Carbs Carbs Carbs
crythom9
Posts: 1 Member
As I log my food I noticed most of it is carbs. How in the heck am I going to cut that down?
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Replies
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Why would you? Do you have a medical condition that necessitates a low carb diet?2
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As I log my food I noticed most of it is carbs. How in the heck am I going to cut that down?
At the risk of sounding flippant... Eat less carbs? There are three primary macronutrients: carbs, fat and protein. The default settings on MFP have carbs as the highest percentage of your intake. Most people, unless specifically on a low carb diet, eat more carbs than the other two.
A lot of people find that upping their protein level helps with satiety and by default, if you increase your protein and fat intake but stay within your calories then your carb percentage should go down. Carbs are not inherently bad though. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes - all have carbs in them.
Why did you think you needed to get them down? Are you within your calorie target?4 -
I lost 80 pounds by cutting my carbs but that was in my 20s. At 31, I'm having the hardest time with weight loss even on a low carb, doesn't help that I have an unset active thyroid. I was also on phentermine and eating 800 calories a day (starvation!!!) But, I am one of those people that has been scared into believing all carbs are bad whether it's from fruit or while grains. I suppose moderation is everything but, my body honestly doesn't take well to any type of flour or grains. Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to carbs though.1
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I try to go with the plate of thirds thing - y'know, a third protein, third carbs and third veg. So rather than have a bowl full of pasta add more chicken/fish and salad/veg but less pasta - you'll still feel full.
But if you love the carbs and you're within calorie limit then fill your boots!2 -
Whilst carbs themselves are not an issue a calorie restricted diet which is heavy in carbs will be low in fat and protein - both of which are required for health.
If this is the case, the answer to your question is to simply eat more protein and fat at the expense of some of your carbs intake.
Easy sources of protein are: Meat, Cottage, Cheese, Fish, Eggs.
Easy sources of fats are: Avocado, Nuts and nut butters, eggs (again), cooking oils.
Personally I like to pre-log my food, ensuring that I hit my protein, fat and fiber goals for the day. I then top off my calories with whatever I feel like (of what makes decent mails based on my fat/protein choices).1 -
You can pair your carbs with fats and protein. How are you eating carbs now? for example, bread is almost all starch but if you add peanut butter to the mix, the percentage of carbs goes down on the MFP chart due to the fat from the pb.0
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WinoGelato wrote: »As I log my food I noticed most of it is carbs. How in the heck am I going to cut that down?
At the risk of sounding flippant... Eat less carbs? There are three primary macronutrients: carbs, fat and protein. The default settings on MFP have carbs as the highest percentage of your intake. Most people, unless specifically on a low carb diet, eat more carbs than the other two.
A lot of people find that upping their protein level helps with satiety and by default, if you increase your protein and fat intake but stay within your calories then your carb percentage should go down. Carbs are not inherently bad though. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes - all have carbs in them.
Why did you think you needed to get them down? Are you within your calorie target?
This is great advice.
I wouldn't think of it as getting the carbs down, but making sure you have enough protein and healthy fats and are able to feel satisfied within your calories. If you really are eating so many carbs that you aren't getting much protein or fat, your diet might not be as satisfying or healthy as it could be -- although many sources of carbs are very healthy (vegetables, fruits, legumes, etc.). For me it's about balance and getting a diversity of foods. No reason to be scared of or avoid carbs, though. It's just kind of trendy to hate on them now. Traditional healthy diets often are quite high carb.0 -
Yeah, eat more protein.0
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You need carbs to function properly throughout the day. Too many carbs does not contribute to weight gain; too many calories does. Start your day with a wholesome breakfast consisting of mostly carbs and some protein. If there's anything you should think about reducing, it's fat intake, like pats of butter, coffee additives, little treats here and there. You'll most likely find yourself more energized for whatever you need to do if you do not neglect the importance of carbs in your diet. The diet industry has poisoned many minds by preaching low-carb. Low carb can actually be dangerous in the sense that your energy levels can be easily depleted and it's very difficult to maintain long-term. I suggest meeting with a registered dietitian to work out a wholesome meal plan and to obtain some education on what is important in the diet.0
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As you eat in a deficit, your hormones will be a bit out of whack. It's really important to eat enough fat (it's not a lot that you need) so that your body can make and transport the right chemicals around your body. Veggies, olive oil, avocados, fatty fish, seeds/nuts... make sure you're eating some of these, even though sometimes they can seem higher in calories.0
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You need carbs to function properly throughout the day. Too many carbs does not contribute to weight gain; too many calories does. Start your day with a wholesome breakfast consisting of mostly carbs and some protein. If there's anything you should think about reducing, it's fat intake, like pats of butter, coffee additives, little treats here and there. You'll most likely find yourself more energized for whatever you need to do if you do not neglect the importance of carbs in your diet. The diet industry has poisoned many minds by preaching low-carb. Low carb can actually be dangerous in the sense that your energy levels can be easily depleted and it's very difficult to maintain long-term. I suggest meeting with a registered dietitian to work out a wholesome meal plan and to obtain some education on what is important in the diet.
