Carbs versus Calories?

Hi everyone.

I am on a 12 week challenge. I am already in week 5 and i havent lost anything. I have been eating no carbs, no fruit. But i have not been counting calories. I make sure my portions are not over the top. (100g meat and 2 cups of vegetables). I have not been boozing and working out 2 x a day, 6 x a week.

After discovering i have not lost any weight. i went to a nutritionist who gave me a meal plan. Its has incorporated a lot of carbs. Muesli in the morning, (is muesli bad in very small amount with skim milk?), brown rice, crackers, yoghurt. These foods i am not used to eating as when i have lost weight before i have only done low carb, no sugar.

I have been recording my progress with my fitness pal. I have a few questions.

If i want to lose weight, should i ditch the muesli and carbs and yoghurt?

Also, i am allowed 1200 cals a day, but i workout and burn about 700 a day - should i be replacing those calories lost with food? Or only stick to the 1200.

Any tips on helping me lose weight would be helpful in my situation. I am pretty depressed that i have been working so hard and my weight wont seem to shift.
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Replies

  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
    There is no bad food. Carbs aren't bad, they fuel your brain. I have lost my weight to date while incorporating daily carbs and fruit.

    You should replace what you work off, at least some of it. What are your stats, we can figure up your BMR and move from there.

    Poke around the forums for other threads like yours, too; there are tons of answers here.
  • Rachyk9
    Rachyk9 Posts: 10 Member
    Thanks for you response.

    i am 26 year old female.
    My weight 71kgs
    157 cm.

    My ideal weight would be 55-58 kgs which is average for my height.

    Is that what you mean by stats?
  • bob_day
    bob_day Posts: 87
    Also, i am allowed 1200 cals a day, but i workout and burn about 700 a day - should i be replacing those calories lost with food? Or only stick to the 1200.

    Any tips on helping me lose weight would be helpful in my situation. I am pretty depressed that i have been working so hard and my weight wont seem to shift.

    Counting calories with any accuracy requires a lot of time and effort.
    But Do this and you *will* lose weight:

    1) Eat mostly to get the nutrition your body needs, and less for enjoyment. Establish a healthful diet and learn to enjoy healthful foods.

    2) Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That's it. No snacks, and no "in between" meals.

    3) Give up sugar. No sugar in coffee, soda, or on cereal. Give up fruit juice -- it's mainly just another form of sugar. Water is the only liquid you need.

    4) In the beginning, establish a very regulated moderate calorie diet. Don't follow any sort of fad. Just pick a selection of foods that add up to a normal balanced diet -- whole grains, veggies, fruit, dairy, a little meat, etc. But start out by having exactly the same three meals each day -- the same foods and the same amounts. Weigh the portions on a scale. Consider frozen dinners. Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, Kashi, Smart Ones, and probably other brands have several that are low in calories and saturated fat, 25% daily value or less of sodium, and high in fiber.

    5) Weigh yourself every day on a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale. Your weight will fluctuate, but with a constant diet it should trend down over every two or three days. If it doesn't, eliminate items from your diet or reduce the size of portions until your weight does go down. (If you don't have a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale, I'd recommend the EatSmart Precision Plus Digital Scale, which is sold on Amazon.) Don't obsess over the scale — let it be your friend and point the way to a weight losing diet.

    6) When you have achieved a weight losing diet, then you can start making adjustments to add variety, but make sure that you keep losing weight.

    7) Maintain your exercise program.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
    Thanks for you response.

    i am 26 year old female.
    My weight 71kgs
    157 cm.

    My ideal weight would be 55-58 kgs which is average for my height.

    Is that what you mean by stats?

    That's exactly what I meant by stats :) Thank you
    OK I plugged in your info to the IIFYM calculator and it says this:
    Your BMR (number of calories burned by your internal organs just to survive, the amount of calories needed to keep you alive in a coma, never moving) is 1400 calories

    Your TDEE if exercising 3 times a week is 1925.

    I also ran through the Scooby calculator and got similar results (not exactly the same but close).

    I would personally suggest eating a number of calories between 1400 and 1925 in order to keep your body happily alive and moving, while still using its fat stores to support the workouts you do.

    If you'd rather NET 1200 while eating back some exercise calories, well that will end up being a similar number, it looks like.

