Eating too many carbs?

hannahcall2

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?

bdamaster60

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

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

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

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

if you are hitting your calorie goal, then it doesnt really matter how much of it is carbs.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

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

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

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

No sugar, no white/ refined carbs, limit highly processed wheat flour products like commercial breakfast cereal and many breads,

MYTH

Pookylou

There is such a thing as TOO many carbs? *suspicious face*

Firefox7275

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

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

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

Bump

alaskaang

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

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

I would recommend basing your macros off your body weight rather than using ratios. But 50% carbs is usually reasonable.

mustgetmuscles1

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

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

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.

volume77

I find I maintain on about 100 net. I don't really lose unless im under 50. That's just me though. Low carb helped me lose most of my weight and I've been maintaining 110 for about a year.

hannahcall2

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.

I eat cereal, whole wheat/grain toast, or oatmeal within a half hour after I get up because I usually exercise in the morning and can't do it on a full stomach. Even on the days I don't exercise in the AM I'm usually just not hungry enough and find it easier to spread my calories out that way.

Another question: Does it matter what time of day you eat the most carbs?

WaltBaylo

Carb up lol I cut weight using 40/40/20, carb, prot, fat. Now a days I'll sometimes eat 80/10/10 n get carbed out my mind, I jus ate bout 9 bananas 2 apples, and a bag of dates throughout the day n was stuffed n bloated, woke up the next morning with a flat stomach and had of my best run and leg workouts of my life, carbs are your source of evergy and it really doesn't matter when u eat them, though I wouldn't smash carbs right when u go to sleep, might not b able to sleep good but all that carbs are bad is myth truely I've came from being 340+ lbs n got all the way down to 182 n I look back and was eating bowls of cereal 3x a day, white rice n chicken with bread at every other meal, a carb is a carb jus eat whatever will keep u satisfied and within your daily caloric needs and you'll b fine... GL!

mgobluetx12

It's definitely all about the kinds of carbs you're eating. Processed foods and sugar are high in carbs sometimes and they make ME want more carbs, so be aware if you're getting caught in that sort of trap. I only eat 40% carbs and I'm never hungry and rarely reach my calorie goal.

taso42

It's definitely all about the kinds of carbs you're eating. Processed foods and sugar are high in carbs sometimes and they make ME want more carbs, so be aware if you're getting caught in that sort of trap. I only eat 40% carbs and I'm never hungry and rarely reach my calorie goal.

just try a little harder every day. you'll get there.

NocturnalGirl

Another question: Does it matter what time of day you eat the most carbs?

No. The timing is irrelevant to weight control.
That comes down to personal preference

Seems NocturnalGirl beat me to the punch

:flowerforyou:

WendyTerry420

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.

There's always a cherry to be picked.

"All the dietitians" do *NOT* agree. That's not even a myth, just something you thought up while typing.

bdamaster60

"All the dietitians" do *NOT* agree. That's not even a myth, just something you thought up while typing.

And not all dietians know what the hell they are talking about. Same deal with personal trainers.

Matt_Wild

As long as you don't binge, there is no difference dieting on haribo or brown rice. Not binging on simple sugars is the difficult bit however.

Phaedra2014

Agreed, except for the last part. High GI carbs are great for post-workout insulin spike and faster recovery.

Can you tell me what you mean by this?