Carbs, sheesh!
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pcdoctor01 wrote: »I never realized the importance of counting carbs. Found out that I've been losing weight the incorrect way. Instead of counting carbs, I was watching my added sugar intake. I know what to do now but d*mn! One cup of Cheerios is 20 carbs. One cup of blueberries is 21 carbs. To think I've been eating two cups of Cherrios on some days and one day I even topped them with blueberries. This is really eye opening.
CICO...
Cheerios in, Cheerios Out?
that is impossible, because empty...
That'd be a rough exit.8 -
NorthCascades wrote: »bobshuckleberry wrote: »Is this just an exercise forum?
MFP has a "community" section with several forums, each with a specific purpose. There's one for support and motivation, one for food and nutrition, and one for fitness and exercise. This thread was originally posted in the exercise-specific forum; somebody looked at all of the options and decided exercise was the best fit for what they had to say, that the exercise crowd was who they wanted to speak to. Since then, the thread was moved to "food and nutrition" which has a different purpose and attracts a different group of people.
You can blame me for the move. It was more of a nutrition question, so I thought it would get proper attention in F&N.
No blame involved, and it was probably the right thing to do. I was posting that to explain the context of the first batch of answers.
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ValeriePlz wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »ValeriePlz wrote: »My comment earlier didn't mean that any food with added sugar lacks nutrition, but rather that the added sugar itself doesn't add nutrition and only adds calories.
I think what people were objecting to was the idea that "processed foods" inherently contain added sugar (or lots of it) and more calories than you expect.
They don't inherently contain added sugar, but many do, and the best part of logging is to educate ourselves about this. Here are some examples of foods that surprised me with how much added sugar they contain:
[*] Yogurt
[*] Spaghetti sauce
[*] Granola (one of those foods with a health halo that can be the sugar equivalent of a candy bar)
[*] Packaged soups
[*] Bottled tea
[*] Canned fruit
[*] Breakfast cereals
Quote from a Time article: "Overall, processed foods contained eight times more sugar than less processed foods such as breads, cheese and canned foods, and five times more sugar than unprocessed or minimally processed choices such as meats, fresh fruits or vegetables, grains and milk."
Meh, I eat 'American' bread and the kind I eat has 1g of sugar per slice, plus 2g of fiber, 3g protein and 4% of daily iron.7 -
pcdoctor01 wrote: »I never realized the importance of counting carbs. Found out that I've been losing weight the incorrect way. Instead of counting carbs, I was watching my added sugar intake. I know what to do now but d*mn! One cup of Cheerios is 20 carbs. One cup of blueberries is 21 carbs. To think I've been eating two cups of Cherrios on some days and one day I even topped them with blueberries. This is really eye opening.
CICO...
Cheerios in, Cheerios Out?
that is impossible, because empty...
It's cuz the hole in the center .... makes me want a donut4 -
if you keep your calories under control, you can probably eat more carbs than you think especially if it has a lot of nutrients in it. i.e berries.. so 20 carbs, that's nothing. But so worth it for the fiber and vitamins. the bad carbs if you want to classify it - is cake, pastries, etc.. so those things could be eliminated if anything, vs healthy berries and fruit!1
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lemurcat12 wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »MelissaPhippsFeagins wrote: »I pay attention to carbs because my dad has diabetes and I don't want it. He counts carbs to keep his blood glucose controlled..
I lose weight best on high protein. Nutrition is a very individual science.
But wait, do you mean he counts all carbs or starchy carbs? Diabetics are also advised to stay away from certain fruits, or only eat them in very limited amounts - like bananas and melons - and also alcohol due to the way it metabolizes in your body . . . neither fruits nor alcohol are traditionally seen as "carbs". So does he count all carbs, or just starchy carbs? If so, I'd say that's more for portion control than anything else.
Why would you assume he counts just starchy carbs? Sugar is a carb and presumably you'd count sugar and starch. (Diabetics often will count net carbs in the few countries, like the US, where fiber is included in the carb count -- I know diabetics I know are told that fiber is a good thing.)
What on earth do you mean that fruit is not seen as a carb? Of course it is.
