What the hell are carbs?

So with help of a nutritionist I'm meant to be on a low carb diet.

But now I'm confused.

Items such as cucumber are coming up as carbs? And so are carrots?

And she's told me now I'm eating too many carbs??

I live on meat, fish, fresh fruit, veg and a few nuts.

So what are carbs???????
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Replies

  • Rebecca0224
    Rebecca0224 Posts: 810 Member
    Hiw many carbs does she want you to eat a day?
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,128 Member
    Valid point raised above about your nutritionist!

    This link has a fairly straightforward explanation of what carbs are
    http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/types-of-carbohydrates.html
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited July 2017
    So with help of a nutritionist I'm meant to be on a low carb diet.

    But now I'm confused.

    Items such as cucumber are coming up as carbs? And so are carrots?

    And she's told me now I'm eating too many carbs??

    I live on meat, fish, fresh fruit, veg and a few nuts.

    So what are carbs???????

    This is over simplified, but basically food is made up of 3 macros - protien, fat, and carbs. Cucumber is not fatty or high in protein....so what's left is carbs. HOWEVER, cucumbers are very low calorie (very low in most nutrients) so they are fairly low carb and you also get fiber.

    You get fiber from carbs.....your "nutritionist" did not intend for you to go on a zero carb (zero fiber) diet.

    If you have medical issues (diabetes, PCOS) low(er) carb may be a good choice. Ask your nutrtionist why she put you on a low carb diet.....because it's not like you can't lose weight while eating carbs.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,413 Member
    bahahahaahaha I've never watched Adult Swim. Thanks for that. :lol:
  • OliveGirl128
    OliveGirl128 Posts: 801 Member
    edited July 2017
    Carbohydrates are a macro-nutrient. There are 3 macro-nutrients - carbs, proteins and fats. Every food is made up of these three macros. So, if it isn't protein and it isn't fat, it's a carb (or some combo of the three).

    This.

    And there's no reason to go low carb for weight loss, unless you want to. Carbs aren't what matters for weight loss, having the correct calorie deficit for your weight loss goals is and that's what you should be focusing on.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    Yeah.... no.


    Did you know that a nutritionist course can be completed over a weekend? Considering they didn't even give you a sheet of paper listing the foods you need to minimize, or even referred you to a nutrition website tells screams that much from the one you've been seeing.

    There is nothing wrong with carbs, even for weight loss.

    Excess calories are responsible for weight gain.

    Innacurate food logging (underestimating/guessing instead of using a food scale) and overestimating exercise calories burned is responsible for no to less weight loss when in a deficit/logging.

    Eat foods for nutrition.

    Eat foods for joy (yes, you can have chocolate and/or ice cream if you include it in your calories!) :drinker:

    Just log everything that you eat, drink and cook with. Weigh solid and semi solid food on a digital food scale in grams.

    Choose correct database entries. A green check mark entry isn't necessarily correct. Check your food packaging and USDA food database if you're unsure.

    All foods have calories. They add up.