Low Carb

foxyforce
foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Can anyone give me advice on what NOT to eat. I have looked some stuff up but every website complicates it. I don't like cooking with any fancy ingredients because I live with my dad and he does the shopping.

So I know...no white bread. What else should I stray frm that is high carb?

Also, I am planning to eat no more than 40% carbs (30% protein, 30% fat), what does this work out to in grams?
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Replies

  • Loriea
    Loriea Posts: 4
    Carbs=Pasta, rice, cereal,corn, peas,pancakes, potatoes, and pretty much all the junk food like cake, ice cream, cookies.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    If you change your goals to 40% carbs/30% protein/30% fat in MFP, it'll show you on your daily food diary how many grams it is, I'm not sure exactly. :) Carbs I avoid:

    Any thing with white flour

    - Flour tortillas
    - White bread
    - White pastas
    - Added sugars
    - Candy
    - Cake
    - Any kind of sweet, really that has a lot of sugar or fake sugar such as :

    - High Fructose Corn Syrup
    - Glucose
    - Aspartame
    - Sugar Alcohol

    I'd LIKE to cut out white rice but it's too damned good & my bf is half Korean so rice is in easy reach!!! lol

    Carbs I DO eat:

    - Whole Wheat Tortillas
    - Private Selection (Kroger brand) Whole Grain breads (in the brown bags)
    - Whole Wheat Pita Bread
    - Brown Rice
    - Fruit
    - Veggies

    Now, usually once I week, I eat carbs I'm not supposed to (if I go out to eat or if I make a white pasta dish) but I make sure I count it in my calories and it's only once a week so it can't hurt too much.

    I'm sure others will post more beneficial information but this is what I could think of. :happy:
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    I eat about a 40/30/30 ratio (but I'm not super strict about it). I think basically you want your carbs to come from whole, unprocessed sources and ones that are low on the glycemic index. So, if you eat bread make sure it is whole grain bread (and no high fructose corn syrup, no white flour masquerading as wheat flour). Choose brown rice instead of white. Sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. Whole oats, bulgur, quinoa, barley are all carb sources that I like. Also, beans and lentils.

    I don't know how many calories you are trying to eat, so I don't know how your ratios work out in grams. But 1 gram of carbs is 4 calories, 1 gram of protein is 4 calories and 1 gram of fat is 9 calories.

    Duh. Edit to say I just realized you asked what NOT to eat. I avoid white flour (white bread, most cereal, white tortillas, most baked goods, added sugars. Again, I'm not super strict though. I'll sprinkle a little sugar on something if I want it, but not go crazy. I don't have any soda or juice.
  • foxyforce
    foxyforce Posts: 3,078 Member
    If you change your goals to 40% carbs/30% protein/30% fat in MFP, it'll show you on your daily food diary how many grams it is, I'm not sure exactly. :) Carbs I avoid:

    Any thing with white flour

    - Flour tortillas
    - White bread
    - White pastas
    - Added sugars
    - Candy
    - Cake
    - Any kind of sweet, really that has a lot of sugar or fake sugar such as :

    - High Fructose Corn Syrup
    - Glucose
    - Aspartame
    - Sugar Alcohol

    I'd LIKE to cut out white rice but it's too damned good & my bf is half Korean so rice is in easy reach!!! lol

    Carbs I DO eat:

    - Whole Wheat Tortillas
    - Private Selection (Kroger brand) Whole Grain breads (in the brown bags)
    - Whole Wheat Pita Bread
    - Brown Rice
    - Fruit
    - Veggies

    Now, usually once I week, I eat carbs I'm not supposed to (if I go out to eat or if I make a white pasta dish) but I make sure I count it in my calories and it's only once a week so it can't hurt too much.

    I'm sure others will post more beneficial information but this is what I could think of. :happy:

    that was actually really informative and helpful, thank you!!!
  • hasiangirl
    hasiangirl Posts: 1,613
    I'm doing a low carb regimen right now...The only carbs I try to eat are from fresh produce ....I stay away from potatos tho....It makes ya do alot of label reading just to make sure u arent consuming tons of carbs....I do eat the Lavish wraps made by joseph brand when i want a sandwhich...it's only 14 carbs per serving and theres alot of fiber in it so it cancels some of the carbs out... just start paying attention to the labels on back hun and u'll do good...it takes a while to get into it....personally every now and then I do need a little carb fix so I make one day an exception....Good luck hun and u can do it!!! :flowerforyou:
  • I have to eat low carb/sugar because I have insuline resistance.
    Basically ... anything white, yellow or red and almost all fruit is a no-no in the world of low carb dieting
    Brown and green is your best friend.