You seem to be thinking of "counting carbs" as counting foods, which doesn't work since most foods are a mix. I think of "counting carbs" as counting grams of carbs. Diabetics (although I am not) are often told to eat carbs with protein and fat and fiber and not to exceed a particular amount (like 30 grams or some such) per meal.
No, I am thinking of counting carbs. I know most foods are a mix. And what I mean is that when people say I'm watching/counting my carb intake, they typically mean I'm watching the amount of pasta, bread, etc etc products I eat. They don't - unless they're informed or have special dietary needs - say I'm cutting down on the amount of fruit and veggies I eat . . . both of which have a lot of carbs in them. The exception (in this case) being diabetics who have been educated/informed about what this means for them as their bodies require a specialized diet from what most of us consume, or others who have medical dietary restrictions/specialized dietary requirements.
Most diabetics I know avoid the "traditionally" bad carbs: pasta, bread, rice, etc. You can't say presumably you'd count sugar, though, either. Most diabetics I know are not very well informed - mostly by choice because I live in Canada where we have endless programs available - free of charge - to anyone diagnosed with it and pre-diabetics, too.
Perhaps the diabetics you know are better educated about what's actually happening in their bodies . . . the ones I know, are not very well informed and do not seem to care, either.1 -
acorsaut89 wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »acorsaut89 wrote: »MelissaPhippsFeagins wrote: »I pay attention to carbs because my dad has diabetes and I don't want it. He counts carbs to keep his blood glucose controlled..
I lose weight best on high protein. Nutrition is a very individual science.
But wait, do you mean he counts all carbs or starchy carbs? Diabetics are also advised to stay away from certain fruits, or only eat them in very limited amounts - like bananas and melons - and also alcohol due to the way it metabolizes in your body . . . neither fruits nor alcohol are traditionally seen as "carbs". So does he count all carbs, or just starchy carbs? If so, I'd say that's more for portion control than anything else.
Why would you assume he counts just starchy carbs? Sugar is a carb and presumably you'd count sugar and starch. (Diabetics often will count net carbs in the few countries, like the US, where fiber is included in the carb count -- I know diabetics I know are told that fiber is a good thing.)
What on earth do you mean that fruit is not seen as a carb? Of course it is.
You seem to be thinking of "counting carbs" as counting foods, which doesn't work since most foods are a mix. I think of "counting carbs" as counting grams of carbs. Diabetics (although I am not) are often told to eat carbs with protein and fat and fiber and not to exceed a particular amount (like 30 grams or some such) per meal.
No, I am thinking of counting carbs. I know most foods are a mix. And what I mean is that when people say I'm watching/counting my carb intake, they typically mean I'm watching the amount of pasta, bread, etc etc products I eat.
I haven't found that, and that would (of course) be an inaccurate use of the term.
I low carb, and have known plenty of people who low carb, and I haven't found that people don't include fruit (or many other foods besides starchy carbs) in the term when they are actually watching them. (For example, soda is a HUGE source of carbs if you drink it, and all sugar.) I would agree that the occasional person shows up on MFP not knowing what a carb is (or sometimes thinking it means bread and potatoes and pasta and not understanding fruit and veg have carbs and says something IMO silly like "I am going to cut out all carbs," but I don't think anyone actually watching them would make that mistake). I also agree that people often use the term weirdly when referring to foods (someone calling ice cream "a carb" and not fruit drives me crazy, as ice cream gets as many calories from fat, but neither of those is starchy).They don't - unless they're informed or have special dietary needs - say I'm cutting down on the amount of fruit and veggies I eat . . . both of which have a lot of carbs in them.
Non starchy vegetables do not have very many carbs in them, especially if you mean total carbs. They are "carbs" if we are using the term casually, because they are mostly carbs, but low carb doesn't mean no carbs, so you can eat lots of vegetables (I don't limit them at all).
Lots of people doing low carb DO limit fruit.The exception being diabetics who have been educated/informed about what this means for them as their bodies require a specialized diet from what most of us consume.
