What have you done to reduce carbs? What has worked for you?
lessismoreohio
Posts: 910 Member
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?
What practical tips or advice would you offer me to reduce carbs? What has worked for you?
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Replies
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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%0
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This is all good advice; thank you all.0
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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.0
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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.
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Nothing. I eat carbs.0
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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.0
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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.0 -
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.0
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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
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I started eating high fiber so that some of my carbs would not be absorbed. Low net carb, but not low carb.0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0
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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?0 -
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.
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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.0 -
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.0
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As people have said before, it's really all about CICO... I've never had a problem losing weight if I keep my calories in a deficit. That being said you have to remember that your intake needs to be adjusted every 5-10lbs you lose to maintain your deficit keep losing. Also keep in mind that weight loss is not always linear in the short term, just over time. I would say depending on how much you've lost and how long you've been plateaued, to re-evaluate your deficit, rather than try to cut out carbs.
Also, a good strategy that has already been mentioned previously is focusing on getting more protein and fat into your diet, while staying in your calories. Its helps one focus on what they get to eat instead of what they can't eat. It has helped me keep my carbs in control without even trying. When you're aiming for high protein and higher fat, if you're staying within your caloric allotment, you're already reducing your carb intake. That being said, I do this because I tend to feel fuller with a little more protein and fat in my diet, not just because I am anti-carb or think that cutting carbs will somehow make me thinner.
The whole scientific argument for no-carb diets is that your body enters ketosis and burns fat instead of carbs. However, to truly maintain ketosis, you have to stick to a very strict diet that few of us can maintain for any significant length of time. Furthermore, there is a lot of research pointing to liver damage as a result of maintaining a ketotic state for long periods of time. Most low-carb diets do not achieve ketosis, and therefore are really just a fancy way to trick some people into eating less (although many replace carbs with fat and protein calories, which completely voids the deficit)
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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.
I agree with this. I have "lowered" my carbs so they are only 40 percent of my intake, and increased protein to 30 percent. More protein helps me fell full longer. That said, I eat all types of carbs, I just pay attention to how much. I do like the low-carb tortillas, but mostly because they are also half the calories of regular ones.0 -
I agree that protein and fats will help you feel full longer often... but that doesn't mean you're not still practicing CICO... you can eat low carb if it helps you achieve CICO, but it's still CICO.
Taking out carbs and replacing them with fats and proteins will not help this person break his plateau if he eats more calories overall... so really it is CICO when it comes right down to it...0 -
That's true.0
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I stopped buying things I didn't crave (for me that was pasta) and also those I couldn't control my portions with (commercial while bread). What's not in the house I can't eat! The carbs that I still like to eat, I just fit them in the day, I just finished eating some pizza and still within my calorie goal (I swapped stuffed crust for extra thin and 3-4 slices without sides/dip instead of ten with all the extras!)
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I reduced my calorie intake, not my carbs. I've never really been a naturally big carb eater in the commonly perceived sense of the word. All about the calorie deficit. Science!0
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carbs are good. heck, even the "bad" carbs have their place.0
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If you want to reduce your carbs, look at your diary and figure out where most of your carbs are coming from - then replace or remove those things.
If you're in a plateau, you're likely not in a deficit. You might want to tighten up your food logging or consider a food scale, if you don't already use one.
Lowering carbs in and of itself won't make you lose weight, but it might help you create a calorie deficit.
Good luck.0 -
I stopped buying things I didn't crave (for me that was pasta) and also those I couldn't control my portions with (commercial while bread). What's not in the house I can't eat! The carbs that I still like to eat, I just fit them in the day, I just finished eating some pizza and still within my calorie goal (I swapped stuffed crust for extra thin and 3-4 slices without sides/dip instead of ten with all the extras!)
This! Don't buy the stuff you don't want to eat regularly - if its carbs that you are looking to limit, don't buy them! Then they are an occasional treat when you're out, instead of a regular thing.
I still maintain that you don't have to limit your carbs to break your plateau, but I do follow this advice and buy mostly healthy carbs with lots of fiber anyways... because chips are good and I want the whole bag if I buy them0
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