how did lowering your carbs work for you?

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  • AnguishLanguish
    AnguishLanguish Posts: 149 Member
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    I do Keto so take in about 20grams of Carbs a day, for me lowering my carbs has been amazing. I feel fuller for longer, I don't crave sweet foods like I did before, I feel less bloated, have more energy and the weight has been coming off with relative ease. Each person needs to find out what works for them and go with that.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
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    Carbs are not evil.

    Most of the issue with carbs is that poeple eat larger-than-necessary quantities of simple carbs (rice, pasta etc.) which also tend to to be higher in calories for their nutritional. As part of reducing my calories I have moved to smaller protions of pasta and potatoes (I don't eat rice), but I don't reject a foodstuff because its high in carbs (or fat or sugar) if it fits wihtin a balanced diet AND my calories for the day. Your simple carb should be no more than1/4 of your plate, 1/3 protein and the rest vegetables (not starchy ones like corn though).

    If you weigh your standard portion of pasta or rice you'll probably find that is part of the cause of your weight issues - when I first met my husband his idea of a portion of pasta was 8oz (he was young then so it hadn't impacted!) Now he has 100g (3.5oz) and I have 75g.
  • pluckabee
    pluckabee Posts: 346 Member
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    I've been trying to lower my carbs and I'm finding between80g and 130g is where I function best.

    I've recently tried to cut them even lower and it isn't really working for me so im probably going to stick with about 100g as a guide which allows me fruit, some rice and toast every so often
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    I did it for 6 months or so, it definitely helped me get my cravings in check and learn what real hunger was.

    I think my body got used to it though (keto) and I didn't see the point in continuing restricting whole swathes of nutrition.

    Less food rules work better for me.

    I think low carbing is a good temporary tool if you are in a particular metabolic state, the trouble comes when people demonise all carbs. On no planet is a big apple or banana a bad nutritional choice. And when it comes to worrying about carrots it gets a bit silly ;)
  • aliceclutz90
    aliceclutz90 Posts: 151 Member
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    It certainly worked for me. If it's fat loss you're after, by no means do you need to cut them out. Just eat the right amount that you need for fuel. I think people are very used to having a large portion of carbs with every meals (aka eggs on toast, fish and potatoes, chicken and rice etc). I would be inclined to have a higher ratio of protein to carbs and try to get slightly more of your carbs from vegetables than from your starchy sources.

    Just something that worked for me personally - but they are still an absolute must before training (eg a banana or a ryvita with nut butter) and also I found having snacks of protein and carbs rather than just carbs works.
  • Losing85
    Losing85 Posts: 26
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    You have just made me feel really good about giving this a go. Thanks!
  • rosemaryhon
    rosemaryhon Posts: 507 Member
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    I feel like lowering my carbs under 150 has helped me control my hunger.

    Yea, this ^^ for me too ~ I believe lowering my carbs was the key to *my* success mainly due to the control of my hunger. I was ALWAYS hungry when I was eating the super high carb I previously was. I'd finish a box of mac&cheese, feel hungry, make toast, than make more toast, than eat mostly mountains of potatoes or pasta with heavy gravy or cream sauces for dinner ~ hardly touched the meat, veggies, or salad. I used to sincerely believe the carbs would fill me up, but in fact they were causing my enormous hunger.

    And honestly I've been pleasantly surprised how easy it was for me ~ I assumed I'd go nuts without the super high carb diet I'd been eating, thought I'd miss feasting on mostly carbs and end up binging. But I haven't :), I'm loving my new food choices!

    I know my way isn't for everyone, but for *me* carbs were the root of my problem.
  • Kris0109
    Kris0109 Posts: 177 Member
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    My magic numbers are 100 and 100 ... 100g of carbs, 100g of protein. That seems to be where my body is happiest. I lift heavy and do intense cardio 2-3 times a week.
  • HotrodsGirl0107
    HotrodsGirl0107 Posts: 243 Member
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    When I was doing low carb I was tired all the time and my activity level suffered tremendously. I have very physical jobs along with lifting, hiking, swimming and anything else that keeps me moving. I feel healthier and feel more energetic when i eat higher carb. So for me it wasn't the best option for my lifestyle.
  • Debbie208
    Debbie208 Posts: 3 Member
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    Lowering carbs for me cuts the cravings and then I can make better choices. Mostly I eat cottage cheese and fruit for breakfast, at least 1/2 cup of each, more cc if you can affort it! Throw in come grains or have or something else. For snacks, I also eat plain non-fat greek yogurt and add a wee bit of sweetner and then top it off with fruit, again about 1/2 cup of each. Of course, I don't eat like this every breakfast and snack, but it is one of the tricks that helps control my carb intake and curb my cravings. Good luck.
  • SexyDexie
    SexyDexie Posts: 48 Member
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    I have Type 2 diabetes and lowering my carbs to less than 100g per day has done wonders for my glucose levels. I have also lost 10 pounds in my first month on MFP and I have gained some lean muscle. Most of my carbs come from vegetables and I really do not have a problem with energy levels.
  • Shaunte86
    Shaunte86 Posts: 39 Member
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    I have not paid very close attention to my appetite and energy levels when I have a lower carb day, however, after reading through this thread I do think that trying a lower carb diet for a couple of weeks will prove advantageous for me. On days that I spend a lot of time in the gym, I will allow more carbs to power me through my long workouts! I see that some people do 20g and some 100g...is there a "magic number" for carb intake that is low carb but not drastic for people?
  • epie2098
    epie2098 Posts: 224 Member
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    I did eat low carb for a while. I did really well for three months, then my energy levels crashed.

