I don't think carbs are bad!

danreese30 · April 2019

ekbrwz wrote: »

It seems all the current diet and nutrition advice tells us to cut back on carbs, and eat more protein and fat.

So, when I finish a day, and I'm under my calorie allowance, but I had like 60% carbs, I feel like a failure. It's dumb.

I just don't crave meat!

Veggies and fruit are carbs! Whole grains are carbs!

Am I the only person trying to lose weight in 2019 that does NOT want to limit carbs?

I feel like it's just like 10-20 years ago they were all about limiting fat, low-fat this, non-fat that. Turns out that wasn't the best advice. I feel like pretty soon the Keto/Low-Carb craze will turn out to be just another phaze.

What do you think about carbs?

ek- You are stating why the "what" you are doing is working. You are in what is called calorie deficiet. Without knowing your numbers, I will use mine....I burn like 3000 cals per day. If I only ingest 1700, the body has to make up the difference and it does that by doing 3 things: Consume Fat stores, Decrease metobolic functions (limit hair growth, nail growth, slowly heal wounds) or in extreme cases consume vital materials like bone, organs, stop beating the heart as much, dont feed the brain....Most of your metabolism is keeping you at a toasty 98 degrees, adn you cant measure that, but you can measure in the long run.

If you ate ONLY carbs for that 1700, you would still lose weight...because ...the body isnt getting enough nutrient.

The reason people are hating on carbs, is that it is a quick energy fix...the energy from a carb gives you a short, fast burn of energy which both the brain loves and the body needs...the down side is that boost of energy dies fairly fast. So the body needs another one in a few hours.

The difference, compared to more satient ingredients like proteins and fats, is they are slow, long energy and last for hours and hours.

The body is a machine that gets used to its fuel and if carb is your fuel, your brain will remind you when you need more. If its a protein, it will remind you more slowly (so you will feel less hunger).

Because my diet is 75% protein, 20% fat and 5% carb, I am losing 3lbs per week but I am NEVER hungry anymore...its all slow long energy.

If you predominately eat prots, your body will have energy and maintain its metabolism, the fat will be used to supplement energy and then as your fat stores dwindle, you can actually increase your calories...

I dont follow Keto, but I follow keto-light. Keto wants you at under 25 carbs per day. I hover under 100...25 if its a white carb (rice, pasta, bread, sugar, sweet) and 100 if its natural carbs (beans, potatoes, banana). If nature made it, I feel it ought to be good.

The last piece is despite at calorie deficiet...you will need to add activity into routine...muscle mass and things need to rebuild.

Connect with me if you want more info?

RelCanonical · April 2019

People decided to vilify carbs after government agency recommendations that people merely cut down on added sugars because it was crowding out necessary nutrients. Carbohydrates are an important energy source because they are easy to process by the body. If you are getting necessary nutrients including macros protein and fat, and micronutrients, carbohydrates are a nice way to fill out the rest of your calories for easy added energy. Calories are not the enemy either, it's just that we get too much of them. Even Vitamin A and other nutrients have toxicity levels.

I also want to add that people are not addicted to sugar. People are addicted to the formula of fat and sugar that companies have formulated to be as palatable as possible. If it was truly sugar that was addictive, we'd be freebasing bags of sugar in it's purest form.

Sugar is in fruit, and it's not really different from what you find in baked goods or candy. It's just that fruit contains fiber and many important nutrients that the candy does not. That's why it was recommended that people cut down, but people decided that it was the carbs, not the lack of micronutrients that was the problem, when it never was. Companies then took advantage of this misconception by offering food that played up the low carb phase, but still engineered it to be addicting.

Minor rant there.

WinoGelato · April 2019

danreese30 wrote: »

ekbrwz wrote: »

It seems all the current diet and nutrition advice tells us to cut back on carbs, and eat more protein and fat.

So, when I finish a day, and I'm under my calorie allowance, but I had like 60% carbs, I feel like a failure. It's dumb.

