Wits end about Carbs

jovigal1959 · May 2010

Hi to all.

Okay, patience is not one of my virtues.

I have been eating very clean, for three weeks now. When I say clean I mean whistle-clean. My meals are all organic, whole grain breads, NO white flour, no meat, except for fish. I don't drink alcohol..no sodas of any sort. Only water and tea with NOTHING in it. No candy. Zip.

I work out hard for 1.5 hours, five times a week (running, weights, elliptical, rower, etc.).

I went to my doctor's today for my physical. I have gained another pound in the past three weeks.

I am not overweight according to the charts, but want to lose about 10 pounds...where I feel my absolute best. I am very discouraged right now.

My doctor loves this new program called Ideal Protein. He has lost 20 pounds, his wife 30. It seems to be another derivative of Atkins. My doctor firmly believes that carbs are bad - including some fruit, like bananas. He told me I can lose the weight in 3 weeks...and that I need to cut back on the carbs...even the whole grain bread (and I mean it IS whole grain..tastes like chalk!).

I am a runner. I know I cannot run without carbs. However, when I look at my thickened waistline, I am not thrilled. Yes, I have been logging all my food intake, and exercise..and in all categories, I am either a tiny bit under or right where it says to be for my goals.

Any advice?

aippolito1 · May 2010

How many veggies do you get? How much water are you taking in? Do you watch your sodium at all?

You could be not eating enough if exercising so much. Try increasing your calories by just a little bit (50 or 100). What is your activity level set for? Maybe increase that instead of the calories & see what it gives you.

jovigal1959 · May 2010

Hi Arielle.

My water intake needs improvement, for sure!

Veggies? Not great.

I will try your suggestion. I love your profile (especially the tattoo reward!).

rogers8702 · May 2010

i have been eating between 80-100 carbs a day for the last 12 days and i have lost 7 pounds. just a thought. i have cut out all grains and almost all sugar, except 2 packets of splenda a day and the fruit. only eating berries, apple and the occasional watermelon.

check out Paleo or Primal. i run 3 days a week and so far the 4 runs i have done have been great this past week.

imagymrat · May 2010

I hate to say it, but I agree with your doc, carbs can be a nightmare, even "good" ones, I'm an avid runner, ran the Boston marathon last week, i'm also heavy into weight lifting, but I cut out most carbs and when I do eat them it's early in the day that I do so. When I need to cut for competition I cut carbs even further..it works for my body, not for everyone, the only wayt to know is to try it out. I still eat Oatmeal for breakfast, but no breads, not even whole grain and I never ever eat pasta...it works for me, you have to find your own balance.

aippolito1 · May 2010

More veggies!!!! Vegetables can really kick off your weight loss. Your body may be getting the same nutrients over and over and you're not getting a variety, and vegetables can defnitely help with that. Also, I agree with gymrat... just try it and see what works for you. I try not to eat any carbs after my last snack, which is about 6 o'clock and then it's oats (fiber bar). After that, none.

jovigal1959 · May 2010

You all have talke me OFF the ledge! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I am reviewing my reports....As a runner, how many carbs should I be hovering around?

SHBoss1673 · May 2010

Oh come on guys...... really?

Carbs are not bad!

The reason why you can lose a lot of weight quickly when you get off the carbs is because you go into ketosis. Seriously guys, carbs are not bad, eating too many carbs are bad, but so is eating too much protein, or too many fats. If you want to learn more about a ketogenic diet, then you can google it. You'll understand why your doctor and his wife have suddenly lost a bunch of weight. But this isn't a diet, ketogenic diets are a lifestyle, fine if you're willing to commit, but completely temporary if you aren't.

jovigal1959 · May 2010

SHboss-

I am trying to figure out the right balance...I know..too much of anything isn't good for you.

Upon reviewing my food log, my carbs are usually around 160g for the day. It is within the parameters Fitness Pal dictated for my goal weight..but yet, I have gained a pound, not lost.

I am confused.

lilmissy2 · May 2010

My first thought is if you don't eat many veggies then low carb is not for you! You will be getting about zero fibre!

Also, low carb diets are generally a bad idea. When it comes to carbs it's all about portion control. The problem with low carb diets is that your brain needs glucose for energy (regardless of what activity you do) which is usually gets from carbs. If you don't eat carbs, your liver will make glucose but it's much easier for it to make glucose from protein than from fat. This means that your body will prioritise burning muscle over burning fat. Fat will still be lost is you have a calorie deficit but at the expense of decreased muscle mass, a slower metabolic rate and poor health. There's a reason grains are in the 'eat most' section of the food pyramid.