    The thing is that you may be told to lower your carbohydrate intake, but without knowing if you are either:

    -eating too many processed carbs (eg crackers, popchips, juice for snacks etc.)
    -overestimating your portion sizes (eg think restaurant-sized pasta entrees)
    -not getting enough fresh produce and relying on higher-carbohydrate foods to fill you up (eg getting potato salad at a bbq instead of a green salad or cut up veggies)

    It's really difficult to tell you how to lower the intake while not going too low because there are so many things it could mean. The nutritionist is the best bet :)

    Edited to add: I measure carbs and add unlimited green/low carb veggies to my meals. 1/2 cup of brown rice, or 1 cup pasta. I get sprouted grain bread at 50 calories/slice. For breakfast, I have 1/2 cup dry oatmeal. Portion control :)
  • epie2098
    epie2098 Posts: 224 Member
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    I have not paid very close attention to my appetite and energy levels when I have a lower carb day, however, after reading through this thread I do think that trying a lower carb diet for a couple of weeks will prove advantageous for me. On days that I spend a lot of time in the gym, I will allow more carbs to power me through my long workouts! I see that some people do 20g and some 100g...is there a "magic number" for carb intake that is low carb but not drastic for people?

    Not really. Each body is different. Read up on carb cycling - that's probably the way to go for you as you can combine it with a workout schedule that gives you more carbs on higher-cardio days.
  • rosemaryhon
    rosemaryhon Posts: 507 Member
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    I have not paid very close attention to my appetite and energy levels when I have a lower carb day, however, after reading through this thread I do think that trying a lower carb diet for a couple of weeks will prove advantageous for me. On days that I spend a lot of time in the gym, I will allow more carbs to power me through my long workouts! I see that some people do 20g and some 100g...is there a "magic number" for carb intake that is low carb but not drastic for people?

    Glancing thru my food diary it seems I average about 120 carbs daily. Which is huge reduction from my former eating habits LOL. For *me* this is a good amount, not too drastic ~ though I realize mine is not a truly low-carb diet. You're welcome to look thru my (open) diary.
  • Losing85
    Losing85 Posts: 26
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    Thanks again everyone. I don't want to go low card but I do want to lower it to about 120-150. I ate higher protein days and noticed that I was less hungry but my sodium was through the roof.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Thanks again everyone. I don't want to go low card but I do want to lower it to about 120-150. I ate higher protein days and noticed that I was less hungry but my sodium was through the roof.

    Do you have high blood pressure ? if not, sodium intake is a non-issue.
  • Shaunte86
    Shaunte86 Posts: 39 Member
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    I have not paid very close attention to my appetite and energy levels when I have a lower carb day, however, after reading through this thread I do think that trying a lower carb diet for a couple of weeks will prove advantageous for me. On days that I spend a lot of time in the gym, I will allow more carbs to power me through my long workouts! I see that some people do 20g and some 100g...is there a "magic number" for carb intake that is low carb but not drastic for people?

    Glancing thru my food diary it seems I average about 120 carbs daily. Which is huge reduction from my former eating habits LOL. For *me* this is a good amount, not too drastic ~ though I realize mine is not a truly low-carb diet. You're welcome to look thru my (open) diary.

    Thanks!
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
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    Lowering my carbs is one the best things I have done for myself food/health-wise. No more binging, no more excessive hunger, my weight loss goals seem so possible and they ARE possible now. I had to play around with my macros to find what worked for me, but eating at 1g protein per LBM, <150g carbs, and filling in the rest with fat is working really well for me so far.

    If you are looking to keep your sodium low while eating higher protein you will have to minimize the use of lunch meats and most canned/processed protein sources. I use the crockpot a lot to have easy sources of protein available (roast/chicken/short ribs/etc.) I try to keep my sodium at 1500mg per day as recommended by the AHA (I often go over but I am working on it).
  • Hampisaboss
    Hampisaboss Posts: 5
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    I am on day one of lowering my carbs so that it can kind of get me over the hump. I will let you guys know in about a week how things are going.

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