Tips to lower carbs ?

xodreamariexo
xodreamariexo Posts: 63 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My plan currently consists of 50% carbs which is about 190-250g of carbs per day depending how many calories I eat. I was thinking of lowering this to Maine 100-130g per day but I was wondering if it would even make a difference since this isn’t considered low carb, just lower carb.

Also what are some easy way to lower my carb intake. I know skipping sauces and condiments, using lettuce wraps instead of bread. But what else?

Replies

  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    do you need to lower them for a medical reason? low carb isn't magical (regardless of what people say) - my carb intake is 50-60% of my daily calories (I avg 3-400g a day) and weight stable at 165lbs
  • jodyraymond45
    jodyraymond45 Posts: 4 Member
    If you lower your carbs from 300grams a day to 100-150 a day it may have a huge impact on your body composition depending on how your body utilizes carbohydrates. I’m currently 185 pounds 6% body fat. Currently, I cycle my carbs 125-150grm normal day, 100-125 on my low days and 175-200 on my high day. My macros are 50% protein 25%fat and 25% carbs. 2500-2600 cals a day. I know my body and I don’t metabolize carbs well.
  • amy19355
    amy19355 Posts: 805 Member
    xodreamariexo wrote: »
    My plan currently consists of 50% carbs which is about 190-250g of carbs per day depending how many calories I eat. I was thinking of lowering this to Maine 100-130g per day but I was wondering if it would even make a difference since this isn’t considered low carb, just lower carb.

    Also what are some easy way to lower my carb intake. I know skipping sauces and condiments, using lettuce wraps instead of bread. But what else?

    instead of a range, i'd suggest shooting for one target number. there is a 60g difference that adds up to alot over a week if you were always at the high end of that range.

    have you used MFP to set your goals? that's how I do it and so do many others here who have found succcess counting calories and watching macros/

    good luck
  • staticsplit
    staticsplit Posts: 538 Member
    It's not low enough to get you into ketosis, obviously, but I think it'd probably be more sustainable. I don't go low carb but I do often save my carbs for sweet things. So if I have a dinner of curry I might skip the rice or only have a tiny bit, and then have the equivalent carbs in a dessert instead. Or I have a big old salad for lunch instead of a sandwich, and have the 2 slices of bread with some peanut butter and apple in the afternoon as a snack. Basically, I just like sweet carbs and I'm not that bothered by savoury ones, so that's how I make things work for me. I don't really have a set goal around # of carbs per day. Overall CICO is what matters most anyway, so however you can make that work for you in terms of goals and satiety is up to you.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    What is it you are hoping to accomplish by lowering carbs. It's hard to really answer you question without understanding that. Do you struggle with cravings? Are you not getting enough protein? ???
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    xodreamariexo wrote: »
    Also what are some easy way to lower my carb intake. I know skipping sauces and condiments, using lettuce wraps instead of bread. But what else?

    Easiest way is just to log, see where your carbs come from, and reduce portions of those (or eliminate if they are from foods you don't care about).

    If your calories are already fine, you might think about reducing carb portions and increasing portions of other foods, such as those with more protein.

    When I started I thought about the easiest way to reduce cals in my regular meals (I wasn't that into desserts or sweets, and had already eliminated snacking, which for me tends to be mindless), and realized it would be easy to reduce portion size of starchy carbs as well as added fat. I increased my portions of protein-rich foods and also increased veg, although I already ate a lot of veg. It didn't feel like I was eating less, but I was, and my carbs were about 33% initially (later I ate more total cals although still at a deficit and carbs were more like 40%).
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    It would help enormously if you expanded on what you mean by "make a difference".

    What precisely are you trying to achieve by lowering carbs?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    xodreamariexo wrote: »
    My plan currently consists of 50% carbs which is about 190-250g of carbs per day depending how many calories I eat. I was thinking of lowering this to Maine 100-130g per day but I was wondering if it would even make a difference since this isn’t considered low carb, just lower carb.

    Also what are some easy way to lower my carb intake. I know skipping sauces and condiments, using lettuce wraps instead of bread. But what else?

    Low carb works the same way any diet works...it can help reduce calories so that one remains in a consistent calorie deficit. There is no magic to low carb in and of itself other than a quicker drop in water weight...beyond that, someone eating a low carb diet and someone eating a high carb diet with the same stats and same calorie deficit will lose weight at pretty much the same rate over time.

    I will be starting my winter weight cut after the holidays. I usually drop my carbs to do this because I don't track calories and cutting back on carbohydrates is an easy way for me to cut back on calories. I don't do "low carb"...I just drop some things like my starch or grain I usually have at dinner and just have a protein and veg most nights. No starch or grains with my lunch. I will still eat oats for breakfast on some days, but mostly I will switch to eggs for a time. When I eat fruit I tend to eat more berries instead of my apples and bananas and whatnot.

