Frustrated with Carbs taking over my Protein intake! HELP!

lynheff

Not sure of the issue. MFP tracks all of your food %. I have to eat fewer carbs and more protein than recommended here on the advice of my doc. As far as carbs, I am fine with fruit and veggies but concentrated sweets and starches do me in. I use whey protein drinks and bars for breakfast and travel emergencies. Hope that helps.

FitBeto

Plan your meals, change what you don't like. Makes no sense to me when someone is upset with what they see, and complains to other people about wanting a change. If you don't want carbs then dont eat them, its not that hard. Carbs arent bad for you, eating over your calories is what makes people gain weight. If you think your carbs should be lower then your protien then by all means drop it, you see what you eat, so you know exactly what to drop to make yourself happy

wswilliams67

Umm high-protein diets will not make you lose weight. Weight-loss is about caloric intake vs. output. It's not a simple matter of just eating less or eating more of a macronutrient than another. It's a fine balance.

First you should read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Here's what the macronutirents do for your body:

Carbs: 1st source of body energy; replenishes glycogen stores in muscle tissue.

Protein: 2nd source of body energy if sedentary (muscle gets converted into sugar for energy if carbs are too low and no exercise is being done); Muscle growth and repair... period.

Fats: 3rd source of body energy; least efficient conversion to sugar; Important for brain/nerve function.

This is why it is important to exercise (cardio AND weight training) while 'dieting'.

As for the OP, fruits are packed full of sugars. So are some veggies so you need to look them up. While it's great to eat them, if they blow out your macronutrient percentages then you need to consider cutting back. If you are needing more protein consider adding 1-2 whey protein shakes to your diet. But complex carbs are better for you anyway, so switch to more fiberous veggies instead of fruits.

Ravepixie87

Oh wow this is really helpful I am new to this as well and have had the same problem! I need to eat lots of veggies! Damn, I like a lot more fruits then I do veggies..

Try making green smoothies, its when you make a normal smoothie but add lots of green leafy veg into it. They look a little weird (because most of the time they really are bright green) but adding even a little fruit in usually covers the taste of the veg. I used to make a kick *kitten* tropical smoothie with loads of spinach in and it just tasted like pineapple!

Apparently they are super good for you as well because to break down the cell walls in plants you would have to chew the plant matter for ages, but the blender does all the work for you when you make a smoothie, meaning you get all the planty-goodness you could want!

Theres loads of recipes online, hope that helps!

Firefox7275

I just don't get this! Everyone says increase your protein to lose weight, but when I do, anything else I eat (fruit or veggies) the sugars over compensate my protein!!! I DON'T GET THIS! I can't live on eggs and chicken. . .ugh! I get physically ill on tuna, and not much of a fish person. I try to keep everything simple, but this carb thing is driving me crazy! whenever I look at my total daily intake percentages, I feel very discouraged!

Am I making this too hard?:sad: :explode:

Eat more non starchy vegetables and less sugary fruits, and eat your protein little and often starting with breakfast: numerous vegetables have under 5g of carbs per 100g. There are plenty of sources of protein - reduced fat dairy, pork, beef, turkey, chicken, any fish, any other seafood, organ meats, eggs, protein powders, nuts, seeds ....

Learn some new fish recipes and keep trying different fish, they used to make me gag now I love fresh trout. I just made a lovely recipe with prawns, avocado and canned mackerel, wasn't like eating a lump of fish at all stuffed it into vegetables. You need the long chain omega-3s in oily fish for health and weight management and they also supply useful amounts of minerals which again you need if you are reducing carb rich foods like wholegrains, beans and lentils.
http://www.coffeeandvanilla.com/prawn-and-mackerel-stuffed-avocados/

Looking at your diary you are eating a lot of ready made/ processed foods, which are rich in fats and carbs more than protein (protein is the expensive part for the manufacturer), eating quite a bit of added sugar and sugary fruits. Make your own meals from plain meat or fish, bright and dark coloured vegetables especially anything green and berries. Apples, sweetcorn, bananas are some of the highest in sugar. You should be having nine servings a day, you aren't managing anywhere near that at present but filling up with wheat instead, most of which is heavily processed.

XXXMinnieXXX

Ok I find 120g carbs works for me. Looked at your diary... Your eating loads of sandwiches... And lot of smoothies. Even just taking the smoothie out some days you'd be spot on. The oats you had for breakfast would have had less carbs if you'd got plain and added a few berries.

Lower gi foods are any green vegetables. (you got green beans) cabbage, Brocolli, cauliflower is a good one. Generally I find anything that grows on top of the soil is good... Under the soil much more carbs. I eat tonnes of these vegetables and lots of salad! I eat very little fruit but if I do I go for any berries, melon or grapes. All lower carb!

Rating mostly from scratch makes the macros a lot easier to control. I normally always have carbs left over for a treat at the end of the day.

Protein wise any meat is pretty good, but chicken and tuna offer a lot of protein for very little calories.

Typical meals.

Breakfast... Omlette.. 3 eggs, peppers, tomatoes, onion, some sauce.

Lunch. Home made chicken and egg noodles soup. (chicken stock, chicken breast
.. Boil the breast for 20 mins... Get out and shred, put the chicken back in with some egg noodles, take of the heat, cool.. Add 3 eggs back to the heat gently for a minute or two.. Season add herbs if you like such as rosemary.. Tub up for lunches.

Soups are my secret weapon keep you full.

Snacks... Cheese string, nuts....

Dinner 200g lean meat with lots of green veggies. (seriously... Tonnes.)