? The op said she is eating almost all carbs. Now, I don't know what her fat and protein intake is (haven't peeked at her diary, if it's even public), but there are essential fatty acids that we need for health and our bodies are incapable of making. There are essential amino acids that we need for health and our bodies are incapable of making. That means we need at least a minimum amount of dietary fats and proteins. There are no essential carbs. Our bodies are capable of making all the glucose we require via gluconeogenesis. Instead of further cutting fat (which if her foods are "almost all" carbs, it sounds like she's already doing that), OP should probably focus on hitting her fat and protein goals (viewing those as minimums) and filling in the rest with carbs.
Fwiw, I've done a LCHF way of eating for three years. Plenty of energy (I chase after four active children all day) and plenty sustainable long term. At least for me. YMMV.
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tlflag1620 wrote: »You need carbs to function properly throughout the day. Too many carbs does not contribute to weight gain; too many calories does. Start your day with a wholesome breakfast consisting of mostly carbs and some protein. If there's anything you should think about reducing, it's fat intake, like pats of butter, coffee additives, little treats here and there. You'll most likely find yourself more energized for whatever you need to do if you do not neglect the importance of carbs in your diet. The diet industry has poisoned many minds by preaching low-carb. Low carb can actually be dangerous in the sense that your energy levels can be easily depleted and it's very difficult to maintain long-term. I suggest meeting with a registered dietitian to work out a wholesome meal plan and to obtain some education on what is important in the diet.
? The op said she is eating almost all carbs. Now, I don't know what her fat and protein intake is (haven't peeked at her diary, if it's even public), but there are essential fatty acids that we need for health and our bodies are incapable of making. There are essential amino acids that we need for health and our bodies are incapable of making. That means we need at least a minimum amount of dietary fats and proteins. There are no essential carbs. Our bodies are capable of making all the glucose we require via gluconeogenesis. Instead of further cutting fat (which if her foods are "almost all" carbs, it sounds like she's already doing that), OP should probably focus on hitting her fat and protein goals (viewing those as minimums) and filling in the rest with carbs.
Fwiw, I've done a LCHF way of eating for three years. Plenty of energy (I chase after four active children all day) and plenty sustainable long term. At least for me. YMMV.
Her diary is closed. It would be helpful if she would come back and elaborate on what she meant when she said "most of her diet was carbs" because that could just mean a higher percentage of carbs than fat and protein, which would be consistent with the default macro split of MFP as well as what most people set their macros to unless specifically following Low Carb.
It would also be helpful if she would elaborate why she thinks she needs to reduce them - she may have medical reason to restrict, or she may just be under the false pretense that carbs are inherently bad. It would also be helpful if she opened her diary or provided insight as to what foods she is eating which are high in carbs. There are many nutrient dense foods which are carbohydrates, there are also many calorie dense foods that are carb heavy (although these may also have a lot of fat as well).
I personally think that carbs can be part of a healthy lifestyle but feel more satiated when I eat more protein, and adding more protein to my diet has helped me lower the percentage of carbs that I consume.
FWIW I do agree with you that the comment you were responding to suggesting that if anything she should reduce fat intake is short sighted as well. Without further info from the OP, it is really difficult to make specific suggestions for improving her overall diet and helping her achieve her goals (especially since we don't know her goals either!).2 -
WinoGelato wrote: »tlflag1620 wrote: »You need carbs to function properly throughout the day. Too many carbs does not contribute to weight gain; too many calories does. Start your day with a wholesome breakfast consisting of mostly carbs and some protein. If there's anything you should think about reducing, it's fat intake, like pats of butter, coffee additives, little treats here and there. You'll most likely find yourself more energized for whatever you need to do if you do not neglect the importance of carbs in your diet. The diet industry has poisoned many minds by preaching low-carb. Low carb can actually be dangerous in the sense that your energy levels can be easily depleted and it's very difficult to maintain long-term. I suggest meeting with a registered dietitian to work out a wholesome meal plan and to obtain some education on what is important in the diet.
