Things to substitute for carbs?

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ivylaurenolsen
ivylaurenolsen Posts: 56 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am pretty sure that I'm addicted to anything with carbs. I love love love startchy foods like pasta, mashed potatoes, crackers, popcorn and pretzels. I am having the HARDEST time cutting down on carbs because they are in everything I love! Anyone have any ideas of healthier things to substitute that will satisfy my carb cravings?

Replies

  • sgthaggard
    sgthaggard Posts: 581 Member
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    Well, if you aren't eating carbs, you're only other alternatives are fats and proteins.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Are you focusing on calories?

    You can still eat carbs but lower the portion sizes in relation to less carb intensive foods eg leafy veg...so I have risotto on a bed of salad leaves and vegetable stew on 100g serving rice.

    I still manage to gnosh around 2-300g carbs a day and have lost steadily
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
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    Upping your fats and proteins will reduce your hunger and cravings, and sticking to higher fiber sources of carbs like vegetables will help. If, however, it's truly an emotional eating problem, and you mentally can't get past not having those things, you're not going to fix that by rearranging what food you eat.
  • JohnBarth
    JohnBarth Posts: 672 Member
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    As a substitute for pasta, try using a spiralizer or mandoline slicer on zucchini and making spaghetti-shape ribbons. Sautee in a bit of olive oil and garlic and add pasta sauce as you would with spaghetti. It's truly a good substitute.

    For stir fry, instead of rice, try sauteed shredded cabbage.

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    carbs aren't bad for you (unless you have a health issue surrounding them).

    I had to go look - my 'goal' is 188 carbs a day and im usually under. Now, i do cook relatively low carb meals because my husband is diabetic, but his needs do not affect mine and i am happy to dish up some mashed potatoes or more bread on my plate than his! LOLOLOL!

  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    Chicken
  • leodru
    leodru Posts: 321 Member
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    snacks i turn to nuts or cheese - that helps a bit. i don't have any many cravings when cards and sugar are reduced.
  • runs_in_heels
    runs_in_heels Posts: 97 Member
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    i lovesnacking on (plain) cheerios - they're not too high in carbs, but they're crunchy and starchy. and they're high in iron and low in sugar. so all things considered, a great thing to have under my desk at work.
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
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    You are not the only one, but sometimes you just have to say no or make another choice.

    What is the problem with carbs though? I used to eat a ish load of carbs and still lose weight. If you love them that much then just try to decrease your intake slowly. Not like you really need to unless you have a medical condition or allergy in the way of your weight loss.

    Other than that eat those carbs in a deficit.
  • Smash_Dub
    Smash_Dub Posts: 22 Member
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    JohnBarth wrote: »
    As a substitute for pasta, try using a spiralizer or mandoline slicer on zucchini and making spaghetti-shape ribbons. Sautee in a bit of olive oil and garlic and add pasta sauce as you would with spaghetti. It's truly a good substitute.

    For stir fry, instead of rice, try sauteed shredded cabbage.

    Yes! I got a spiralizer and love it. Depending on the "pasta" recipe I make, the zoodles actually remind me of noodles. I also happen to love zucchini, so it works no matter what I use it for.
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
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    ivylaurenolsen wrote: »
    I am pretty sure that I'm addicted to anything with carbs. I love love love startchy foods like pasta, mashed potatoes, crackers, popcorn and pretzels. I am having the HARDEST time cutting down on carbs because they are in everything I love! Anyone have any ideas of healthier things to substitute that will satisfy my carb cravings?

    I had to quit having crackers and pretzels in the house for a while. After that I could have them in the house, but I didn't eat them - no such thing as one cracker or one pretzel for me, which led to a LOT of excess calories in. For pasta - I weigh and cook 3 servings - I eat one and my husband has the other two. Mashed potatoes are yummy - I don't make them that often but when I do, I enjoy them. What happened to my cravings after a few months of this was that they quieted down. In the meantime, I was having various vegetables and fruits within my calorie allotment.


  • m80hatzke
    m80hatzke Posts: 8
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    I am right there with you! We do need the carbs but it has to be the right ones. There's no reason you can't still enjoy them. Moderation and quality of food should be the focus. I bought a food scale to help keep myself in check in relation to portions (I'm a weeee bit OCD though!).
  • lizek316
    lizek316 Posts: 76 Member
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    Spaghetti squash is a good substitute for spaghetti noodles
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    To the OP, this is me in a nut shell!

    I do and will always fit my "starchy" food into my lifestyle. I grew up eating everything "potatoes" and Italian food is my absolute favorite! Let your goals be your guide to making the changes you need or want. As you lose weight or get more fit, the way you eat or what you eat will drive you to make nutrition choices. And what I mean is, I fit portions of these foods into my calories but because I lift weights and exercise 6 days a week my body needs certain foods like lots of protein and fat!!!

    I still enjoy French fries, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and chicken parmesan, lasagna, spaghetti and meat balls... and so on and so on!

    Good luck and remember, enjoy life with the foods you enjoy!!!
  • Capt_Inzane
    Capt_Inzane Posts: 733 Member
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    You can cook mashed potatoes by mixing in some cooked cauliflower. I've made it in the past and while it's different (I'm not the believer that cauliflower can be manipulated to taste like anything) I actually liked the flavor and texture and have eaten it several times. The recipe was for flank steak w/ balsamic vinegar/thyme glaze, asparagus, and the mashed potatoes. Depending on portions of course it was around 500 calories I think. Can't quite remember.

    A ton of people will give you crap for substituting foods like the above but screw'em try different things, eat what you like, and just make sure to log it accordingly.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,715 Member
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    Smash_Dub wrote: »
    JohnBarth wrote: »
    As a substitute for pasta, try using a spiralizer or mandoline slicer on zucchini and making spaghetti-shape ribbons. Sautee in a bit of olive oil and garlic and add pasta sauce as you would with spaghetti. It's truly a good substitute.

    For stir fry, instead of rice, try sauteed shredded cabbage.

    Yes! I got a spiralizer and love it. Depending on the "pasta" recipe I make, the zoodles actually remind me of noodles. I also happen to love zucchini, so it works no matter what I use it for.

    Yes, those are good suggestions. Another option is to use grilled Romain lettuce instead of shredded cabbage. For me personally, the texture isn't as harsh. And, you can slice zucchini or eggplant very thin and make lasagna.
  • Capt_Inzane
    Capt_Inzane Posts: 733 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    Are you also addicted to fruit or candy?

    Who isn't ...they say they're not..filthy liars all of'em lol. I'd murder a small country for a no calorie, fat free, taste amazing, lime cheesecake or white chocolate raspberry cheesecake.

    In fact I just want to sit down and eat all the cheesecakes in the world and lose weight somehow doing it.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    All these veggies are carbs too, only wrapped in a fiber sandwich. So perhaps you can continue to enjoy carbs if they are presented differently.

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