Carb control?!

LauraSrock18
LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys! This is for people who are not on Keto or other low carb diets!

I started working on my own after I decided to quit working with my coach where I was told to eat 100-120grams of carbs. I felt tired/lethargic constantly so i decided to increase my calories/macros closer to what MFP suggests. I guess I get nervous going from 120-to 160-170 (MFP suggests 220)
Has anyone followed the macros MFP suggests even with higher carb & lost consistently?
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Replies

  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
    I had no problem losing while eating 160-200g carbs/day. That's just where they fall after hitting my protein and fat macros.

    Calories are all that matter for weight loss.
  • LauraSrock18
    LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
    kami3006 wrote: »
    I had no problem losing while eating 160-200g carbs/day. That's just where they fall after hitting my protein and fat macros.

    Calories are all that matter for weight loss.

    Thank you so much!!
  • LauraSrock18
    LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    My highest daily carb intake while successfully losing weight was 650g - I was still in a deficit that day and it's your deficit that determines fat loss, not your carb count.

    Very true! Thank you for putting that into perspective:)
  • LauraSrock18
    LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
    VegHeadGettingFit wrote: »
    I've consumed 250g+ daily and lost weight weekly.

    Thank you for that! That’s so encouraging!
  • LauraSrock18
    LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
    L1zardQueen wrote: »
    Don’t be afraid of carbs! It’s the calories first and foremost and macros are for satiety.

    That’s so true! I guess with all these diets like keto/Adkins it makes me afraid of carbs!

  • LauraSrock18
    LauraSrock18 Posts: 125 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    The only thing needed for weight loss is a calorie deficit. You could eat 100% carbs* and still lose weight.

    *-obviously this is not recommended as fat/protein are very important


    Some days my carbs are close to 100% but thankfully not every day :)

  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
    You might see a small bump on the scale when you up your carbs due to water retention. It will level out so don't let it freak you out. Since you're not really increasing them by much, you may not see anything but I thought it was worth mentioning. It will not be fat gain! :)
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    I often go over my carbs. But I still dropped 106lbs. As others have said, it's all about the deficit. (I focus on protein and iron and let the rest fall where it falls. Which tends to be higher carbs and lower—but not 'low' fat).
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,585 Member
    LauraSrock18 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    The only thing needed for weight loss is a calorie deficit. You could eat 100% carbs* and still lose weight.

    *-obviously this is not recommended as fat/protein are very important


    Some days my carbs are close to 100% but thankfully not every day :)

    This is my dream diet.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    LauraSrock18 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    The only thing needed for weight loss is a calorie deficit. You could eat 100% carbs* and still lose weight.

    *-obviously this is not recommended as fat/protein are very important


    Some days my carbs are close to 100% but thankfully not every day :)

    This is my dream diet.

    I had to eat like that for eight days. Sadly, much as I loved the food, with insufficient protein it did a number on my satiety levels.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,388 MFP Moderator
    I lost 50lbs and kept it off for 6 years with eating 250g to 300g of carbs a day. But personally i prioritize protein and just let fats and carbs fall out.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I lost 50lbs and kept it off for 6 years with eating 250g to 300g of carbs a day. But personally i prioritize protein and just let fats and carbs fall out.

    ok so it's not just me! i was watching calories and protein like a hawk and only reazlied awhile in my fat was way off (way below) and my carbs were high. I am working on balancing the fat but then reducing carb will be ... difficult.
  • shedsports10
    shedsports10 Posts: 39 Member
    I looked back at my carbs for the last two weeks and I have not gone over my cabs on any of my day. Even with pizza. I add another 30 mins work out that helps with the extra carbs. I did notice that the days I burn more calories I have a higher carb goal for that day. I do not know if this help or is true for everyone.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited June 2018
    I average about 250 grams of carbs (more on exercise days) when I'm losing.

    If you're increasing your carbs form 100-120 to 200+ expect your weight loss to stall for a while or even gain. This is normal. With more carbs comes more glycogen and more water weight. Your baseline weight is higher with higher carbs for that reason, but it doesn't mean you're fatter. As you're also increasing calories, food volume in your gut will be larger making a stall even more likely.

    Don't let that scare you. It's entirely normal and doesn't mean you are gaining fat or that you stopped losing. Be patient and continue doing what you're doing and your weight will eventually start going down again. It's one of the most common reasons people think carbs are fattening; their weight goes up when they increase carbs and they panic.

    Also keep in mind that since you are increasing your calories, when your weight loss does resume, you will be losing at a slower rate than you have been so far. Undoubtedly you've lost a bunch of water weight when you started low carbing but your deficit was also higher.

    If you go into this mentally prepared you'll be surprised how little difference macros make to your long term weight loss outside of personal preference and how your hunger responds, so may as well pick comfortable macros. Usually, it's best to hit a minimum for protein and fat, then use the rest of the calories on whatever you want.

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