    EDIT: I personally am female, age 28, 167 centimeters and 73 kilo (started at 95). I've lost my weight eating mostly 1500-1600 NET (eating back some exercise calories--not all, but some). Sometimes I bump up my eating to maintenance for a couple days, other times I have come in low, but 1600 NET is my goal.

    Good luck on your journey, I hope you are able to find what works for YOU.
  • Rachyk9
    Rachyk9 Posts: 10 Member
    Sorry to ask, but what is IIFYM, TDEE and sccoby calculator?

    And NET?

    Also in this quote

    "If you'd rather NET 1200 while eating back some exercise calories, well that will end up being a similar number, it looks like. "

    What do u mean by similar number?

    Sorry, new to all the lingo. I really appreciate your help. :smooched:
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member

    Counting calories with any accuracy requires a lot of time and effort.
    But Do this and you *will* lose weight:

    1) Eat mostly to get the nutrition your body needs, and less for enjoyment. Establish a healthful diet and learn to enjoy healthful foods.

    2) Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That's it. No snacks, and no "in between" meals.

    3) Give up sugar. No sugar in coffee, soda, or on cereal. Give up fruit juice -- it's mainly just another form of sugar. Water is the only liquid you need.

    4) In the beginning, establish a very regulated moderate calorie diet. Don't follow any sort of fad. Just pick a selection of foods that add up to a normal balanced diet -- whole grains, veggies, fruit, dairy, a little meat, etc. But start out by having exactly the same three meals each day -- the same foods and the same amounts. Weigh the portions on a scale. Consider frozen dinners. Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, Kashi, Smart Ones, and probably other brands have several that are low in calories and saturated fat, 25% daily value or less of sodium, and high in fiber.

    5) Weigh yourself every day on a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale. Your weight will fluctuate, but with a constant diet it should trend down over every two or three days. If it doesn't, eliminate items from your diet or reduce the size of portions until your weight does go down. (If you don't have a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale, I'd recommend the EatSmart Precision Plus Digital Scale, which is sold on Amazon.) Don't obsess over the scale — let it be your friend and point the way to a weight losing diet.

    I agree with #1 but you still need to eat things you enjoy because you should not be depriving yourself.

    For #2, eat when you are hungry. You don't have to eat three meals a day, you don't have to cut out snacks, you don't have to stop eating by 7pm, etc. Eat when you are hungry and ensure your calories are at the right amount (and 1200 is probably far too low).

    For #3, there is no need to give up sugar unless you have a medical issue. There is nothing wrong with sugar and you can and will lose weight while consuming sugar. Of course don't have sugar is everything you are consuming in a day but some sugar won't do any harm.

    #4 has some great tips but I personally would suggest staying away from prepared foods, including the frozen dinners. For the price and the nutrients they are not worth it. They are filled with sodium and preservatives. You can make a much healthier meal at home from scratch for cheaper that has more food and more nutrients ... and it doesn't have to take a lot of time.

    For #5, while it can help some people to weigh everyday to keep them on track it isn't for everyone. Some people get discouraged and frustrated weighing everyday because the scale will not always go down regardless of what you do. Hormones, sodium intake, water intake, bathroom habits, etc will all change what the scale reads. Weigh everyday if it helps keep you on track but don't freak out when you see a gain on the scale.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Sorry to ask, but what is IIFYM, TDEE and sccoby calculator?

    And NET?

    Also in this quote

    "If you'd rather NET 1200 while eating back some exercise calories, well that will end up being a similar number, it looks like. "

    What do u mean by similar number?

    Sorry, new to all the lingo. I really appreciate your help. :smooched:

    If you google "BMR calculators" ..... you will get a bunch of choices ..... scooby is one.

    NET is the number after you've logged exercise. Here in MFP land (My Fitness Pal) logged exercise calories are added back to your daily total.... the difference is NET.

    Example .... you eat 1650 calories & log 250 calories in cardio .....NET = 1400 for the day

    Because your BMR is 1400 ...... this is as low as you want to go. MFP may give you a lower number .... but that is based (in part) by the number of pounds you want to lose each week. If you plug in a really aggresive weight loss goal .... your "pre-exercise" number could be below your BMR. Fast weight loss will have you losing muscle mass along with the fat.

    TDEE = manitenance calories and it includes exercise ...... make sure you stay below this.
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
    Sorry to ask, but what is IIFYM, TDEE and sccoby calculator?

    And NET?