I just don't crave meat!

Veggies and fruit are carbs! Whole grains are carbs!

Am I the only person trying to lose weight in 2019 that does NOT want to limit carbs?

I feel like it's just like 10-20 years ago they were all about limiting fat, low-fat this, non-fat that. Turns out that wasn't the best advice. I feel like pretty soon the Keto/Low-Carb craze will turn out to be just another phaze.

What do you think about carbs?

ek- You are stating why the "what" you are doing is working. You are in what is called calorie deficiet. Without knowing your numbers, I will use mine....I burn like 3000 cals per day. If I only ingest 1700, the body has to make up the difference and it does that by doing 3 things: Consume Fat stores, Decrease metobolic functions (limit hair growth, nail growth, slowly heal wounds) or in extreme cases consume vital materials like bone, organs, stop beating the heart as much, dont feed the brain....Most of your metabolism is keeping you at a toasty 98 degrees, adn you cant measure that, but you can measure in the long run.

If you ate ONLY carbs for that 1700, you would still lose weight...because ...the body isnt getting enough nutrient.

The reason people are hating on carbs, is that it is a quick energy fix...the energy from a carb gives you a short, fast burn of energy which both the brain loves and the body needs...the down side is that boost of energy dies fairly fast. So the body needs another one in a few hours.

The difference, compared to more satient ingredients like proteins and fats, is they are slow, long energy and last for hours and hours.

The body is a machine that gets used to its fuel and if carb is your fuel, your brain will remind you when you need more. If its a protein, it will remind you more slowly (so you will feel less hunger).

Because my diet is 75% protein, 20% fat and 5% carb, I am losing 3lbs per week but I am NEVER hungry anymore...its all slow long energy.

If you predominately eat prots, your body will have energy and maintain its metabolism, the fat will be used to supplement energy and then as your fat stores dwindle, you can actually increase your calories...

I dont follow Keto, but I follow keto-light. Keto wants you at under 25 carbs per day. I hover under 100...25 if its a white carb (rice, pasta, bread, sugar, sweet) and 100 if its natural carbs (beans, potatoes, banana). If nature made it, I feel it ought to be good.

The last piece is despite at calorie deficiet...you will need to add activity into routine...muscle mass and things need to rebuild.

Connect with me if you want more info?

I don’t see how most of this is relevant to the OP who is asking if it’s possible to still consume carbs and have a balanced macro split and still achieve weight loss goals - the answer is yes. OP enjoys carbs and finds them to be a healthy part of a balanced diet. They are! She also doesn’t enjoy meat and while there are certainly meatless sources of protein I’m not sure your high protein diet is something that’s going to appeal to her.

You’re losing 3 lbs a week because of your calorie deficit, not your macro split, and unless you are morbidly obese that is likely too aggressive of a rate of loss as usually 2 lbs/week is the fastest recommended.

And your macro split looks not much at all like a keto diet which usually something like 5% carbs, 80% fat and 15% protein.

lemurcat2 · April 2019

danreese30 wrote: »

The reason people are hating on carbs, is that it is a quick energy fix...the energy from a carb gives you a short, fast burn of energy which both the brain loves and the body needs...the down side is that boost of energy dies fairly fast. So the body needs another one in a few hours.

This is grossly overgeneralized. This is true for a few sources of carbs -- refined carbs. Interesting, these carbs are most often eaten with fat (bread and butter, bagel and cream cheese, fries or chips, any kind of sweet baked good), which is one reason they are often high in cals.

But there are many other kinds of carbs, as carbs are the main source of calories in most plant-based foods. Beans, lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes, whole grains, including oats, corn on the cob, brown rice, and -- especially -- fruits and vegetables.

I find all of the foods mentioned above more filling than fat (I do find protein most filling). I don't eat low fat because I enjoy fat (healthy fats like from olive oil, avocados, fatty fish, nuts and seeds, mostly), but not because it's all that filling for me.

