Can I lose lbs eating these complex carbs ?

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linalovekitty
linalovekitty Posts: 187
in Health and Weight Loss
I really like eating whole grain pasta with kale, grilled chicken,as my main meal of the day. I've found that it gives me tons of energy and I dont require much food calorically when I eat this meal as I get very full very quickly and stay full a long time after eating it, making it easy to stay within my 1200-1500/day calorie limit. Usually I eat between 1-2 cups per day of whole grain pasta and get the rest of my calories via veggies and protein.

My question is: is it still possible to lose weight steadily on 1200-1500cals.day while eating complex carbs like whole grain pasta and whole grain bread with meals. I always eat these starches with protein and vegetables (although occasionally I'll have kashi cereal w lowfat milk bc it contains protein+fiber ).

Also, in the past Ive gained weight on low carb diets bc I have to eat so much food just to feel satiated. Low carb worked WONDERS for my husband, the way its supposed to work- lowered his appetite, leveled his insulin, he lost 50lbs and eats as much as he wants of protein and veggies. When I go on low carb diets the opposite is true for me: I starve, have zero energy and feel terrible. And I dont lose weight other than water weight in the begining.

My body tends to operate best when I eat a good amount of complex carbs and I know this is the opposite of what is popular. Does anyone else experience this? And if so, how do you fare in weight loss?

Replies

  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    You can eat whatever foods you want, as long as it fits in your calorie goal and macros.

    I lose weight eating Lucky Charms every night.
  • hulkweazel
    hulkweazel Posts: 36 Member
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    Losing weight is basically just eating fewer calories than your burn, whether you do low carb or not. Don't listen to anyone who tells you that low carb is the ONLY or the BEST way to lose weight, it's pure crap. Do what works best for you, as long as it fits macros etc.
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
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    You can lose weight eating complex carbs - it's just a lot slower than cutting carbs
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    I am italian and I love carbs LOL ...yes you can as long as you are eating in a deficit and do not go too crazy on the carbs..

    I love my whole wheat linguine with clams and red sauce..so freaking good..!
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    What ^^they said.

    You lose weight consuming fewer calories than you expend. Everything else is a complication of a simple rule to live by.

    Low carb, high carb, dietary restrictions, etc. is all about "tweaking" not about losing.
  • DivaDodgeComingThru
    DivaDodgeComingThru Posts: 3 Member
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    it is possible to lose weight eating carbs, as i can attest to. my husband is italian, so when we got married, my weight loss plan suddenly hit a bump as i was now eating pasta 2-3 times/week. but like others have mentioned, i realized it was all about the portion size. after i figured that out, i lost 16% (more than 25 lbs) in our first year of marriage - simply by reducing the amount of pasta (and we eat the regular stuff, my hubby thinks whole grain pasta is sacrilegious) i was eating & switching to a tomato based sauce as opposed to the creamier stuff.
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
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    You can lose weight eating complex carbs - but is it the fastest and most effective? NO. Eating complex carbs and low calories will leave you hungry and more likely to fail IMO. When you do low carb your hunger dissipates SIGNIFICANTLY so eating as low as 1200 calories is relatively easy. Trust me, I used to diet low calories eating fruits and wheat bread and watching my calories closely but my fat loss did not remotely match what I've reached on eating low carb - in addition I was constantly hungry when I was eating carbs, even after months of doing so.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    You know what would cause me to fail? Not enjoying what I'm eating.

    I didn't care about "losing fast." I cared about losing weight in a way I can continue to eat indefinitely. And I did, and I've been maintaining that loss effortlessly for over a year and a half, while eating pasta (just plain pasta, too, not whole grain), rice (mostly white), bread (sometimes whole grain, sometimes not), potatoes (rarely sweet potatoes), bagels almost every day for breakfast, and pizza (thick crust all the way).
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,720 Member
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    I live on carbs. The really bad carbs that people freak out about. Pasta, not wheat, not whole grain, just regular old pasta. White bread. Potatoes from time to time.

    I counted calories and exercised. Lost all the weight I wanted. It works.
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
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    Well you look like a bodybuilder and yeah when im bulking I eat a ton of carbs but for cutting, it's really hard to get there if you don't really cut down carbs
    I live on carbs. The really bad carbs that people freak out about. Pasta, not wheat, not whole grain, just regular old pasta. White bread. Potatoes from time to time.

