Help- How Many Carbs are needed a day?

gagirlhd
gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 48 , 5'6 and 170 pds. I'm trying to do a low carb diet and after reading different articles I'm lost on how many carbs I can eat and still lose weight . I'm on a low carb and low Calorie of 1000 a day . Any and all advice welcomed. Not losing the weight I expected to after 4 wks later.
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Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    edited July 2015
    Low carb, unless for medical reasons, is a personal preference as you lose weight by eating fewer calories. If you aren't losing on 1000 calories, then it sounds like you're eating more than you think. Are you using a food scale to weigh everything?
  • honkytonks85
    honkytonks85 Posts: 669 Member
    have you lost any weight at all? how much were you expecting to?
    Also as someone said above, if you are not losing then you are eating too many calories, it won't be the carbs that are the issue.
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    I have lost 5 pds , and I count my calories real close , I even count coffee creamer that goes in my coffee. I'm not going over 1000 a day .
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    eating Tuna, boiled egg whites , low carb,low calorie protein drinks.
  • BasicGreatGuy
    BasicGreatGuy Posts: 857 Member
    In my opinion, 1000 calories a day is not good and only should be done under the close supervision of a doctor who specializes in that area.

    MFP has a very good food tracker. It may be of help to you, if you aren't already using it.

    Are you exercising as well?

    Lovely smile by the way. B)
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    I have lost 5 pds , and I count my calories real close , I even count coffee creamer that goes in my coffee. I'm not going over 1000 a day .

    How long has it taken you to lose five pounds? How are you determining that you're eating 1000...food scale, measuring cups, eyeballing portions? That's less than the minimum recommended intake for women.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited July 2015
    I'm losing weight with 50-60% of my daily calories from carbs. Eating fewer calories than your body is using during the day is what's required for weight loss, not specific amounts of each macro. Also, weight loss isn't linear.

    Are you using a food scale to weigh all solids and measuring cups/spoons for all liquids?

    5 pounds in 4 weeks is actually a good weight loss rate, especially if you don't have much to lose.
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    from my fitness pal, tracking and weigh any other meat. my fitness pal says women dieting should consume 1000- 1200 per day.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited July 2015
    What strike me is how low your calories are. 1000 calories will not keep you healthy at 5'6". I'm 5'8", 174lbs, inactive (for now) and 6 years younger than you, and I'm usually aiming for about 1400 something calories per day. My calories varies between 1200 and 1800 on most days and I am losing over a pound a week.

    I think your calories may be too low to sustain your health. You might want to look into upping your daily goal by 300 or more calories.

    As others have said, it is possible that you are underestimating the foods you eat. Using a scale is pretty eye opening. I try to use it unless I have an obvious serving size (ex 1 burger patty) or eat a small amount (ex a 5" stalk of celery).

    For your question, of how many carbohydrates you need in a day... Well, technically it is zero. Humans do not actually need to eat carbs to live although most people prefer to do so and think eating carbs is a good idea as you will see from some of the replies you'll get. ;)

    I'm eating to stay in ketosis, which is often a very LCHF diet. My carbs are usually between 20 and 40g of carbs per day. My lowest so far is 5g per day, and I find I feel best if I keep carbs under 50g.

    Feel free to look in my food diary to see what my diet looks like.

    Best wishes.
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    it has taken 3 wks of serious tracking and dieting .
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    edited July 2015
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    from my fitness pal, tracking and weigh any other meat. my fitness pal says women dieting should consume 1000- 1200 per day.

    1200 is the minimum recommended intake, and MFP will not give a goal less than that. I eat 1480 net to lose a pound a week.

    If you aren't weighing everything, you should start to, as it sounds like you're eating more than you think. Five pounds in three weeks is excellent results, actually, but that may slow down if you aren't logging accurately.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    from my fitness pal, tracking and weigh any other meat. my fitness pal says women dieting should consume 1000- 1200 per day.

    That's the default setting. A lot of people are misled by that.
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    BasicGreatGuy wrote: »
    In my opinion, 1000 calories a day is not good and only should be done under the close supervision of a doctor who specializes in that area.

    MFP has a very good food tracker. It may be of help to you, if you aren't already using it.

    Are you exercising as well?

    Lovely smile by the way. B)

    Thank You, I Have been using MFP.
    Have a great evening .
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    it has taken 3 wks of serious tracking and dieting .

    5 pounds in 3 weeks is almost 2 pounds per week. I don't know how fast you're trying to lose, but that's fantastic progress. Congrats!
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    it has taken 3 wks of serious tracking and dieting .

    5 pounds in 3 weeks is almost 2 pounds per week. I don't know how fast you're trying to lose, but that's fantastic progress. Congrats!

    ok , Thank you . Just curious about Carbs
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    nvsmomketo wrote: »
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    from my fitness pal, tracking and weigh any other meat. my fitness pal says women dieting should consume 1000- 1200 per day.

