Any thoughts on Carbohydrate addiction

We consume complex carbs every day, but as with anything moderation is key. I am not a fan of any plan, such as Atkins, that has you cut out an important food group. It is not healthy and you will just put that weight right back on as that diet is just not sustainable for life.
Enjoy a few servings of your favorite carbs each day, but keep the portion size small. This way you are not depriving yourself and enjoying the things you love.
I eat what I want, but keep the portion size in mind depending on what it is.

This was on Dr Oz yesterday, about addiction to carbs.......Kinda scarry. I think , for the most, what they were trying to enforce, was high complex carbs , versus low complex, ie, sweet potatoes, whole wheat grains, etc versus, chips, fries, white bread, etc

The whole point of Dr Oz show was to get people weaned off of carbs and onto grains and fruits.............I think eating wheat, rye, whole grains is OK, just in portion control.....Lloyd

Can you take a first step of changing the carbs you are eating - maybe swapping fries for sweet potatoes, nuts (lightly salted) for the chips? One thing that seems to be working for me right now is only eating carbs at a certain time of the day when I have already had a meal - I am only allowing myself carbs after dinner - when I have already had protein and I am not as hungry. Maybe you can try something like that too ( I have only been doing this 2 days, so can't tell you if it will work long term for me)

I don't know if you watch the Dr Oz show, but his topic yesterday was just that. Check it out on his website. It is still on the home page.

http://www.doctoroz.com

I have always been a chip /french fry person..sweets never got to me ...crunch and salt I guess are my weakness....I read a few things that lead me to view myself as a carb addict..I get sleepy after I eat carb loaded foods...I did awesome when I went on Atkins ..but of course over did it and didnt stick to it ...anyone out there who knows about Carbs and would like to share some insight on how to cut them down ..with out over doing it and cutting them out ? I was eating 10 or less a day and lost 35-40 ish pounds in a month and a half ... but gained it all back and more ....I can be in full ketosis within 24-48 hours where it takes others 2 weeks or more ....probably because I over do it ..and they use the good sense to ease into it.

Are you a person that if you eat a little carbs, you go overboard (points to myself! haha)? Some people (me included) have to have a structured diet to keep from sabotaging their efforts. I have the same effects you described when I indulge in carb loaded food. I can never go as extreme as Atkins for an extended period of time (unless I'm fasting after a splurge), but I have found a way to control my cravings and still have my carbs everyday and still lose weight. Let me know if you're interested and I'll PM ya.

There are tons of articles out there about carb addiction, and really how it's all related to your insulin levels. You eat carbs, your insulin goes up dramatically (as opposed to other macros), and when your insulin crashes down, you burn out, and immediately crave that carb feeling again. It's a roller coaster of insulin ride. Some people have less of an issue with this, others (like myself) , it's pretty dramatic.

I now eat a low carb diet (not no carb), and most of my carbs come from the fruits/veggies I eat. I can tell you that as soon as I eat bread, cereal, pasta, or whatever else like that, I want more and more, sooner and sooner, It's a vicious cycle for me, that I couldn't break until I cut that stuff out of my diet. Now, the weight just melts away with little to no effort, and I don't have those terrible cravings or feelings of, "OMG I have to eat NOW!!!!" like I used to. I feel more "even keel" so to speak.

So yes, I do believe in carb addiction. I am a carb addict. A recovering one. I still will have bread from time to time, or have a waffle on Sunday morning, but I am much more conscious about what/when I put something into my body, b/c I know the effects it has on my system. So now, I have a pretty primal lifestyle, which is working great for me (look at my before and after pix).

Oh, and how to cut them out? I just started eating "differently". Breakfast was the hardest, b/c I'd always eaten cereal. Now I have something high in protein - eggs, greek yogurt, or ricotta cheese and fruit.

Lunch - no more chips, bread (ah, sandwiches....), but I eat a large salad full of nuts, cheese, with some turkey breast on the side

Dinner - that's easy. protein (meat, chicken, fish) with a side of veggies. (my hubby and kids will get some addn'l starch)

Hope that helps! But once you cut down on that stuff, you'll find that the cravings are less and less. And the less you crave it, the less you eat it.

Another recovering carb addict here. Its no wonder you feel sleepy after carbs and then are hungry again, that's the insulin talking.

I used to think I could never give up my carbs. My mindset has changed, and now I enjoy high protein, high fat food (I eat paleo, google it) and my attitude towards eating has really changed as a consequence of my food intake, as I don't feel hungry until a lot later than my previous diet, and I seem much more in tune with my satiety when I eat, too.

I allow myself a carbs day once a week, so that I don't feel deprived (although alcohol is sneaking in for a few days, I must control that one!). I have carbohydrates daily in the form of any lovely vegetables including carrots and sweet potatoes, just not from processed stuff or grains.

Their website seems to be down at the moment, but there's usually lots of support and articles on Nerd Fitness' site for Paleo style eating, and they have a great forum you can join.

This was on Dr Oz yesterday

then it must be bull****.