Carbs...Carbs...Carbs....OMG Carbs EVERY WHERE!!!!

I have been trying to watch my carbs and calories to. A friend of mine told me to get online and read about the Atkins diet, as it cuts down carbs.

Bread, white rice, pasta and sugar are your enemies when you begin to fight the carb demon. I can't give you a lot of advice because I'm struggling with the carb intake too. Whole wheat pita pockets have worked well for me as an alternative when making sandwiches. I'm eating brown rice now instead of white The more you use your food diary and read recipe ideas here on MFP, the easier it gets. Good luck!

You wont just get one answer on here.... it will start another war on protein vs carb diet. If you look under food and nutriacian and scan through the pages you will se this topic gets brought up constantly.

Carbs can be your best friend- you just got to make them count, by choosing the right ones!

Dont go for over processed refined carbs.
Go for complex carbs - Vegetables , grains and pulses ... if you wish.
and include some simple carbs - fruits.

Carbs are not the devil- Cakes and cookies are lol

I am a raw vegan- my diet is 90% fresh vegetables and fruit.

So I'm trying to (somewhat ignorantly-I say that because I fully don't understand the concept yet) watch my carb intake, it seems like I go over EVERY day... I've read that carbs aren't exactly great for you in abundance.... they give you a fake burst of energy that leaves you less than satisfied and hungry as hell later.

So...I stopped by Subway this morning, thinking every where else in town has mucho carbs in everything....(I could think of anyway) I didn't want oatmeal again, (ha ha lots of carbs) So....got the flat bread, egg white, bacon, sandwich, NO cheese (Yay - that was hard), and NO sauce! (again hard) I did put some avacado on there because I'm addicted to it, tomatoes, spinach, black olives and that's it. 475 CALORIES?!?! WTF?????

I'm supposed to aim for 200.... so I just get frustrated with the lack of options, but I'm doing soo good right now and I'd really like to NOT F it up. Any suggestions, or could anybody give me the "laymans" version of how carbs really play into all this?

This kind of is a vent, but kind of a reaching out for answers too. Thanks in advance.

The flatbread actually has more calories and the same amount of carbs as the plain Italian bread.

All carbs are not equal, nor are they bad. An apple grows on a tree, a potato comes out of the ground, yet some "diets" say those things are bad for you. Anything in moderation, but stay away from the processed stuff. PS why on earth are you only wanting to be at 200 calories for the most important meal of the day????

All carbs are not equal. The "good" carbs contain fiber. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains like old-fashioned oatmeal, quinoa, couscous, etc. are all very beneficial for good health. When choosing bread, look for those that contain 5g of fiber per slice.

I recommend tracking fiber in your food diary and consume at least 25-30g per day.

You NEED carbs! They are essential. Especially is you are working out! There are also 'good carbs' & 'bad carbs'
remember if most of your crabs come from white bread, white rice .. etc its just going to turn to sugar and make your sugar levels spike.

A carb is a carb the way a calorie is a calorie.

Now for the long answer. Not all carbs are equal and different foods are better choices for different situations. Carbohydrates give us energy, how much and how quickly are the questions whose answers will give you guidance. Vegetables are mostly carbs, so is that muffin, oatmeal, and snickers bar. But you get a lot more volume and longer fullness from the veggies. The difference is how quickly they are digested and how nutritionally dense the item is. The less refined food is, the longer it takes your body to digest it and get the carbs into your blood stream where they can be used as fuel. Ideally, you want a slow steady stream of fuel. Sugar is the crack cocaine of carbs, it jacks you up and then you want more. Studies have actually been done that show it stimulates the same areas of the brain, the pleasure centers, as hard drugs. So it's all about moderation. Choosing carbs that slowly release their energy for sustained energy through out the day and small portions of sugary/refined items for pleasure or to smooth out a dip from going too long without eating. Personally, sweet potatoes, brown rice, Uncle Sam cereal, and oatmeal are my top quality carb choices along with veggies! Pairing carbs with protein is a good way to balance it out. I make oatmeal pancakes a lot, 1 egg + 1/2 c (not instant) oats + splash of milk/soy + cinnamon/ginger. It keeps me going a lot longer than just plain oatmeal because of the protein from the eggs. Conversely, post workout you want to give your body quick access to carbs so it doesn't "steal" protein from your muscles to repair itself. Post workout, 0-30 minutes, for intense sessions lasting an hour or longer, some sugar is ok because you don't want to waste all the work you did by letting your body tear it down. A fruit and protein smoothie is my go to post workout. Hope this helps. There is so much info out there, you can always ask a dietitian for a really reliable answer.

OK, as other posters said, not all carbs are bad. What you should be eating are the COMPLEX carbohydrates - these are vegetables, low glycemic fruits (like berries), and SOME whole grains. These all contain appropriate nutrition and fiber for your body. The more natural and less processed the better. Also, the less sugar the better.

Now, when you count carbohydrates, you should be counting NET carbs. What that means is the amount of carbs that actually effect your body the most. To figure out net carbs, subtract the grams of fiber. For instance, if a serving of broccoli is 4 grams of carbohydrates, but contains 2 grams of fiber, the NET carbs you are ingesting is only 2 grams.

Hope this helps!

I have no time in the mornings either... so I do everything the night before.
I put my 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg in a microwave safe container
I use another container to soak my steal cut oats and have a little baggie for the dried cranberries and almond slivers to add later on.

That way when I get to work I can just toss everything in the microwave and it's cooked by the time my water bottle is filled.

It's all about planning. For me my breakfasts have to be big or I literally feel sick in the mornings. It's normally my biggest meal of the day.

I agree with a previous post - if it's from a fast food establishment, or comes from the freezer section - AVOID!!!

For breakfast this is what I make- it's really fast, low carb and filling-
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/258089-low-carb-microwave-muffin

I can't and don't cook in the mornings (I have an oil powered range that takes an age to heat up, so I only put it on for the evening), I always have muesli or porridge for breakfast, no sugar, lots of protein and fibre, and quite a few complex carbs.

200 Calories, somewhere along the way my doctor told me:

200 Calories for Breakfast
100 Calorie Snack
400 Calories for Lunch
100 Calorie Snack
600 Calories for Dinner

If you reverse this scenerio you will have the perfect days plan! Start out with 600 calories for breakfast! You can mix it up!

I have been trying to watch my carbs and calories to. A friend of mine told me to get online and read about the Atkins diet, as it cuts down carbs.

I asked my doctor about Atkins and she said the South Beach diet was better for you because it allowed for fruit (adding important vitamins & nutrients)...which is healthier for you than just meat and veggies.

I just try to limit my bread and potatoes and that helps keep the carbs down to a manageable amount.