Calories vs carbs

bbwrc
bbwrc Posts: 4 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So as of right now I'm counting calories, and exercising and drinking water, but I am curious, which is better counting carbs or calories
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Replies

  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
    Counting calories is the starting point.
    If you then choose to focus on specific macros (carbs, protein, fat) that's an option, but it's not essential for most people.
    You might prefer to pay attention to which foods fill you up most and make you feel good - that's going to be helpful for sticking to a set number of calories.
  • bbwrc
    bbwrc Posts: 4 Member
    Ok thank you guys! I was just curious if I should have been doing carbs instead. I see so many people going with counting carbs , so I wasn't sure . ^_^
  • CStergion
    CStergion Posts: 5 Member
    Keep carbs under 150grams minimize processed sugars (30g daily) and you'll lose at least a pound a week
    Replace the carbs with good quality fats
    20%/60%/20%
    Carb/fat/protein
  • Unknown
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  • biggsterjackster
    biggsterjackster Posts: 419 Member
    I hate water fluctuations and count carbs and sugar. Also count calories.
  • ktilton70130
    ktilton70130 Posts: 211 Member
    CStergion wrote: »
    Keep carbs under 150grams minimize processed sugars (30g daily) and you'll lose at least a pound a week
    Replace the carbs with good quality fats
    20%/60%/20%
    Carb/fat/protein

    This is really accurate for me. Since I began counting carbs I began losing 1lb a week. It drives me crazy,lol because when I first started I was focusing on calories and I was losing at least 2lbs a week. Nevertheless I switch up and do what works for me hint hint do what works for you.
  • Return2Fit
    Return2Fit Posts: 226 Member
    edited August 2016
    I count both, because my goals in this are not merely weight loss but optimal health and peak physical fitness.
    I actually count several items.
    You must define your own goals, then look to others who have achieved similar results and measure their activities against current scientific research. Sometimes when the science is shaky, you just try different things.
    You, and only you are the author of your weight loss, so it starts by setting exciting goals.
    And you must track and control the items that will help you reach your goals.

    Good Luck, and keep coming back to MFP.
    <3
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    If you want to lose weight, count calories.

    I count carbs as well as I have a lot of them to eat everyday and it's sometimes hard to get all of them in for me. I have to count them to make sure I get enough.
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    I can tell you from experience Carbs are just as important to gaining muscle as protein or Fat- Carbs get a bad wrap and I myself have beat up on them in the past but life is a lesson right. Balance is the key!! I just need to learn to eat Carbs again under 150 grams for two years.
  • hithisisili
    hithisisili Posts: 15 Member
    I've struggled with calories and loosing weight. Now I've realized that cutting down carbs (under 150) is what worked for me, not for everyone, but once I cut the carbs down my calories also went down and felt better and started loosing weight.
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    edited August 2016
    I lost 100lbs. Counting Calories is what works. The only reason to count carbs is because it somehow makes it easier to account for what you eat and thus forces you to eat in a calorie deficit. But multiple studies have shown there is no benefit to a low carb diet.

    Carbs are good. You need them to live. Your brain needs them for fuel. You need them to build muscle. Just don't get the majority of carbs from added sugars or refined flours.

    Get most of your carbs from vegetables and fruits. Carbs plus fiber is the best choice, it evens out how the body absorbs them, for example fruit.

    Eat a healthy variety of food, count your calories, try for whole grains over processed grains, limit your added sugar intake (Sugar from fruit is fine because of the fiber in fruit, fruit juice is different because there isn't fiber to offset the sugar), limit your saturated fat, eat lots of vegetables and fruit, and make sure that your meeting your nutritional goals.



  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,736 Member
    hithisisili wrote: »
    I've struggled with calories and loosing weight. Now I've realized that cutting down carbs (under 150) is what worked for me, not for everyone, but once I cut the carbs down my calories also went down and felt better and started loosing weight.

    LOL so basically you're saying you lost weight by taking in less calories.

