Always over in CARBS!!! Help

rhalpin86
rhalpin86 Posts: 43
in Food and Nutrition
I'm on a p90x diet of 50% protein 30% carbs 20% fat.... and I'm always over on carbs... I find it near impossible to stick to this without going over. Granted weekends I slip up and enjoy myself a little but on weekdays it's hard core and I have a hard time with this percentage. It's the fruit that kills me.

any suggestions?

Replies

  • Sunka1
    Sunka1 Posts: 217 Member
    Maybe there are some lower carb veggies you could switch in for some of your fruit. I am curious also so will look it up. My carbs are usually over what my trainer says but under what MFP recommends.
  • ShaunShaunphenomenon
    ShaunShaunphenomenon Posts: 141 Member
    I would have to check on your diary, but for the most part avoid pasta, avoid breads, avoid a lot of grains which are in foods. There are a lot of people who don't look at what they eat, perhaps you should revisit your diary on a day to day basis. It's what I do as I'm always over on sodium. I found my problem. Perhaps you will as well.

    If you would like to add me as a friend, i will keep an eye for you, plus I'm good motiviation at times :)
  • Grill_Master
    Grill_Master Posts: 1 Member
    When I did P90 a few yrs back (b4 kids) I ate lentals 1/2 cup to a cup depending on my #s and egg whites, that helped give me the "full" feeling w/o killing my carb count. I found eating lentals cold to be best.. or on a salad. I feel for you.. I currently eat 3-5 pcs of fruit a day- Its hard to give it up. - Hope it helps!
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
    A few things:

    30% seems fairly low, if you are exercising any appreciable amount. Heck, 30% is a good start if you're sedentary. So, think about your carb consumption in relation to your activity level. They're short-term fuels and if you exercise, you need some IMO.

    Second, it depends on what you eat. If you eat a lot of fruit and vegetable, then a lot of those carbs will be fiber. So I mentally subtract that out.

    Looking at your diary, yeah, you're going to have to stop eating so much grains, especially cereal and pasta, if you want to keep the carbs down.
  • JezzD1
    JezzD1 Posts: 431
    I try to stay around the 40/30/30 percentage, I too go over on carbs a lot. i don't eat very many breads or pastas. I am having a hard time hitting these percentages as well. =( I look up low carb recipes and high protein recipes to help :)
    My carbs are often from blueberries or oatmeal so I don't fret too much over going over cuz it is good carbs ;)
  • 714rah714
    714rah714 Posts: 759 Member
    It's not the fruit, you just need to reduce the bread and the noodles a bit and you'll be fine
  • gioisa75
    gioisa75 Posts: 242 Member
    I'm having the same issue with carbs. I am trying to cut out all breads and pasta and not worry about the fruit as much. If if you cut back by a few slices of bread a day it will make a difference.
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
    Personally I wouldn't worry about it if there isn't a medical reason why you are trying for low-carb. The carbs you are eating are mainly from fruit not processed things like pasta and breads. If you are really upset about it try eating protein for breakfast instead of cereal, research which fruits are lower in carbs, and maybe try skipping the bun at lunch and have a naked burger with a salad. Good luck!
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
    I am surprised that Tony H has it that tight on carbs. Other than for a short period of time (no more than a week or two), i can't imagine less that 1:1 carb:protein

    I lift 4 days per week and HIIT cardio 2 days per week. I eat 35/35/30 for carb:prtoetin:fat I find that ratio is good. at 200 lbs, i eat approx 2500 -3000 cals per day.

    I looked at your diary. 1350 cals per day has you at approx 400 cals of carb. That is nothing. I am assuming that you are adding back in at least 75% of your exercise cals? Otherwise you will starve.

    If you want to avoid carbs and max out on protein, suggestions:
    * eggs/egg wihite
    * GNC Amplified protein shakes, almost no carbs.

    Good luck!
  • mdz79
    mdz79 Posts: 9
    Just stay with the plan. As I see it, you are Phase 1 and Level I of P90X. The Plan says 1 medium fruit per day (up to 100cal). If you have more than you know ... :wink:
  • blu_meanie_ca
    blu_meanie_ca Posts: 352 Member
    I do 22% carbs on a daily basis (100g gross, or pre-fiber).
    I basically get my carbs from dairy and vegetables. I try to save some carb allowance for popcorn at night. Beans are really hard to fit in, and if I do eat them it's 1/2c at lunch. Lentils are at 1/4 cup at lunch. Typically though, they will cause me to be a bit over. It's easy for me though, as I really like veggies, and I'm luke warm on fruit, for the most part.
    I pre-plan all me meals and snacks before I eat them. I give myself a max of 20g of carbs for breakfast, and 30g for lunch and supper. The rest gets eaten as snack. Obviously, the less I eat at meals, the more I have left for popcorn at night.....
  • JacksMom12
    JacksMom12 Posts: 1,044 Member
    1300 calories seems low for p90x. Up your calories and you'll get more carbs. Like others have said, cut down on the grains. Eating cereal for breakfast is useless IMO. Have your sandwiches "open faced" to reduce carbs. Some fruit is lower in carbs like berries.
  • Liatush
    Liatush Posts: 627 Member
    In the same boat... bumping :)
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
    1300 calories seems low for p90x. Up your calories and you'll get more carbs. Like others have said, cut down on the grains. Eating cereal for breakfast is useless IMO. Have your sandwiches "open faced" to reduce carbs. Some fruit is lower in carbs like berries.

    Amen on the grains.

    I get 100% of my carbs from fruit, veggies and nuts. (ok, i eat lentils too....)

    Good luck!
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    I am surprised that Tony H has it that tight on carbs. Other than for a short period of time (no more than a week or two), i can't imagine less that 1:1 carb:protein

    Simple reason. Cutting carbs that much gets you into ketosis, where you are burning fat for fuel instead of sugars. Helps you get ripped faster, but I agree cutting that far is tough to maintain for long.

    I do the slow-carb diet, try to avoid grains and breads and I still end up a bit higher than that. 50% protein is a heck of a lot, but again I understand why it's recommended.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm on a p90x diet of 50% protein 30% carbs 20% fat.... and I'm always over on carbs... I find it near impossible to stick to this without going over. Granted weekends I slip up and enjoy myself a little but on weekdays it's hard core and I have a hard time with this percentage. It's the fruit that kills me.

    any suggestions?

    That's a pretty restrictive macro setting...no way I could do it personally. I do a 40c/30p/30hf and I even find that to be difficult at times. If I was doing 30c/50p/20hf...I have no friggin' clue how I'd meet those protein goals. I love me some protein, but that's and intense amount of protein. I also like my fruit and veg too much to be that restrictive on my carbs.

    If you have to keep to this diet though, just cut out all grains, cereals, and pastas and severely limit your fruits and get most of your carbs from veg
  • hollad03
    hollad03 Posts: 4 Member
    I was trying to do that same ratio before on P90X and as a vegetarian it was EXTREMELY hard!! Now on Insanity they suggest 40/40/20. I find this much more reasonable and it works really well, when I actually follow it :)

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