Net vs. Total Carbs; Advice needed.
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KetoCutie
Posts: 161 Member
Informal Poll: Who counts net and who counts total? Why?
I've been counting net because in the beginning I was eating a fair amount of veggies. Now that I am eating less veggies, I'm thinking of transitioning to total. My weight loss has crept along at a mere .02 a week for the last 3 weeks. Hopefully this switch helps.
Any other advice would be appreciated. If you want to take a peek at my diary, it's open.
My ratios are set at the standard 5% carbs, 20% protein and 75% fat.
Thanks!
I've been counting net because in the beginning I was eating a fair amount of veggies. Now that I am eating less veggies, I'm thinking of transitioning to total. My weight loss has crept along at a mere .02 a week for the last 3 weeks. Hopefully this switch helps.
Any other advice would be appreciated. If you want to take a peek at my diary, it's open.
My ratios are set at the standard 5% carbs, 20% protein and 75% fat.
Thanks!
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Replies
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I'm counting net right now. My main goal is to keep the carbs in check with my BG levels and it seems to keep things level. I'm not losing a ton on the scale, either, and its frustrating. Frustrating is putting it mildly. I have recently bought a size smaller in some clearance items I've found thinking I'd fit into them eventually but they fit now. I've also gotten some comments that I look like I'm losing and my ring is loser. I'm trying to focus on those things for now.0
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I count total, which is old habit from my original Low Carb eating plan. Now I am watching carbs so closely that I continue to use total in case I miss any hidden ones. Keeps me honest.0
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I do the same as Octobubbles. I count totals. BUT if I go over one carb I am not freaking out about it. I think I had 20 carbs yesterday but 10 were considered fiber. I feel as long as I do not go over the 20 I have some leeway counting all carbs and not net.
I am doing Atkins 72 and he says right off to count net carbs. I feel safer counting all carbs.
My macros are set to 5% Carb 20% Protein 70% Fat. Since I lower my calorie goal that 5% carb dropped to 16 carbs. I am ignoring that right now.0 -
I also do net but that is more because i LOVE veggies and eat them everyday. I am looking for and trying new lower carb veggies but I know I cant stick to LCHF if I didnt get veggies. So for me it is net, but that's a net 20. My flax seed bread for my fried egg and spam sandwiches in the morning are like 9 carbs but 1 net. Veggies are often similar, 4 or 5 carbs but 0 or 1 net.
So for me, it is net. If i can learn to like meat more and veggies less I might do total but I am not sure I'll ever be Fit_Goat level of LCHF
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I am eating my veggies and staying in my 20 carbs. I usually do about 2 cups of veggies a day. I think I did three yesterday. thing that gets me is my fiber powder that eats up 4 carbs. GGGRRRRR It is 3 fiber though. I still count is as 4. Going to try to keep lunch carbs low so I can have a big pile of veggies and shrimp for dinner tonight.0
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I generally look at total. But I have fiber listed too, so I mentally calculate net. So both, I guess. I will subtract erythritol from total carbs but nothing else. 50 g total carbs is my upper limit. Most days it is much less. MFP is set to 10% carbs (35 g).0
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I don't complicate things. Just total.
There is a pasta out there that makes the unscientific claim that nets carbs are ridiculously low. But a guy took it upon him self to do finger stick blood sugar tests at fixed interval for various foods including the supposed low net carb pasta. The results were shocking. The low net carb pasta raised his blood sugar more than a supposed high carb meal and it stayed elevated for nearly 12 hours.
So I try to avoid to "effective carbs" gimmick.0 -
I use net. We're about the only country that doesn't do it automatically. In much of the rest of the world, fiber is a separate category on the nutrition label, and isn't included in the carbs number to begin with.
I think that might be the reason why MPF has never spoken up on all those requests to add a net carb category. If they do it for US users, all the others will have their fiber deducted twice. They'd have to find a way to make it user location specific.0 -
I count total carbs. It I counted net, I would start including things like quest bars in my diet, which, while delicious, are not the best food choice as they are highly processed. If I count total, I can't easily include artificial foods. This helps keep me on track more and focus on naturally occurring foods.0
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I count total carbs. It I counted net, I would start including things like quest bars in my diet, which, while delicious, are not the best food choice as they are highly processed. If I count total, I can't easily include artificial foods. This helps keep me on track more and focus on naturally occurring foods.
Agreed. If I counted net there'd be a lot of faux foods in my menu. I'm already sick of Quest bars but there's plenty of "high fiber!" breads that wouldn't count more than a serving of cauliflower and that's a slippery slope for me.
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I am trying to stay from all of that added foods. I do not miss breads at all and keto breads do not taste good to me. Too eggy. I have tried a couple and all went in the trash. not wasting my carbs on them.
I looked at the quest bars and no way for me. I am happy with my little TBSP of peanut butter and ground flax seed mixed and lightly sprinkled with some stevia. Less than 1/4 TSP. Eat in tiny bites as a desert. I was thinking this would make a good take along if needed.
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I don't mind the very occasional Quest bar on the way home from the gym when I feel like I am going to gnaw my arm off. As far as processed stuff, the ingredients are fairly limited and natural. Certainly so by comparison to the Atkins brand faux foods. But only occasionally. Other than that, I guess I count both? I generally keep my total under 25ish...but usually net somewhere around 9 or 10.0
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I use net except for sugar alcohols because I seem to be sensitive to those.
my version of net carbs has the fiber removed but sugar alcohol in.0 -
middleagedmeh wrote: »I use net except for sugar alcohols because I seem to be sensitive to those.
my version of net carbs has the fiber removed but sugar alcohol in.
This is my version also... For the same reason...0 -
I count total AND net... but they're the same number anyway (no fiber and no sugar alcohols allowed in my diet).
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I don't complicate things. Just total.
There is a pasta out there that makes the unscientific claim that nets carbs are ridiculously low. But a guy took it upon him self to do finger stick blood sugar tests at fixed interval for various foods including the supposed low net carb pasta. The results were shocking. The low net carb pasta raised his blood sugar more than a supposed high carb meal and it stayed elevated for nearly 12 hours.
So I try to avoid to "effective carbs" gimmick.
If you are taking about Dreamfields pasta there was a class action lawsuit brought against them. Still haven't gotten my settlement for the one box I purchased and never used.0 -
Net as that's effectively what UK labels state on them.0
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I use net, but that's because, like @Alliwan, I am not willing to cut out veggies. I'm sticking with green veggies for the most part, but my net carbs are staying lower than I have my macros set most days. Whenever I start to feel guilty for counting net instead of total, I remember that's how Atkins does it.
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Update: I switched from Net to Whole and am losing successfully. Thanks everyone for the input! 0