Because my diet is 75% protein, 20% fat and 5% carb, I am losing 3lbs per week but I am NEVER hungry anymore...its all slow long energy.

I can't imagine a healthy diet that's that high in protein, but I'll trust you that you've found one. I (and apparently OP) would be totally miserable eating that much protein, and unlike OP, I actually do enjoy meat. (I also am over 5% carbs on just non-starchy veg, I never get how people eat so few and get adequate veg, but assume their idea of adequate veg is different from mine. Plus, I love fruit, which would be another problem.)

The benefit of that kind of diet if trying to lose is that it would be hard to eat sufficient calories, but in that OP is losing successfully her way, no reason for her to try to go against what makes her happy to that degree.

I hover under 100...25 if its a white carb (rice, pasta, bread, sugar, sweet) and 100 if its natural carbs (beans, potatoes, banana). If nature made it, I feel it ought to be good.

This is confusing, since 100 g carbs would be 5% only if one had an 8000 cal diet.

In any case, you do know the carbs in refined carb foods like white pasta, rice, and bread all come from plants (nature) too, right? Wheat for pasta and most breads (although there are other kinds of bread and pasta), rice is a plant. The grains are refined which is why they are white, but obviously there are non refined kinds. Personally, I like brown rice and whole grain pasta and have them often (I don't really like bread that much), but nutritionally they aren't that different from white. I would consider a meal main with white pasta, some olive oil, lots of veg, pinenuts, and some shrimp (common meal for me) to be more nutritionally dense and lower cal on average than, say, whole grain pasta with a carbonara sauce and no veg. What really matters with pasta or rice is what else you eat with them -- if you have a normal serving size and don't add tons of fat, and do have protein and veg, the calories will be reasonable and the nutrition excellent. Most who claim to have overeaten pasta had messed up ideas about serving size and ate high cal (because of fat) sauces.

But I digress. Main point is that the carbs are from plants.

Same with sugar, btw -- sugar cane is a plant, and so are sugar beets. I personally tend to prefer fruit to most foods with added sugar these days, and I like that it comes with fiber and micronutrients to a greater extent, but it's not that sugar isn't from nature. (Although the whole natural thing is a rabbit hole and lots of things that grow in nature are terrible for us, like poisonous mushrooms, or polar bear liver.)

HereToLose50 · April 2019

Love love love carbs. My doctor has advised me not to go too low on them. I reduced carbs only because I was taking in way too many but I'm not low carb.

I crave meats and other proteins. A day or two a week I crave more fats instead. The constant is always carbs.

I stick to mostly less processed carbs. The super processed stuff doesn't fill me up fast nor keep me full for long.

pierinifitness · April 2019

Add me to the crowd not thinking carbs are bad. I average 55 to 60 percent carbs on most days. Every now and then I dip below 50 percent but not often.

MikePTY · April 2019

Dilvish wrote: »

Don't confuse simple carbs to complex carbs. Sugars are the enemy when it comes to weight loss. essentially simple sugars are high in calories but low in nutritional value.

If you look at Keto diets, they majorly restrict carbs overall. Why? Because our bodies use carbs for fuel. When carbs are not plentiful, the body looks to burn fat stores instead. This is why Keto diets have become very popular.

These are admittedly short term diets and should never be used long term.

Having said this, regardless, weight loss requires exercise and calorie reduction. If your daily goal is for example 1500 calories, you could eat 1500 calories worth of cupcakes if you really wanted to. You'd likely be starving and your body would lack the proper nutrients to survive but it is possible. These type of diets are called Mono diets. You eat only one thing but at the expense of health issues (the potato diets was popular once).

The biggest issue most people ignore with weight loss and carb consumption is Diabetes. Reducing or eliminating simple sugars/carbs from your diet is paramount if you are overweight, otherwise you run the risk of developing the disease and you may not know it until it is too late.

And to your comment about meat...who said you had to eat it? Protein is great for weight loss but it comes in many forms. Nuts, seeds (pumpkin specifically), plain low fat Greek or SKYR yogurt, eggs, beans, tuna, salmon the list goes on.

