How low is your Low Carb ?

writetomab

I aim for under 50g on a low carb day and if I can under 20g, but really anything under 100-150 is considered low carb.

Having been on these forums for just over a week I have noticed a lot of misconceptions around carbs and diet and it seems the vast majority of people preach the 'golden rule' of calories in versus calories out... which to be honest I used to be a big believer in and to a certain extent I still do. But I have read a lot of material recently and in particular two books that have completely changed my perception.

If anyone fancies a good read then they should check out 'Why we get fat: And what you can do about it' by Gary Taubes completely changed my view of carbohydrates and a healthy diet.

markdavy1982

I aim for under 50g on a low carb day and if I can under 20g, but really anything under 100-150 is considered low carb.

Having been on these forums for just over a week I have noticed a lot of misconceptions around carbs and diet and it seems the vast majority of people preach the 'golden rule' of calories in versus calories out... which to be honest I used to be a big believer in and to a certain extent I still do. But I have read a lot of material recently and in particular two books that have completely changed my perception.

If anyone fancies a good read then they should check out 'Why we get fat: And what you can do about it' by Gary Taubes completely changed my view of carbohydrates and a healthy diet.

Book sounds interesting, another good book it 'metabolic typing diet'

missmegan831

5% or under 20 Net carbs per day.. hypothyroid and only thing thats gotta me 49 pounds lighter and full of energy

BackTatJIM

I hit my protein, fat, and fiber macros and let the carbs fall where ever. Who wants to count carbs all the time? I believe most people who go "low carb" lose weight simply for the fact most of the carbs they previously consumed where junk processed foods. On average my carbs fall between 300-500g a day. ""NINJAS EAT RICE!!! NUFF SAID!""

highervibes

I keep it to about 30g of carbs after the fibre is deducted out. That's anywhere from 45-50g pre-fibre depending on the foods I choose.

albertabeefy

I don't aim so much for a total gram goal as a percentage of calories goal. I find it makes more sense as my diet can be anywhere from 2,000 to 3,500 calories depending on if I'm dieting, mass-gaining or in a maintenance phase.

For me it's simply under 8% regardless of my daily intake.

On a 2,000 calorie day that's under 160 calories (40g) from carbohydrate.
On a 3,500 calorie day that's under 280 calories (70g) from carbohydrate.

I do NOT break-out the fiber from those totals. The numbers include fiber amounts. "Net Carb" products are too-often deceiving.

As a diabetic I find under 8% is what best-controls my blood glucose.

highervibes

I do NOT break-out the fiber from those totals. The numbers include fiber amounts. "Net Carb" products are too-often deceiving.

.

Do you mean this for the frankenfoods like as far as bars or processed stuff goes? I find the net carbs to be very accurate but I don't eat things that aren't considered ingredients. I'm speaking more about the (carb - fibre) in things like fruits and veggies.

Laura8603

I try to keep mine under 150. Under 100 if I need to lose a few.

kuntry_navy

i'll cycle down to around 65

phatguerilla

I'm going to aim for under 100g of carbs this week/fortnight and see how that feels, probably drop it further after that unless I see some big changes (not expecting big changes at that level, just want to work down gradually).

ApexLeader

30 grams

ApexLeader

and not breaking out the fiber from the total doesn't make sense. your body can't digest fiber so it doesn't add either to calories or to your carb intake.

fantasticelastic

Thats the book I read that got me started on all this... Fantastic book and it was free on Kindle

LavenderBouquet

I try to stay under 100g/day, and usually manage between 50-70g/day.

Missjulesdid

Depends on how I'm feeling and if I want to be in ketosis or out of it... Sometimes 20 (not including fiber) and sometimes 80+

CoachReddy

250

no joke.

for me that's low-carb. 25% of my intake, but I'm also trying to gain. Normally at 3000 cal, my carbs are around 180g

(also, as someone who eats a primal diet and supports the lifestyle, this thread makes me cringe a bit... 100-150g of carbs, cool. sub-100 though... especially sub 50... i really don't know why people do it TBH)

hazelovesfood

Eating too low carbs will harm your body eventually, your body needs carbs to function properly. forget about keeping them low and just eat the good carbs from fruits and veg.

cwolfman13

.....I think all carbs are getting a bad rap, when it's starchy or processed carbs that are the real culprits.

I 100% agree with that. I keep my carbs around 40% of my total calories...some more restricted than the average joe out there I'm sure...but the whole no carb/low carb craze reminds me a lot of the no fat craze of the 80s.

No way I could really go super low on my carbs...I love my very nutrient dense berries and fruit too much....

I think it's possible to get all of the nutrients you need doing LC...but most people I know who do LC don't...they don't make up for the nutrients they are lacking from not eating fruit and the like.

bluebirdlx

Can I ask everyone, when you lower your carbs, at what percentage or grams do you set your fat and protein? I tried to use a formula someone posted for calculating macros but it doesn't seem accurate once I lower my carbs to 10%.

Brad805

I am curious how many of the low carb'ers track their potassium, sodium and calcium consumption? In Lyle McDonald's rapid fat loss book he discusses that it easy to get your electrolytes out of whack on a low carb plan. Another guy I know and respect suggested this to me a while ago and after I started tracking them I did find that mine were low. Supplementing with magnesium daily was another thing a fellow recommended and it has made a difference.

Just thought I would share.

CoachReddy

I am curious how many of the low carb'ers track their potassium, sodium and calcium consumption? In Lyle McDonald's rapid fat loss book he discusses that it easy to get your electrolytes out of whack on a low carb plan. Another guy I know and respect suggested this to me a while ago and after I started tracking them I did find that mine were low. Supplementing with magnesium daily was another thing a fellow recommended and it has made a difference.

