Carbs vs Calories and what is ideal

TGroenewald

Dear members,

The last few weeks I have been struggling to through of weight. I exercise hard and make sure to stay within my calorie limit everyday.

I have spoken to a work colleague today that had lost 80kg within 14months! He's advise is that I should stop counting calories and start looking at Carbs. He also said that your main meal should be in die morning and your lightest meal in the evening.

This is confusing, If I say by 20:00pm have 1700 calories left, can I eat whatever I want, but not go over my limit or should I look at Carbs and stay away from that potato or rice?

I have lost a bit, but I loose at an extremely low rate, I wish to push at 1kg - 2kg a week, but barely make 500g. I know I must be doing something wrong within my dieet. I workout 6 times a week, combination of trail running and weights.

Any advise on how to speed up weightloss, and what is the correct eating habits( counting calories or carbs) will be extremly appreciated.

jacksonpt

First, 2kg = about 4.5lbs. You'll never lose that much in a week, at least not consistently and not without cutting off body parts. Start by getting your expectations in check.

Second, calories in vs calories out is the number 1 thing. Get that under control before you start worrying about other things. If you aren't losing, or are losing exceptionally slowly, it's because of cals in vs cals out. A calorie deficit is what leads to weight loss, so make sure you are sustaining a reasonable deficit.

If you have a deficit and still aren't losing, then either you have some health issue, or (and this is more likely), you aren't logging/estimating correctly and what you think is a deficit isn't really a deficit.


With all that said, more to your question...
Carbs are not evil. Your body needs them and they are a good source of energy, especially for workouts. That said, when you eat so many carbs than you aren't getting enough fat or protein, THEN it becomes a problem. So it's not that carbs are bad, it's that too many carbs are bad.

I wouldn't worry so much about carbs, but rather make sure you are getting enough protein and fat.

TeaBea

If you have diabetes then absolutely you should be counting carbs. I do NOT count carbs because a low carb diet is not a lifestyle change that I will commit too.

However, I do concentrate on getting higher protien and healthy fats .... what's left over are carbs. I am trying to "re-hab the carbs I eat. There is too much refined, highly processed, empty calorie crap out there. If a meal includes a bun (say a hamburger) ...I pick a whole grain bun and then I opt for a green salad ...not potato salad.

Re: potatoes ... not the worst thing at all.... just watch how they are prepared. Rice is ok .... brown rice is less processed & contains more nutrients though.