    My diet usually consists of:
    eggs
    meats
    lots and lots of salads
    fish
    chicken

    To keep up my healthy amount of carbs I do wheat bread & occasional fruits (banana's usually).
  • maliyshka
    maliyshka Posts: 10 Member
    If you change your goals to 40% carbs/30% protein/30% fat in MFP, it'll show you on your daily food diary how many grams it is, I'm not sure exactly. :) Carbs I avoid:

    How do you change this in MFP? I've been wondering how to do so :)
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    that was actually really informative and helpful, thank you!!!

    Oh, good!! You're welcome.
    How do you change this in MFP? I've been wondering how to do so :)

    My Home / Goals / Change Goals / Custom / then just select in the dropdowns for carbs, fat, protein the percentage you want. Easy peasy!
  • maliyshka
    maliyshka Posts: 10 Member
    that was actually really informative and helpful, thank you!!!

    Oh, good!! You're welcome.
    How do you change this in MFP? I've been wondering how to do so :)

    My Home / Goals / Change Goals / Custom / then just select in the dropdowns for carbs, fat, protein the percentage you want. Easy peasy!


    Oooh tyty :)

    Now - quick question, since I decided to do "custom," will MFP still automatically adjust my calorie goals/etc. as I lose weight? Or is that going to have to be manual as well?
  • vanzeem
    vanzeem Posts: 107
    When doing low carb do you still count your calories?? i'm thinking of starting to do low carb because i'm just not losing and i know i'll feel better. i'm a little concerned about snacks and my meals. i don't have a lot of time in the morning and usually eat oatmeal once i get to work. Does anyone have a good book about this or any suggestions????
  • andyxbear
    andyxbear Posts: 269 Member
    Does anyone know of a good low glycemic index cook book? I'm looking on Amazon.com and I've found several with great reviews, but I'd like to know if any of you have any and have found them helpful as well? I'd like to be able to scan through them before I purchase them so I may stop by my local Barnes & Noble to check them out then buy through Amazon because I can get them for almost 3/4 or more of the regular price.

    Here are some I'm thinking of getting:

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470538708/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764131605/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A26AAPJKERFL0

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592578616/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    you guys are crazy :tongue:

    carbs are my best friend, without them I would be very sad :cry: . I just make sure they're good carbs these days!
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    you guys are crazy :tongue:

    carbs are my best friend, without them I would be very sad :cry: . I just make sure they're good carbs these days!

    As far as I can tell, most people here are just talking about making sure the carbs they eat ARE good carbs.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    you guys are crazy :tongue:

    carbs are my best friend, without them I would be very sad :cry: . I just make sure they're good carbs these days!

    As far as I can tell, most people here are just talking about making sure the carbs they eat ARE good carbs.

    I dunno, I consider 40% carbs low carb. Not saying it's bad, just saying that's low carb to me, as 50% carbs is generally recognized as a "normal" diet (what ever normal is).
    Course there's a difference between ketogenic and low carb, a BIG difference. I guess it all depends on your definition of low carb.
  • ivykivy
    ivykivy Posts: 2,970 Member
    Honestly it really depends on you.

    I stay away from bread and whole grains 90% of the time. I rarely eat sweet potatoes but I do eat white sparingly. Most of my carbs come from dairy. I eat fruit sparingly (usually grapefruit or berries) and green veggies. I don't do artificial sweeteners I use sugar and honey. I stick with whole foods with one or 2 ingredients (that is why bread and pasta is out for me unless I make it myself) For me timing is everything. I have no trouble packing in the carbs before or after a cardio/weights session (targeted ketogenic diet).

    Books- try the zone or south beach or primal blueprint (which you can read at mark's daily apple).

    I personally count calories and carbs because I am a nut nut.:laugh:
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    you guys are crazy :tongue:

    carbs are my best friend, without them I would be very sad :cry: . I just make sure they're good carbs these days!

    As far as I can tell, most people here are just talking about making sure the carbs they eat ARE good carbs.

    I dunno, I consider 40% carbs low carb. Not saying it's bad, just saying that's low carb to me, as 50% carbs is generally recognized as a "normal" diet (what ever normal is).
    Course there's a difference between ketogenic and low carb, a BIG difference. I guess it all depends on your definition of low carb.

    Yeah, I guess I don't really consider it "low carb" unless ketosis is the goal and that's not going to happen with 40% carbs. I think how much a person aims for might, among other things, depend upon their activities. I find that with about 40/30/30 I have plenty of energy (for the type of exercise that I do) and I feel satisfied throughout the day, plus I seem to lose weight consistently. I don't go out of my way to keep them down, but when I concentrate on veggies and lean protein, that just seems to be where the numbers fall. Lately I've been closer to 50% most days, but I'm never real exact.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member


    Yeah, I guess I don't really consider it "low carb" unless ketosis is the goal and that's not going to happen with 40% carbs. I think how much a person aims for should depend upon their activities. I find that with about 40/30/30 I have plenty of energy (for the type of exercise that I do) and I feel satisfied throughout the day, plus I seem to lose weight consistently. I don't go out of my way to keep them down, but when I concentrate on veggies and lean protein, that just seems to be where the numbers fall. Lately I've been closer to 50% most days, but I'm never real exact.

