CARBS?!

Carbs cut them completely or are the okay in moderation. Iv had a LOT of people say they lost so much by just ditching the carbs. Whats your opinion?
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Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I LOVE me some carbs. Especially the cheesecake kind!
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  • boydljodi
    boydljodi Posts: 15 Member
    What are they really all bread and baked items?
  • LadyMcClure
    LadyMcClure Posts: 42 Member
    I've lost 30 lbs by ditching bad carbs. Only 10 more to go!

    Don't ditch all carbs, just cut back on fast carbs. Veggies, legumes (beans), nuts and some fruits (like strawberries) are slow carbs that are great for weight loss. Just skip on the pasta, bread and anything with refined sugar in it.

    It sounds a lot harder than it really is. The less you have the fast carbs, the less you crave them. At least, that's what happened with me and my hubby. So just stick with it for at least 2 weeks before giving up.

    Also, cheat meals are fine, as long as they're in moderation. My ideal cheat meal is a 6" subway sub. Ahhhhh, bread. The greatest of the fast carbs! Hahaha. But really, going balls to the wall with cheat meals is a great way to get off track. Just remember, even cheat meals should stay within your calorie goal!

    To help with the initial cravings, buy some apples and peanut butter for when you absolutely MUST have something sweet. It won't taste like that chocolate cake you're craving, but you'll feel better after eating it instead of ashamed/defeated.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    boydljodi wrote: »
    What are they really all bread and baked items?

    Seriously, there is no reason to cut out anything. The only requirement for weight loss is a caloric deficit. I believe in carrying on as you plan to continue. All things in moderation.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited September 2015
    You can make a temporary change to lose weight. IE: lower carbs. The problem with that approach comes when you get to goal....you ask yourself Now What?

    Losing weight is step 1.........keeping the weight off for a lifetime is step 2.

    I won't give up anything that I literally will not give up forever. I "watch" my carbs. Portion sizes are often not what I think they are. Logging portion sizes is a learning experience for me.

    Carbs are an energy source for your body. You need protein (meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, beans, legumes).....you need fats (oil, avocado, nuts, cheese) and you need carbs.....anything from fruits, grains, beans, dairy, and veggies. I put carbs in 3rd place....focus on meeting protein & fats first.
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
    boydljodi wrote: »
    Carbs cut them completely or are the okay in moderation. Iv had a LOT of people say they lost so much by just ditching the carbs. Whats your opinion?

    I dropped 10lbs the first week but cutting my carbs to 30g below a day and upping my protein. I have steadily lost since. Also cutting the carbs killed my cravings which was one of the hardest parts

  • kaylajane11
    kaylajane11 Posts: 313 Member
    If you enjoy carbs, why not eat them? A calorie deficit is all that is required for weight loss. There is no point in entering into a crazy low-carb diet that you won't be able to sustain for the long term. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, eat what you enjoy in moderation.

    Yes, many people who quit carbs lose weight; mostly because carbs tend to be calorie dense and they typically aren't replacing those calories with something else. But as long as you are properly tracking your calories, there is no reason to cut out anything that you enjoy.

    Keep in mind, however, that protein and fat tend to be more filling, so be sure to incorporate lots of those more satiating foods into your diet as well.
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
    grg243 wrote: »
    I've lost 30 lbs by ditching bad carbs. Only 10 more to go!

    Don't ditch all carbs, just cut back on fast carbs. Veggies, legumes (beans), nuts and some fruits (like strawberries) are slow carbs that are great for weight loss. Just skip on the pasta, bread and anything with refined sugar in it.

    It sounds a lot harder than it really is. The less you have the fast carbs, the less you crave them. At least, that's what happened with me and my hubby. So just stick with it for at least 2 weeks before giving up.

    Also, cheat meals are fine, as long as they're in moderation. My ideal cheat meal is a 6" subway sub. Ahhhhh, bread. The greatest of the fast carbs! Hahaha. But really, going balls to the wall with cheat meals is a great way to get off track. Just remember, even cheat meals should stay within your calorie goal!

