Carb Addict!!

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I love carbs. I know it's my biggest problem. I tried quitting them cold Turkey and it made me binge on bread three days later.. Any other carb addicts or former carb addicts out there that have some advice for me or can tell Me a better way to replace my carb craving.
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  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
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    My advice: it's ok to eat carbs. I LOVE my carbs, I'm eating them, and I'm losing weight. There's nothing wrong with eating bread and carbs... The important part is for you not to go over your daily calories to lose weight.

    Unless of course, there's a reason why you're trying to avoid carbs. Why don't you want to have any?
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,508 Member
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    i tried going cold turkey from cold turkey once

    didnt work. i was back S'ing D at subway for a club sandwich withing hours
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Do you have a medical reason to limit carbohydrates? I love carbs too -- I find them to be very filling and a great source of energy. So I eat them and just make sure I log the calories.
  • Pam_Shebamm
    Pam_Shebamm Posts: 167 Member
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    Is there a specific reason you need to give up carbs?

    I love carbs and will never give them up. As long as you're honest with yourself and you log them, why stop?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Is there a medical reason for "quitting" carbs? If not, then work on moderation. Plenty of people lose weight while eating high or moderate carbs.

    Maintenance will also be about managing the number of calories you eat. You won't be able to go back to 100% of your "normal" eating habits. To keep the weight from coming back you need a lifestyle change. For me, that's not a low carb diet.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Carbs are fine, but if you are going over calories or think you would feel more satisfied eating less of them, a better approach tends to be cutting back, not cutting out. Looking at your diary is the key to this.

    For example, why not make sure you are eating a good amount of vegetables with most meals for at least some of the carbs, and as for things like bread and pasta just watch the serving size and maybe increase fat and protein (see what you are low on, often it is protein for women)? I used to eat too much pasta just because I'm bad at understanding how much pasta the dry will turn into and once I made it I'd eat it. Now I measure out a serving (or sometimes less) and then make a really filling sauce with lots of vegetables and some lean meat and (I might add olives or pine nuts), and get a balanced, filling meal with somewhat fewer carbs.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
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    I love carbs. I know it's my biggest problem. I tried quitting them cold Turkey and it made me binge on bread three days later.. Any other carb addicts or former carb addicts out there that have some advice for me or can tell Me a better way to replace my carb craving.

    I've been paleo, and low carb. Some people find relief with it, for me I found little point in it and I missed the convenience of bread. If you have some medical reason for cutting out/lowering carbs, then do it slowly, and keep an eye on your diary to confirm you're going down.
  • haugentimo
    haugentimo Posts: 33 Member
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    Carb cravings hahaha I have them too. Try eating a dill pickle spear. Also, look into erythritol. I mix a bit with some peanut butter. Try those two things out.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I love carbs. I know it's my biggest problem. I tried quitting them cold Turkey and it made me binge on bread three days later.. Any other carb addicts or former carb addicts out there that have some advice for me or can tell Me a better way to replace my carb craving.

    There's nothing inherently wrong with carbs...it's just one of three macro-nutrients. There are all kinds of awesome, delicious, and healthy carbs. Legumes are good...lentils are good...oats are good...quinoa is good...potatoes are good...sweet potatoes are good...breads and pasta are good...fruit is good...veggies are good...etc, etc, etc.
  • mamakate2kh
    mamakate2kh Posts: 42 Member
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    Nothing medical... I just love them too much haha of I get bored I'll reach for bread and just eat it.. Or too much fries or potatoes.. I just feel more filled with carbs but I know I do too much of them and I just want to know if their is something that can give me that same feeling that carbs do
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
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    Nothing medical... I just love them too much haha of I get bored I'll reach for bread and just eat it.. Or too much fries or potatoes.. I just feel more filled with carbs but I know I do too much of them and I just want to know if their is something that can give me that same feeling that carbs do

    It sounds more like a senseless eating thing (food is there, will eat) and the ease of eating what's there + the desire to feel full (though you just said filled).
    Are you going over your calories because of those foods?
    Have you tried eating other foods with fiber? Drinking liquids (preferably water or some non-calorie option so you're not swapping calories for calories)? Eating more often? Eating a higher quantity of vegetables?
  • Deena_Bean
    Deena_Bean Posts: 906 Member
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    Cut the carbs if you want - if you do, you need a sufficient amount of protein and fat. Fat will make you feel full. For me, it makes me feel much more full than carbs any day. My husband formerly called me his, "hungry girl" - I was always starving, even an hour after a meal. I am not zero carb, but I'm low-ish..around 100 a day (mostly from veggies/nuts/etc., occasional pizza or the "flat out" wraps). I avoid breads and pastas and I was obsessed with them before. I'm fuller faster and it lasts longer. Besides that, I have found that pasta/bread kills my stomach...so it's no loss not to eat them.
  • Kimberly_Harper
    Kimberly_Harper Posts: 406 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Carbs are fine, but if you are going over calories or think you would feel more satisfied eating less of them, a better approach tends to be cutting back, not cutting out. Looking at your diary is the key to this.

    For example, why not make sure you are eating a good amount of vegetables with most meals for at least some of the carbs, and as for things like bread and pasta just watch the serving size and maybe increase fat and protein (see what you are low on, often it is protein for women)? I used to eat too much pasta just because I'm bad at understanding how much pasta the dry will turn into and once I made it I'd eat it. Now I measure out a serving (or sometimes less) and then make a really filling sauce with lots of vegetables and some lean meat and (I might add olives or pine nuts), and get a balanced, filling meal with somewhat fewer carbs.

