Carbohydrate Addiction

freeoscar wrote: »

Kids cry when you tell them no McDonald's or Pizza or Chicken Nuggets too. And as "addicting" as candy allegedly is, I have yet to see one my children go Ewan McGregor/Trainspotting withdrawal when they can't have any.

Those foods are also carb heavy.

My kids haven't either. It's a shame when kids have tantrums over food... or anything really.

whmscll wrote: »

It is true for some people, not you maybe. Definitely true for me. When I have a craving it is never for something high protein, it is ALWAYS for carbs. Sometimes I crave cheese, but more often it's bread, cakes, crackers or cookies.

I don't understand why these things always get thrown into the carbs category when they are mostly fat?

For instance, a chocolate chip cookie is about 3% of the RDA of carbs and 6% of the RDA of fat. Cake is 17% carbs and 25% fat.

It just drives me a little batty because then whole food carbs like potatoes and rice get thrown in with these other types of carbs (fats) and people avoid them even though they are good for you.

cld111 wrote: »

whmscll wrote: »

It is true for some people, not you maybe. Definitely true for me. When I have a craving it is never for something high protein, it is ALWAYS for carbs. Sometimes I crave cheese, but more often it's bread, cakes, crackers or cookies.

I don't understand why these things always get thrown into the carbs category when they are mostly fat?

For instance, a chocolate chip cookie is about 3% of the RDA of carbs and 6% of the RDA of fat. Cake is 17% carbs and 25% fat.

It just drives me a little batty because then whole food carbs like potatoes and rice get thrown in with these other types of carbs (fats) and people avoid them even though they are good for you.

So fat is the problem for you. Not me. People differ.

MoiAussi93 wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

nvsmomketo wrote: »

That being said, carbs affect people in ways that fats and proteins don't, and can be linked to cravings and over eating in some people. No kid ever cries for another steak or an extra pat of butter on their veggies. They do cry over lollipops and pop. Carbs, high sugar carbs especially, are different.

This is simply not true. I've always had a much harder time modifying fat than sugar. I crave really good cheese. I am basically uninterested in sugary items that don't come with fat too. As I mentioned in another recent thread, the last food I really craved was some lamb (when I had given up meat during Lent).

I think ALL foods can be linked to overeating, depending on the person and their preferences. One reason I decided that paleo was pointless is that the foods I was cutting out (grains, beans, and dairy) were in many cases foods I thought were actively healthy and helped me meet nutrition goals (especially beans and dairy) or which I'd never overeat anyway (like bread, which I can generally take or leave).

It is certainly true for some people.

Once again, I agree. My objection was to the poster claiming that it was only carbs that people had issues with and people wouldn't feel compelled to eat other foods. If she had said that for SOME people carbs are an issue, whereas others may have more issues with other foods (or only some carbs and some fats, etc.), I would have had no objection.

There is a tendency here for SOME (not all) who do low carb to make universal statements like "the carbs in the US diet are the problem" or "carbs make you hungry" or "increasing fat will be more satiating," when instead these things vary by person.

Great, it isn't for you, but it certainly is for me. Carb consumption certainly does cause strong cravings in some people.

Find somewhere where I ever denied that, because I haven't. (Usually I think it's related to IR, but not necessarily always.)

Anything can be called an addiction, I suppose.

I love my carbs and see no reason to give them up. Is that addiction?

So here's the thing. Let's say you've been gaining weight at a slow steady pace by eating 3000 calories per day, 70% of which are carbs. This means you've been eating 450 grams of carbs per day. I'm not judging that number or anything, I'm just saying this for an example.

If all you do was cut your intake to, let's say, 1800 calories, but kept the same 70% figure, you're already cutting your carbs to 315 grams per day. Even at this level, many people who had brains and bodies accustomed to 450 grams per day of readily available carbs/glucose would get some cravings eating only ~300 carbs.

