Less carbs, flatter tummy??

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EthanJeremiahsMama
EthanJeremiahsMama Posts: 534 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi MFP! I was wondering if anyone on here has any success stories as far as losing inches / fat.. basically a flatter tummy. What has helped you? I've heard from some MFP friends that it was mainly cutting even grains?? Less carbs? See, I love carbs! I take in at least 120g carbs per day.. and all I really do eat is complex carbs. Mainly Ezekiel Whole Sprouted Grain bread(flourless), Kashi Go Lean Cereal, Oatmeal.. Fruits.. that is mainly where my carbs come from. Would I have to cut the Ezekiel bread, kashi go lean & oatmeal? Ahh it'd be so hard too!

I'm not sure on how to get started but I'd love to possibly even try to lower my carbs a bit IF that's what it takes besides going to the gym to get a flatter tummy! Again, this is just something i've heard from a few friends.. not sure if this is true or not.. but would love some tips / opinions on what has helped YOU get that flatter tummy! Thanks for any responses :)

Replies

  • hadl0032
    hadl0032 Posts: 117
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    Bump....I would love to hear the magic equation.....
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    i have 200g+ a day..I think my stomach is moderately flat. I eat loads of carbs. sugar is my BFF
  • HunterCML
    HunterCML Posts: 51
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    Weight loss is a function of energy balance (i.e. eating less calories than you burn), not carbohydrates in and of themselves.

    If you was to lose body fat, then be in a caloric deficit.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/

    Have a good read.

    You can still get all the carbs you need from fruit/veggies.
  • keenslk
    keenslk Posts: 126
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    For me i know that certain foods bloat me - especially wheat products, so i try to have a wheat free diet and I do notice my stomach is not so bloated when I dont eat wheat! Also things like diet sodas etc cause bloating. In terms of losing fat in just your tummy i find that this is hard to achieve as generally you lose fat everywhere it is hard to target just the tummy... but you can def build your muscles and core strength to harden your stomach. I find crunches and prone hols fantastic :D hope this helps
  • mrau719
    mrau719 Posts: 288 Member
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    I eat quite a few carbs....like someone said above sugar is my bestie seriously I need it or low blood sugar crash. My tummy is getting flatter. Flat tummy/abs=made in the kitchen. I'm sure cutting some would help but I don't really think it's necessary. You just have to make sure the carbs you're getting are clean (which yours sound like they are) and that you are eating them in portion. As in if all you ever eat is carbs-not so good.
  • mynameisuntz
    mynameisuntz Posts: 582 Member
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    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/

    Have a good read.

    You can still get all the carbs you need from fruit/veggies.
    Please refrain from posting that garbage :|
  • seastreifel
    seastreifel Posts: 19
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    The advice I've had is to only have one serving of starches a day (ie- sweet potato with dinner, no other starches such as bread at any other meals).
    And my mother in law is on a "flat tummy diet" right now (book purchased at Costco) where she isn't supposed to have any carbs for the first two weeks in order to jump start her flat tummy. She has actually noticed a lot of decrease in tummy bloating, so there might be something to it... but i personally wouldn't do it. I love fruit too much.

    All in all though, I recently read an article saying that hard cardio and a balanced diet is the way to lose the tummy fat. I myself use a 40:30:30 carb:protein:fat ratio with a mix of cardio and weight training and I've lost several inches off my waist/other areas in only a couple weeks! I'm a big fan of this site, its really helping me to gain control.
  • auctoritas
    auctoritas Posts: 204
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    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/

    Have a good read.

    You can still get all the carbs you need from fruit/veggies.
    Please refrain from posting that garbage :|

    Just because you personally disagree with paleo/primal/keto diets doesn't mean they're garbage. Why don't you stop posting nonsense?
  • mynameisuntz
    mynameisuntz Posts: 582 Member
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    Just because you personally disagree with paleo/primal/keto diets doesn't mean they're garbage. Why don't you stop posting nonsense?
    It's not that I disagree with it; it's that science disagrees with it.

    Anyone promoting any type of diet without sufficient empirical backing and passing it off as truth = nonsense. That site is the same one that said something RIDICULOUS along the lines of 150+g carbs/day = insidious weight gain. Laughable. Just downright laughable.

    My claims, however, are rooted in scientific research. Give it a try sometime. Unfortunately, paleo and science aren't currently compatible. Womp womp.
  • EthanJeremiahsMama
    EthanJeremiahsMama Posts: 534 Member
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    I keep my sodium low, usually that's when I feel "bloated" the most. I do eat complex carbs EVERYDAY.. but should I aim for higher protein instead and keep my carbs the same?
  • HunterCML
    HunterCML Posts: 51
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    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-grains-are-unhealthy/

    Have a good read.

    You can still get all the carbs you need from fruit/veggies.
    Please refrain from posting that garbage :|

    Just because you personally disagree with paleo/primal/keto diets doesn't mean they're garbage. Why don't you stop posting nonsense?

    Why should he agree with diets that yield no benefit to body weight and composition management beyond daily energy balance and macronutrient sufficiency and are by nature restrictive and down right silly?
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    Just because you personally disagree with paleo/primal/keto diets doesn't mean they're garbage. Why don't you stop posting nonsense?
    It's not that I disagree with it; it's that science disagrees with it.

    Have you even looked?

    http://www.direct-ms.org/pdf/EvolutionPaleolithic/Cereal Sword.pdf

    http://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/2010/09/20/amber-waves-of-pain/

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1115436/?tool=pubmed

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC433288/

    That's all from one link in Google. I'd say there's plenty of evidence that, at a minimum, wheat grains are unhealthy.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    I keep my sodium low, usually that's when I feel "bloated" the most. I do eat complex carbs EVERYDAY.. but should I aim for higher protein instead and keep my carbs the same?

    I would keep the carbs up, just eat more fruit/veggies than grains. High protein diets are best for those who have medical reasons for doing so.
  • wildon883r
    wildon883r Posts: 429 Member
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    Food is food. There are healthy choices and less then healthy choices. All these fad diets like Adkins and The Primal Blueprint try to sell you there lifestyle or primarily books. Eat as natural as you can, avoid processed foods and don't worry about the silly macronutrient armchair scientists here ;).. With that being said those that eat healthy foods ie avoiding excess sugars and white flours generally eat less carbs then those who don't avoid them. You will lose belly fat but the last place is your belly as its our natrual fat storage zone. Exercise and strength train to keep your metabolism going 24/7 and eventually it will come off. I've dropped about 50 and i continue to drop 1/4 or 1/2 lb ever week or two. I have stopped counting caloriies. It's not a sustainable lifetyle. Eating responsibly is. Good Luck
  • AnneGenevieveS
    AnneGenevieveS Posts: 436 Member
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    I eat tons of carbs, and I have a flat tummy.

    I say its genetic!
  • rachmaree
    rachmaree Posts: 782 Member
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    Weight loss is a function of energy balance (i.e. eating less calories than you burn), not carbohydrates in and of themselves.

    If you was to lose body fat, then be in a caloric deficit.

    This sums it up quite nicely

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