Just thought I would share.

excellent point.

albertabeefy

Eating too low carbs will harm your body eventually, your body needs carbs to function properly. forget about keeping them low and just eat the good carbs from fruits and veg.

Simply untrue. There is absolutely no need for dietary intake of carbohydrate from a biochemical standpoint. None.

This isn't to say carbs are something everyone needs restrict, only those that have a medical/physiological reason to do so.

albertabeefy

I am curious how many of the low carb'ers track their potassium, sodium and calcium consumption? In Lyle McDonald's rapid fat loss book he discusses that it easy to get your electrolytes out of whack on a low carb plan. Another guy I know and respect suggested this to me a while ago and after I started tracking them I did find that mine were low. Supplementing with magnesium daily was another thing a fellow recommended and it has made a difference.

Just thought I would share.

There are a few books and websites that do advise ketogenic dieters to ensure their electrolyte levels are monitored, but not enough.

The thing about ketosis that many don't realize is you can actually increase your sodium (and other electrolyte) intake without running into any complications that normally arise from increasing their consumption. Even cardiac patients advised to watch their sodium intake have less to worry about when in ketosis, though monitoring levels is still recommended.

Bettyeditor

15 grams per serving, no more then 45 in a meal, plus 15 for each of 2 snacks.
I was told by a Diabetic Nutritionist.

A daily limit of less than 150 g of carbohydrates is typically considered a low-carb diet. Some low-carb diet plans, however, encourage the consumption of a very low amount of carbohydrates to facilitate weight loss or help correct metabolic derangements such as diabetes or insulin resistance. Very low-carb diets may include less than 20 g of carbohydrates a day, which corresponds to less than 4 percent of your daily calorie intake.

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Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/426550-what-is-considered-a-low-carb-diet/#ixzz2OJ3135Qd

Yes, I agree with this poster. My nutritionist gave me guidelines of 15 carbs for snacks and 30-45 carbs for breakfast and 45-60 carbs for lunch and for dinner. This results in about 185-225 carbs per day. (However, I do a check for net carbs at the end of the day (total carbs minus total fiber). If I am netting less than 130 NET carbs then I eat a cracker or two to get it up. I have problems with headaches and weakness if I get less than 130 net carbs a day.)

I was diabetic with very high blood sugar but I got it under control in just a couple months by eating 5-6 times a day at the above carb levels and now I am totally off medicine and declared normal, non-diabetic. :happy:

And this is not necessarily "low carb" -- I consider this a Moderate Carb way of eating. I also try to ensure that my carbs are healthy and not processed. So I focus on carbs like rice and potatoes rather than pasta, etc. That being said, I have a few healthy-as-possible while still yummy cookies on most days. I'm not on a diet after all, this is my healthy lifestyle and having treats in moderation is important and something I plan to always maintain. :flowerforyou:

Bettyeditor

I am curious how many of the low carb'ers track their potassium, sodium and calcium consumption? In Lyle McDonald's rapid fat loss book he discusses that it easy to get your electrolytes out of whack on a low carb plan. Another guy I know and respect suggested this to me a while ago and after I started tracking them I did find that mine were low. Supplementing with magnesium daily was another thing a fellow recommended and it has made a difference.

Just thought I would share.

Good points. I do track my potassium and sodium (via columns in my diary) and I take calcium supplements twice a day. I don't eat dairy so I know it's important for me.

CoachReddy

Eating too low carbs will harm your body eventually, your body needs carbs to function properly. forget about keeping them low and just eat the good carbs from fruits and veg.

Simply untrue. There is absolutely no need for dietary intake of carbohydrate from a biochemical standpoint. None.

This isn't to say carbs are something everyone needs restrict, only those that have a medical/physiological reason to do so.

i know you're credible, but do you mind citing this?

while your brain CAN use ketone bodies, it prefers glucose.

bearwith

I just avoid bread/pasta and flour if I can help it. This makes a huge difference and allows me to consume good carbs.

albertabeefy

i know you're credible, but do you mind citing this?

while your brain CAN use ketone bodies, it prefers glucose.

First, as mentioned in another post, "preferred" from a biochemical standpoint simply means it will use that source FIRST if available, not that it's better for it in any way.

As for citations:

Metabolic Effects of very-low-carbohydrate diets: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2129159/#B13

Is dietary carbohydrate essential for human nutrition? http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/5/951.2.long

Lyle McDonald (who seems highly respected in the MFP community) also makes mention of this here: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/how-many-carbohydrates-do-you-need.html

Lyle also states (and is quite correct) "Even the American Dietetic Association bible, the RDA Handbook, states that there is no requirement for dietary carbohydrates. Any decent nutrition or physiology book will state the same. "

There are endless sources confirming that there is NO dietary requirement for carbohydrate in humans.

albertabeefy

I just avoid bread/pasta and flour if I can help it. This makes a huge difference and allows me to consume good carbs.

This is one of the best choices for people that don't have a medical reason to cut carbohydrate to very low levels. Simply eliminating (or cutting considerably) refined sources (flour and sugar) will make a very large difference for many individuals.

martinah4

Eating too low carbs will harm your body eventually, your body needs carbs to function properly. forget about keeping them low and just eat the good carbs from fruits and veg.

That's what I'm talking about. I stay around 20 net carbs, but most of those are coming from salads and veggies. I have cut out processed foods, and I eat no wheat, pasta, rice, or potatos.