Let's add lowering our carbs %. Let's say we're going with 40% as a goal. Now for that same 1800 calories, you're eating only 180 grams of carbs. If you went from eating 450 grams of carbs every day for 5 years, and today you're eating only 180 grams? Your brain is going to have a couple "WTF I was using those!" days. This seems reasonable and normal to me. Give your brain a couple days to adapt. It will. But in the meantime, don't do anything foolish like only eat 600 calories per day or exercise for 4 hours. Let your body adapt for a minute before you stress it out more.

nvsmomketo wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

nvsmomketo wrote: »

That being said, carbs affect people in ways that fats and proteins don't, and can be linked to cravings and over eating in some people. No kid ever cries for another steak or an extra pat of butter on their veggies. They do cry over lollipops and pop. Carbs, high sugar carbs especially, are different.

This is simply not true. I've always had a much harder time modifying fat than sugar. I crave really good cheese. I am basically uninterested in sugary items that don't come with fat too. As I mentioned in another recent thread, the last food I really craved was some lamb (when I had given up meat during Lent).

I think ALL foods can be linked to overeating, depending on the person and their preferences. One reason I decided that paleo was pointless is that the foods I was cutting out (grains, beans, and dairy) were in many cases foods I thought were actively healthy and helped me meet nutrition goals (especially beans and dairy) or which I'd never overeat anyway (like bread, which I can generally take or leave).

I think your lamb craving is probably unusual. You were in the mood for lamb. I doubt it felt like a physical need. Correct me if I'm wrong.

With carbs (for ME) it felt like a physical need. Yes it can be ignored but it takes way more effort than my craving for cheese. Anyone can choose to ignoe a craving, even an alcoholic who craves alcohol. I do not think carb cravings are on the same level as an alcoholic's cravings for alcohol, but my point is that there are different levels of cravings for different people. Some people find carbs to physically affect their cravings (not just mentally) just like some poeple find alcohol causes cravings.

When you craved your lamb were your hands shaking? Did the craving come with a headache and dropping blood pressure? Was it distracting until you had lamb? This is what happened to me when I ate carbs.

Yes, all foods can be linked to overeating but which ones usually are? I'm sure there is some fat person out there who ate too much celery, or ate too much tuna. I bet there are more fat people who ate too many carbs... I'm am happy that you are not one of them.

I think your view of other people's diets can be egocentric. When I type something about how foods affect SOME people, it doesn't mean all, and it doesn't necessarily mean you.

so you know your need for carbs was a craving, but that her need for lamb was not a craving? Hm. You should probably start counseling pregnant women everywhere.
You've been popping on thread after thread, talking about your constant craving for carbs and addiction problems.

sounds like you should get some counseling, you're starting to target people.

lemurcat12 wrote: »

And lots of time people will say they crave carbs and mention fast food or mac&cheese or pizza or mashed potatoes (with cream and butter) or cake, all foods that contain lots of fat too.

I know very few people who want plain pasta without anything on it, let alone sugar from the jar.

Yep, that's what I see too.

I remember as a kid loving waffles from my grandmother's cast iron waffle maker. But it wasn't like I wanted a plain waffle, though imo her waffles were the best waffles ever. I wanted waffles smothered in butter and syrup.

Cravings for pasta or bread for me come with a craving for them being smothered in a rich sauce or butter as well. Eating plain boiled pasta or dry bread is, to me anyway, only slightly more appetizing than eating flour straight from the bag.

I do think I do well restricting my carb intake somewhat and balancing that with protein. I do terrible when my fat macro is high, though. I've mentioned this a number of times on the forums, but I'll say it again that in my experience fat is not satiating for me. I love fat, but I try to keep it at a reasonable level for my intake because once it goes out of balance and comes at the expense of my protein intake, I feel famished. I love avocado's and nuts, for example, but I really have to watch out on days I consume either that my macros stay balanced or I'll feel very hungry and miserable.