    Also in this quote

    "If you'd rather NET 1200 while eating back some exercise calories, well that will end up being a similar number, it looks like. "

    What do u mean by similar number?

    Sorry, new to all the lingo. I really appreciate your help. :smooched:

    OK, IIFYM calculator and Scooby calculator: You can Google those to find out your numbers yourself, I was just saying what I was using so you could find them. They are just calculators to try and figure out how many calories a person needs in order to lose/gain/maintain weight. You might actually want to play with them yourself, as you know better than I how your lifestyle is.

    TDEE=Total daily energy expenditure. How much energy (measured in calories) that you use in a day. This goes up the more exercise you do. A lot of people figure up their TDEE and just subtract 15-20% of calories, so they can eat the same number of calories a day. If your TDEE is 1925 with 3 exercise a week (I know, you said 6, but this is easier for me to calculate, lol) you'll be eating around 1600-1650 a day, period. No "Oh, I worked off more than I meant to, where are the snacks so I can fuel that workout?"

    NET= Netting calories. My Fitness Pal is set up for a baseline number (say, 1200) and expects you to also eat your exercise calories to cover your "unplanned" expenditure of energy. So, if you ate 1200 calories, then worked off 700 calories, ate back 500 of your exercise calories (to account for any miscalculation somewhere; some people eat All the exercise calories, but I usually only eat some of them) then you will eat 1700 calories in your day. That's what I meant by "the numbers will be about the same". On the plus side with NET, if you are unable to exercise for a week you don't have to try and figure up your new TDEE.

    Also, I'm sure you're doing this already, be sure you take a multivitamin; I take vitamins daily but don't log them, some people log theirs for accuracy's sake, but I don't want to be "over my goal" because of a handful of calories from a pill.
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  • The last time I followed my nutritionist's advice I lost 10 lbs in 4 weeks, and I ate a LOT of food! Whether or not losing that quickly is sustainable can still be argued (I didn't sustain it...), but they know what they're doing - assuming you got a good nutritionist.

    He/she is making sure you get everything you need in your diet, and yes, you need carbs.

    And yes, eat back most of your exercise calories. Get a heart rate monitor if you want a more accurate count of what you burned than what MFP gives.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    Are you on a specific eating plan that requires zero carbs? I'm doing keto, which allots me carbs, but I try to keep them under 25 grams. It's been working for me, although lately I've been retaining water because I started a new job that has me on my feet for 5 hours a day, which is quite the workout in itself. If you're interested in going on keto, here's a link about it.

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gZfJejOM8fJsX1iCilmnpp1qmT_KncJwWCR4-EsaEHc/edit?pli=1
  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
    You can lose weight while eating carbs. I eat over 200g per day typically.
    Don't buy into the diet fads or cut out foods that you don't intend on continuing the rest of your life without. A lot of people make this mistake and end up binging on carb-filled deliciousness sooner or later.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    Hi everyone.

    I am on a 12 week challenge. I am already in week 5 and i havent lost anything. I have been eating no carbs, no fruit. But i have not been counting calories. I make sure my portions are not over the top. (100g meat and 2 cups of vegetables). I have not been boozing and working out 2 x a day, 6 x a week.

    After discovering i have not lost any weight. i went to a nutritionist who gave me a meal plan. Its has incorporated a lot of carbs. Muesli in the morning, (is muesli bad in very small amount with skim milk?), brown rice, crackers, yoghurt. These foods i am not used to eating as when i have lost weight before i have only done low carb, no sugar.

    I have been recording my progress with my fitness pal. I have a few questions.

    If i want to lose weight, should i ditch the muesli and carbs and yoghurt?

    Also, i am allowed 1200 cals a day, but i workout and burn about 700 a day - should i be replacing those calories lost with food? Or only stick to the 1200.

    Any tips on helping me lose weight would be helpful in my situation. I am pretty depressed that i have been working so hard and my weight wont seem to shift.

    you're not losing because you're not eating enough. If you're burning 700 a day, eat them back. I'm certain your BMR (base metabolic rate) is higher than 1200 (probably around 1400, though we can't know without your height/weight/age).

    use this calculator to figure it out: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    Hi everyone.

    I am on a 12 week challenge. I am already in week 5 and i havent lost anything. I have been eating no carbs, no fruit. But i have not been counting calories. I make sure my portions are not over the top. (100g meat and 2 cups of vegetables). I have not been boozing and working out 2 x a day, 6 x a week.