    To help with the initial cravings, buy some apples and peanut butter for when you absolutely MUST have something sweet. It won't taste like that chocolate cake you're craving, but you'll feel better after eating it instead of ashamed/defeated.

    All of this is completely unnecessary. OP doesn't have to stop eating anything that she likes! As long as she sticks to her calories, she'll lose weight. The rest is nutrition. So as long as she meets her macros and micros, it's fine for her to have carbs. Carbs are only detrimental if you eat so many that you don't get enough protein or fat. Or if you have a medical condition like diabetes. They do not stop you losing weight.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,215 Member
    Ok, there are no "bad" foods. There might be foods you in particular need to cut (or cut back) because the cut helps you meet your goal. Lots of people do moderation with carbs just fine. If you can do that, go ahead.

    I personally can't do most carbs. In some veggies, ok. But bread and pasta kill my GI tract. Sugar is a trigger food and I'm trying to keep my T2 diabetes in remission. Yeah, those kinds of carbs aren't good for me, but if they're ok for you, then eat them!

    Dieting is a trial-and-error process. Make small changes and give yourself time to see how that change affects you and whether it's a change you can sustain long-term.
  • kaylajane11
    kaylajane11 Posts: 313 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    I won't give up anything that I literally will not give up forever.

    Also this. Words to live by, imo.

  • esaucier17
    esaucier17 Posts: 694 Member
    boydljodi wrote: »
    Carbs cut them completely or are the okay in moderation. Iv had a LOT of people say they lost so much by just ditching the carbs. Whats your opinion?

    I dropped 10lbs the first week but cutting my carbs to 30g below a day and upping my protein. I have steadily lost since. Also cutting the carbs killed my cravings which was one of the hardest parts
    Were you also watching your calories? I have always found it hard to eat low carb but stay under my calories because a lot of low carb food have more. Maybe I just never found the right balance.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,145 Member
    A fat and protein only diet would be horrible for me. There's more to carbs than chocolate and bread.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    boydljodi wrote: »
    Carbs cut them completely or are the okay in moderation. Iv had a LOT of people say they lost so much by just ditching the carbs. Whats your opinion?

    Absent a medical condition, it's completely personal preference. Some people have no issues moderating carbs, others need to cut down on them to be able to stick to their calorie deficit. It's all about eating in a way that works for you, your lifestyle, and your goals.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    I won't give up anything that I literally will not give up forever.

    Also this. Words to live by, imo.

    Truth. If you love foods with carbs and can't imagine giving them up, don't.

    People don't lose weight by giving up carbs, they lose weight by eating less food overall. If by eating less carbs they are no longer eating more calories, they would have lose weight from the calorie deficit, not because they gave up carbs. That said, some people find that cutting out carbs helps to stop them from craving more carbs (I'm one of those) and that makes losing weight easier for them. Whatever works for you is fine.
  • alt5057
    alt5057 Posts: 62 Member
    I find that I feel better when I eat less carbs. For the most part, I cut out pastas and breads, but I will still plan to eat them on occasion. But it might only be one night of pasta in one-two weeks instead of 3 nights a week. If I am eating bread, I try to get a bakery-fresh bread that makes it feel like it is worth the calories. I wouldn't want to waste them on a boring sandwich bread!
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    grg243 wrote: »
    I've lost 30 lbs by ditching bad carbs. Only 10 more to go!

    Don't ditch all carbs, just cut back on fast carbs. Veggies, legumes (beans), nuts and some fruits (like strawberries) are slow carbs that are great for weight loss. Just skip on the pasta, bread and anything with refined sugar in it.

    It sounds a lot harder than it really is. The less you have the fast carbs, the less you crave them. At least, that's what happened with me and my hubby. So just stick with it for at least 2 weeks before giving up.

    Also, cheat meals are fine, as long as they're in moderation. My ideal cheat meal is a 6" subway sub. Ahhhhh, bread. The greatest of the fast carbs! Hahaha. But really, going balls to the wall with cheat meals is a great way to get off track. Just remember, even cheat meals should stay within your calorie goal!

