Advice on cutting back carb?

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sammyantics
sammyantics Posts: 191 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've been tracking my diet daily since mid-Feb., and what I've noticed is that roghly half my intake is carbohhydrates. While part of that is simple carbs from fruit and the like, I know a major portion is from bread and pasta and other things I probably should be avoiding.

I've heard that carbs can be difficult to break from, and I just find myself craving slices of bread if I don't include them in my meals. Any suggestions for beating the carb-addiction?

Replies

  • mdelcott
    mdelcott Posts: 529 Member
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    Force yourself to not eat them and you will see within a week you will no longer crave them. And them when you do have some bread or what not its not nearly as enjoyable as it used to be and so then your able to have in moderation. I used to be hooked could sit and eat a whole loaf of bread in a sitting, and dont get me started on cold soggy toast (one of my old favs :)) but now I dont eat it at all. I try to get the majority of all my cards from natural sources. Its like any addiction, It will be tough and take some will power but I promise within a week you wont miss or crave them
  • TimeForMe99
    TimeForMe99 Posts: 309
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    If you're reducing carbs what will you increase, in order to keep your calories consistent? Looking at your diary it seems you have the default MFP macros. Increasing your protein to .8 to 1g of LBM will force the carbs out of your eating plan. Try to fill the protein needs and you will find that breads and pastas just don't fit.

    For dinner focus on lean meat with vegetables, lunch can be a salad with tuna, eggs or dairy for breakfast. Snack on protein rich foods such as cheese, yogurt, or sliced meats. Hummus with veggies is a great late night snack. Keep drinking water and eating lots of veggies and fruit, and you will be full and satisfied.
  • Armyantzzz
    Armyantzzz Posts: 214 Member
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    Breads are tough to get away from!! :sad: Try cutting your portions in half and eating them less than half the time:yawn: I've gotten down to once a weak I'll have bread (pumpernickel ... my fav:laugh: ). The trick is not to torture or "starve" yourself... but practice more moderation:smile: ....................and watch how you dress those breads (butters,jellies,etc) it's very tempting!!:angry:
  • tilos1
    tilos1 Posts: 6
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    I've had to cut back on gluten due to it exacerbating my IBS. I found that the easiest place to take the bad carbs out was at breakfast. Eggs and fruit or fruit and yogurt, with a stick of string cheese and tea is a good breakfast for me.

    I eat lunch at work. I pick out a frozen entree that isn't loaded with carbs. I like Indian food, so I'll often get a lentils with brown rice and will be sparing about eating the brown rice. It helps that my workplace doesn't have anything tasty for purchase.

    I don't limit my fruit intake at all. I'm trying to make permanent lifestyle changes, and cutting out fruit just seems stupid. With IBS, I have to avoid large amounts at once (fructose malabsorption), but spaced out over the day, it is fine.

    I am a big fan of "if I'm not supposed to eat it, it doesn't stay in the house." I generally do not keep cookies or bread in the house. That makes it much more difficult to snack on. I try to eat something before I go grocery shopping so I'm not (as) tempted to buy these things.
  • RosaliaMarie
    RosaliaMarie Posts: 11
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    From experience, I've found that simple carbs, for me anyway, are a no-no. If I eat any, it starts a craving that doesn't seem to stop. So, I've made some changes.

    For breakfast, I have a poached egg, slice turkey bacon, and one slice rye toast with whipped butter. My doctor has said most wheat grains are harvested green, which our bodies don't digest well. Rye bread doesn't start the craving process, so that is what I eat.

    Lunch is usually a slimfast along with a handful of walnuts.

    Dinner is protein with a half plate of vegetables.

    This works for me. Do be sure to get your protein in daily. It helps

    I found when you make the complete break from simple carbs, the cravings go away in a few days. So, no potatoes, nilk, rice, sugar, white flour. I'll mash cauliflower with some Laughing Cow cheese, for example.

    Judith
  • lotusspark
    lotusspark Posts: 367
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    W/o cutting certain foods I couldn't lose any weight. I have Pcos. Cutting rice/pasta/potatoes/bread on
    a routine basis has really helped. I eat each of them possibly once every 4-5 weeks. I get my carbs
    in produce, popcorn and other ways and get about 45% avg carbs per week. Sometimes as low as 40%.
    I feel better too. I also get very little dairy. Just by cutting 1-2 of these items, you should get a decent
    result. It can take time depending in your chemistry.
  • whatsername79
    whatsername79 Posts: 13
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    I used to be a carboholic and since cutting back on the carbs I have found that I don't crave them so much at all. I started replacing my lunch time sandwiches with soups or making my own wraps. I found a recipe to make some wraps from egg whites, coconut flour and linseed and this was a good substitute for my usual sandwich. I still eat carbs from pasta and rice but only when I am having a heavier workout day.

    When I was eating too many simple carbs I also found I had ridiculous cravings for sweet things in the middle of the night and I wondered if it would ever stop. That has stopped now thankfully.
  • jtangcs
    jtangcs Posts: 37 Member
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    I've always found that increasing my protein intake helps decrease my carb intake, mainly because I want carbs when I'm hungry. Also, I find that I crave carbs when it's cold. So, I also try to move towards hot foods, like soups and stews. That's not to say I don't eat carbs (rice is still a staple at dinner time), but I avoid major carbs (like breads) for breakfast, and definitely limit it for lunch and dinner. The hardest was cutting out breads in the first place (as I've noticed others noting that too), but once I stopped for more than 2 weeks, I didn't care for them as much anymore.

    My suggestion - drop the major carbs at breakfast and go from there. (Oh, and not buying bread). :wink:
  • kgoodman0108
    kgoodman0108 Posts: 158
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    It takes a while to get over the cravings, but trust me - its worth it. I feel so much better when I eliminate most carbs from my diet. No more crashing after meals! Fat and protein are much more filling than carbs... I find it easier to eat less this way. I would gradually cut back on them, and see what works best for you. Some people do best when they limit themselves to 100g a day, while others (like myself) feel best on much less. I'm currently consuming 25-40g a day.

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