Low Carb Question

newwed412
newwed412 Posts: 68 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How many carbs a day do you consider low carb?

Replies

  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Most consider under 100-150g of carbs as low carb. Under 20-50g of carbs is usually considered to be ketogenic.

    There is variation in this. Those that are very active, and time their carbs around activity, may still manage to be ketogenic even though they are eating 150g or so of carbs. Those with insulin resistance may noit be ketogenic unless they eat fewer than 20-30g of carbs.

    For overall low carb, under 100-150g is a typical definition.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    It varies. What is your goal?

    I mean, you might be eating 1200 calories a day - versus a person like me who eats 2300 a day...it's all relative.

    Are you trying to get into ketosis? Or just lower carbs? Why are you asking?
  • newwed412
    newwed412 Posts: 68 Member
    I am just trying to lower carbs. I am almost at goal weight. Like seriously less than 5 pounds away. Trying something different. Low fat doesn’t work for me so I am trying to make better choices of real food. I was consuming over 20 carbs a day, eating whatever as long as it fit in my calories. And even though I stayed in my calories I was gaining. I cut back on carbs some and that weight came off. Just trying to get a hold on things.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    Have you reset your calorie goals to you new weight?

    Are you sure you're accurately logging?

    Lowering your carbs will manipulate water weight initially. That's not fat loss. That weight you saw drop off will come back.

    You need to look at this with an eye to the long term instead of a rush to the finish line.

    Get a handle on your tracking.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    20g is already very low carb, you don't need to lower it from this point. Playing with macros will not increase your weight loss. You need to log tightly, make sure you aren't eating back more exercise calories than you are really expending, and be patient, since weight can fluctuate due to water gains.
  • newwed412
    newwed412 Posts: 68 Member
    edited November 2017
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    20g is already very low carb, you don't need to lower it from this point. Playing with macros will not increase your weight loss. You need to log tightly, make sure you aren't eating back more exercise calories than you are really expending, and be patient, since weight can fluctuate due to water gains.

    I meant over 200 carbs a day not 20. I have lost 50 pounds on weight watchers but as I have become more active weight watchers isn’t working for me anymore
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    newwed412 wrote: »
    I am just trying to lower carbs. I am almost at goal weight. Like seriously less than 5 pounds away. Trying something different. Low fat doesn’t work for me so I am trying to make better choices of real food. I was consuming over 20 carbs a day, eating whatever as long as it fit in my calories. And even though I stayed in my calories I was gaining. I cut back on carbs some and that weight came off. Just trying to get a hold on things.

    No you weren't staying within your calories or you wouldn't be gaining weight. That's simply not how it works.

    Maybe cutting back on carbs is where you want to cut some additional calories and there's certainly nothing wrong with that, but it's the lower calories that will cause you to lose not the fact that they're carbs. It's important to understand this distinction particularly if you like carbs and feel you have to suffer through eating low carb to lose weight. I promise you don't.

    And if you're trying to find the most effective ways for you to cut calories and you want to try it by cutting carbs, the number you're eating doesn't really matter. Just that you're cutting back on the calories.

    I know that sounds a little circular, but the logic is super important to help keep you from getting frustrated or discouraged if you cut carbs but end up increasing somewhere else and still don't lose weight.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    newwed412 wrote: »
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    20g is already very low carb, you don't need to lower it from this point. Playing with macros will not increase your weight loss. You need to log tightly, make sure you aren't eating back more exercise calories than you are really expending, and be patient, since weight can fluctuate due to water gains.

    I meant over 200 carbs a day not 20. I have lost 50 pounds on weight watchers but as I have become more active weight watchers isn’t working for me anymore

    If it's not working for you, you are taking in too many calories for your level of activity - it has nothing to do with carbs. Set a goal, log your food and your activity, and stay in a deficit. Your carbs have nothing to do with anything unless you have a health condition which requires you to watch carbs, or are trying to stay in ketosis.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited November 2017
    Depends on your total calories. I normally think of 100-120 g as low carb (or lower, obviously) or around 30% of carbs or less, no matter the total.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited November 2017
    Oh, and as others said, not losing means the calories are too high, not the carbs (lowering carbs makes it easier for some to lower calories, though).

    If you cut carbs sharply from 200 g you lost water weight, pretty much everyone does when initially cutting carbs significantly.
  • LB30
    LB30 Posts: 109 Member
    newwed412 wrote: »
    Lesson learned from all of this: Don’t ask questions up here because there are way too many know it alls. Stay away from the community boards. Obviously people talk about things without doing all the research. There is such a thing as carb sensitivity. So much for looking here for help or support. I see why the weight watchers community board is so active, they are positive people without bashing anyone. Peace out mfp! #donewithyall

    Wow. Really? That's what you took away from the above comments?
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Try the Low Carber Daily MFP group. They are a very low carb savvy group.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,242 Member
    newwed412 wrote: »
    Lesson learned from all of this: Don’t ask questions up here because there are way too many know it alls. Stay away from the community boards. Obviously people talk about things without doing all the research. There is such a thing as carb sensitivity. So much for looking here for help or support. I see why the weight watchers community board is so active, they are positive people without bashing anyone. Peace out mfp! #donewithyall

    I love the fact that you discovered you're carb sensitive 5lbs from goal.

    Look. You can keep on believing that fruits and vegetables are free or you can figure out what you're actually doing.

    If you want to learn how to weigh yourself correctly so you can actually judge your progress, and if you want to understand what happens when you manipulate your water weight, hang around.

    Else, it *is* a free internet.

    Just make sure that the door doesn't hit your *kitten*
  • pogiguy05
    pogiguy05 Posts: 1,583 Member
    LB30 wrote: »
    newwed412 wrote: »
    Lesson learned from all of this: Don’t ask questions up here because there are way too many know it alls. Stay away from the community boards. Obviously people talk about things without doing all the research. There is such a thing as carb sensitivity. So much for looking here for help or support. I see why the weight watchers community board is so active, they are positive people without bashing anyone. Peace out mfp! #donewithyall

    Wow. Really? That's what you took away from the above comments?

    We dont need them sensitive sissys anyways bwhahahahahahaha someone lock the door behind them please. MFP revoked

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