What is the REAL truth about carbs?

Gamliela wrote: »

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

More fiber = better carbs IMO. I love my carbs and eat a lot of them because I eat a high fiber diet. Good for my energy levels, good for my gut, good for my soul.

Now fibre is absolutly necessary imo. 5 swervings of veg and fruit is supposed to do it if I remember?
Of course that will include 'carbs'.

I agree. And most (if not all) of your nutrient-dense carb sources are going to contain good amounts of fiber.

Carbs are one of the 3 macronutrients that make up food. Carbs give you energy, taste good, and keep your metabolism & weight loss hormones going. Consuming too many carbs can increase appetite and cause excess weight gain due to being in a caloric surplus. Consuming too few carbs will make you lethargic, moody, and slow your metabolism.

Quality of carbs is important- you'll want to aim for more complex carbs with more vitamins over simple carbs & sugar with little nutrition- at least for health and satiety. It doesn't actually make that much difference for weight loss, only calories matter for that, but it will make a difference in how you look and feel and I assume you care about that too and not only the number on the scale.

Wheat bread or pasta vs white has more fiber and vitamins. I prefer to avoid gluten altogether because I don't digest it well so my carbs tend to come from potatoes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, fruits, and vegetables. I do consume some treats and sweets as well which are also carbs, though less healthy.

The more important macronutrient when it comes to weight loss is actually protein. You'll want to focus on getting adequate protein. Or just try to eat within your macronutrient goals each day- these can be found in your diary or main menu in "nutrition".

Flapjack_Mollases wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Flapjack_Mollases wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Flapjack_Mollases wrote: »

There is nothing wrong with having 20-30% of your calories come from nutrient dense carbs. I'm sorry, but I have never seen someone get fat because they had a baked potato with dinner.

Potatoes and whole grains were a huge part of my weight gain. Not because there is anything wrong with those foods, but because I find them delicious and didn't exercise portion control. Having a baked potato with dinner can absolutely make you fat (over time) if it leads to you consuming more calories than you burn.

Right. But what you are talking about is a personal problem. Not a problem with the potato itself. Of course, if a food triggers you to eat more of that food, then you can't handle it, and you should eliminate it. But generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with a baked potato.

There is absolutely no problem with the potato, I still eat them all the time -- I just measure my portions and log accurately. I'm saying that people can and will get fat by having a potato with their dinner if it causes them to consume excess energy (and not just a potato -- this will happen with any food). You can see people get fat on just about any food even nutrient-dense ones.

Yep. I agree with you totally. I'm just not a fan of someone screaming CARBS ARE BAD..DON'T EAT CARBS (not that I'm saying you did this, I'm talking about the diet industry as a whole) when the truth is much more complicated than that.

And I think this is why there is so much convoluted information out there, because fitness/nutrition is very personal. What works for you or me, may or may not work for the next 100 people that come along. And the water can get muddy really quickly.

Gamliela wrote: »

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

More fiber = better carbs IMO. I love my carbs and eat a lot of them because I eat a high fiber diet. Good for my energy levels, good for my gut, good for my soul.

Now fibre is absolutly necessary imo. 5 swervings of veg and fruit is supposed to do it if I remember?
Of course that will include 'carbs'.

I aim for higher than the recommended minimum. When my doctor noticed I'd lost some weight we discussed dieting and she suggested I aim for 45g of fiber per day. I don't always hit that but it was probably the best diet advice I've ever been given. Fiber really keeps me feeling full.

RealRelicVa wrote: »

For burning FAT, carbs/sugar definitely matters.

Please elaborate. Plenty of people on this forum have significantly lowered their BF% while eating lots of carbs (and they look dang good, too).

Flapjack_Mollases wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Flapjack_Mollases wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Flapjack_Mollases wrote: »

There is nothing wrong with having 20-30% of your calories come from nutrient dense carbs. I'm sorry, but I have never seen someone get fat because they had a baked potato with dinner.

Potatoes and whole grains were a huge part of my weight gain. Not because there is anything wrong with those foods, but because I find them delicious and didn't exercise portion control. Having a baked potato with dinner can absolutely make you fat (over time) if it leads to you consuming more calories than you burn.

Right. But what you are talking about is a personal problem. Not a problem with the potato itself. Of course, if a food triggers you to eat more of that food, then you can't handle it, and you should eliminate it. But generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with a baked potato.

