Carbs or low carb!?!?

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LosingJen
LosingJen Posts: 8
in Success Stories
Hi everyone this is my first time posting. I have been so inspired by so many of the success stories on here. I hope to be one also :) I am a 27 yr old mother of 2. After the birth of my son I managed to lose 30 lbs in 2 months with Atkins, then I became pregnant with my daughter. Well long story short she is 8 months old now and I am desperately trying to get myself back on track. This time around I am not sure if I want to do low carb again. I know it works but I love fruits and dairy! I'm so confused as to what to do. So i'm wondering what meal plans everyone else is following?

Replies

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    Sounds like you need to pay attention to the kinds of carbs. Not all diets that ask you to give up bread also ask for your milk and fruit. There are plenty of plans to eliminate processed flours and sugars that still allow for fructose and lactose.
  • alliecore
    alliecore Posts: 446 Member
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    I dig carbs. :) I follow a 50/20/30 ratio (carbs/fat/protein).
  • lovemyhellokitty
    lovemyhellokitty Posts: 72 Member
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    I eat a little of everything. Sometimes, I even go over my carbs. I know i can't live without bread and dairy so even if I did the atkins diet, I would end up gaining back the weight eventually. I think any diet you do will work... you should just try to do one that you will be able to live with :)
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
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    I have tried low carb plans before and was miserable and hungry...although I did lose weight, I would gain it right back if I went back to my regular eating habits...this time I decided to focus on adding in more complex carbs--vegetables, brown rice, etc. I eat less sugary carbs and rarely eat cookies or candy...my body is enjoying the healthier food and I rarely have cravings for "junk" anymore...

    I know lots of people who swear by low carb diets like you described, but I couldn't go without my dairy and fruit, at least.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Atkins sounds like hell. I also have to scratch my head at any diet that tells me bacon is better than apples.
  • ResilientWoman
    ResilientWoman Posts: 440 Member
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    I'm eating Very Low Carb Paleo plus a moderate amount of Heavy Whipping Cream from grass fed Jersey cows and an Icelandic strained yogurt called Skyr from a recent immigrant to New York from Iceland named Siggi. Check out Facebook or Google for moms who eat Paleo. Paleo includes some fruits and if you check out my food diary for meal ideas you'll notice strawberries, the Skyr and cream. The heart/life healthy guidelines I am following work great for other moms and for my family. You can do very low carb, still have strained Greek or Icelandic strained yogurt (skyr), unsweetened coconut milk/almond milk, Heavy Whipping Cream, some cheeses and berries as well as other fruits in moderation.
  • andreacord
    andreacord Posts: 928
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    I usually go for complex carbs sometimes like whole grain bread and oatmeal, and I absolutely cannot give up milk and certain fruits that have a high carb count. An apple has like 16 g of carbs but there's no way in heck I am living without my milk and apples!
  • Naomi91
    Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
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    Its cool that people are sharing their personal experiences and all but

    How did you like low carb? Was it sustainable? Did you eat mostly processed food and little veggies?

    The best thing to do is to decide if you can hold low carb for a long time. If not, try a moderate about of carbs like 40%
    Its all about finding what you can handle and what works for you.
    If you feel miserable on low carb then dont do it! Do what makes you happy so you stick to it.

    Some users do amazing with higher carbs, others find they have to lower them. Find your spot :]

    It may take a few weeks to find that spot. I can help you figure it out if you would like. feel free to add me and/or message me!
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
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    South Beach sounds perfect for you, and it is a Lifestyle Change, NOT a Diet!
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    carbs are good..they are not evil and do not create or make you store fat
  • gwenster89
    gwenster89 Posts: 48 Member
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    CARBS!!!! the atkins diet is BS. just make sure you're eating filling, wholesome carbs like grains, nuts, beans, fruit, etc instead of potato chips and candy. also, try to stick to whole wheat/whole grain everything... flour, rice, bread, etc. the less processed the better. and then finally, figure out normal portion sizes. brown rice is great for you but not 5 servings of it :)

    p.s. if you're adventurous, you can explore a few different kinds of grains like barley, quinoa, wild rice, stuff like that. makes dieting feel a little less like dieting and a little more interesting :)
  • Naomi91
    Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
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    I also would suggest this thread

