Which is wrost for you...Calories or Carbs???

barbiedollgirl
barbiedollgirl Posts: 56 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
Not sure which is the really bad one. I go over my calories but stay within my carbs. I hear alot that you need to watch your carbs. What do you think?:ohwell:

Replies

  • Amo_Angelus
    Amo_Angelus Posts: 604 Member
    It depends on the diet, a restricted calorie diet the calories are the important thing, a no carb/low carb diet, the carb are the important thing. Low calorie diets are safer and healthier though as the no/low carb diets are basically controlled ketosis
  • jenniferlecaptain
    jenniferlecaptain Posts: 10 Member
    Calories! You won't lose weight if you cut out all carbs and still eat a ton of calories.
  • mermx
    mermx Posts: 976
    I always stay well under carbs and over on protein. Am on 1200 cals a day+ exercise cals.

    Sometimes I am 30 cals under sometimes 30 cals over.

    works for me.
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    Weight loss is a math with calories in and calories out.
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    Stay within your calorie goal and choose the macros for nutrients (carbs/protein/fats) that work best for you... example: 40% carbs, 35% protein, 25% fats. (or whatever mix you want to go with). Try to meet your goals for the calories and nutrients for at least a couple of weeks. Then you can tweak the percentages if you aren't seeing the progress that you want.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    considering carbs are essential for creating energy, calories are worse. Low carb diets aren't always good. Low refined carbs is what is necessary. Complex carbs = goodness.
  • NaomiLyn15
    NaomiLyn15 Posts: 388 Member
    Each person is different. Some people can have carbs, but still lose weight, while others can't. I am one that can't. My body doesn't understand how to process processed carbs, so I can't have them in abundance. While you do need carbs to live, you can get them in a natural way, rather than processed stuff. My suggestion is to limit your processed carbs, but not all carbs. I live a low car diet (with the occasional splurge) and it does wonders for me. I still get plenty of carbs, but they are from fruits, veggies, and whole grains. so, it really depends on your body and what it needs. But, on the calories side.... if you don't lower your calories below what your body needs to live, then you won't ever lose weight. So, calories is the most important, and depending on your body, carbs could also be important (or should I say the type of carbs that you eat).
  • hottamolly00
    hottamolly00 Posts: 334 Member
    Calories. Counting calories is a tried-and-true weight loss system that works for the long term. Carb counting... not so much.
  • SiltyPigeon
    SiltyPigeon Posts: 920 Member
    Is this a trick question?

    You can eat calories without eating carbs but you can't eat carbs without eating calories. There are 4 calories in every carb. So... it's worse to eat the carb... because you're getting both.
  • glenr79
    glenr79 Posts: 283 Member
    Going over calories is worse. You need carbohydrates for energy. It is supposed to be 50% of your daily diet. You just have to eat the right kind of carbs. (Complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber and whole grains) fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. You just want to limit (Simple carbs) which are mainly found in sweets, soda's, candy's, etc.... The simple carbohydrates spike insulin levels which in turn store the sugar as fat. Complex=good Simple= bad!!!!! Do not every listen to anyone when they say to do a low carb diet, your body needs those vitamins and nutrients that come from fruits and vegetables. If you cut out those then your metabolism will slow down and try to manufacture those vitamins and n utrients that you are lacking!!!! Also fiber helps you to lose weight!
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Neither calories nor carbs are bad for you.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
    I did both. It took me 6 months to drop 9.6lbs by cutting calories, logging and weighing foods, obsessing over what I was eating and having to eat constantly because I was hungry constantly (I never lost my belly either).

    At the end of April I cut out grains, flours, legumes, and sugars and stopped eating boxed, processed crap (I don't eat low-carb boxed processed crap either). I eat unlimited fats. I don't get weak and shaky hunger anymore. I have dropped another 9.2lbs of body fat in less than 4 months and maintained my lean muscle mass. My belly is flat for the first time in my life. My digestive issues are going away. I have unbelievable energy, amazing muscle definition, I sleep better, my anxiety issues are gone. I am the lowest weight I have been since before puberty (I'm 40 years old). And it is so much easier to just eat veggies and fruits and meat and fat (and some nuts on occasion) and get to do less exercise and not worry about calories anymore. So much easier and less stressful. And this is sustainable. Eventually cutting calories stops working.

    And up until around 50-60 years ago weight loss doctors had their patients restrict carbs to lose weight. 50-60 years ago our health became more about money and politics than about our health.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Zeromilediet/view/great-read-what-the-government-has-done-to-our-health-141895
  • spyro88
    spyro88 Posts: 472 Member
    Well I don't think either are bad for you but to lose weight you need to cut back on calories, and you may need to cut back on carbs depending on how many you ate before. Like I was more of a crisps and bread person than sugar and chocolate, so I had to cut out a lot of carbs before my body would even THINK about losing anything :)

    I will say though that having a meal of just meat and vegetables or salad with no potatoes/ bread/ rice once every couple of days did wonders for me, so maybe there are advantages to low carb diets.
  • jaygirl3
    jaygirl3 Posts: 320 Member
    carbs make my tummy protrude!!!
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