There is absolutely no problem with the potato, I still eat them all the time -- I just measure my portions and log accurately. I'm saying that people can and will get fat by having a potato with their dinner if it causes them to consume excess energy (and not just a potato -- this will happen with any food). You can see people get fat on just about any food even nutrient-dense ones.

Yep. I agree with you totally. I'm just not a fan of someone screaming CARBS ARE BAD..DON'T EAT CARBS (not that I'm saying you did this, I'm talking about the diet industry as a whole) when the truth is much more complicated than that.

Actually, to the bolded, I would say that the diet industry tries to OVERCOMPLICATE things when the truth is much SIMPLER than they want people to know. There aren't a lot of books to be sold, clickbait ads to profit off of, or money to be made in general in the simple truth that for weight loss, the only requirement is a calorie deficit. Period. Restricting certain macros, certain foods, certain ingredients (other than for legitimate medical reasons) is largely a matter of either personal preference for dietary adherence and satiety - or it is all based in woo.

And though the OP hasn't been back I don't think, it is obvious that she fell into some of that bad information floating around which confused her and made it sound like weight loss is complicated. It isn't. It is simple, but it isn't easy. Creating arbitrary rules or making people think they HAVE to cut things out, or that certain foods are objectively better than others,without looking at the context of the overall diet - just makes people think it is harder than it needs to be, and largely why so many people struggle or give up altogether.

Sorry, rant over - I'm not arguing with you @Flapjack_Mollases, your post just reminded me of one of my pet peeves about the diet industry.

Eat as many carbs as you like and whenever you like, so long as you're in a calorie deficit you will lose weght. Plus life sucks with little/low carb intake in my experience, carbs are the goat.

WinoGelato wrote: »

Flapjack_Mollases wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Flapjack_Mollases wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Flapjack_Mollases wrote: »

There is nothing wrong with having 20-30% of your calories come from nutrient dense carbs. I'm sorry, but I have never seen someone get fat because they had a baked potato with dinner.

Potatoes and whole grains were a huge part of my weight gain. Not because there is anything wrong with those foods, but because I find them delicious and didn't exercise portion control. Having a baked potato with dinner can absolutely make you fat (over time) if it leads to you consuming more calories than you burn.

Right. But what you are talking about is a personal problem. Not a problem with the potato itself. Of course, if a food triggers you to eat more of that food, then you can't handle it, and you should eliminate it. But generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with a baked potato.

There is absolutely no problem with the potato, I still eat them all the time -- I just measure my portions and log accurately. I'm saying that people can and will get fat by having a potato with their dinner if it causes them to consume excess energy (and not just a potato -- this will happen with any food). You can see people get fat on just about any food even nutrient-dense ones.

Yep. I agree with you totally. I'm just not a fan of someone screaming CARBS ARE BAD..DON'T EAT CARBS (not that I'm saying you did this, I'm talking about the diet industry as a whole) when the truth is much more complicated than that.

Actually, to the bolded, I would say that the diet industry tries to OVERCOMPLICATE things when the truth is much SIMPLER than they want people to know. There aren't a lot of books to be sold, clickbait ads to profit off of, or money to be made in general in the simple truth that for weight loss, the only requirement is a calorie deficit. Period. Restricting certain macros, certain foods, certain ingredients (other than for legitimate medical reasons) is largely a matter of either personal preference for dietary adherence and satiety - or it is all based in woo.

And though the OP hasn't been back I don't think, it is obvious that she fell into some of that bad information floating around which confused her and made it sound like weight loss is complicated. It isn't. It is simple, but it isn't easy. Creating arbitrary rules or making people think they HAVE to cut things out, or that certain foods are objectively better than others,without looking at the context of the overall diet - just makes people think it is harder than it needs to be, and largely why so many people struggle or give up altogether.

Sorry, rant over - I'm not arguing with you @Flapjack_Mollases, your post just reminded me of one of my pet peeves about the diet industry.

I hear ya. There's a lot to rant about. Mainly what I meant by "complicated", means that there are several other factors to consider (on a personal level) before you just blindly follow diet advice. Meaning that diet/fitness is very personal and varies on a person to person basis. Giving a one-size fits all approach doesn't work usually in fitness. I agree with you that people try to make things way too complicated. I just meant that you can't tell someone to stop eating carbs without finding out several other (complicated) factors about that person.

jomariewill wrote: »

When trying to lose weight, are they ok to eat (carbs) in moderation as long as they fit into your calorie goals?

