Let's talk carbs?

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  • suzesvelte
    suzesvelte Posts: 134 Member
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    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    suzesvelte wrote: »
    I am making a shift away from carbs to more protein because it suits me. I eat a very healthy diet but still gain weight quickly, and need to be very careful to maintain. Which I have not managed - so to lose weight I have to make some changes to an already healthy regime. I cant stop drinking or cut out the Big MAcs cos I dont have them in my normal life. When I look at my intake I see a lot of calories are from bread and pasta and rice, all wholemeal options, but still heavy in calories.

    I am exercising more so increasing protein is better for that, so it makes sense to make that shift to making most meals about veg and protein rather than veg and carbs, which was my old pattern. But ultimately it is still about calories, just the change gives me a focus and an enthusiasm for tackling the weight gain. You have to choose what suits you.

    I definitely don't agree that "carbs are often looked at as evil" but not all carbs are the same, I DO think that white bread and sugar are pretty shyte choices for anyone, dieting or not! I prefer to choose carbs that give me a good range of micro-nutrients as well as simply calories for better health in the long run.

    Wrong.
    Very well-argued. :o
    It cant all be wrong, as most of it is purely descriptive of what I am doing and tells the OP they have to do what suits themselves.

    If you think sugar is good option then good for you. Personally I dont think there is any value in it, I prefer to eat LOW GI because the spike in insulin and growth hormones that result from eating High GI foods are problematic.

  • jdwils14
    jdwils14 Posts: 154 Member
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    Dee_D33 wrote: »
    Carbs also help me to maintain my deficit by making me feel fuller, longer.

    Don't fix what ain't broke, my friend.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
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    I am a believer in doing what is sustainable, makes you feel good and helps you reach your goals. For some that is a low carb diet. For others, it is only counting calories and eating exactly what they want.

    I have done low, high and moderate carb diets and what I have found is that they all work, as long as I am within my calorie range. I have PCOS and based on all the research, I should be doing a low to moderate carb diet. But, based on my personal experience, a low carb diet is not sustainable, for ME. In reality, I do what makes me happy and what I know I can sustain for the rest of my life. Some days, that may only be 100 g of carbs. Other days it may be 200 g of carbs.

    So, to answer your question, unless you have a specific medical reason OR you naturally just enjoy less carbs, then go for the lower carb woe. But, if you are miserable and do not have a medical reason to cut carbs, eat what you enjoy and count your calories.

    Just remember, you can ALWAYS adjust along the way. You are not locked into any specific woe (barring medical issues), so find what works best for you and your life and adjust as you go for maximum success.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    suzesvelte wrote: »
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    suzesvelte wrote: »
    I am making a shift away from carbs to more protein because it suits me. I eat a very healthy diet but still gain weight quickly, and need to be very careful to maintain. Which I have not managed - so to lose weight I have to make some changes to an already healthy regime. I cant stop drinking or cut out the Big MAcs cos I dont have them in my normal life. When I look at my intake I see a lot of calories are from bread and pasta and rice, all wholemeal options, but still heavy in calories.

    I am exercising more so increasing protein is better for that, so it makes sense to make that shift to making most meals about veg and protein rather than veg and carbs, which was my old pattern. But ultimately it is still about calories, just the change gives me a focus and an enthusiasm for tackling the weight gain. You have to choose what suits you.

    I definitely don't agree that "carbs are often looked at as evil" but not all carbs are the same, I DO think that white bread and sugar are pretty shyte choices for anyone, dieting or not! I prefer to choose carbs that give me a good range of micro-nutrients as well as simply calories for better health in the long run.

    Wrong.
    Very well-argued. :o
    It cant all be wrong, as most of it is purely descriptive of what I am doing and tells the OP they have to do what suits themselves.

    If you think sugar is good option then good for you. Personally I dont think there is any value in it, I prefer to eat LOW GI because the spike in insulin and growth hormones that result from eating High GI foods are problematic.

    Wrong as to the bolded line. Could you explain why "white bread and sugar are pretty shyte choices for anyone, dieting or not"? If they aren't things you would eat, fine, but why are they shyte choices for everyone?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
    edited January 2017
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    suzesvelte wrote: »
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    suzesvelte wrote: »
    I am making a shift away from carbs to more protein because it suits me. I eat a very healthy diet but still gain weight quickly, and need to be very careful to maintain. Which I have not managed - so to lose weight I have to make some changes to an already healthy regime. I cant stop drinking or cut out the Big MAcs cos I dont have them in my normal life. When I look at my intake I see a lot of calories are from bread and pasta and rice, all wholemeal options, but still heavy in calories.