You could try a happy-medium type approach if you were really keen to try low carb. This is 40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat. It usually goes something like: small portion of cereal in the morning with milk, fruit snack, sandwich with 100g meat (and salad or whatever of course) for lunch, yoghurt snack, 200g meat with veggies (and no carbs) at dinner.

These things are not for everyone of course.

Good luck

SHBoss1673 · May 2010

SHboss-

I am trying to figure out the right balance...I know..too much of anything isn't good for you.

Upon reviewing my food log, my carbs are usually around 160g for the day. It is within the parameters Fitness Pal dictated for my goal weight..but yet, I have gained a pound, not lost.

I am confused.

I don't know why you've gained as I don't know your situation, I seriously doubt it's your carb intake that's doing it, I'd be more inclined to say that you have something else going on that's causing it. There are lots of reasons why people don't lose weight like they would expect.

If' you're really baffled, I'd make an appointment with a registered dietitian (not a nutritionist, unless the nutritionist is also a registered dietitian), registered dietitians are trained in the field of nutrition, doctors generally get little to no formal training in nutrition and as such, are more often than not, just as uninformed at it as the rest of us.

lilmissy2 · May 2010

If' you're really baffled, I'd make an appointment with a registered dietitian (not a nutritionist, unless the nutritionist is also a registered dietitian), registered dietitians are trained in the field of nutrition, doctors generally get little to no formal training in nutrition and as such, are more often than not, just as uninformed at it as the rest of us.

Oh my god! I see from your profile that you are a trainer? I've never heard a trainer give this advice and I have to say (as a registered dietitian) that it's really great to see

SHBoss1673 · May 2010

If' you're really baffled, I'd make an appointment with a registered dietitian (not a nutritionist, unless the nutritionist is also a registered dietitian), registered dietitians are trained in the field of nutrition, doctors generally get little to no formal training in nutrition and as such, are more often than not, just as uninformed at it as the rest of us.

Oh my god! I see from your profile that you are a trainer? I've never heard a trainer give this advice and I have to say (as a registered dietitian) that it's really great to see

I'vet spoken with to many whacky nutritionists and too many uninformed doctors to do anything but!

lilmissy2 · May 2010

hahahaha I so know what you mean!

jovigal1959 · May 2010

I just had an appointment with my internist..who is excellent.

I have been to nutrionists before..and some like the lower carb meals, other hover towards a mix/balance.

I guess my surprise is that I do workout, and that I have stopped eating any sugar. I don't drink alcohol or any kind of beverage (diet or regular). I do drink water..but will admit, not enough.

I am an accountant and just got through tax season...so I have gone back to my good habits as of 3.5 weeks ago. I know, not too long of a time, but I was hoping for some budge on the scale. During tax season, my days consisted of five hours of sleep, no exercise, and bad food choices. While my calories stayed low during tax season, the content was BAD!

aippolito1 · May 2010

I just had an appointment with my internist..who is excellent.

I have been to nutrionists before..and some like the lower carb meals, other hover towards a mix/balance.

I guess my surprise is that I do workout, and that I have stopped eating any sugar. I don't drink alcohol or any kind of beverage (diet or regular). I do drink water..but will admit, not enough.

I am an accountant and just got through tax season...so I have gone back to my good habits as of 3.5 weeks ago. I know, not too long of a time, but I was hoping for some budge on the scale. During tax season, my days consisted of five hours of sleep, no exercise, and bad food choices. While my calories stayed low during tax season, the content was BAD!

Well, that's probably a good reason you gained. Your body got used to the way you WERE eating and now it needs to get used to the way you ARE eating. Give it time...definitely pump up the veggies still and increase your water intake so you don't retain any water.

getphysicallyfit · May 2010

Carbs are needed and are your energy source. As said before carbs are not bad.

FInd out what your Blood type is. YOu can be eating all the right foods but not right for you. Also look at your sleep patterns and being an over trainer will also cause you to plateau. Over training takes you out of fat burning into muscle burning mode and can cause an increase in cortisol build up as well.

