What have you done to reduce carbs? What has worked for you?

lessismoreohio · July 2015

I've had some success in losing weight, but have plateaued for some time now. I want to reduce my carbs intake, and would like your advice.

What practical tips or advice would you offer me to reduce carbs? What has worked for you?

DeguelloTex · July 2015

I haven't reduced carbs and that has worked for me.

My practical advice would be to understand fully what you hope to gain from reducing carbs and why reducing carbs is the best approach for reaching that goal. Don't do it because "lower carb" is a thing. Do it because there's a specific reason why "lower carb" is the best approach for you.

nvmomketo · July 2015

If you wish to lower carbs, foods like meat, seafood, dairy in the form of cheese and cream, nuts, avaocados, and coconut are all foods that will help you lower your carb intake.

Starches like potaoes, baked goods, grains (like rice and corn) and many fruits contain a large portion of carbs.

Best wishes.

sjp_511 · July 2015

I don't restrict carbs. I mainly focus on staying within my allotted calories and hitting a protein target. If I do that, then I my fats and carbs tend to stay in a decent balance. From a mental standpoint, focusing on my protein goal allows me to think about what I can eat versus dwelling on what I can't have. This strategy keeps my carbs around 40-45%; otherwise I would probably be at 65-70%

lessismoreohio · July 2015

This is all good advice; thank you all.

betuel75 · July 2015

Just want to make sure you understand that your plateau is because you are eating as much calories if not more than your body uses. It does not have anything to do with carbs but with calories. You can keep carbs high and reduce total calories and break your plateaue and continue losing weight. Focus on calories not carbs. Now you can lower carbs by eating more protein like eggs, cheese, meat and substituting bread, rice, pasta with salads and vegetables even though they still have carbs its a lesser amounts. Good luck.

TeaBea · July 2015

DeguelloTex wrote: »

I haven't reduced carbs and that has worked for me.

My practical advice would be to understand fully what you hope to gain from reducing carbs and why reducing carbs is the best approach for reaching that goal. Don't do it because "lower carb" is a thing. Do it because there's a specific reason why "lower carb" is the best approach for you.

This^

If you have medical issues....by all means watch your carb intake. If you don't have medical issues, I would question going lower carb because after you lose the weight....then what? Are you going to have a couple of low carb days (every week) for the rest of your life?

Anyway - I "reduce" carbs by focusing on different macros. I'm old and remember when the "go to" diet was low fat. Now I focus on getting enough protein and fat. My breakfast isn't a bowl of sugary cereal anymore. I like Greek yogurt and add (some) Fiber One and slivered almonds.

When I eat dinner....there is one starchy carb on my plate. Not a hamburger (with a bun) + potato chips. My side dish is a veggie. Americans have replaced veggies with starchy sides....this is one reason we are so over weight (IMO). I'm not going low carb....but I can't be stupid about them either.

Going low carb will result in water weight loss (at first).....but the water will come back when you start eating carbs again.

strong_curves · July 2015

Nothing. I eat carbs.

Kalikel · July 2015

I eat a high-carb diet, so am really not Mistress Of Carb Reduction, but I do find it's a lot easier to eat less of whole grains than white breads and pastas. Eating less would reduce carbs. It also helps you get more whole grains into your diet, which is recommended.

mantium999 · July 2015

If you have a reason to want to reduce carbs, by all means do it, but I suggest knowing why. A weight loss plateau is not the result of too many carbs, it is the result of calories in no longer being less than calories out. Have you reassessed your caloric needs on account of losing weight already? It could be possible your previous deficit is now maintenance depending on how much you lost and how large a deficit you were running.

Also, be very observant if you replace carbs in your diet with things like cheese, nuts, cream, and the like. Replacing carbs with fats can help some feel more full and lower their carb intake (if they need to), but remember that fat heavy foods are more calorie dense. If you aren't careful, simply substituting foods could actually have the opposite effect.

In the end, it all boils down to CICO.

cwolfman13 · July 2015

if it's not protein and it's not fat, it's a carb...just eat less of those things. most people I know who low carb don't eat much in the way of grains or starches and minimal fruit...mostly veg. Obviously, cookies and cakes and whatnot would be off the table.

kshama2001 · July 2015

Eating more protein and veggies (and so fiber) helped me not not want carbs as much. (I already ate plenty of fat.) I look at each meal and see how I can increase protein and veggies but keep the calorie count moderate.