Night Time snack home made popcorn, carby treat if you have the carbs left, hot chocolate with squirty cream. Could do oatmeal for breakfast. At work I often have fage Greek yogurt. Lots of protein, little calories and little carbs... Drizzle a little honey on... Sometimes add berries. I make pea and ham for lunches to, spicy lentil and chickpea soup, tuna salad, egg salad, marinaded pork chops with greens, Fritatta... The options are endless.

The key is to start cooking from scratch and start controlling the ingredients!

Zara

I did these 84lbs eating 1400-1500 but currently trying out 1700. X

rudegyal_b

Apparently they are super good for you as well because to break down the cell walls in plants you would have to chew the plant matter for ages, but the blender does all the work for you when you make a smoothie, meaning you get all the planty-goodness you could want!

i dont think a blender breaks down cell walls, neither does chewing. i dont think a blender works on a microscopic level.

AntWrig

Protein: 2nd source of body energy if sedentary (muscle gets converted into sugar for energy if carbs are too low and no exercise is being done); Muscle growth and repair... period.

You lost me on the 2nd part. Glycogen is depleted through exercise. So, explain to me how muscle gets converted to sugar if no exercise is involved?

n0ob

OP's frustration is why beans and nuts are a pathetic source of protein.

Sarauk2sf

I am confused. From your diary you are under your carbs. In fact you are usually under your calories. Your protein is at the MFP which is really low so I am a bit confused as to why it is so hard. Just pick food with a better protein per calorie if you need to get that up.

slacker80

Wow! so much advice here as well as confusion at the same time. Kinda of overload by now, but I like the topic. BTW I did understand the very first intro statement.

It's ok Breath, relax. Perhaps we can all blame Dr. OZ.

If you already removed your refined sugars and junky carbs, but your worried about sugar in veggies and fruits now, than relax. you're already on the right path in your persuit of heathier foods.

Look at it this way. Your body is already programmed to whatever types of nutrients you've been accustomed to. just like your local gas pump you have three optional grades of fuel: Protein, Fats, Carbs. Only we enjoy mixing all fuels, especially in excess.

Every member on this particular thread is adapted to their own Protein / fat / carb ratio. If you're interested in one of thoes low carb diets than start by removing just a few at a time. The body takes a while to adapt as it adjust to it's new and altered fuel source. unfortunately it does take a hand full of days.

Don't jump completely into a new diet grabbing it by the horns, because it my work for a brief moment, but likely to make you crash. Baby steps.

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

Make protein pancakes. I mix protein powder, pb2, almond milk, cinnamon, and splenda and cook it like a pancake. The way I make it ends up being 103 calories and 19g protein.

RobKarmic

Increasing or decreasing one specific type of nutrients is quite ignorant try sticking with your caloric intake

amonkey794

I feel your frustration!...I've been working with a nutrittionist and she directed me to healthylivinghowto.com
Its a great website with healthy recipies that you can tweek. One thing I learned that has been really great is ricing califlower...instead of eating say rice with chicken....grate a head of califlower and saute it with onion and mushrooms...and chicken and it taste great and fills you up like rice would.....don't give up...there are alternatives to the carbs that fill us up...and don't feel like you have to eat so much fruit....my nutritionist told me not too, because of the sugar...she said eat this order Protein, Veggies, and then Starch last....so that by the time you get the the carbs, you might be full. You should be eating lots and lots of veggies....good luck...and being on myfitnesspal.com says a lot, that you are on your way to healthy living and eating...so don't give up...happy healthy living!!....: )

I'd get a new nutritionist if she tries to say fruit sugar is bad -____-

Merrysix

I eat no more than 2x as many grams carbs as protein and eat about 1500 cals a day depending on my exercise burn. This keeps me from craving food I feel full and good . I eat lean protein lots of low carb veggies. And limited amounts of lower carb fruits. I eat 100 cal bread per day . This works for me but there are many different types of metabolisms so. Each person has to figure out what works for them

Merrysix

Sugar is sugar in fruits in candy etc. some people are sensitive to sugar and it sets off craving. Lower sugar fruits are cantaloupe and honeydew melons, apples, certain pears, berries. Personally there's too much sugar in watermelon and grapes for me. But different people respond differently.

Proverbial10lbs

Well, thank you for everyone's input. . .looks like there is no easy answer and I'll have to figure out what works for me.

JessieTangerine

I feel your frustration!...I've been working with a nutrittionist and she directed me to healthylivinghowto.com
Its a great website with healthy recipies that you can tweek. One thing I learned that has been really great is ricing califlower...instead of eating say rice with chicken....grate a head of califlower and saute it with onion and mushrooms...and chicken and it taste great and fills you up like rice would.....don't give up...there are alternatives to the carbs that fill us up...and don't feel like you have to eat so much fruit....my nutritionist told me not too, because of the sugar...she said eat this order Protein, Veggies, and then Starch last....so that by the time you get the the carbs, you might be full. You should be eating lots and lots of veggies....good luck...and being on myfitnesspal.com says a lot, that you are on your way to healthy living and eating...so don't give up...happy healthy living!!....: )

I'd get a new nutritionist if she tries to say fruit sugar is bad -____-

I second this. Sugar may be sugar, but fruit has crazy amounts of vitamins and phytochemcials so its not empty calories like table sugar is. And im sure a registered dietitian wouldn't be caught dead saying that veggies are of secondary importance to anything including protein-they should be making up the bulk of all your meals and snacks.

Cr01502

Well, thank you for everyone's input. . .looks like there is no easy answer and I'll have to figure out what works for me.

Just keep it simple and stay within a calorie deficit. My opinion anyways.