    After discovering i have not lost any weight. i went to a nutritionist who gave me a meal plan. Its has incorporated a lot of carbs. Muesli in the morning, (is muesli bad in very small amount with skim milk?), brown rice, crackers, yoghurt. These foods i am not used to eating as when i have lost weight before i have only done low carb, no sugar.

    I have been recording my progress with my fitness pal. I have a few questions.

    If i want to lose weight, should i ditch the muesli and carbs and yoghurt?

    Also, i am allowed 1200 cals a day, but i workout and burn about 700 a day - should i be replacing those calories lost with food? Or only stick to the 1200.

    Any tips on helping me lose weight would be helpful in my situation. I am pretty depressed that i have been working so hard and my weight wont seem to shift.

    Firstly - losing weight isn't about a short term challenge, it's a long term commitment to changing the way you eat. A 12 week challenge can be a fun way to get you going, but don't be discouraged if nothing happens in that 12 weeks, or you don't win or whatever. Just remember that you didn't put the weight on in 12 weeks, so it'll take more than 12 weeks to lose it.

    Secondly - carbs are not evil. Even if you are diabetic, SOME carbs are still recommended. I would agree with advise to cut down on foods with a lot of refined sugar added (soda, cake, cookies etc) but more because these are high calorie foods with little other nutritional benefit, not because carbs or sugars are inherently bad. IF you are on a calorie budget, use them wisely, and don't fritter them on foods that aren't going to fill you up and provide your body with other things it does need.

    That said - don't deprive yourself! I disagree strongly with the poster who said it should all be about nutrition, and you don't have to enjoy your food. It may take a bit of searching, trying new things etc, but you should be able to find foods you like. Cut back on the sugary foods, but don't cut them out all the way if you love them! This is a long term thing, remember, not some sort of punishment! Too much deprivation is going to make you crazy, and then you'll probably break down and binge.

    So: watch the calories. Eat what you like, in moderation. And good luck! You CAN do this!
  • whowe82
    whowe82 Posts: 4 Member
    Sorry to ask, but what is IIFYM, TDEE and sccoby calculator?

    And NET?

    Also in this quote

    "If you'd rather NET 1200 while eating back some exercise calories, well that will end up being a similar number, it looks like. "

    What do u mean by similar number?

    Sorry, new to all the lingo. I really appreciate your help. :smooched:

    If you google "BMR calculators" ..... you will get a bunch of choices ..... scooby is one.

    NET is the number after you've logged exercise. Here in MFP land (My Fitness Pal) logged exercise calories are added back to your daily total.... the difference is NET.

    Example .... you eat 1650 calories & log 250 calories in cardio .....NET = 1400 for the day

    Because your BMR is 1400 ...... this is as low as you want to go. MFP may give you a lower number .... but that is based (in part) by the number of pounds you want to lose each week. If you plug in a really aggresive weight loss goal .... your "pre-exercise" number could be below your BMR. Fast weight loss will have you losing muscle mass along with the fat.

    TDEE = manitenance calories and it includes exercise ...... make sure you stay below this.

    What do you consider fast weight loss?
  • There is no bad food. Carbs aren't bad, they fuel your brain. I have lost my weight to date while incorporating daily carbs and fruit.

    You should replace what you work off, at least some of it. What are your stats, we can figure up your BMR and move from there.

    Poke around the forums for other threads like yours, too; there are tons of answers here.

    Carbs aren't required for energy. Your brain gets plenty of fuel from protein that is converted to glucose. Not every calorie is created equal, and each macronutrient has a different effect on the body.

    Personally, I eat low carb and low calorie. Ultimately, it all boils down to calories. BUT, the type of calorie can make a big difference.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Hi everyone.

    I am on a 12 week challenge. I am already in week 5 and i havent lost anything. I have been eating no carbs, no fruit. But i have not been counting calories. I make sure my portions are not over the top. (100g meat and 2 cups of vegetables). I have not been boozing and working out 2 x a day, 6 x a week.

    After discovering i have not lost any weight. i went to a nutritionist who gave me a meal plan. Its has incorporated a lot of carbs. Muesli in the morning, (is muesli bad in very small amount with skim milk?), brown rice, crackers, yoghurt. These foods i am not used to eating as when i have lost weight before i have only done low carb, no sugar.

    I have been recording my progress with my fitness pal. I have a few questions.