    To help with the initial cravings, buy some apples and peanut butter for when you absolutely MUST have something sweet. It won't taste like that chocolate cake you're craving, but you'll feel better after eating it instead of ashamed/defeated.
    There are no bad carbs. This is complete myth. Also the "speed" of carbs is COMPLETELY irrelevant. The speed of carbs refers to glycemic index. Carbs with lower GI are processed into glucose quicker by the body. The myth is that eating higher GI carbs slows the rate at which they are broken down into simple sugar. The reason this is entirely irrelevant is because the GI of a food only applies if you eat that food independent of anything else. If you have a mixed meal, which most of us do, the GI of any carb completely changes. As far as weight loss is concerned, calories for the day/week are all that matter. Low carb can help some people feel more satiated, and therefor eat less, which will aid in weight loss, but simply going low carb does not cause faster fat loss. Anyone who reports losing weight fast going low carb did so due to losses in water weight. When someone initially switches from a balanced diet to a low carb diet, they can lose substantial weight through the loss of water.
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
    esaucier17 wrote: »
    boydljodi wrote: »
    Carbs cut them completely or are the okay in moderation. Iv had a LOT of people say they lost so much by just ditching the carbs. Whats your opinion?

    I dropped 10lbs the first week but cutting my carbs to 30g below a day and upping my protein. I have steadily lost since. Also cutting the carbs killed my cravings which was one of the hardest parts
    Were you also watching your calories? I have always found it hard to eat low carb but stay under my calories because a lot of low carb food have more. Maybe I just never found the right balance.

    I stay within my calorie goal of 1200-1400 cals a day. I usually find it harder to reach my goal because the protein fills me and the healthy foods I am eating don't have a lot of calories. I still eat Veggies, I have a salad every day, but I stay under 30g of carbs. I cant remember the last time I had bread or pasta....mmmmmm bread. But what I have gained from switching to a low carb, high protein diet makes it easy for me to sustain...instant weight loss, mental clarity, energy boost, loss of cellulite, loss of cravings, ect. I dont think carbs need to be cut out completely though, thats just personal preference on the individual
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    boydljodi wrote: »
    What are they really all bread and baked items?

    Vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains and other starches, other sugars.

    Most sweet treats (like pie, cookies, ice cream, cheesecake) are a mix of fat and carbs. Similarly, your high cal potato-based items like chips and fries and mashed potatoes with butter will be mixed carbs and fats and often get a majority of calories from fat.

    Personally, I reduced calories overall, based on what it was easiest for me to cut down on given my specific diet.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    With all the above said, CARBS are not the enemy... do some home work on this.. and yes carbs are good for many reasons, not just because they come in chips, brownies, and cakes and taste really good... There are many different carbs out there that are good food choices and healthy for you not in the chip, cake, ice cream isle (although I still eat these quite a lot myself)

    But you can do low carb/high fat/high protein or stay within moderate carb, fat and protein... many plans work and all is doable for each individual.. just have to try a plan see what works for you. .. also just to add, low carbing helps alot of those that hit the plateau or the wall with their weight loss, also there is carb cycling (this is for another day)

    So to reiterate, just to loose the (pounds) weight, the number of calories you consume to the number of calories you burn (calories in/out) matter... not what macro they are.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    there is nothing inherently evil about carbs...stop reading *kitten* articles in health and fitness magazines. if it's not protein or fat, it's carbs...fruit are carbs...veggies are carbs...legumes and lentils and the like are carbs...there are all kinds of perfectly nutritious sources of carbohydrates it's not all "junk" food.

    I would suggest also sitting down and doing some research on basic nutrition...it will be very helpful.

    there's nothing wrong with low carbing either, but people often do this without actually understanding what they're doing, why they're doing it, or why it "works"...low carb is simply one of many ways of getting you into a deficit energy position for fat loss to occur...nothing more, nothing less. low carb isn't magical and there's nothing inherently bad about carbohydrates. the human species has subsided on a high carbohydrate diet for almost all of time.