not carbs.

TheLittleVoice91

white carbs and processed carbs (breads, cereals, pastas) can store water weight too. But if you cut those carbs out for a diet (the south beach diet) you will lose -in theory- a good few pounds but its easy to put the weight back on. If i have a low carb day I find that im less bloated.

laddyboy

Bump