    If i want to lose weight, should i ditch the muesli and carbs and yoghurt?

    Also, i am allowed 1200 cals a day, but i workout and burn about 700 a day - should i be replacing those calories lost with food? Or only stick to the 1200.

    Any tips on helping me lose weight would be helpful in my situation. I am pretty depressed that i have been working so hard and my weight wont seem to shift.

    you're not losing because you're not eating enough. If you're burning 700 a day, eat them back. I'm certain your BMR (base metabolic rate) is higher than 1200 (probably around 1400, though we can't know without your height/weight/age).

    use this calculator to figure it out: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Exactly why he lost no weight, didn't eat enough

    http://pmj.bmj.com/content/49/569/203.full.pdf+html
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  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    There is no bad food. Carbs aren't bad, they fuel your brain. I have lost my weight to date while incorporating daily carbs and fruit.

    You should replace what you work off, at least some of it. What are your stats, we can figure up your BMR and move from there.

    Poke around the forums for other threads like yours, too; there are tons of answers here.

    Carbs aren't required for energy. Your brain gets plenty of fuel from protein that is converted to glucose. Not every calorie is created equal, and each macronutrient has a different effect on the body.

    Personally, I eat low carb and low calorie. Ultimately, it all boils down to calories. BUT, the type of calorie can make a big difference.

    Not required, no, but easy and tasty. It's the body's preferred method of energy.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    OP, why don't you at least *attempt* the diet plan laid out by the nutritionist? Give it a month before poo-pooing it.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    There is no bad food. Carbs aren't bad, they fuel your brain. I have lost my weight to date while incorporating daily carbs and fruit.

    You should replace what you work off, at least some of it. What are your stats, we can figure up your BMR and move from there.

    Poke around the forums for other threads like yours, too; there are tons of answers here.

    Carbs aren't required for energy. Your brain gets plenty of fuel from protein that is converted to glucose. Not every calorie is created equal, and each macronutrient has a different effect on the body.

    Personally, I eat low carb and low calorie. Ultimately, it all boils down to calories. BUT, the type of calorie can make a big difference.


    How big of a difference are we talking about.

    ^^ Good question! I notice a huge difference in energy levels and satiety when I include *all* three macros at all three meals. If I *do* get hungry between meals, carbs are my friend.
  • There is no bad food. Carbs aren't bad, they fuel your brain. I have lost my weight to date while incorporating daily carbs and fruit.

    You should replace what you work off, at least some of it. What are your stats, we can figure up your BMR and move from there.

    Poke around the forums for other threads like yours, too; there are tons of answers here.

    Carbs aren't required for energy. Your brain gets plenty of fuel from protein that is converted to glucose. Not every calorie is created equal, and each macronutrient has a different effect on the body.

    Personally, I eat low carb and low calorie. Ultimately, it all boils down to calories. BUT, the type of calorie can make a big difference.


    How big of a difference are we talking about.

    Well, carbs are converted into glucose. Glucose spikes your insulin levels. Fat has no effect on insulin, and protein has a minimal effect (protein is converted to glucose via glycogenesis). My body is currently using ketones for energy, because I'm eating primarily fat.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    There is no bad food. Carbs aren't bad, they fuel your brain. I have lost my weight to date while incorporating daily carbs and fruit.

    You should replace what you work off, at least some of it. What are your stats, we can figure up your BMR and move from there.

    Poke around the forums for other threads like yours, too; there are tons of answers here.

    Carbs aren't required for energy. Your brain gets plenty of fuel from protein that is converted to glucose. Not every calorie is created equal, and each macronutrient has a different effect on the body.

    Personally, I eat low carb and low calorie. Ultimately, it all boils down to calories. BUT, the type of calorie can make a big difference.


    How big of a difference are we talking about.

    Well, carbs are converted into glucose. Glucose spikes your insulin levels. Fat has no effect on insulin, and protein has a minimal effect (protein is converted to glucose via glycogenesis). My body is currently using ketones for energy, because I'm eating primarily fat.

    Protein is highly insulinogenic, not what I would consider minimal
  • dsmock77
    dsmock77 Posts: 8 Member
    For some reason I could not stick to the low carb diet...and even though I said id never count calories....its the thing that is totally working for me! When this app said I needed to stay below 1200 calories I was like, no way will I manage that, but I have!!! Ive been under every day since the 5th! Ive lost 7 lbs so far, which I would like to have lost more than that, but im doing it the right way and making it a lifestye change!! Its gonna take time, but I have nothing but!! Good luck!!!
  • There is no bad food. Carbs aren't bad, they fuel your brain. I have lost my weight to date while incorporating daily carbs and fruit.