    OP, calories are king for weight loss. I probably averaged about 300 g of carbs a day when I was losing weight.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,002 Member
    CStergion wrote: »
    Keep carbs under 150grams minimize processed sugars (30g daily) and you'll lose at least a pound a week
    Replace the carbs with good quality fats
    20%/60%/20%
    Carb/fat/protein

    This is a moot point if you eat over maintenance...
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Count both. Some low carbers find that either their appetite is reduced enough that they naturally eat under maintenance or that their CO is increased enough that counting calories is not as needed.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    CStergion wrote: »
    Keep carbs under 150grams minimize processed sugars (30g daily) and you'll lose at least a pound a week
    Replace the carbs with good quality fats
    20%/60%/20%
    Carb/fat/protein

    If calories are spot on, there's no need to limit sugar unless there's a medical condition. Many times I've gone over 30g of sugar and I am still on target for losing weight. It's ALL about calories when it comes to weight loss/gain/maintaining. I've lost almost 100lbs just from counting calories. Low carb didn't make any difference for me other than make me fuzzy, weak and grumpy (I did it for 2+ months).
  • brenda_men
    brenda_men Posts: 13 Member
    I've personally done low carb. Wouldn't recommend it. Low energy and no muscle gains. You do get lean though. So now I do carb cycling. Workout days I stick to my carb goals and no workout days I do low carb, high fat and protein. So far so good. I feel much better. Stick to complex carbs like oats, sweet potato, high fiber fruits with low glycemic index.Do far I have lost 46 lbs. I did cut all processed sugars and food. No refined carbs either.
  • fergie1404
    fergie1404 Posts: 43 Member
    I'm diabetic so I'm trying to watch my carbs I did sw which I found hard to do so back calorie counting
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I count carbs when I'm cycling - to make sure I hit 90g of carbs an hour. :)

    No need to restrict carbs unless they are crowding out other macros from your diet or you have a medical condition.

    However, it can be an easy way for some people to reduce their calorie intake but reducing carbs without reducing overall calories won't make you lose weight.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Counting calories. Many of the successful carb counters count both carbs and calories. They never stop counting calories.
  • hamlet1222
    hamlet1222 Posts: 459 Member
    Only things I count are calories and protein. Eat what you want otherwise and let carbs and fats take care of themselves. Only obsessives worry about proportion of carbs/fats.
  • BiggDaddy58
    BiggDaddy58 Posts: 406 Member
    Calories..Calories In Vs Calories out..that's the ticket.

    Carbs..cutting carbs..low carb..all that is IMO..is the latest fad diet. The new cool thing..cut those carbs..go low carb..

    I am diabetic. I am going to be 58 in September. I have lost 70+ pounds in a little over 5 months. When I started this journey, I was over 300 pounds. My Dr. never said a single thing about low carbs.

    He said Get Active. Do something. Lose weight. I eat plenty of carbs. I am on NO meds for diabetes. My BP was 111/71 my last checkup. My tests were all good.

    Do your own research. People give slanted advice on here (many times) based on what works or worked for them)

    Find out about your body. Your height/weight/ age/ BMR/ TDEE/ how many calories would you need to maintain/ what are your goals/ lose weight? eat healthier? etc etc

    I wish you success on your journey.
  • ouryve
    ouryve Posts: 572 Member
    CStergion wrote: »
    Keep carbs under 150grams minimize processed sugars (30g daily) and you'll lose at least a pound a week
    Replace the carbs with good quality fats
    20%/60%/20%
    Carb/fat/protein

    Lovely one size fits all response there.

    My carbs usually end up under 150g, but that's with a 40:40:20 split. Your maths doesn't work for me. I am losing 1lb per week but that's because I maintain a sufficient calorie deficit.
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
    You need to count Calories to maintain a deficit for weight loss.

    You need to count Sugar if you're diabetic (or pre-diabetic)
    You need to count Carbs due to their impact on Sugar
    You need to count Sodium if you're hypertensive

    Based on the numbers in my profile, my MFP chart allows me
    Calories 1810, Carbs 226, Fat 60, Protein 91, Sodium 2300, and Sugar 68.

    I usually fall below these numbers and am losing weight. Occasionally I might exceed the Carbs and Sugar by a tiny bit. Looking at other people's diaries, I see some exceed the Sodium by massive amounts.

    When I look at the numbers I mainly focus on the Calories, but it all comes down to your overall health situation apart from the actual weight loss issue.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,002 Member
    edited August 2016
    BiggDaddy58 wrote: »
    People give slanted advice on here (many times) based on what works or worked for them)

    Based on what they think worked for them and why they think it worked...

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