I need to eat less carbs

Aprilbreon22

I want to start eating healthier and get fit however my problem is carbs. I love carbs all my favorite foods are carbs. I need dedication with reducing my carb intake. I also need dedication with using this app it is very helpful but I am usually on and off, or I forget to track and when I try to go back and make an entry for my missed reporting I forget exactly what I ate. Does anyone else struggle with carbs? Have those who reduced their carbs found the success they were looking for? Does any one have any advice for me?

Cr01502

Does any one have any advice for me?

Stop hating on carbs.

cmcollins001

To be honest, I can't say much, as soon as I leave work, I'm going to get a donut. Carbs are not the problem.

Barbellerella

Does any one have any advice for me?

Stop hating on carbs.

you and your logic!!

khall86790

I was exactly the same as you and the way I fixed it was by experimenting with foods.
I cut out certain carbs from my diet and once I wasn't "allowed" them it meant I had to start experimenting with my dinners.
For example, tonight I ate a slice of ham, sliced tomato, salad, carrots and scrambled eggs for my dinner and it tasted amazing. All the flavours, all things I enjoy to eat that are also considered to be healthy.
Before, I would have said I don't enjoy tomatoes, salad or carrots. But after experimenting I realised how well foods can compliment each other.
Carbs are pretty flavourless, so that's another way to look at it.

Try ALL foods offered and available to you and start expanding your tastes.

odusgolp

So much hate for pasta these days :sad:

dlg1467

While I agree that hating the carbs isnt' the answer, maybe reducing the carbs you are eating as you begin your program isn't a bad idea. Some people eat a bagel for breakfast and pasta for lunch with bread and meat and rice for dinner. That's a lot of carbs for some people.
Maybe its a good idea to pay attention to the carbs you are eating in an effort to become more aware of your eating habits. Once you learn more and get a better sense of nutrition, you will make healthier choices with probably fewer carbs than when you started.

and yes having a doughnut once in a while is ok too.

Aprilbreon22

Well if you were able to develop a healthy diet without reducing carbs please share what works for you

GamerLady

I don't eat breads, pastas, corn, or potatoes. If you want something to help substitute for bread you can buy Carbquik and almond flour. You can make pancakes, biscuits, etc, just won't be a crapton of carbs using Carbquik and almond flour. I also use protein powder sometimes to make pancakes and cookies with almond flour or carbquik, depending on the recipe. I've been eating like this for years now, so it may be tough for you at first. I'd suggest if you want low carb lifestyle cut out your breads first, then go after the pastas when you're comfortable with it. Once you're use to it, it becomes very easy to eat healthier foods, and you'll be full all the time eating good foods, and not have to worry about cravings.

Aprilbreon22

I actually have a friend who has reduced her carb intake and she looks great and healthy I guess she found alternative ways to have a balanced meal however I am a college student and it is hard for me to maintain a solid diet because everything is cafeteria food.

cmcollins001

I was exactly the same as you and the way I fixed it was by experimenting with foods.
I cut out certain carbs from my diet and once I wasn't "allowed" them it meant I had to start experimenting with my dinners.
For example, tonight I ate a slice of ham, sliced tomato, salad, carrots and scrambled eggs for my dinner and it tasted amazing. All the flavours, all things I enjoy to eat that are also considered to be healthy.
Before, I would have said I don't enjoy tomatoes, salad or carrots. But after experimenting I realised how well foods can compliment each other.
Carbs are pretty flavourless, so that's another way to look at it.

Try ALL foods offered and available to you and start expanding your tastes.

"flavourless"?????? Huh??? I think not!

Factory_Reset

I was exactly the same as you and the way I fixed it was by experimenting with foods.
I cut out certain carbs from my diet and once I wasn't "allowed" them it meant I had to start experimenting with my dinners.
For example, tonight I ate a slice of ham, sliced tomato, salad, carrots and scrambled eggs for my dinner and it tasted amazing. All the flavours, all things I enjoy to eat that are also considered to be healthy.
Before, I would have said I don't enjoy tomatoes, salad or carrots. But after experimenting I realised how well foods can compliment each other.
Carbs are pretty flavourless, so that's another way to look at it.

Try ALL foods offered and available to you and start expanding your tastes.