    Yeah, I have no problem with Low carb (any form of such), I more have a problem with people thinking low carb is a better way to lose weight, intrinsically it's no better or worse than any other way to lose weight (healthy). I realize that certain people are force to do low carb because of medical reasons or that they have an allergy, that's cool with me, and there's another group that just prefer low carb because it forces them to stay within their calorie range easier, which is also fine in my book. All valid reasons.

    What I always try to make sure people know about low carb is that it's a lifestyle change, I.E. it should be thought of as a permanent change to your eating habits, and NOT a temporary way to diet and lose weight, it's not, and can be dangerous when used that way, there are many issues that go along with a ketogenic diet, you need to be very diligent about your body, and pay very close attention to things (like hydration levels, ketone levels, kidney and liver infection rates go way up with ketogenic diets, calcium depletion and brittle bones, low glycogen reserves...etc.)

    Course that all goes for ketogenic diets, just going somewhat lower than the average (55% or so) doesn't really have much in the way of drawback.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    Good carbs is the key. I hate the term "low carb". It is very faddish.

    Good carbs:
    fruits
    veggies
    whole grain or ezekiel bread <= (highly recommend!)
    cottage cheese
    yogurt
    milk
    whole grain wraps or flat out wraps with flax and fiber
    whole grain or flax cereal
    oatmeal

    "Bad" carbs are ok in moderation but just remember they are empty of nutrition.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    Good carbs is the key. I hate the term "low carb". It is very faddish.

    Good carbs:
    fruits
    veggies
    whole grain or ezekiel bread <= (highly recommend!)
    cottage cheese
    yogurt
    milk
    whole grain wraps or flat out wraps with flax and fiber
    whole grain or flax cereal
    oatmeal

    "Bad" carbs are ok in moderation but just remember they are empty of nutrition.

    I almost totally agree with this.

    the only (very slight) exception I would make is for those of us with very high endurance and/or after finishing a long (10K or longer) race, simple carbs are actually a good thing. That and right after a hard weight training (to failure) workout. These are the only times (besides when you are diabetic and have low blood sugar) I can think of when injecting a quick simple carb fix is ok for you. And even then you want to keep it moderate. And in the case of weight training you want to pair that with some complete proteins.
  • njjswim
    njjswim Posts: 178 Member
    The grams are figured out on your food log page most women is is around 200 gms which is about 45 gm per meal. A carb is 15 gm per 1/2 cup serviing unless it is a starch or has sugar then you count double. It is a good ball park guide. You can get exact with a carb counter from Walmart for about 5 bucks
  • njjswim
    njjswim Posts: 178 Member
    The grams are figured out on your food log page most women is is around 200 gms which is about 45 gm per meal. A carb is 15 gm per 1/2 cup serviing unless it is a starch or has sugar then you count double. It is a good ball park guide. You can get exact with a carb counter from Walmart for about 5 bucks
  • andyxbear
    andyxbear Posts: 269 Member
    you guys are crazy :tongue:

    carbs are my best friend, without them I would be very sad :cry: . I just make sure they're good carbs these days!

    As far as I can tell, most people here are just talking about making sure the carbs they eat ARE good carbs.

    That's what I mean. I want to know which carbs are good/healthy to eat. I'm not talking about that South Beach diet stuff...
    I've been going over my carbs a lot lately & I've mostly been eating wheat except for the cheese tortellini which is white pasta. I used to eat regular flour tortillias, but I recently bought the spinach and herb one. IDK if I'm making the right choices! Should I just stick with wheat/whole grain for every bread-like food I buy? Does it matter if you eat lots of fruits with a lot of carbs?
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I would not worry about the carbs in fruit. Fruit is good for you. I think everyone gets hung up on the low carb thing, and truthfully, it isn't healthy. Unless you have a reason (i.e. diabetic) you shouldn't stress over carbs. That being said it is smart to balance your snacks...so if you were to eat a peach for instance, which is all carb, I would also have 1/4 cup cottage cheese with it. Balance is the key.
  • jennylynn84
    jennylynn84 Posts: 659
    you guys are crazy :tongue:

    carbs are my best friend, without them I would be very sad :cry: . I just make sure they're good carbs these days!

    As far as I can tell, most people here are just talking about making sure the carbs they eat ARE good carbs.

    That's what I mean. I want to know which carbs are good/healthy to eat. I'm not talking about that South Beach diet stuff...
    I've been going over my carbs a lot lately & I've mostly been eating wheat except for the cheese tortellini which is white pasta. I used to eat regular flour tortillias, but I recently bought the spinach and herb one. IDK if I'm making the right choices! Should I just stick with wheat/whole grain for every bread-like food I buy? Does it matter if you eat lots of fruits with a lot of carbs?

