I'm addicted to Carbs!

I ate over 2,000 calories from carbohydrates a day last week. Does that count ?

"Starve yourself" ? Could this be a trigger?

I'm not doing a low carb diet (no medical issues for me) because it won't be a lifestyle change. Carbs are a craving, not an addiction. I need to learn portion control for carbs and everything else.

Protien, fat, and fiber are filling. Enough calories are filling. If your daily limit is 1200, keep in mind that's a default minimum. MFP gives you a calorie limit before exercise. So I add exercise for snacks.

It takes time to figure out how to space your meals (snack) out. Staying hydrated helps too. It makes me sure that I'm hungry (and not just thirsty).

I eat whole fruit....it has fiber. I eat whole grains....they have protein and fiber. But, I only have 1 serving of carbs with my meal. No more....hamburger (bun) and french fries (more carbs). I guess I'm eating moderate carbs.

iamdanniegirl wrote: »

Instead of thumbing through all the 90,000 forums... I decided to start one of my own.
Not sure if others are having the same struggles I am. I start off really good with a diet, starve myself and back to binging on CARBS.

I would like to talk with others that share this same struggle and find a solution. A good eating plan that will keep me full.

Any takers?

Danielle

When you say you "starve yourself", I am assuming you mean that you're on a very low calorie diet.
Maybe this is the issue - not carbs?
Just a thought.
As for me, I must keep carbs down to 50% of my macro intake. I also like to binge on junk foods that consist of empty calories with a nutritional value that's close to nil. And once I start eating, I won't stop until it's all gone.
Others can moderate no problem, but not me.
For this reason, I cut all that garbage out of my diet and stick to whole foods 6 days out of the week. On day 7, sure, I have a cheat day and eat whatever.
As things progressed over the years, I eat less and less of the junk, so it gets better.
Just make sure you're following the MFP recommendations for calorie intake, including eating back your exercise calories. This leads to safe, steady and lasting results.
Hope this helped...

A good eating plan for me includes fiber from vegetables and beans. Also a good amount of fat. When I have those I am o.k. and do not crave carbs or sugar. Good luck.

I think humans are addicted to carbs in general. Our bodies crave them because we are supposed to eat them. They are fuel. If you make a point to also eat enough protein and fat, and make smart carb choices like mostly vegetables, fruit and whole grains, you may find the need to overeat is lessened.

you shouldn't be starving yourself. because then you binge

carbs aren't bad. some are healthier than others.
try for real whole grain or multigrain. more fiber. and you will feel full longer.
consider getting the most nutrition per calorie.
while a calorie deficit is all you need to lose weight, it's easier not to over eat when you feel full and happy, imo

I haven't gone low carb, but I'm going low simple carb. You need them for brain function and energy. I'm not sure what type of carbs that you are 'addicted' to, but I'm assuming breads and the like.
Simple carbs cause my blood sugar to spike and crash, and I got myself into this vicious cycle of hanger and binging. It was better for my to cut bread out, not only for my blood sugar but my acne as well. It took me a couple weeks to break that cycle, but it's easier in the summer because there is so much delicious produce in season that I can replace the simple carbs with.

Do you eat enough fat and protein to fuel yourself with fewer grams of carbs? (Try a high protein breakfast, with moderate fat, and see what happens).

Carbs are a very diverse category of foods, you know. They include fruits, vegetables, starches (potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, grains), and (largely) legumes, as well as sugar.

Are all of these your issue?

If what you mean is you overeat hyper-palatable, low nutrient, high calorie foods (often called "junk foods"), more often than not those foods have as many calories from fat as carbs, or close to it. I don't think it's all that useful to demonize "carbs!" or act as if they are the problem.

That said, the answer to your question is contained in your original post:

iamdanniegirl wrote: »

I start off really good with a diet, starve myself and back to binging on CARBS.

I would like to talk with others that share this same struggle and find a solution. A good eating plan that will keep me full.

Are you eating a reasonable number of calories? That's the first question. There are ways of eating that may be more filling if you are (although people vary, so you need to experiment). I'd recommend getting protein and fiber at all meals, for example, and trying to make even snacks have some balance of protein and fat, as well as carbs.

I find it helpful to try to get protein and vegetables at all meals.

Edit: I see from the comments above that you are training for a marathon--if so, I'd definitely think about whether you have a reasonable calorie goal.

CSARdiver wrote: »

Welcome back Danielle!

Is there a reason you're cutting back / eliminating carbs? See from your goal that you aspire to run a marathon (on my list as well) and while I'm sure it's possible, I cannot imagine attempting this without delicious carbs for fuel.

Just make small changes that become habits - identify goals that support these changes and continually set and achieve small goals, building upon these until you reach a much loftier and longer term goal.

Elimination diets don't work because they go against our nature - we love to eat. Just eat the same foods you love, but in proper proportion. Keep tabs as you go and make small changes that you know you can live with 10, 20, 30, etc. years from now.

You got this!

I do long distance bicycling on a ketogenic diet. Works well.

For me, but it's my personal metabolism, not anyone else's, a ketogenic diet is healthy and not a hardship because I feel so wonderful. Yes, I loved to eat bread and stuff with incredible sugar content and I felt awful almost all of the time and gained a lot of weight. I tried calorie restriction by an "all things in moderation" philosophy and it was hell. By sheer will power I lasted 4 months, then gained back all I lost plus a surplus. A visit to the cardiologist was a big, big wake up call.