Eating too many carbs?

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hannahcall2
hannahcall2 Posts: 175 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have my carbs/protein/fat set to 50/25/25. Any less carbs than that wouldn't be doable for me, and I would want to eat all the time. MFP suggests I eat 190g a day, which is usually fine. But some days, like today, I tend to go a decent way into the 200s. How much is too much?
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Replies

  • bdamaster60
    bdamaster60 Posts: 595 Member
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    200 carbs is nothing. For me 200g of carbs would be getting pretty low. But really depends on what your goals are. Lose weight or gain? Learning how to manipulate your carb/pro/fat intake can be the difference between you looking good, and you looking supra-natural.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    How do you know you would want to eat all the time? Regular carbs are not the macronutrient that most effectively confers satiety, that is protein, fibre and to a lesser extent fat. If you reduce carb intake (not saying you should just if) you shouldn't just eliminate food groups without adjusting your meal selections. Many don't consume protein or fat at breakfast and many more skip it at lunch as well, many of both genders don't eat their nine servings of fruit and veggies - of course these people are going to be hungry if they quit grains too.

    Just be sure you are choosing healthy, whole carbs that have a gentle effect on the blood sugar levels and are reasonably nutritious. No sugar, no white/ refined carbs, limit highly processed wheat flour products like commercial breakfast cereal and many breads, eat more low sugar fruits, non starchy vegetables, beans and lentils.
  • bdamaster60
    bdamaster60 Posts: 595 Member
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    Just be sure you are choosing healthy, whole carbs that have a gentle effect on the blood sugar levels and are reasonably nutritious. No sugar, no white/ refined carbs, limit highly processed wheat flour products like commercial breakfast cereal and many breads, eat more low sugar fruits, non starchy vegetables, beans and lentils.

    Agreed, except for the last part. High GI carbs are great for post-workout insulin spike and faster recovery.
  • NocturnalGirl
    NocturnalGirl Posts: 1,762
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    How much is too much?

    If your carb intake causes you to go over your calories and/or not get sufficient proteins and fats then it'd be too much.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    if you are hitting your calorie goal, then it doesnt really matter how much of it is carbs.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    Everyone is different. If I ate the level of carbs you ate, I would be hungry all the time. Personally for me, I do best with Carbs / Protein / Fat at 15% / 25% / 60% for losing weight. For maintaining my weight, I do best with at these levels: 20% / 25% / 55%.

    Not much of a variation, but I get my carbs from vegetables first, then nuts and seeds and lastly fruit. I no longer eat any legumes or grains.
  • scruggsdl
    scruggsdl Posts: 9 Member
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    I've only recently started counting my carbs, and I find it easy for me to maintain the 100-150 range, close to 100 works fine for me. Though lately I'm trying to go lower than that.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I have my carbs/protein/fat set to 50/25/25. Any less carbs than that wouldn't be doable for me, and I would want to eat all the time. MFP suggests I eat 190g a day, which is usually fine. But some days, like today, I tend to go a decent way into the 200s. How much is too much?

    I usually eat around 200 grams a day, sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. It hasn't hampered my progress at all. The low-carb thing is a myth. Unless you have a medical condition, there is no reason that you shouldn't make carbs 50% of your calories. My macros are 50/20/30.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    No sugar, no white/ refined carbs, limit highly processed wheat flour products like commercial breakfast cereal and many breads,

    MYTH
  • Pookylou
    Pookylou Posts: 988 Member
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    There is such a thing as TOO many carbs? *suspicious face*
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    No sugar, no white/ refined carbs, limit highly processed wheat flour products like commercial breakfast cereal and many breads,

    MYTH

    Best tell that to all the authors of published research papers and textbooks I read for my last degree then. And all the dieticians and other medical professionals that agree highly processed carbs and sugars have deleterious health effects.
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    I just looked back in my diary because I was curious how many I was eating generally, and I average about 200g per day. I try not to eat much sugar, flour, white potatoes, rice, or pasta so most of those carbs are from fruits, whole wheat, oatmeal, stuff like that. I never had a problem with losing weight with eating this many carbs. I had a 6 week plateau at the end of the summer and I thought maybe it was carbs so I reduced them to 100g and I was a horribly grumpy beast, and it turns out that I was just consuming too many calories. I started eating back only half of my exercise calories and have been losing 4-5 lbs per month.
  • hannahcall2
    hannahcall2 Posts: 175 Member
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    Thanks for all the tips!