I would say it depends on your health. If you have insulin resistance then cutting carbs can only help. Moderate carbs with weight loss might help, but low carbs will help for sure.

For weight loss, low carb diets seem to hold a very marginal advantage overall. Just a few pounds over a year with the higher end of loss for those with insulin resistance.

jomariewill wrote: »

Is "wheat" really healthier if you have to choose?

If choosing between wheat products or substitute gluten-free products, as long as you do not have a wheat sensitivity (up to 30% of the world) then I would say wheat is healthier. Wheat flour is fortified with vitamins. GF flours are not. Plus GF baking uses more starches which are harder on those with IR.

As someone who has a gluten sensitivity, I avoid wheat like the plague. I also avoid GF substitutes and only eat GF bread a handful of times a year.

jomariewill wrote: »

Is there a better or worse time during the day to eat them? My stats: I'm 5'11 female. Weight 287. Need to lose 140. Do 30 minutes of aerobics each morning and walk 2 miles each evening 5 days a week and eat under 160@ calories.

Depends on health and fitness goals.

Those with IR find they tolerate carbs better later in the day, but not much anyways. If one has carb issues (IR) carbs are best tolerated prior to exercise.

Some find carbs helpful for performance around a workout. This seems most true around a bulk. Others find it helpful for energy during a workout, although this is not true after a couple of months on a very low carb high fat diet.

YMMV

cwolfman13 wrote: »

jomariewill wrote: »

When trying to lose weight, are they ok to eat in moderation as long as they fit into your calorie goals? Is "wheat" really healthier if you have to choose? Is there a better or worse time during the day to eat them? My stats: I'm 5'11 female. Weight 287. Need to lose 140. Do 30 minutes of aerobics each morning and walk 2 miles each evening 5 days a week and eat under 160@ calories.

The real truth about carbs is that they are just one of three macro-nutrients. \

For whatever reason, people tend to equate carbs with "junk"...there are numerous sources of highly nutritious carbohydrates. Beans and lentils are really good for you...potatoes and sweet potatoes are nutritionally pretty awesome...whole grains are pretty awesome...fruit and veg is obviously very nutritious...

Preach! It's frustrating when one reads posts complaining about "carbs" like pizza, ice cream, and chocolate.

jomariewill wrote: »

jomariewill wrote: »

When trying to lose weight, are they ok to eat in moderation as long as they fit into your calorie goals? Is "wheat" really healthier if you have to choose? Is there a better or worse time during the day to eat them? My stats: I'm 5'11 female. Weight 287. Need to lose 140. Do 30 minutes of aerobics each morning and walk 2 miles each evening 5 days a week and eat under 160@ calories.

I meant if I have to eat a carb, like rice or bread, is wheat healthier? I find they sometimes have more calories but more nutrients.

Health is largely determined by weight (body composition), exercise and genetics. Eat foods you enjoy that help you stick to a diet and enable your goals. I eat white rice but love wheat/grain breads.

jomariewill wrote: »

Do 30 minutes of aerobics each morning and walk 2 miles each evening 5 days a week and eat under 160@ calories.

Maintain that level of activity and that level of calorie intake. You'll lose weight. It will take more than a year. Be patient. Be stubborn. Do it.

I deleted the rest of your quote because it's not important that you care about it.

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Gamliela wrote: »

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

More fiber = better carbs IMO. I love my carbs and eat a lot of them because I eat a high fiber diet. Good for my energy levels, good for my gut, good for my soul.

Now fibre is absolutly necessary imo. 5 swervings of veg and fruit is supposed to do it if I remember?
Of course that will include 'carbs'.

I aim for higher than the recommended minimum. When my doctor noticed I'd lost some weight we discussed dieting and she suggested I aim for 45g of fiber per day. I don't always hit that but it was probably the best diet advice I've ever been given. Fiber really keeps me feeling full.

I am for more than the minimum too. I have familial hypercholesterolemia, and a high fiber low fat diet is controlling it nicely. My goal is the same as yours, sometimes I get even more.

Honestly.... I have been on the Keto diet which uses the ratio of 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carb. It's really worked well for me. I don't feel sluggish all the time from heavy carbs such as pasta etc etc... but everyone's body is different.