    You should replace what you work off, at least some of it. What are your stats, we can figure up your BMR and move from there.

    Poke around the forums for other threads like yours, too; there are tons of answers here.

    Carbs aren't required for energy. Your brain gets plenty of fuel from protein that is converted to glucose. Not every calorie is created equal, and each macronutrient has a different effect on the body.

    Personally, I eat low carb and low calorie. Ultimately, it all boils down to calories. BUT, the type of calorie can make a big difference.


    How big of a difference are we talking about.

    Well, carbs are converted into glucose. Glucose spikes your insulin levels. Fat has no effect on insulin, and protein has a minimal effect (protein is converted to glucose via glycogenesis). My body is currently using ketones for energy, because I'm eating primarily fat.

    Protein is highly insulinogenic, not what I would consider minimal

    Would you mind going into more detail? From what I've read, its minimal and that only excess protein is converted, or at least the amount needed for the brain to function properly.
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  • There is no bad food. Carbs aren't bad, they fuel your brain. I have lost my weight to date while incorporating daily carbs and fruit.

    You should replace what you work off, at least some of it. What are your stats, we can figure up your BMR and move from there.

    Poke around the forums for other threads like yours, too; there are tons of answers here.

    Carbs aren't required for energy. Your brain gets plenty of fuel from protein that is converted to glucose. Not every calorie is created equal, and each macronutrient has a different effect on the body.

    Personally, I eat low carb and low calorie. Ultimately, it all boils down to calories. BUT, the type of calorie can make a big difference.


    How big of a difference are we talking about.

    Well, carbs are converted into glucose. Glucose spikes your insulin levels. Fat has no effect on insulin, and protein has a minimal effect (protein is converted to glucose via glycogenesis). My body is currently using ketones for energy, because I'm eating primarily fat.

    I understand insulin responses but you said the type of calorie can make a big difference. A big difference on weight loss if you're eating at a caloric deficit already? Or a difference in insulin response?

    Diabetes is not the response I'm looking for. I'm not diabetic and neither are the majority.

    A large majority of individuals who are moderately/severely overweight are insulin resistant. Insulin resistance can lead to diabetes. Yeah, it matters very little if you are already relatively healthy and looking to lose 20 pounds. But for someone who is much more overweight, macros do matter.

    I am insulin resistant from being overweight since childhood. I've tried and struggled with simply counting calories and not caring where they came from. My point is, for the people who truly need help on this website, macros do matter. By eating a majority of calories from carbs, you're just making things more difficult.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    There is no bad food. Carbs aren't bad, they fuel your brain. I have lost my weight to date while incorporating daily carbs and fruit.

    You should replace what you work off, at least some of it. What are your stats, we can figure up your BMR and move from there.

    Poke around the forums for other threads like yours, too; there are tons of answers here.

    Carbs aren't required for energy. Your brain gets plenty of fuel from protein that is converted to glucose. Not every calorie is created equal, and each macronutrient has a different effect on the body.

    Personally, I eat low carb and low calorie. Ultimately, it all boils down to calories. BUT, the type of calorie can make a big difference.


    How big of a difference are we talking about.

    Well, carbs are converted into glucose. Glucose spikes your insulin levels. Fat has no effect on insulin, and protein has a minimal effect (protein is converted to glucose via glycogenesis). My body is currently using ketones for energy, because I'm eating primarily fat.

    Protein is highly insulinogenic, not what I would consider minimal

    Would you mind going into more detail? From what I've read, its minimal and that only excess protein is converted, or at least the amount needed for the brain to function properly.

    Low carb propaganda would lead you to beleive that, however it is not true

    Holt et al. An insulin index of foods: the insulin demand generated by 1000-kJ portions of common foods. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

    http://www.ajcn.org/content/66/5/1264.full.pdf+html

    Östman et al. Inconsistency between glycemic and insulinemic responses to regular and fermented milk products. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

    http://www.ajcn.org/content/74/1/96.full

    The insulinogenic effect of whey protein is partially mediated by a direct effect of amino acids and GIP on β-cells

    http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/9/1/48
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