    As a general rule, yes, whole wheat and grain is your best friend as far as good vs. bad carbs. White bread and flour tortillas and the like are all processed carbs. Meaning your body doesn't have nearly as much work to do after you eat them.

    My "good carbs" are in fruit and whole grain/wheat items (bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).
  • andyxbear
    andyxbear Posts: 269 Member
    you guys are crazy :tongue:

    carbs are my best friend, without them I would be very sad :cry: . I just make sure they're good carbs these days!

    As far as I can tell, most people here are just talking about making sure the carbs they eat ARE good carbs.

    That's what I mean. I want to know which carbs are good/healthy to eat. I'm not talking about that South Beach diet stuff...
    I've been going over my carbs a lot lately & I've mostly been eating wheat except for the cheese tortellini which is white pasta. I used to eat regular flour tortillias, but I recently bought the spinach and herb one. IDK if I'm making the right choices! Should I just stick with wheat/whole grain for every bread-like food I buy? Does it matter if you eat lots of fruits with a lot of carbs?

    As a general rule, yes, whole wheat and grain is your best friend as far as good vs. bad carbs. White bread and flour tortillas and the like are all processed carbs. Meaning your body doesn't have nearly as much work to do after you eat them.

    My "good carbs" are in fruit and whole grain/wheat items (bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).

    Thanks!! That was helpful. I usually use the tortillias when I'd eat salad and just make a wrap. It tastes better to me when it's inside a tortillia than just by itself, plus I can take it on the go!
  • KarenECunningham
    KarenECunningham Posts: 419 Member
    I am on a program where I do not eat sugar or simple carbs. I eat whole wheat and whole grain bread, whole wheat tortillas, Lundberg organic brown rice cakes, brown rice and I eat a potato up to three times a week. I eat any vegetables and fruits I want and I make sure I get enough lean protein. I eat dried apricots and almonds for snacks (just be sure you weigh them and count the calories) I am losing weight more consistently than I have in the past so it must be working. My cravings have gone way down. I would never give up carbs completely but instead make healthier selections. Good luck to you.
  • jennylynn84
    jennylynn84 Posts: 659
    you guys are crazy :tongue:

    carbs are my best friend, without them I would be very sad :cry: . I just make sure they're good carbs these days!

    As far as I can tell, most people here are just talking about making sure the carbs they eat ARE good carbs.

    That's what I mean. I want to know which carbs are good/healthy to eat. I'm not talking about that South Beach diet stuff...
    I've been going over my carbs a lot lately & I've mostly been eating wheat except for the cheese tortellini which is white pasta. I used to eat regular flour tortillias, but I recently bought the spinach and herb one. IDK if I'm making the right choices! Should I just stick with wheat/whole grain for every bread-like food I buy? Does it matter if you eat lots of fruits with a lot of carbs?

    As a general rule, yes, whole wheat and grain is your best friend as far as good vs. bad carbs. White bread and flour tortillas and the like are all processed carbs. Meaning your body doesn't have nearly as much work to do after you eat them.

    My "good carbs" are in fruit and whole grain/wheat items (bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).

    Thanks!! That was helpful. I usually use the tortillias when I'd eat salad and just make a wrap. It tastes better to me when it's inside a tortillia than just by itself, plus I can take it on the go!

    I love flat outs for that purpose. For some reason it seems easier than making a salad. And I can put a larger variety of things on it. Like hummus. :)
  • vanzeem
    vanzeem Posts: 107
    KarenECunningha- What program are you on?
  • barkmelv
    barkmelv Posts: 12
    you guys are crazy :tongue:

    carbs are my best friend, without them I would be very sad :cry: . I just make sure they're good carbs these days!

    Some of us don't have a choice. I have thyroid disease and my endocrinologist put me on a low carb diet. It's not only recommended for people who are diabetic. And it's not unhealthy. I just don't eat a lot of processed foods where there is loads of sugar hiding. Mainly whole grain (brown rice, whole grain bread) and stay away from starches (potatoes, white flour, corn products). I still eat lots of fruit and veggies.
  • barkmelv
    barkmelv Posts: 12
    Ok, when you are trying to decide if something is good or bad carbs it is usually advisable to figure out the glycemic load (GL). The GL is different from the glycemic index (GI) such that it considers serving size.

    GL = carbs (g) * GI / 100

    Low GL 1-10; Med GL 11-19; High GL 20+

    Generally I try to stick to the low GL stuff and eat sparingly from the medium GL stuff. I try to avoid the high GL all together.

    Hope that helps :flowerforyou:

    some websites that might help:
    http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm
    http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/
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