    I counted calories and exercised. Lost all the weight I wanted. It works.
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
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    And by cutting I mean getting a six pack.
    Well you look like a bodybuilder and yeah when im bulking I eat a ton of carbs but for cutting, it's really hard to get there if you don't really cut down carbs
    I live on carbs. The really bad carbs that people freak out about. Pasta, not wheat, not whole grain, just regular old pasta. White bread. Potatoes from time to time.

    I counted calories and exercised. Lost all the weight I wanted. It works.
  • msliu7911
    msliu7911 Posts: 639 Member
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    You can eat whatever foods you want, as long as it fits in your calorie goal and macros.

    I lose weight eating Lucky Charms every night.

    This (and LOL@ the Lucky Charms). :)

    I've heard its not good to "cut out" any major food group from your diet and that limiting too much can be bad. Whole grains are the best kind of grains for you. If you're going to be getting grains, its best to do anything other than white so I wouldn't worry.
  • linalovekitty
    linalovekitty Posts: 187
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    kevin,
    my husband would agree with you, but I respectfully disagree bc for some reason, my body tweaks out on low carb. I am constantly dizzy, foggy, I feel like Im dying, literally. Albeit I never felt belly hunger per se, but every other symptom of starvation I experienced. I had no energy to work out etc. There were days I consumed over 2500 calories on a low carb diet and I had ZERO energy. There were even times I was in ketosis for a month and lost no weight- I swear my body thinks its starving on low carb regardless of calories consumed and I actually GAIN weight. But on a high complex carb diet, I can consume 1200 -1500 cals and feel great. Thats why I was curious if calories really are the bottom line in dieting bc if so I am in business now that I have refound carbs :)

    What you are describing is what I would experience eating simple carbs ie fructose, etc. Like smoothies are the devil to me bc it will sky rocket my appetite. However, complex carbs w lean protein cause me to stay full and energized. For example, today at 3pm I ate whole grain pasta w grilled chicken and kale and tomato sauce and its 730 and I am still full.
  • alienrite
    alienrite Posts: 314 Member
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    Losing weight is about your calorie deficit first and foremost. I have a hard time controlling my appetite if I don't restrict my carbs, how you control your calories is a very personal thing. Whatever works and is sustainable is the best way for you. Just listen and learn from your body.
  • mghanie
    mghanie Posts: 105 Member
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    I agree with what everyone else said that as long as its under your calorie goals you should lose.

    With that being said i have a problem i am eating under my calorie goal and haven't lost weight for a while I'm close to my goal i don't really know how slow weight loss is when you're 6lbs away from your goal? Any advice besides switching up exercise, because i don't really do much exercise. Should i reduce calories?
  • Msdirection
    Msdirection Posts: 54 Member
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    I love carbs, and I've grown up in a family where our main meal for the day is almost aways full of 'bad' carbs e.g. either pasta, or white rice. I could never stick with a diet long term that required me not to eat these sorts of food - it's what my body gets its energy from and I feel knackered if I don't have it. I'm a healthy weight and am still losing weight while eating carbs every day. The trick is staying within your calorie goals, so if carbs work for you, eat them.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,720 Member
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    And by cutting I mean getting a six pack.
    Well you look like a bodybuilder and yeah when im bulking I eat a ton of carbs but for cutting, it's really hard to get there if you don't really cut down carbs
    I live on carbs. The really bad carbs that people freak out about. Pasta, not wheat, not whole grain, just regular old pasta. White bread. Potatoes from time to time.

    I counted calories and exercised. Lost all the weight I wanted. It works.

    Right now I am bulking. But when I was cutting I still ate carbs, chicken parm with white pasta twice a week that I kept within my calorie goal. Got that six pack. Never had one in my life but I got one and didn't eliminate carbs at all. It's not carbs. It's calories.
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
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    How long did it take you? Cuz when I did low carb for a month my six pack showed up. A MONTH vs 6 months of cardio and eating carbs and not seeing anything more than slight definition.
    And by cutting I mean getting a six pack.
    Well you look like a bodybuilder and yeah when im bulking I eat a ton of carbs but for cutting, it's really hard to get there if you don't really cut down carbs
    I live on carbs. The really bad carbs that people freak out about. Pasta, not wheat, not whole grain, just regular old pasta. White bread. Potatoes from time to time.

    I counted calories and exercised. Lost all the weight I wanted. It works.

    Right now I am bulking. But when I was cutting I still ate carbs, chicken parm with white pasta twice a week that I kept within my calorie goal. Got that six pack. Never had one in my life but I got one and didn't eliminate carbs at all. It's not carbs. It's calories.

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