New to low-carb with 2 questions
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emjay196363
Posts: 37 Member
I've been serious about losing weight (this time) for about 3 weeks. This time I notice that giving up calories from carbs is much easier for me than giving up fat and protein. But I still can't seem to get below 120 grams or so. What exactly does "low-carb" mean, in terms of how many carbs you eat?
Also, are all carbs the same? I eat very little sugar other than some fruit. The carbs I eat come from fruit, vegetables, beans, dairy, and whole grains.
Also, are all carbs the same? I eat very little sugar other than some fruit. The carbs I eat come from fruit, vegetables, beans, dairy, and whole grains.
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for me ... I eat only 10 to 15 carbs a day and those are mainly veggie carbs , I don't eat fruit at all anymore . But this is just the way I do it , I have a lot of weight to lose . like 200 I have lost 50 so far , I know some people lose weight eating 100 carbs a day , i just can't . Good Luck !!!2
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I would drop the whole grains for sure.
Low carb is generally below 150g but in that most people generally avoid grains.3 -
I lost all of my excess 60 plus pounds averaging 128 carbs per day. Vegetables, fruits, legumes, dairy and grains. What I avoided were foods like cookies, cakes, ice cream, Fritos, Doritos, Cheetos.
I'll guess that a lot of people who eat a ketogenic diet may skip grains, legumes, most fruit and probably limit dairy but if you enjoy them and can manage your carbs and calories with them go for it! Obviously if you are gluten intolerant you'd skip grains but otherwise grains can fit in a low carb diet.
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I try to stay below 50 net carbs. I mostly don't eat fruit, grains & starchy vegetables. I eat a lot of greens and non-starchy vegetables. I also eat small serving of legumes breakfast and lunch for fullness. Lots of people eat lower....but I'm not willing to give up vegetables!
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I try to stay less than <50 carbs. To do this it means no bread or pasta period. Beans can be high in carbs so you need to check before eating. Fruit should be limited to some berries. I don't limit green veggies at all. This is my guideline but there is a lot of room to customize a LCHF diet.1
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Generally I'm below 50 net carbs with a goal to remain under 25. I cut out fruit and all breads, pasta, beans, desserts, etc with limited dairy. This all helps me limit my calorie intake which I've found is the key for me.0
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I was doing LCHF with 100-150 carbs per day...that's still way lower than the average diet, so it sounds like you are already low carb, how are you feeling, how are you sleeping, how is your energy level, are you having any challenges sticking to your plan.0
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I usually stick with complex carbs, more bang for the buck.
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I agree that not all carbs are the same - I take into account how much fiber I am getting along with any carbs I consume. I use the Glycemic Load List & Glycemic Index, which will which foods are best for having minimal impact on blood sugar.
Right now I am aiming for staying under 60 grams of carbs per day, most of my carbs coming from nuts, seeds and vegetables.2 -
tcunbeliever wrote: »I was doing LCHF with 100-150 carbs per day...that's still way lower than the average diet, so it sounds like you are already low carb, how are you feeling, how are you sleeping, how is your energy level, are you having any challenges sticking to your plan.
I'm feeling very well. I've noticed my blood sugar is more stable - when I do get hungry I no longer get "hangry" and crash if I can't eat immediately. I don't miss carbs nearly as much as I used to miss fat when I was trying to stay away from it.2 -
I follow keto, which is very low carb. That's typically less than 20 net carbs a day, with most carbs coming from vegetables and nuts like almonds. You can still lose weight with your carb intake, though. Agree on choosing quality whole grains.1
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Also a keto regime follower, love that I no longer suffer from hunger pangs and post-carb crashes too.
I have my MFP diary carb limit set to 20g a day, and it's rare that I go over that and I don't stress about it if I do, the one issue I have is that I probably don't get enough calories onboard with keto as my appetite is satisfied so much sooner.1 -
Finding what works best for you is one of the things I like most about this way of eating. What works for one, will not work for all and you'll need to evaluate and tweak as you go. I focus on 35g or less daily. I'm not diabetic, and I do not track if I'm in ketosis. I do not stress if I go over my daily limit provided it'snot an excessive overage. This is a life style for me, and 3 years in I've made modifications and tweaks and learned how I feel when I eat this or that.