"flavourless"?????? Huh??? I think not!

fluffymcfluffster

Ha ha ha!! I LOVE ME SOME CARBS! I am limiting them only b/c I wasn't working out enough and eating too much (but not just too many carbs, but calories, fats, proteins, you name it). Seeing the pic of all these yummy foods make me wish they were "flavorless" but they aren't!!!

jfrankic

Well if you were able to develop a healthy diet without reducing carbs please share what works for you

Eat enough. If you eat TDEE20%, then you can pretty much fit anything you want in your macros. Does this sound foreign to you? Then read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937709-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0. Yes, I know it's long. Yes, it's worth it.

But you asked what works for me. Here's a copy & paste of my diary from a few days ago pasted below. I have lots of "quick add" calories yesterday and today, but this one pretty much sums it up. I hit my calorie goal, ate lots of protein, chowed down on some beef (on a bun) and even enjoyed cereal, berries, yogurt AND a snack bar....all after 7pm. Yes, you can lose weight, hit macro goals and have a healthy LIFEstyle while eating carbs.

Calories - 1876
carbs - 200
fats - 75
protein - 137

Black Coffee - Coffee, 2 cups
Great Value Walmart - Whole Milk, 0.25 cup

Whole Foods - Tomato Chipotle Soup, 1.5 cup 222 23 14 5 12 5
Brookdale - White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast, 2 OZ 50 1 1 10
Aldi Reganno - Grated Parmesan & Romano Cheese, 2 Tablespoon (5 g) 40 0 3 4
Life Choice - Double Chocolate Protien Bar, 1 bar 190 16 5 21 8 2

Apple - Apple Gala, 60 g 39 10 0 1 0 3


Sauteed Cabbage, 1 serving(s) 62 9 3 2 6 4
Hunt's - 100% Natural Tomato Ketchup /No High Fructose Corn Syrup, 34 g (1Tbsp) 40 10 0 0 8
Fit & Active - Cheese Stick - Light, 1 piece 50 0 3 7 0 0
Southern Grove (Aldi) - Raw Almonds, 1/8 cup (35g) 100 4 9 4 1 2
Bush's Best - Baked Beans, Homestyle, 1/2 cup 140 29 1 6 12 5
All Natural - Lean Ground Beef Patties 93/7, 5.3 oz. (1 patty) 225 0 11 30 0 0
L'oven Fresh (Aldi) - 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins, 1 bun 100 22 1 5 2 5
Great Value - Reduced Fat Colby Jack Cheese, 0.5 slice 25 1 2 3 0 0

7pm-9pm
Millville [Aldi] - Get Balance Protein & Fiber Cereal, 0.5 Cup [52g] 80 17 1 7 3 5
Great Value - Greek Nonfat Yogurt Plain, 1 Cup 120 9 0 23 9 0
Season's Choice - Aldi - Berry Medley - Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries & Raspberries, 0.5 cup. (140 g) 35 8 0 1 5 3
Ghirardelli - 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips, 32 chips 160 16 12 2 12 2
Nature Valley, Canada - Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bar (Dipped In Almond Butter Coated), 1 bar (35g) 160 22 7 3 12 2

Totals 1,876 200 75 137 93 38
Your Daily Goal 1,900 119 95 143 40 23
Remaining 24 -81 20 6 -53 -15
Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sugar Fiber

caribougal

People will tell you that you don't need to limit your carbs, but only limit your calories to lose weight.

So try moderating your carbs if you can, along with all of your food.

I personally found that I struggled to moderate my intake of carbs. I didn't overeat meat or vegetables or fruit. I overate things like bread, rice, pasta, and candy.

So I made the decision to cut those things out of my life. That's too extreme for many people, but for me, it's the mental trick I needed. Moderating those things felt like torture, and I failed often and felt crappy about my failures. Eliminating them freed me from making decisions about them. It was easier for me to think "I don't eat that anymore" than to think, "I'll only have a small serving".

By eliminating bread, rice, pasta, and candy, I gained control over them. I was very strict with myself for about six months. Now, I don't crave them. I find many of the alternatives better tasting and more satisfying. And now I am able to eat those things as a "treat" sometimes, or to say no easily most of the time. I still see old behaviors creep back from time to time, but now I recognize them and I know they won't derail my long term success because they are exceptions, not the rule.

Here are some of my favorite alternatives.
Zucchini noodles instead of pasta. Use a carrot peeler or get a julienne slicer. Soooo good, and now I prefer it to pasta.
Cauliflower "rice". Also delish and you can put anything in with it.
Mashed cauliflower.
Flax crackers.
Nuts and seeds.

If the bulk of your calories are coming from carbs, and lowering your carbs helps you to lower your overall calories and helps you to gain control over eating, I say go for it. The worst that can happen is that it doesn't work and you try something else.