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/209455-why-are-carbs-so-bad

    some seriously amazing info on the subject
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Following a low carb nutrition plan should be focused on lean meats and lots of green veggies, which are relatively low in carbs. (Atkins has never purported that bacon is better than apples, by the way. I just cringe when I hear those kinds of remarks on these boards.) I have a tendency to go low carb when I'm trying to lose weight, because I normally eat a low fat diet. It shakes my body up and I don't normally eat a lot of bread, anyway. I also don't eat much bacon or other processed meats. A typical lunch for me would be a huge salad made with romaine and spinach leaves, a few ounces of grilled chicken, a sliced hard boiled egg, some blue cheese crumbles, cucumber, celery and an oil and vinegar dressing.

    I think the big thing with eating low carb to lose weight is that you can't go back to eating the way you were before and gaining weight. Most people who do a plan like Atkins, then gain all of the weight back, do so because they didn't change their eating habits in the end. The goal is to spend the rest of our lives eating in a way that maintains the weight and fitness level we desire. It's not about a quick-fix weight loss.
  • Shawnalee0703
    Shawnalee0703 Posts: 1,093
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    Its cool that people are sharing their personal experiences and all but

    How did you like low carb? Was it sustainable? Did you eat mostly processed food and little veggies?

    The best thing to do is to decide if you can hold low carb for a long time. If not, try a moderate about of carbs like 40%
    Its all about finding what you can handle and what works for you.
    If you feel miserable on low carb then dont do it! Do what makes you happy so you stick to it.

    Some users do amazing with higher carbs, others find they have to lower them. Find your spot :]

    It may take a few weeks to find that spot. I can help you figure it out if you would like. feel free to add me and/or message me!
    Naomi... I agree... It works for some but not for others and it is a decision of whether or not you can do it long term! This is not a quick fix. Do what takes it off healthy, happily and makes you feel great doing it! Not a nightmare. ;)
    But I am also a strong believer that carbs are VERY important! Veggies and whole grains are excellent sources of energy! Whole grains in moderation maybe, but i don't think they should be completely cut. Love me some oatmeal with a big blob of PB! mmm! ;)
  • mrphil86
    mrphil86 Posts: 2,382 Member
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    carbs are good..they are not evil and do not create or make you store fat

    I agree except they can be stored as fat once broken down into glucose. If you exercise it will burn quickly though.

    EDIT: Carbs are good! I find it almost impossible to get a good workout without a good carb diet.
  • Marll
    Marll Posts: 904 Member
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    Bad carbs will keep you from loosing as quickly as you could, they will lead to higher bad cholesterol, they will lead to poorer dental health, they will lead to an insulin roller coaster effect. Overall carbs and the standard American diet will make you heavier and more prone to disease.

    I personally chose to eliminate them except for TONS of vegtables. I eat whole nutritious foods, lots of veggies, meat, healthy fats, and have lost in 2 weeks what took me over a month to do in March. Fruits like berries are welcome, and when I'm at my goal weigh, some of the higher fructose fruits like apples. Guess what, that's a low carb plan, that in this case is Atkins...sure doesn't sound like people make it out to be, "All bacon and cheese, no vegtables or fruits".

    I encourage you to do some research on the topic. This is all science and not opinion by the way.

    Start here:
    http://www.hulu.com/watch/196879/fat-head

    And then move on to some of these to start:
    http://www.garytaubes.com/
    http://www.fathead-movie.com/
    http://www.marksdailyapple.com//welcome-to-marks-daily-apple/
    http://freetheanimal.com/
    http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/50-low-carb-paleo-health-blogs-for-february-2011/9878

    And nobody can tell me that the food on this page doesn't look delicious and healthy too.

    http://nomnompaleo.com/


    Also, any of the plans out there, INCLUDING myfitnesspal.com will result in weight gain if you go back to "normal" eating...so not sure why that stigma is applied to low carb plans only. It HAS to be a lifestyle change. I personally just think that the low carb approach is the way to go, and we've all been fed a line of BS from the government about what we SHOULD eat. Seems to me any time the government is telling you something, the exact opposite is probably the right answer :)

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