Never stay on a "routine" never try to eat the same amount of calories a day.. You have to mix it up and if your tired of running around in circles then it really is time for you to get a good trainer who can help you adddress all of these concerns.

imagymrat · May 2010

Oh come on guys...... really?

Carbs are not bad!

The reason why you can lose a lot of weight quickly when you get off the carbs is because you go into ketosis. Seriously guys, carbs are not bad, eating too many carbs are bad, but so is eating too much protein, or too many fats. If you want to learn more about a ketogenic diet, then you can google it. You'll understand why your doctor and his wife have suddenly lost a bunch of weight. But this isn't a diet, ketogenic diets are a lifestyle, fine if you're willing to commit, but completely temporary if you aren't.

I love carbs, my body doesn't, I think I made it clear that it's a lifestyle change for me..and that cutting back the carbs worked for me. I regulate them big time, and excess carbs were the reason I didn't lose my last 10lbs. a low carb diet is what I live by now. Could work well for her, and then again it may not.

SHBoss1673 · May 2010

Well, you said you only have 10 to lose correct? It's gonna be slow, and there's gonna be some fluctuation, it took me about 5 or 6 months to lose my last 10, it's just how it goes. For your last 10, expect about 1/4 lb per week, and not every week either. Remember, your body doesn't WANT to lose the last 10, it feels perfectly fine where it is, and will not give up that little extra "just in case" weight without a fight.

Hey, you're eating super clean, and you're exercising, have faith, it'll happen for you, but it's gonna take time.

good luck.

TheMaidOfAstolat · May 2010

If' you're really baffled, I'd make an appointment with a registered dietitian (not a nutritionist, unless the nutritionist is also a registered dietitian), registered dietitians are trained in the field of nutrition, doctors generally get little to no formal training in nutrition and as such, are more often than not, just as uninformed at it as the rest of us.

Oh my god! I see from your profile that you are a trainer? I've never heard a trainer give this advice and I have to say (as a registered dietitian) that it's really great to see

We love Boss...he's always given sound advice.

As for the OP- seek another opinion. My family doctor growing up gave my mother the lecture of a life time about shoving meat down my throat...and if I didn't want it I should just go without anything until I was willing to eat the meat. Needless to say I'm still a vegetarian and while I respect that doctors opinion...his wasn't the only one. My mom sought advice from several sources before finally consigning that I was destined to not eat meat.
Also, as for the weight gain...there are many factors- are your muscles sercreating lactic acid, is it TOM, how much sodium are you consuming, have you not used the restroom in a while, have you been under any stress. People can have a fluxuation of anywhere of 1-10 pounds a day.

LittleSpy · May 2010

Also know that MFP defaults to like 60% carbs which could very well be too much for most folks. I have mine set at 45% because that's what I'm comfortable with right now. You can change your settings by going to "My Home" then "Goals" then "Customize."

I wonder if you're eating *enough.* I started gaining weight on 1200 calories a day after doing that for 4.5 months. Now that I've started eating more (a LOT more), I've started losing weight again (albeit more slowly than I was at first-- but that's much better than gaining like I was doing there for a few weeks while my body was freaking out about me not eating enough).

jovigal1959 · May 2010

One thing is for certain: No two bodies are made alike..and everybody has to find their own balance.

Right now, I am sitting here wondering what to have for lunch (at 2:30!). Breakfast is my favorite menu, for I love eggs. I am not a huge meat eater, but do like seafood. I am thinking of going to the salad bar near me and putting something nice together (I even hate salad dressing! LOL!).

You all have given me a lot ot chew on...pardon the pun!

Soon2beskinny73 · May 2010

Oh come on guys...... really?

Carbs are not bad!

The reason why you can lose a lot of weight quickly when you get off the carbs is because you go into ketosis. Seriously guys, carbs are not bad, eating too many carbs are bad, but so is eating too much protein, or too many fats. If you want to learn more about a ketogenic diet, then you can google it. You'll understand why your doctor and his wife have suddenly lost a bunch of weight. But this isn't a diet, ketogenic diets are a lifestyle, fine if you're willing to commit, but completely temporary if you aren't.

I love carbs but my body hates them lol , I wish I could eat the 262 grams of carbs that MFP suggests but if I did that then I wouldn't be losing ...I would be gaining and feeling bad. Some can tolerate higher carbs than others and then some can't go over a certain amount of carbs daily , it just depends on the person.

getphysicallyfit · May 2010

Oh come on guys...... really?