Best of luck.

khall86790

I was exactly the same as you and the way I fixed it was by experimenting with foods.
I cut out certain carbs from my diet and once I wasn't "allowed" them it meant I had to start experimenting with my dinners.
For example, tonight I ate a slice of ham, sliced tomato, salad, carrots and scrambled eggs for my dinner and it tasted amazing. All the flavours, all things I enjoy to eat that are also considered to be healthy.
Before, I would have said I don't enjoy tomatoes, salad or carrots. But after experimenting I realised how well foods can compliment each other.
Carbs are pretty flavourless, so that's another way to look at it.

Try ALL foods offered and available to you and start expanding your tastes.

"flavourless"?????? Huh??? I think not!

Haha, you raise a valid point. HOWEVER take out everything from those that isn't carbs and they lack a lot of flavour!!

Now I want lasagne. DAMN YOU.

aikasm

wow me too! but for the most part mine are all healthy carbs like oats, fruit, yogurt and skim milk, so i try not to feel so terrible about it

EricCowperthwaite

Hey, OP .... Best thing if you are interested in a low carb approach to nutrition is to read the Low Carbers Daily Forum ... tons good information and friendly, helpful people.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/411-low-carber-daily-forum-the-group-

jenniferldorris

I have reduced the amount of carbs I eat and increased the protein and the biggest difference I can tell is in recovery of my workouts it is definitely reduced. I run distance and I can do it more easily and not be sore the next day. Also, I can see much more muscle definition since decreasing carbs and increasing protein. Building more lean muscle will only help burn more calories. So a definite plus for me.

DaveHuby

I have been using celeriac puree instead of potatoes, or a 50/50 mix. Pasta down at 50 grams, rice the same, use crispbreads instead of bread, or for starter type foods dips etc a single slice of bread can make 8 pieces of French toast, and if you remove excess soft bits it is even fewer calories.

Bolognese sauce served over shredded cabbage replaces pasta, stuffed cabbage or lettuce leaves.

Portabello mushrooms as a container for all sorts of food, huge plateful for beggar all calories.

Admiral_Derp

The thing you really need to ask yourself is if you are planning on reducing carbs forever. It's best to figure out a way to eat that is sustainable. Otherwise, if you cut out or significantly cut down on a particular macro or food group and lose a bunch of weight, then when you starting adding that back in, there's a good chance that they weight will come back as well. You can succeed with a low carb for life approach. It'll work. But, is that what you want to do? If not, then try to structure your calorie and macro ratios in such a way that you can maintain a healthy diet of everything with moderation.

That said, I would work more on getting dedicated about logging and tracking. Slowly build up a pattern of healthier habits before making too many drastic changes.

magerum

Does any one have any advice for me?

Stop hating on carbs.

This

magerum

Take everything that's not carbs out of these ^^ and I promise you, they're still delicious.

Edit to resize pics

liittlesparrow

Well, I have a problem eating a lot of pasta and breads too. What I do is just limit like... one carb per meal. Like a peice of toast with breakfast, sandwich for lunch (thin bread, or a topless sandwich), and usually no carbs for dinner, or I might have pasta every now and then.

Just eat carbs in moderation.

Mummyadams

You can replace baked/boiled potato with sweet potato. Instead of mashed potato you can make mashed cauliflower & carrots. Replace flour with coconut or almond flour .
Replace carbs with protein based meals.
Happy to PM you some recipe suggestions if you like.

passmetheducksauce

you need to focus on all three macronutrients which are fats carbs and proteins. just because you consume less carbs do not mean you will lose weight.

SweetpeaHu

I have to watch my carb intake too since I'm considered pre-diabetic. I love rice and bread, and pasta! I do still eat all of them, but make sure that I'm eating whole wheat, and I switched to black rice (which has half the calories of brown rice and less carbs). I started substituting spaghetti noodles with spaghetti squash. I threw away all processed food (chips, etc). I gave up low fat yogurt for non-fat Greek yogurt, and still eat cheese from time to time. I've been at it for six weeks, and can't tell you how much energy I have. I feel so much better.

leighann881

I thought I "needed" to eat less carbs too. Not so. I just need to eat balanced. I took IPOARM's calculations and set my macros at 45% Carbs/ 25% Fat/ 30% Protein Today is my first day and it is far more feasible to hit my macros than what I was doing before. I feel better too...

Shadowknight137

Eat less foods with carbs in them. :huh:

I can't believe it even needs to be said.