    I am exercising more so increasing protein is better for that, so it makes sense to make that shift to making most meals about veg and protein rather than veg and carbs, which was my old pattern. But ultimately it is still about calories, just the change gives me a focus and an enthusiasm for tackling the weight gain. You have to choose what suits you.

    I definitely don't agree that "carbs are often looked at as evil" but not all carbs are the same, I DO think that white bread and sugar are pretty shyte choices for anyone, dieting or not! I prefer to choose carbs that give me a good range of micro-nutrients as well as simply calories for better health in the long run.

    Wrong.
    Very well-argued. :o
    It cant all be wrong, as most of it is purely descriptive of what I am doing and tells the OP they have to do what suits themselves.

    If you think sugar is good option then good for you. Personally I dont think there is any value in it, I prefer to eat LOW GI because the spike in insulin and growth hormones that result from eating High GI foods are problematic.

    Insulin plays a vital role in shuttling nutrients into your cells and regulating blood sugars. And yes, while it inhibits lipolysis (breakdown of fat), it doesn't stop it. But even if insulin is low, your body can still store nutrients, otherwise you would die.

    And honestly, the GI system is pretty bad. It's only effective if you eat a food in isolation after fasting. If anything, look at GI load.


    Edited: to clean up my English.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
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    suzesvelte wrote: »
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    suzesvelte wrote: »
    I am making a shift away from carbs to more protein because it suits me. I eat a very healthy diet but still gain weight quickly, and need to be very careful to maintain. Which I have not managed - so to lose weight I have to make some changes to an already healthy regime. I cant stop drinking or cut out the Big MAcs cos I dont have them in my normal life. When I look at my intake I see a lot of calories are from bread and pasta and rice, all wholemeal options, but still heavy in calories.

    I am exercising more so increasing protein is better for that, so it makes sense to make that shift to making most meals about veg and protein rather than veg and carbs, which was my old pattern. But ultimately it is still about calories, just the change gives me a focus and an enthusiasm for tackling the weight gain. You have to choose what suits you.

    I definitely don't agree that "carbs are often looked at as evil" but not all carbs are the same, I DO think that white bread and sugar are pretty shyte choices for anyone, dieting or not! I prefer to choose carbs that give me a good range of micro-nutrients as well as simply calories for better health in the long run.

    Wrong.
    Very well-argued. :o
    It cant all be wrong, as most of it is purely descriptive of what I am doing and tells the OP they have to do what suits themselves.

    If you think sugar is good option then good for you. Personally I dont think there is any value in it, I prefer to eat LOW GI because the spike in insulin and growth hormones that result from eating High GI foods are problematic.

    To the bolded part. White bread and sugar are not "shyte" choices. That is your opinion and it's wrong.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
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    zyxst wrote: »
    suzesvelte wrote: »
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    suzesvelte wrote: »
    I am making a shift away from carbs to more protein because it suits me. I eat a very healthy diet but still gain weight quickly, and need to be very careful to maintain. Which I have not managed - so to lose weight I have to make some changes to an already healthy regime. I cant stop drinking or cut out the Big MAcs cos I dont have them in my normal life. When I look at my intake I see a lot of calories are from bread and pasta and rice, all wholemeal options, but still heavy in calories.

    I am exercising more so increasing protein is better for that, so it makes sense to make that shift to making most meals about veg and protein rather than veg and carbs, which was my old pattern. But ultimately it is still about calories, just the change gives me a focus and an enthusiasm for tackling the weight gain. You have to choose what suits you.

    I definitely don't agree that "carbs are often looked at as evil" but not all carbs are the same, I DO think that white bread and sugar are pretty shyte choices for anyone, dieting or not! I prefer to choose carbs that give me a good range of micro-nutrients as well as simply calories for better health in the long run.

    Wrong.
    Very well-argued. :o
    It cant all be wrong, as most of it is purely descriptive of what I am doing and tells the OP they have to do what suits themselves.

    If you think sugar is good option then good for you. Personally I dont think there is any value in it, I prefer to eat LOW GI because the spike in insulin and growth hormones that result from eating High GI foods are problematic.

    Wrong as to the bolded line. Could you explain why "white bread and sugar are pretty shyte choices for anyone, dieting or not"? If they aren't things you would eat, fine, but why are they shyte choices for everyone?