Agree, but mainstream medical advice still doesn't actually push low carb for diabetics in many cases, and is more likely to push a moderate carb, mixed macro, make sure the carbs have fiber or aren't eaten alone kind of approach. Some even push just a traditional healthy diet including lots of starchy carbs so long as they have fiber too (like whole grains and, yeah, fruit).Most diabetics I know avoid the "traditionally" bad carbs: pasta, bread, rice, etc. You can't say presumably you'd count sugar, though, either. Most diabetics I know are not very well informed - mostly by choice because I live in Canada where we have endless programs available - free of charge - to anyone diagnosed with it and pre-diabetics, too.
I am not going to predict how well-informed anyone is, since people constantly amaze me by what they manage not to know ;-) but I think it would be weird to understand that starch is a carb but not sugar, especially in this sugar is the devil era that we are in.Perhaps the diabetics you know are better educated about what's actually happening in their bodies . . . the ones I know, are not very well informed and do not seem to care, either.
Sigh, I spent last evening with a friend of mine who has been not managing his T2D for a long time so this is on my mind. He is well informed (he has a degree from MIT, so really has no excuse not to have read up and understood what the deal is), but does not seem to care most of the time if it means changing his diet. He's not overweight, so probably is someone where managing the diet is essential and not just losing weight.0 -
if you keep your calories under control, you can probably eat more carbs than you think especially if it has a lot of nutrients in it. i.e berries.. so 20 carbs, that's nothing. But so worth it for the fiber and vitamins. the bad carbs if you want to classify it - is cake, pastries, etc.. so those things could be eliminated if anything, vs healthy berries and fruit!
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People telling you to forget about counting carbs are wrong. First of all, we all process carbs different. Second, carbs from good sources (fruit, whole grains, etc) are fine. The more fiber the better. Processed breads and cereals aren't that great when trying to diet. Like someone said above "Nutrition is a very individual science." See what works for you. Personally, I am gluten intolerant but even high carb items that are gluten free weigh me down and make me feel like crap. Carbs from fruits and veggies give me so much energy.1
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I wish OP would come back and tell us if their doctor gave them some kind of explanation on why they were losing weight the wrong way. Like is their a medical condition involved, or is this just another doctor who took one semester of nutrition in 1985 and now learns about it only through FB.
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People telling you to forget about counting carbs are wrong. First of all, we all process carbs different. Second, carbs from good sources (fruit, whole grains, etc) are fine. The more fiber the better. Processed breads and cereals aren't that great when trying to diet. Like someone said above "Nutrition is a very individual science." See what works for you. Personally, I am gluten intolerant but even high carb items that are gluten free weigh me down and make me feel like crap. Carbs from fruits and veggies give me so much energy.
I never count carbs, but checking my macro breakdown my daily percentage of carbs is usually 50-60% percent of my daily calories. Guess what? I've lost 130lbs. If that makes me wrong, I guess I don't wanna be right.7 -
People telling you to forget about counting carbs are wrong. First of all, we all process carbs different. Second, carbs from good sources (fruit, whole grains, etc) are fine. The more fiber the better. Processed breads and cereals aren't that great when trying to diet. Like someone said above "Nutrition is a very individual science." See what works for you. Personally, I am gluten intolerant but even high carb items that are gluten free weigh me down and make me feel like crap. Carbs from fruits and veggies give me so much energy.
I don't count carbohydrates at all. I lost weight successfully, progressed in my fitness goals, and have excellent health markers. Don't over-generalize. High carbohydrate items never make me feel like "crap," I actually thrive on a high carbohydrate diet.
Many people can successfully lose weight while eating processed bread (what would unprocessed bread be anyway?) and cereal.
It's odd to see you say that nutrition is "very individual" and then declare that wide swaths of food "aren't that great."6 -
People telling you to forget about counting carbs are wrong. First of all, we all process carbs different. Second, carbs from good sources (fruit, whole grains, etc) are fine. The more fiber the better. Processed breads and cereals aren't that great when trying to diet. Like someone said above "Nutrition is a very individual science." See what works for you. Personally, I am gluten intolerant but even high carb items that are gluten free weigh me down and make me feel like crap. Carbs from fruits and veggies give me so much energy.