    ^This. Try just cutting back, and making sure you eat protein with your carbs.
  • moe0303
    moe0303 Posts: 934 Member
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    @mamakate2kh You have to ask yourself why carbs are an issue for you. Is it because you find that you overeat them easily, or is it because you have just heard that they are bad? Different things work for different people for different reasons. It might be beneficial cut out only the carb sources which give you the most problems. For example, if you can't eat just one chip without eating the whole bag, yeah, you should avoid those as much as possible. If you can have a ham sammich without eating a whole loaf of bread, that's probably ok. For some individuals, moderation isn't always a viable option.

    Many have found that eating a low carb high fat diet reduces cravings for sugar and carbs, but that is not the case for everybody. It was for me. If you are interested, it would be best to ask for advice in the Low carb daily group as the suggestion is pretty controversial around these parts.

    Whatever weightloss method you choose to employ, I think planning is the key to success. Plan (and log) your meals the night before or first thing in the morning and try to stick to it. I think that will help you the most.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Nothing medical... I just love them too much haha of I get bored I'll reach for bread and just eat it.. Or too much fries or potatoes.. I just feel more filled with carbs but I know I do too much of them and I just want to know if their is something that can give me that same feeling that carbs do

    I've done the mindless thing too. My goal is to eat carbs more moderately. I'm older and not very tall, I can't have a whole plate of French fries.....not now, and not when I get to goal. So instead of a burger & fill the rest of the plate with fries, I have a burger & salad. If I want a few fries (and it fits my goals) that's fine too. You can probably have more than a few fries, but the idea is....they shouldn't crowd out everything else.
  • mamakate2kh
    mamakate2kh Posts: 42 Member
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    moe0303 wrote: »
    @mamakate2kh You have to ask yourself why carbs are an issue for you. Is it because you find that you overeat them easily, or is it because you have just heard that they are bad? Different things work for different people for different reasons. It might be beneficial cut out only the carb sources which give you the most problems. For example, if you can't eat just one chip without eating the whole bag, yeah, you should avoid those as much as possible. If you can have a ham sammich without eating a whole loaf of bread, that's probably ok. For some individuals, moderation isn't always a viable option.

    Many have found that eating a low carb high fat diet reduces cravings for sugar and carbs, but that is not the case for everybody. It was for me. If you are interested, it would be best to ask for advice in the Low carb daily group as the suggestion is pretty controversial around these parts.

    Whatever weightloss method you choose to employ, I think planning is the key to success. Plan (and log) your meals the night before or first thing in the morning and try to stick to it. I think that will help you the most.

    Carbs are my "comfort food" I'm not really into sweets so having toast or bread an peanut butter is my first go to... My problem is I just over do it.. My stomach says more lol
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
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    There you go then, you already know the problem. Stop letting your stomach tell you what to do, you own it not the other way around.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    moe0303 wrote: »
    @mamakate2kh You have to ask yourself why carbs are an issue for you. Is it because you find that you overeat them easily, or is it because you have just heard that they are bad? Different things work for different people for different reasons. It might be beneficial cut out only the carb sources which give you the most problems. For example, if you can't eat just one chip without eating the whole bag, yeah, you should avoid those as much as possible. If you can have a ham sammich without eating a whole loaf of bread, that's probably ok. For some individuals, moderation isn't always a viable option.

    Many have found that eating a low carb high fat diet reduces cravings for sugar and carbs, but that is not the case for everybody. It was for me. If you are interested, it would be best to ask for advice in the Low carb daily group as the suggestion is pretty controversial around these parts.

    Whatever weightloss method you choose to employ, I think planning is the key to success. Plan (and log) your meals the night before or first thing in the morning and try to stick to it. I think that will help you the most.

    Carbs are my "comfort food" I'm not really into sweets so having toast or bread an peanut butter is my first go to... My problem is I just over do it.. My stomach says more lol

    Remind your stomach that your goals are more important.
  • moe0303
    moe0303 Posts: 934 Member
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    moe0303 wrote: »
    @mamakate2kh You have to ask yourself why carbs are an issue for you. Is it because you find that you overeat them easily, or is it because you have just heard that they are bad? Different things work for different people for different reasons. It might be beneficial cut out only the carb sources which give you the most problems. For example, if you can't eat just one chip without eating the whole bag, yeah, you should avoid those as much as possible. If you can have a ham sammich without eating a whole loaf of bread, that's probably ok. For some individuals, moderation isn't always a viable option.

    Many have found that eating a low carb high fat diet reduces cravings for sugar and carbs, but that is not the case for everybody. It was for me. If you are interested, it would be best to ask for advice in the Low carb daily group as the suggestion is pretty controversial around these parts.

    Whatever weightloss method you choose to employ, I think planning is the key to success. Plan (and log) your meals the night before or first thing in the morning and try to stick to it. I think that will help you the most.

    Carbs are my "comfort food" I'm not really into sweets so having toast or bread an peanut butter is my first go to... My problem is I just over do it.. My stomach says more lol

    Can you have just one slice of bread and peanut butter and just stop? Have you been successful with moderating it in the past?
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    You'll have a hard time losing weight and keeping it off unless you learn to eat the foods you love in moderation. Otherwise you'll go cold turkey, lose some weight but end up going overboard because it isn't sustainable for you. Eat your carbs but log everything and keep your calories within your goal range - your willpower will get stronger and your habits will change if you stick with it.