? The op said she is eating almost all carbs. Now, I don't know what her fat and protein intake is (haven't peeked at her diary, if it's even public), but there are essential fatty acids that we need for health and our bodies are incapable of making. There are essential amino acids that we need for health and our bodies are incapable of making. That means we need at least a minimum amount of dietary fats and proteins. There are no essential carbs. Our bodies are capable of making all the glucose we require via gluconeogenesis. Instead of further cutting fat (which if her foods are "almost all" carbs, it sounds like she's already doing that), OP should probably focus on hitting her fat and protein goals (viewing those as minimums) and filling in the rest with carbs.
Fwiw, I've done a LCHF way of eating for three years. Plenty of energy (I chase after four active children all day) and plenty sustainable long term. At least for me. YMMV.
Her diary is closed. It would be helpful if she would come back and elaborate on what she meant when she said "most of her diet was carbs" because that could just mean a higher percentage of carbs than fat and protein, which would be consistent with the default macro split of MFP as well as what most people set their macros to unless specifically following Low Carb.
It would also be helpful if she would elaborate why she thinks she needs to reduce them - she may have medical reason to restrict, or she may just be under the false pretense that carbs are inherently bad. It would also be helpful if she opened her diary or provided insight as to what foods she is eating which are high in carbs. There are many nutrient dense foods which are carbohydrates, there are also many calorie dense foods that are carb heavy (although these may also have a lot of fat as well).
I personally think that carbs can be part of a healthy lifestyle but feel more satiated when I eat more protein, and adding more protein to my diet has helped me lower the percentage of carbs that I consume.
FWIW I do agree with you that the comment you were responding to suggesting that if anything she should reduce fat intake is short sighted as well. Without further info from the OP, it is really difficult to make specific suggestions for improving her overall diet and helping her achieve her goals (especially since we don't know her goals either!).
ITA! "Carbs" usually come with at least some protein and/or fat, so without knowing what the sources are (and how much is "too much" exactly) it's impossible to give any specific advice. I just couldn't see the sense in advising someone who thinks they are getting too much carb to eat less fat. Does not compute, lol.
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You need carbs to function properly throughout the day. Too many carbs does not contribute to weight gain; too many calories does. Start your day with a wholesome breakfast consisting of mostly carbs and some protein. If there's anything you should think about reducing, it's fat intake, like pats of butter, coffee additives, little treats here and there. You'll most likely find yourself more energized for whatever you need to do if you do not neglect the importance of carbs in your diet. The diet industry has poisoned many minds by preaching low-carb. Low carb can actually be dangerous in the sense that your energy levels can be easily depleted and it's very difficult to maintain long-term. I suggest meeting with a registered dietitian to work out a wholesome meal plan and to obtain some education on what is important in the diet.
There's no reason to reduce fat intake. Low fat is old thinking.
OP could actually reduce carbs by adding fat and protein, telling them to take away fat from their mostly carb diet is not sound advice.3 -
eat more meat and animal products.0
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You need carbs to function properly throughout the day. Too many carbs does not contribute to weight gain; too many calories does. Start your day with a wholesome breakfast consisting of mostly carbs and some protein. If there's anything you should think about reducing, it's fat intake, like pats of butter, coffee additives, little treats here and there. You'll most likely find yourself more energized for whatever you need to do if you do not neglect the importance of carbs in your diet. The diet industry has poisoned many minds by preaching low-carb. Low carb can actually be dangerous in the sense that your energy levels can be easily depleted and it's very difficult to maintain long-term. I suggest meeting with a registered dietitian to work out a wholesome meal plan and to obtain some education on what is important in the diet.
You don't actually need very many carbs to function properly. You definitely need fiber! People who eat low-carb, either because of health issues or because they find that the most pain-free way to eat at a deficit, don't generally find energy depletion to be an issue once the body is adapted, if they are on a very-low-carb meal plan. They also need to watch electrolytes, and to be mindful that nutrients contained in healthy carbs need to come from somewhere else. Whether or not it is difficult to maintain long-term depends on the individual, really, and whether their intake is low (under 100 g) or very low (under 50). I, for one, can happily spend the warmer months eating fresh salads and non-starchy vegetables, a bit of in-season fruit, along with whatever meat/fish I cook on the grill and not miss grains and starchy vegetables a bit.2 -
Can you open your diary? We can offer better suggestions if we see what you're eating.0
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I have lost 107 lbs following a Low Carb, Moderate Protein Higher Fat eating style since Jan of 2015. So many food options.The recipes are endless!0
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