Fruits are simple sugars, and can be both saitiating and filled with nutrients. I love pineapple. It keeps me full for a limited amount of calories (a pound of pineapple fruit has about 225 calories), helps to hydrate me, and has lots of vitamins and nutrients.

Keto is popular becuase there always needs to be a popular, quick fix diet. People are drawn to keto because it makes the scale look pretty in a few short weeks, because by cutting out carbs, they shed water weight, which brings down the scale. But that's not fat loss. Fat loss is only done by a calorie deficit, no matter how you accomplish it. Some people feel fuller and can control their eating better on Keto. That's great for them if it does. But it works because they are in a calorie deficit, not because carbs are evil.

Sugar doesn't cause diabetes. Don't believe me? Then let diabetes tell you for me. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/diabetes-food-myths/myth-sugar-causes-diabetes?amp

lemurcat2 · April 2019

I've been craving fruit all day, so just made a delicious smoothie with avocado, zucchini, frozen strawberries, rhubarb, and peaches, plus some coconut and silken tofu. High carb (with some protein and fat intentionally), and really hitting the spot for lunch. I do not think carbs are bad! ;-)

firef1y72 · April 2019

I love carbs, carbs fuel my activity.
I'm also vegetarian, so get most of my protein from carb heavy food.
And I don't have a gallbladder, so cant eat high fat.
I've also lost 140lb eating highish carb, and kept it off

MySweetLavinia · April 2019

Does it really matter what each of us thinks of carbs (or fat, or protein?) Eat whatever diet suits you, works for you and contributes most to your health. I don't understand why it even matters what others think of it.

wilson10102018 · April 2019

MySweetLavinia wrote: »

Does it really matter what each of us thinks of carbs (or fat, or protein?) Eat whatever diet suits you, works for you and contributes most to your health. I don't understand why it even matters what others think of it.

Part of successful dieting is peer acceptance and esteem. There are a very small number of self-actualizing persons in the world, mostly of the genius or kook variety, who do not care what others think. One can wish it not so, but then one would be wrong. Fat shaming and virtue signalling is the ubiquitous characteristic of this millennium. And, there is no greater virtue to signal than an abhorrence for carbs . . . unless it is for "processed foods."

georgieamber2 · April 2019

vegan here... I eat probably more carbs than the average person and lost over a stone in the process. Just eat healthy and train consistently🤷‍♀️

Annie_01 · April 2019

wilson10102018 wrote: »

MySweetLavinia wrote: »

Does it really matter what each of us thinks of carbs (or fat, or protein?) Eat whatever diet suits you, works for you and contributes most to your health. I don't understand why it even matters what others think of it.

Part of successful dieting is peer acceptance and esteem. There are a very small number of self-actualizing persons in the world, mostly of the genius or kook variety, who do not care what others think. One can wish it not so, but then one would be wrong. Fat shaming and virtue signalling is the ubiquitous characteristic of this millennium. And, there is no greater virtue to signal than an abhorrence for carbs . . . unless it is for "processed foods."

Well...I'm not a genius so all that leaves is a kook. I honestly don't care what others think of my diet and how I do it...unless someone wants to buy my groceries, cook my food and then clean up afterwards...I don't care what they think nor do I care what others are eating or when they choose to eat it.

People seem to have turned eating and food in to a status symbol and/or a religion/cult as if eating or not eating a certain food type somehow makes them "better", more "moral" and somehow a "special snowflake".

My only concerns of other people's diet are...they are able to achieve their goals...they are healthy(the people)...they enjoy the foods that they are eating and feel good about what they have achieved. Other than that it is not my place to pass judgment. I just hope that I never get to the point that I am tearing down someone else just to build myself up especially by using what someone else eats.