No. not all carbs are created equal. I suspect you knew that though. If you are able to meet your health goals with the whole grains, worry not. But if whole grains lead to not so wholesome grains, and white starches in your diet I'd encourage you to evaluate their place in your way of eating.
Personally, I avoid grains and starches focusing my carb intake on dairy, leafy greens, and the occasional corn product as I LOVE them (tortillas, etc) and if I'm diligent about not making tortilla chips a daily extravagance they seem to pose no real negative impact.2 -
No. not all carbs are created equal. I suspect you knew that though.
In terms of nutrition I know they aren't at all equal. But I'm honestly not sure if the body treats 20 carbs of sugar the same as 20 carbs of bread the same as 20 carbs of vegetables, in terms of losing weight.
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emjay196363 wrote: »
I think the veggies have fiber which is a deduction if I am saying that right. I just lump all my carbs together and estimate how many. This works for me because I don't eat bread, pasta but do eat veggies (not root ones). The only weakness for me is wine, I have two glasses with dinner each night. My typical day is zero in the morning, five at lunch, maybe ten at dinner and I figure 15 for the wine. I guess I hit between 30 and 50 carbs a day. I am reasonably active and try to run every other day. I sure wish beer was zero carbs.4 -
emjay196363 wrote: »
Strictly speaking in terms of weight loss, a carb is a carb is a carb.
The difference with breads, grains, starches and veggies usually come in terms of satiety, compliance and how they make you feel. I personally stay away from starches because they do not fill me up and they do make me have hangry crashes after eating them - I can eat either potatoes or rice until I am so stuffed I can't move, and while I 'feel' full, my body is still saying eat more (I have eaten in one sitting, an entire pot of rice that was meant for the whole family). I am the same way with breads - I have little or no self-control when it comes to fresh breads of any sort - I will eat them until I am uncomfortable and regretting it for the rest of the day.
What I specifically like about the keto WOE is that neither fats nor protein (MEAT) have the same effect on me - a reasonable portion of meat and fat will satisfy me for hours with no crashes and no binges on the protein/fats.2 -
emjay196363 wrote: »
In terms of nutrition I know they aren't at all equal. But I'm honestly not sure if the body treats 20 carbs of sugar the same as 20 carbs of bread the same as 20 carbs of vegetables, in terms of losing weight.
For me, I've noticed my body doesn't seem to mind more carbs from vegetables when it comes to losing weight. If I'm eating a boatload of "rabbit" food and going over my target carb grams daily I won't gain. However, there are people for whom ANY increase in carbs, from ANY source makes an impact. I'll probably take some experimentation on your part to see how your body reacts.
Also @rsclause AMEN to beer with zero carbs....but I'll add one thing I sure wish "good" beer was zero carbs.
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emjay196363 wrote: »
In terms of nutrition I know they aren't at all equal. But I'm honestly not sure if the body treats 20 carbs of sugar the same as 20 carbs of bread the same as 20 carbs of vegetables, in terms of losing weight.
For me, I've noticed my body doesn't seem to mind more carbs from vegetables when it comes to losing weight. If I'm eating a boatload of "rabbit" food and going over my target carb grams daily I won't gain. However, there are people for whom ANY increase in carbs, from ANY source makes an impact. I'll probably take some experimentation on your part to see how your body reacts.
Also @rsclause AMEN to beer with zero carbs....but I'll add one thing I sure wish "good" beer was zero carbs.
Yeah, there is always bud 55 but I think they have to label it as beer flavored water. It's only craft beer for me. I have five bottles in the fridge that mock me when I open the door.2 -
^^ This is exactly the same for me too. ^^I try to stay below 50 net carbs. I mostly don't eat fruit, grains & starchy vegetables. I eat a lot of greens and non-starchy vegetables. I also eat small serving of legumes breakfast and lunch for fullness. Lots of people eat lower....but I'm not willing to give up vegetables!
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I found this information very helpful .I am new to low carb and was finding g it difficult to stay below 20 .I am new and feel better already .my goal is 25 to 30that seems very doable thanks for the info1