I lost 50lbs and improved all my health markers, including normalizing a high glucose number, while eating all sorts of carbs-including those from processed breads and cereals. Been maintaining the loss and better health for over 4 years now too, while still eating lots of carby foods.4 -
People telling you to forget about counting carbs are wrong. First of all, we all process carbs different. Second, carbs from good sources (fruit, whole grains, etc) are fine. The more fiber the better. Processed breads and cereals aren't that great when trying to diet. Like someone said above "Nutrition is a very individual science." See what works for you. Personally, I am gluten intolerant but even high carb items that are gluten free weigh me down and make me feel like crap. Carbs from fruits and veggies give me so much energy.
But OP lost weight and it sounds like they were happy with their process and method until the doctor told them they did it "the wrong way". So why would carbs be bad for their diet in your opinion?8 -
Thats the WONDERFUL thing about calorie counting...you don't have to restrict your carb intake and in turn you are a happier and more balanced person! Carb restriction is for the birds! When you meet crabby, miserable people in life, they are usually carb counters! LOL
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No, we don't. Carbs are metabolized into simple sugars regardless of the source. That doesn't vary from one human body to another.People telling you to forget about counting carbs are wrong. First of all, we all process carbs different...
What exactly makes fructose and sucrose from "good" sources fine, while fructose and sucrose from processed breads and cereals are "not that great"?...Second, carbs from good sources (fruit, whole grains, etc) are fine. The more fiber the better. Processed breads and cereals aren't that great when trying to diet....
Like I said above, not nearly as different as one might think. Unless we're comparing nutrition across different species of animals, and maybe throwing non-carbon based life forms into the mix. Human bodies are remarkably homogeneous....Like someone said above "Nutrition is a very individual science."...
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/you-are-not-different.html/
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People telling you to forget about counting carbs are wrong. First of all, we all process carbs different. Second, carbs from good sources (fruit, whole grains, etc) are fine. The more fiber the better. Processed breads and cereals aren't that great when trying to diet. Like someone said above "Nutrition is a very individual science." See what works for you. Personally, I am gluten intolerant but even high carb items that are gluten free weigh me down and make me feel like crap. Carbs from fruits and veggies give me so much energy.
again wrong..
carbs = carbs
when it comes to nutritional science we are all pretty much the same, barring any medical conditions.
if I eat processed cereals for breakfast, hit my micros and macros, and am in a 500 calorie deficit for the day, will I lose weight?6 -
i typically stay in the 40-60% range for carbs, just depends on the day and how much i feel i need, etc.2
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People telling you to forget about counting carbs are wrong.... [C]arbs from good sources (fruit, whole grains, etc) are fine. The more fiber the better. Processed breads and cereals aren't that great when trying to diet.
These are contradictory statements.
I have often said that for most people amount of carbs vs. amount of fat does not matter, the source of both is what matters. That position would equate to "counting carbs does not matter."
For some people, though -- maybe OP, maybe not -- amount of carbs can matter for hunger level or other things, and they also might matter for health. I'd still pay attention to the source of the carbs, of course (important to use carbs for non starchy veg if you don't have that many, IMO), but there might be a reason to count them, also.0 -
Wow! I guess I need to frequent this area of the board more often than the "Fitness and Exercise section.0
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Thanks again all for responding. You are making me smile and laugh.
Yes, that's what I'm trying to do now. My sister seems to take after my mom's side of the family while I tend to take after my dad's.need2move2 wrote: »I have a family history of diabetes... so.. I watch my carbs close.. hoping to avoid the disease as long as I can
Yes, doing that now.CynthiasChoice wrote: »Listen to your doctor. He's the one looking at your blood work. If your triglycerides are elevated, then yes you do need to watch both carbs and sugar. And there's a host of other things your labs could be indicating that would make your doctor prescribe lowering your carbs. Perhaps "losing weight the wrong way" wasn't quite what your doctor said to you, but rather your take-away that was personal to you and made sense to you. Don't let people on the forums convince you to ignore your doctor. Weight loss isn't your only concern.