    Mostly if you're looking to cut back on carbs, it's things like bread, pasta, potatoes and other root vegetables, rice, etc. Things that are either starchy or grains...but again, it's not magic...carbs in and of themselves have nothing to do with weight loss or weight management outside of certain medical conditions.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    While I'm not on the low-carb train by any means, my suggestion would be to plan your meals/snacks around the protein first.

    For example, if you're having something carby for breakfast, switch to something protein-based, like eggs, breakfast meats, greek yogurt, etc.

    BUT - weight loss is about your calorie amount, not your carb amount. If you like carbs, you can eat carbs. You just have to keep to your calorie goal. I eat anywhere from 200-375 carbs per day.
  • xodreamariexo
    xodreamariexo Posts: 63 Member
    I guess what I’m asking here if lowering my carbs, but not to the point of ketosis or even a low carb diet, would have any effect on my body or hunger or how fast I can lose weight!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited December 2019
    xodreamariexo wrote: »
    I guess what I’m asking here if lowering my carbs, but not to the point of ketosis or even a low carb diet, would have any effect on my body - Like where you lose fat? No. - or hunger -Feeling full is different for everyone. I have to have a mix of protein, fat and fiber to fill full. - or how fast I can lose weight - You lose weight by being in a calorie deficit. How many carbs you eat has zero impact on how fast you lose body fat, as long as you maintain a calorie deficit. You will lose weight faster on a larger calorie defict than you will on a smaller calorie deficit. Losing fast isn't always good, though. Slow and steady is more sustainable.

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    xodreamariexo wrote: »
    I guess what I’m asking here if lowering my carbs, but not to the point of ketosis or even a low carb diet, would have any effect on my body or hunger or how fast I can lose weight!

    Effect on your body: you may lose some water weight as carbs are stored with water, you may have less energy and reduce your daily activity and/or exercise performance but that's very personal.

    Hunger: again very personal. I find starchy carbs the most filling foods and they help me regulate my overall intake easier, some find protein more filling, some people find fat works that way for them. Suggest you experiment to see what blend makes adherence / sustainability easier for you if you don't know already. And satiety isn't all about macros - within macros different foods are more or less satisfying to different people but higher bulk / higher fibre foods tend to be well represented.

    Weight loss: in terms of fat loss as opposed to water weight that's driven by your calorie deficit and not your choice of macro balance.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Lowering carbs does not speed up weight loss. Pay attention to calories. :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    xodreamariexo wrote: »
    I guess what I’m asking here if lowering my carbs, but not to the point of ketosis or even a low carb diet, would have any effect on my body or hunger or how fast I can lose weight!

    The rate at which you lose weight is dictated by your calorie deficit. Carbohydrates in and of themselves have nothing to do with weight...they are just one of three macro nutrients. The primary effect on your body will be a dip in water weight as 1 gram of carbohydrate carries 3-4 grams of water...so you would most likely see a quick dip in the scale and then things will resume as normal. In regards to hunger, that would just be something you have to experiment with. Most of the carbohydrates I consume are things like beans, lentils, oats, potatoes and sweet potatoes and other root vegetables, fruit, and other vegetables. These are very fibrous foods and tend to keep me from being hungry...YMMV
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    xodreamariexo wrote: »
    I guess what I’m asking here if lowering my carbs, but not to the point of ketosis or even a low carb diet, would have any effect on my body or hunger or how fast I can lose weight!

    Some people find that eating more protein, fat, and/or fiber help them feel full. There are also some who find that certain carbs help them feel full. These folks often mention potatoes as being especially satiating.

    Restricting carbs will not cause any change whatsoever in the pace of fat loss unless it is accompanied by a larger calorie deficit, and a larger calorie deficit may or may not be appropriate for your stats. Restricting carbs may cause temporary water weight loss, which gives the impression of "rapid weight loss." Losing water is not the same thing as fat.

    My advice would be to weigh and log all your food, getting adequate protein and fat and making sure to stay in a safe, reasonable calorie deficit.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    xodreamariexo wrote: »
    I guess what I’m asking here if lowering my carbs, but not to the point of ketosis or even a low carb diet, would have any effect on my body or hunger or how fast I can lose weight!

    It might have an effect on hunger, especially if you eat more protein or are someone more sated by fat than carbs. For me, certain foods tend to be more filling, but it's not macro specific.

    For some, it has no effect on hunger or even can make you less satisfied/more hungry. All you can do is try and see.

    It wouldn't have any effect on weight loss speed if calories remain the same.

    If you are healthy (i.e., have no issues such as T2D), then it shouldn't have any particular effect on your body assuming you were eating a nutritious diet and continue to do so.

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