    I usually eat carbs (low sugar cereal, whole wheat/grain toast) after I get up to get a little jumpstart, then an hour later I pack on some protein. I tend to eat lots of fruits in the morning too. Throughout my day I decrease my carb intake and increase the amount of protein I consume. Lastly, I try and have one serving of salad or low sodium soup a day thats packed with my veggies. The reason I ask is because I've hit a "plateau" (It's only been about a week and a half). I have increased my exercise to burn more calories and my deficit has been greater. If my weights not going down because of muscles gain that's ok, but my body fat % hasn't budged which is the most important to me.
  • hannahcall2
    hannahcall2 Posts: 175 Member
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    Bump
  • alaskaang
    alaskaang Posts: 493 Member
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    Everyone is different. For me, 200g is a very high day. My average is over the last 60 days is 125g. Almost all of my carbs come from vegetables plus one serving a day of either rice or potatoes. It is rare that I eat fruit other than lemons, limes and tomatoes; sugar is minimal, and I don't tollerate wheat or corn.

    What type of carb you are eating may not make any difference in terms of calories in vs calories out, but for the same 100 calories and 20 grams of carbs I can either eat one piece of whole grain bread or over five cups of brocolli.

    Now I know that I could eat three or four pieces of bread in one sitting, but 15 to 20 cups of brocolli? Not going to happen.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    Thanks for all the tips!

    I usually eat carbs (low sugar cereal, whole wheat/grain toast) after I get up to get a little jumpstart, then an hour later I pack on some protein. I tend to eat lots of fruits in the morning too. Throughout my day I decrease my carb intake and increase the amount of protein I consume. Lastly, I try and have one serving of salad or low sodium soup a day thats packed with my veggies. The reason I ask is because I've hit a "plateau" (It's only been about a week and a half). I have increased my exercise to burn more calories and my deficit has been greater. If my weights not going down because of muscles gain that's ok, but my body fat % hasn't budged which is the most important to me.

    Why are you eating processed carbs separate from protein at breakfast? That's most likely to spike and trough your blood sugar since the blood can only hold a few grams of glucose at a time. Maybe switch to less processed grains such as jumbo/ steel cut oats or barley: wheat is naturally higher on the glycaemic index than many other carbs and modern fine milling of the flour makes it higher still.
  • Game8
    Game8 Posts: 442
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    I would recommend basing your macros off your body weight rather than using ratios. But 50% carbs is usually reasonable.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    How much is too much?

    If your carb intake causes you to go over your calories and/or not get sufficient proteins and fats then it'd be too much.

    Perfect answer.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    How much is too much?

    Too much is when they're getting in the way of you hitting your protein and fat targets without going over calorie target. There is a LOT of wiggle room.

    Per my settings I can get up to 400g of carbs a day. Rarely hit that high though. I usually prefer to take in more fat, less carbs.

    ETA: didn't read other replies. Seems NocturnalGirl beat me to the punch :)
  • likemeinvisible
    likemeinvisible Posts: 309
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    No sugar, no white/ refined carbs, limit highly processed wheat flour products like commercial breakfast cereal and many breads,

    MYTH

    Best tell that to all the authors of published research papers and textbooks I read for my last degree then. And all the dieticians and other medical professionals that agree highly processed carbs and sugars have deleterious health effects.

    It all breaks to simple sugars all those highly complex carbs are just chains of low grade, simple, refined, processed sugar. So what's the difference !?

    eta: to OP as long as you get enough protein there is no such thing as too much carbs. Your liver will convert any surplus to fat and other things it needs.

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