So, pre logging my food on MFP, a pasta meal would include bread, butter, and wine. Now, I limit the pasta to four or five ounces, make sure I've included plenty of protein, add vegetables like swiss chard or broccoli, and eliminate the bread and wine. That makes it a lower calorie and lower carb meal, but still quite filling.

That's not a low carb meal, however, to do that replace the pasta with something lower carb. Probably some good tips in the Low Carb group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

Need2Exerc1se · July 2015

I started eating high fiber so that some of my carbs would not be absorbed. Low net carb, but not low carb.

ASKyle · July 2015

mantium999 wrote: »

If you have a reason to want to reduce carbs, by all means do it, but I suggest knowing why. A weight loss plateau is not the result of too many carbs, it is the result of calories in no longer being less than calories out. Have you reassessed your caloric needs on account of losing weight already? It could be possible your previous deficit is now maintenance depending on how much you lost and how large a deficit you were running.

Also, be very observant if you replace carbs in your diet with things like cheese, nuts, cream, and the like. Replacing carbs with fats can help some feel more full and lower their carb intake (if they need to), but remember that fat heavy foods are more calorie dense. If you aren't careful, simply substituting foods could actually have the opposite effect.

In the end, it all boils down to CICO.

See bolded.

lemurcat12 · July 2015

lessismoreohio wrote: »

I've had some success in losing weight, but have plateaued for some time now. I want to reduce my carbs intake, and would like your advice.

What practical tips or advice would you offer me to reduce carbs? What has worked for you?

Look at your current meals and cut down the serving size or portion of carbs and increase other portions of the meal to make up calories. For example, I brought a lunch of halibut, green beans, beets, and potatoes. If I was cutting down carbs I'd have brought a larger amount of halibut, maybe some other non-starchy veg, and less or no potatoes. I'd have made up the calories in some way, perhaps with some cheese or avocado.

One place a lot of people can cut carbs is by switching out sandwiches for other options at lunch and by switching up a carb-heavy breakfast.

I no longer worry much about carbs, though -- I tend to eat 40% which is just naturally what I like -- so am not telling you you SHOULD do this. I did find it an easy way to cut calories without missing anything, though, as I am someone who enjoys some turkey and vegetables as much as a turkey sandwich and is happy with a smaller serving of pasta with more sauce on it.

ebbingfat · July 2015

I personally am not making any huge attempts to restrict carbs at all, but the more I try to eat non-processed foods, the less carbs I find myself eating. I used to eat so many carbs in a day because of all the snack foods and premade meals I was eating. As I cut down on the amount of junk I'm eating, carbs definitely start making up less of my diet. What's nice too is that what carbs I do eat typically come from pretty good sources.

barbecuesauce · July 2015

I don't restrict carbs, but I sometimes substitute vegetables for breads and pastas to save calories. Marinara sauce is good over squash. Sandwich toppings can be put in a salad or an omelet. But I'm about 40%+ carbs.

Again, your plateau is due to either eating too many calories or a temporary stall. How long have you been stuck at your current weight?

lorrpb · July 2015

Thin bread or sandwich thins for sandwiches, less pasta, no extra bread at meals. But mostly, as some have said above, I focus on eating more protein and the rest falls in place.

lemmie177 · July 2015

People can repeat CICO over and over, but carbs is often the first (and I find easiest) place to cut to reduce the CI in CICO.

In regards to OP's question, I find that eating sweet potatoes tends to reduce my overall calorie and carb intake for the day just because they're so satiating. They're great in place of rice, grains, or white potatoes.

daniwilford · July 2015

I replaced bread with low carb tortilla wraps, rarely eat potatoes, cauliflower, pasta, most cereals, or baked goods. I avoid melons, and grapes, berries are usually better choices for lower carbs. I was/am restricting carbs for health reasons, I am able to eat 1-2 fruit servings a day and still stay within my range. I do not want to eliminate fruits because they are so yummy and nutrient dense. I have changed my macros goals by 10% shifting from carbs to protein and increased my fiber goal by 10 grams. For me these changes have helped me to feel fuller while getting my A1C back in the normal range without the use of medication.

What have you done to reduce carbs? What has worked for you?

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