Carbs are not bad!

The reason why you can lose a lot of weight quickly when you get off the carbs is because you go into ketosis. Seriously guys, carbs are not bad, eating too many carbs are bad, but so is eating too much protein, or too many fats. If you want to learn more about a ketogenic diet, then you can google it. You'll understand why your doctor and his wife have suddenly lost a bunch of weight. But this isn't a diet, ketogenic diets are a lifestyle, fine if you're willing to commit, but completely temporary if you aren't.

I love carbs but my body hates them lol , I wish I could eat the 262 grams of carbs that MFP suggests but if I did that then I wouldn't be losing ...I would be gaining and feeling bad. Some can tolerate higher carbs than others and then some can't go over a certain amount of carbs daily , it just depends on the person.

Blood type A's can deal with carbs better then O blood types. I wonder which one you are.

All carbs are not created equal. Get yourself a nutrient density food list. As long as your energy levels don't crash, reducing your carb intake is fine (just don't reduce it to low)

I adjust the amount of Carbs, Protein and Fat I suggest to my clients. If your want more lean muscle mass then no more than 30 grams of protein per setting.

atynk · May 2010

I am trying to lose the last 7 or so pounds, and after talking to many friends that do fitness competitions, they say to keep my carbs during the day only, so unless I am doing hard core workout after I eat my last meal, I keep them during the day. It seems to have worked so far for me! Good luck!

tralalara · May 2010

I'm a big proponent of the Zone diet (actually lifestyle). I eat 40%, 30%, 30%, carbs, fat, protein. The important thing is balance at each meal and snack.
The most IMPORTANT thing to me was waking up to the fact that fruits and veggies ARE carbs! The best carbs! I do eat whole grain breads but try to get the most from fruits and veggies.
Also, you can eat "in the Zone" very easily and eat a vegetarian diet. Dr Sears actually promotes that. I eat meat but I've basically gotten off pork and eat beef very occasionally. Mostly fish, chicken, and turkey. I've lost 27 lbs. total and still have a long way to go but I am feeling SO much better. I have more energy and don't get winded easily anymore.

jovigal1959 · May 2010

My blood type is B+.....

Barneystinson · May 2010

I think low carb is very YMMV. Some love it, some hate it, some approach it in different ways...Some post flame wars on message boards about it, but I say hey, if you find it works for you, then good!

I've found over time that if I keep my carbs low, I maintain my weight better. I also maintain a healthy fasting blood glucose level. I'm at a "sweet spot" between 35g-75g depending on level of activity. If I raise them above 120g/daily, yikes, I'm ravenous and seeking sugar. I've tried allowing more in my diet, I've allowed more carby cheats, and...that's resulted in weight gain (hence why I'm here keeping tabs on what I eat). Vegetables, meat, dietary fats, eggs, nuts, dairy, and some fruits are pretty key to my diet. I like a variety of them and I'm really striving to improve the quality of what I eat (baby steps). Processed food is generally bad - I don't EVER recommend following a low carb lifestyle that encourages eating them as a staple. Nor should your diet be an all meat diet. Variety is good.

Don't get me wrong - I allow some cheats here and there. I also understand the importance of a carb re-feed once I begin to up my activity level. It's understanding what level is acceptable and will not send me spiralling out of control on a sugar crash.

lilmissy2 · May 2010

I get what you are saying about some people like it and some don't. I guess you will find that there will be 'flame wars' as you say in places like this about these topics. I agree with you that some people find low carb diets 'work for them' to lose weight. But the long term effects of low carb diets are terrible - possibly more so (although less researched) than obesity. I guess that's not what most health professionals consider as 'working' so it frustrates us to see these things thrown about on here as though they are gospel.

PJilly · May 2010

I eat plenty of carbs and have lost 27 pounds since August doing so. Right now, I'm doing P90X, eating about 1,800 calories/day, incluing 200+ grams of carbs. I tried severely limiting my carbs for a short time once, and I felt so lousy, I couldn't do it long enough to even find out how it affected my weight loss. I have my ratios set at 50/25/25, and I feel leaner, stronger and more energetic than I have ever felt, and I will be turning 50 this year. I say, "Three cheers for carbs!"

PJilly · May 2010

P.S. For what it's worth, my blood type is O+.

Wits end about Carbs

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