Yes, thanks.GaleHawkins wrote: »pcdoctor01 wrote: »I never realized the importance of counting carbs. Found out that I've been losing weight the incorrect way. Instead of counting carbs, I was watching my added sugar intake. I know what to do now but d*mn! One cup of Cheerios is 20 carbs. One cup of blueberries is 21 carbs. To think I've been eating two cups of Cherrios on some days and one day I even topped them with blueberries. This is really eye opening.
@pcdoctor01 learning the best way to personally eat can take years I am personally learning through trial and error. Nothing positive happened health or weight wise in my case until I learned how to count carbs. I still eat carbs and without bad side effects as long as I keep my daily intake <50 grams.
Best of success as you learn the best way for you to eat giving you the best total health. There is no one way of eating that works for 100% of the world.
Yes, watching my calorie intake and carbs.crazyycatladyy1 wrote: »pcdoctor01 wrote: »My Dad has diabetes so I really have to watch my carbs now because I tend to take after his side of the family. I don't have diabetes but since my Dad does I better be careful.
I'm a former pre-diabetic and I don't track carbs. Tracking my calorie intake and eating the correct amount of calories for my weight loss goals was enough to normalize my glucose number (I lost 50lbs by reducing my calorie intake). Now several years into maintenance I continue to see glucose numbers in the 80s and I still don't track my carb intake at all. I also come from a family tree full of type 2 diabetics (and obesity), and I'm the only one who's reversed the progression of prediabetes. CICO
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Still incorrect. You need to count calories rather than carbs. The other two macros can put you over maintenance quite magnificently2
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Best of luck to you pcdoctor01! I hope you will find satisfaction in the diet your doctor recommends, and that it will make you feel well and be well. After looking at my lab work, my doctor also recommended lowering carb intake in addition to counting calories. It seemed really hard at first, but staying under 100 carbs (most days) makes me feel better physically and mentally. For me, lower carbs = more self control around food, less obsessive thinking about food, and as a result, less stressful calorie restriction. I hope you find the same!1
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Cynthia, thanks for the kind works!!!
CynthiasChoice wrote: »Best of luck to you pcdoctor01! I hope you will find satisfaction in the diet your doctor recommends, and that it will make you feel well and be well. After looking at my lab work, my doctor also recommended lowering carb intake in addition to counting calories. It seemed really hard at first, but staying under 100 carbs (most days) makes me feel better physically and mentally. For me, lower carbs = more self control around food, less obsessive thinking about food, and as a result, less stressful calorie restriction. I hope you find the same!
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People telling you to forget about counting carbs are wrong. First of all, we all process carbs different. Second, carbs from good sources (fruit, whole grains, etc) are fine. The more fiber the better. Processed breads and cereals aren't that great when trying to diet. Like someone said above "Nutrition is a very individual science." See what works for you. Personally, I am gluten intolerant but even high carb items that are gluten free weigh me down and make me feel like crap. Carbs from fruits and veggies give me so much energy.
Could this be because eating foods that would have gluten in them where they have been made gluten free are heavier foods to begin with? For example, breads? Gluten free bread is incredibly dense, so it takes more to digest it and thus making you feel like crap. However, vegetables and fruits (which also have carbs in them - and no, not fruit/veggie carbs . . . just carbs) are usually lighter and more fibrous to begin with so they don't "weigh you down".0 -
pcdoctor01 wrote: »Thanks all for the responses. I've lost weight but the doctor said I was doing it to wrong way. I was eating way too many carbs even though I was in a calorie deficit. I use the "Exercise and Fitness" discussion area 100% of the time but kinda figured I posted to the wrong discussion area.
"Doctors know squat about nutrition"- My Doctor.4 -
People telling you to forget about counting carbs are wrong. First of all, we all process carbs different. Second, carbs from good sources (fruit, whole grains, etc) are fine. The more fiber the better. Processed breads and cereals aren't that great when trying to diet. Like someone said above "Nutrition is a very individual science." See what works for you. Personally, I am gluten intolerant but even high carb items that are gluten free weigh me down and make me feel like crap. Carbs from fruits and veggies give me so much energy.
Lol. Those saying that are well versed in science (some even have degrees) and successful at weight loss. I'd rather listen to those that know what they're talking about.
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