    This.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    zyxst wrote: »
    suzesvelte wrote: »
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    suzesvelte wrote: »
    I am making a shift away from carbs to more protein because it suits me. I eat a very healthy diet but still gain weight quickly, and need to be very careful to maintain. Which I have not managed - so to lose weight I have to make some changes to an already healthy regime. I cant stop drinking or cut out the Big MAcs cos I dont have them in my normal life. When I look at my intake I see a lot of calories are from bread and pasta and rice, all wholemeal options, but still heavy in calories.

    I am exercising more so increasing protein is better for that, so it makes sense to make that shift to making most meals about veg and protein rather than veg and carbs, which was my old pattern. But ultimately it is still about calories, just the change gives me a focus and an enthusiasm for tackling the weight gain. You have to choose what suits you.

    I definitely don't agree that "carbs are often looked at as evil" but not all carbs are the same, I DO think that white bread and sugar are pretty shyte choices for anyone, dieting or not! I prefer to choose carbs that give me a good range of micro-nutrients as well as simply calories for better health in the long run.

    Wrong.
    Very well-argued. :o
    It cant all be wrong, as most of it is purely descriptive of what I am doing and tells the OP they have to do what suits themselves.

    If you think sugar is good option then good for you. Personally I dont think there is any value in it, I prefer to eat LOW GI because the spike in insulin and growth hormones that result from eating High GI foods are problematic.

    Wrong as to the bolded line. Could you explain why "white bread and sugar are pretty shyte choices for anyone, dieting or not"? If they aren't things you would eat, fine, but why are they shyte choices for everyone?

    I already gave an example where she is wrong. As I said low fiber makes so many things off limits and I basically have to live on a beige diet. I guess she thinks it would be better to majorly irritate my Crohn's with whole grains rather than eat white bread (btw sour dough bread is white bread and it is awesome)
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    I'm nursing day three of a tummy bug. Right now all I want are carbs. Currently eating poached eggs over a plain baked potato.

    I've low carbed. My reasons for doing it were that I was looking for a magical fix for my issues with food. The problem is that I need volume to feel sated and fat isn't particularly filling for me.

    I also have a healthier attitude towards food now and don't have the outlook that there's a need to keep things out of my diet. There are things I eat less of because they're just not as satisfying for the calories they bring, but I still have them when the odd craving hits me (like cold cereal), but overall, I eat what most would call a moderate carb diet. It ends up being in that range when I'm dieting simply because I only have so many calories. When I'm maintaining, my carb ratio is around 50% or more.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    Some people find a low carb diet suits them, others struggle with it. Really, the answer is that unless you have a medical reason to restrict carbs, then do what makes you happy. In the long run, the best plan is the one that you stick to.

    This.

    Low carb wasn't for me. It didn't satiate me like a combination of protein fats and carbs do. It made miserable, tired and cranky....for my months. Once I got real and realized that I couldn't sustain this WOE for life, I moved on.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
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    Dee_D33 wrote: »
    Since I entered the MFP world, I realized carbs are often looked at as evil.

    I've tried restricting my carb intake in the past and it makes me miserable. I stopped, but I do make sure I'm taking in the right carbs and eating whole grain breads, pastas, etc. Carbs also help me to maintain my deficit by making me feel fuller, longer.

    My question is, are there any benefits to a low carb diet? What have your experiences been on a low carb vs high carb diet?

    Yes. I can eat a single serving of pasta at 150 calories and 40 grams of carbs.. I can also eat 5 heads of broccoli and it would never = to 150 calories and 40 grams of carbs.

    Eat carbs until you are no longer miserable.
  • Katie1951
    Katie1951 Posts: 314 Member
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    I reduced my carb intake based on my type 2 diabetes. If I'm having carbs they are dense and filling as in fruits. It works for me, but it doesn't work for everyone. Fad diets don't work. Eating real food does. Also, the idea that there are bad foods is a myth. I think food in moderation works. Having said that, you might have a problem with a particular food, therefore don't eat it, it might be bad for you, but it isn't a bad food.
  • postchrysalis
    postchrysalis Posts: 88 Member
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    I tried a keto diet once. I lasted a week. I love carbs way too much. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ While I can't speak for anyone else, I've personally lost a lot of weight in a relatively short time frame on a high carb diet. I've been monitoring my carb intake to see if there's some sort of correlation between the amount of carbs I eat and the amount of weight I lose on a week-by-week basis and have pretty much come to the conclusion that there isn't. I've been losing weight consistently regardless how many carbs I'm consuming.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    I'm vegetarian. A lot of my meals tend to be higher in carbs. The weight is still coming off.

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