If you enjoy carbs, sugar, fats, meat...or if you don't I think it is pretty cool when one can sit down at night and eat their meal and walk away having enjoyed it. Food should be enjoyed not used to vilify others.

amorfati601070 · April 2019

My diet is probably like 75% carbs.

AnnPT77 · April 2019

Lost 50ish pounds eating 150-200 carbs every day, going from obese to a healthy weight, from high LDL/triglycerides to solidly normal, from high blood pressure to low-normal, from low HDL to high HDL, at age 59-60, while severely hypothyroid (treated).

Carbs are not the devil. For some people, they can be an appetite trigger; for some, they cause issues with a medical condition they have. Those people benefit from limiting carbs. The rest of us should be fine.

That said, protein is very important for good health. I'd encourage you to strive to hit the MFP minimum, or the USDA mininimum, which should be minimally adequate. Personally, I prefer to eat more than the USDA recommendation, feeling that it is on the low side for those losing weight, quite active, aging, or vegetarian (which I am). But that's a personal preference/belief. Getting enough (like the USDA recommended level as a minimum) is a good health strategy, and worth working toward. There are plenty of non-meat sources (I haven't eaten meat, at least not intentionally

, in almost 45 years).

lemurcat2 · April 2019

MySweetLavinia wrote: »

Does it really matter what each of us thinks of carbs (or fat, or protein?) Eat whatever diet suits you, works for you and contributes most to your health. I don't understand why it even matters what others think of it.

If someone is constantly hearing that eating carbs is somehow bad -- and that's entirely possible these days depending on what you read and look at on the internet and who your social group is -- seeking reassurance is not unusual or odd.

dewd2 · April 2019

MySweetLavinia wrote: »

Does it really matter what each of us thinks of carbs (or fat, or protein?) Eat whatever diet suits you, works for you and contributes most to your health. I don't understand why it even matters what others think of it.

Because as you've seen in this thread there are always folks who come in preaching some nonsense as if it is fact when in reality they are just repeating something they read on some blog or book designed only to take their money. If this is not challenged and corrected, others will read it and believe it too. Next thing you know sugar causes everything from diabetes to obesity. This is simply not true.

Now please excuse me as I am heading out to get a HUGE *kitten* chocolate milkshake full of sugar and fat. Mmmmmmmm...

sherrymerlot · April 2019

I've followed the lifestyle and diet of low-carbers for about seven years. Unless you really need to be on VLC (ketogenic) for health conditions or because you have T2 diabetes or you are pre-diabetic, I see no reason to go to 50 grams or less of carbs daily.

I am female and I have seen the stories of women who just didn't feel well on VLC. Beware. They truly ruined their health for a period of time because they prolonged the keto, way past the point of having "low carb flu." One must listen to the body. Some people do great on keto!

Our family doesn't have a history of T2 diabetes or much obesity. I kind of follow in that way genetically, as I have always stayed within a pretty healthy weight.

I am lower carb (probably have 30% complex carbohydrates in my eating plan at this moment), which for me, means about 70-90 grams of carbs per day. Years ago, I used to eat a lot of bread, and I no longer do that, or pasta. It took over my diet and crowded out vital nutrients.

I would not mind going to 100-120 grams of carbs per day once I reach my weight loss goal, which is modest. I actually prefer my diet having 50% well-chosen fats, because they are delicious! I refuse to do without my creme fraiche!

Raghead · April 2019

But they also eat large amounts of fish!!!

wilson10102018 wrote: »

Rice is carbs. The healthiest populations eat mass quantities of rice. Pure carbs.

blubell0422 · April 2019

I do reduce carbs BUT processed carbs. I eat rice and potato and vegetables and fruit. But I won't eat cake or anything with sugar in. I eat porridge for breakfast but I won't eat other breakfast cereals. Before I started this I really craved processed carby food. Now I don't. If I tried to lose weight by just reducing calories and still carried on eating pizza but in smaller portions I would fail because that would make me crave more. I also majorly hold water when I have processed carbs. Rice for example doesn't have that effect on me.

I don't think carbs are bad!

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