confused about carbs

angieb1978
angieb1978 Posts: 20
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
im trying to follow a low calorie low fat eating plan do i also need to keep under my carbs? or is that for people following a low carb diet ?

Replies

  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
    It's a good idea to keep an eye on the type of carbs you are eating. Simple carbs (sugar, white bread, white pasta, etc.) are not helpful for your weight loss goals. They are treated just like table sugar by your body, sending your blood sugar high and then crashing it, making you feel hungry even though you just ate recently.

    Complex carbs (whole grains, brown rice, vegetables, etc.) are digested much more slowly and often have a good amount of fiber. They do not cause the blood sugar to spike and then crash. You'll feel full longer and get some nutrition from complex carbs.
  • starrbright585
    starrbright585 Posts: 16
    i am not a doctor nor a nutrition expert but i actually just watched a documentary about this, and what it said was that carbs spike your insulin levels which cause your body to hang onto stored fat making it harder to lose weight. in my experience, watching your carb intake is a good way to lose weight but seems sort of unsustainable for the long term. maybe try limiting carbs to the morning so that you burn them off all day long, but also adding in protein/fiber where ever you can to make you feel full for longer and avoid a hunger spike
  • MirandaJayne
    MirandaJayne Posts: 600 Member
    I am 4 months away from finishing school for Holistic Nutrition, and I can tell you what starrbright585 is true, however this applies to simple carbs like Alantique said - stick with complex carbs. If you restrict all carbs from your diet, you will eventually crave them as your body needs carbs. Cravings are your body's way of telling you that you are deficient in your macro (carbs, protein, fat) or micro (vitamins/minerals) nutrients.
    It's a good idea to keep an eye on the type of carbs you are eating. Simple carbs (sugar, white bread, white pasta, etc.) are not helpful for your weight loss goals. They are treated just like table sugar by your body, sending your blood sugar high and then crashing it, making you feel hungry even though you just ate recently.

    Complex carbs (whole grains, brown rice, vegetables, etc.) are digested much more slowly and often have a good amount of fiber. They do not cause the blood sugar to spike and then crash. You'll feel full longer and get some nutrition from complex carbs.
  • starrbright585
    starrbright585 Posts: 16
    I am 4 months away from finishing school for Holistic Nutrition, and I can tell you what starrbright585 is true, however this applies to simple carbs like Alantique said - stick with complex carbs. If you restrict all carbs from your diet, you will eventually crave them as your body needs carbs. Cravings are your body's way of telling you that you are deficient in your macro (carbs, protein, fat) or micro (vitamins/minerals) nutrients.


    yes yes absolutely! i knew i was missing something
  • angieb1978
    angieb1978 Posts: 20
    its mainly ceareal like weetabix and brown bread and potato what is making my carbs high
  • MirandaJayne
    MirandaJayne Posts: 600 Member
    Brown Bread - check the ingredients list. It is still made with refined flower and died brown with molasses. This means that they have stripped all the goodness and vitmins from the wheat, and only added 4 B-Vitamins. You want to see on your ingreients list unrefined whole grain unbleached.

    Weetabix - I can't say for certain, but I bet though it's brown it's the same as brown bread above.

    Potatoes - they are fine in moderation. Baked of course being the healthiest cooking method (just be sure that all the extra toppings don't find their way on the baked potato) with a little butter.

    Potato alternative - Yams/sweet potatoes.
  • qtpiesmom
    qtpiesmom Posts: 394 Member
    Look into Glycemic Index Charts so you can teach yourself about carbs because Corn Pea and Carrots are veggies that people think are ok to eat BUT when cooked are high in sugar

    http://thefoodfarce.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/glycemic-index21.jpg

    Heres a chart

    Try and limit high and eat the low ones Hope that helps
  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
    The carb limits given on this site are regular limits, not low carb limits.
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