    That's the default setting. A lot of people are misled by that.

  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    ok thank you , just wondering about Carbs.
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    nvsmomketo wrote: »
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    from my fitness pal, tracking and weigh any other meat. my fitness pal says women dieting should consume 1000- 1200 per day.

    That's the default setting. A lot of people are misled by that.

    Thank you
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member

    thank you
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    it has taken 3 wks of serious tracking and dieting .

    5 pounds in 3 weeks is almost 2 pounds per week. I don't know how fast you're trying to lose, but that's fantastic progress. Congrats!

    ok , Thank you . Just curious about Carbs

    Well, you're welcome to blow off my congrats if you want. Your original post said that you weren't losing weight at the rate you want and any advice is welcome. Here's my advice: stop stressing. What you're doing is working at the rate that it should be. There is no set number of carbs you need to consume. Hir your protein and fat macros and eat as many or as few carbs as you, personally, feel best eating.

  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    If you are wondering about macros, most people who are trying to eat LCHF, will keep their carbs to 20% or lower (down to zero), Protein is around 20%, and the rest is fat (60-75%).

    Those who are not eating LC will make carbs quite a bit more, often over 50%.
  • BasicGreatGuy
    BasicGreatGuy Posts: 857 Member
    nvsmomketo wrote: »
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    from my fitness pal, tracking and weigh any other meat. my fitness pal says women dieting should consume 1000- 1200 per day.

    That's the default setting. A lot of people are misled by that.

    And a lot of people fail to realize that each situation is different. What works for one, may not and should not work for another.
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    from my fitness pal, tracking and weigh any other meat. my fitness pal says women dieting should consume 1000- 1200 per day.

    1200 is the minimum recommended intake, and MFP will not give a goal less than that. I eat 1480 net to lose a pound a week.

    If you aren't weighing everything, you should start to, as it sounds like you're eating more than you think. Five pounds in three weeks is excellent results, actually, but that may slow down if you aren't logging accurately.
    seska422 wrote: »
    I'm losing weight with 50-60% of my daily calories from carbs. Eating fewer calories than your body is using during the day is what's required for weight loss, not specific amounts of each macro. Also, weight loss isn't linear.

    Are you using a food scale to weigh all solids and measuring cups/spoons for all liquids?

    5 pounds in 4 weeks is actually a good weight loss rate, especially if you don't have much to lose.

    Thank you , I have 40 pds to lose , working hard but have a real physical job and not exercising .
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  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    First, you should be eating 1200 calories, (plus exercise) a day to get your necessary nutrients. I know it seems like a good idea at the time, but you will still lose at 1200 and be healthier and have a more sustainable lifestyle for it.
    The carb part is irrelevant, its all about CICO.
  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
    reducing carbs wont make you lose weight faster if the amount of calories per day still stays the same. So if you cut carbs down low but increase protein and fats and at the end or the day your total calories would have been the same whether it came from mostly carbs or very little from carbs you will still lose the same amount. Does this make sense?
  • gagirlhd
    gagirlhd Posts: 19 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    First, you should be eating 1200 calories, (plus exercise) a day to get your necessary nutrients. I know it seems like a good idea at the time, but you will still lose at 1200 and be healthier and have a more sustainable lifestyle for it.
    The carb part is irrelevant, its all about CICO.

    Thanks
  • emodavis
    emodavis Posts: 44 Member
    edited July 2015
    I do 20/30/50 carbs/protein/fat.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    gagirlhd wrote: »
    I'm 48 , 5'6 and 170 pds. I'm trying to do a low carb diet and after reading different articles I'm lost on how many carbs I can eat and still lose weight . I'm on a low carb and low Calorie of 1000 a day . Any and all advice welcomed. Not losing the weight I expected to after 4 wks later.

    I'm your age and height and like eating at 40% carbs, 30% fat, and 30% protein, with a calorie deficit that allows me to lose a pound per week. This is satisfying and sustainable for me. Other people do quite well on considerably higher or lower carbs. You have to experiment to find your own sweet spot.

  • mizcorbie
    mizcorbie Posts: 3 Member
    I'm consuming 1030 or less a day, too, and it is SLOW going! I'm 54 and started out weighing 178 five weeks ago. Have lost only 4 pounds. I walk an average of 3 miles a day (briskly). I'm not sure about the carbs, so can't answer your question. I'm trying hard to increase my protein intake.
    It's very frustrating to get on the scales (and too tempting not to!) and they go up and down half a pound or a pound with no reason from one day to the next. So, I feel with you!!! Just keep doing it! It takes longer than they tell you it will. Maybe some of us really have sluggish metabolisms. MFP tells me every night that if I keep up, I'll weight 166 pounds in five weeks. It's been telling me that for five weeks so I no longer believe it! ;-)
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