Carb intake

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vim_n_vigor
vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I would like to hear from the high carb and low carb groups for this one. What do you think is the ideal goal for carb intake and why? Do you count carbs from fruits and veggies in your carb count, or do you count carbs that are not from fiber only in your count?
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Replies

  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
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    I really only care about hitting my protein and fat. Carbs make up whatever is left in my caloric budget.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    I really only care about hitting my protein and fat. Carbs make up whatever is left in my caloric budget.

    How did you pick your protien and fat goals?
  • PBJunky
    PBJunky Posts: 737 Member
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    I really only care about hitting my protein and fat. Carbs make up whatever is left in my caloric budget.

    Touche =P Someone that knows their stuff...
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
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    I really only care about hitting my protein and fat. Carbs make up whatever is left in my caloric budget.

    How did you pick your protien and fat goals?

    40/30/30 carb/protein/fat. .. It was suggested to me and upping fat has been such a good thing!
  • NPAdamsPope
    NPAdamsPope Posts: 9
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    I am a low carber. I count only the carbs that are not from fiber. To lose weight, I find that I need to stay around or below 60 net carbs a day.
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
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    I am not high carb or low carb, I just eat what I feel like eating and it usually falls within the MFP default for carb/fat/protein.

    I get most of my carbs from fruits and vegetables and legumes. I do eat two slices (120 total calories) of whole wheat bread a day, but other than that, unless I'm having a splurge, my carbs are from fruits, veg and legumes
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I set protein and fat to a minimum in grams, carbs fluctuate depending on how much I exceed pro/fat.

    The only time I low carb intentionally would be if I miss my fat target for a few days in a row. In this case, I'll have a day where I hit my pro target and go way over on fat, which defaults carbs down.
  • PBJunky
    PBJunky Posts: 737 Member
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    I really only care about hitting my protein and fat. Carbs make up whatever is left in my caloric budget.

    How did you pick your protien and fat goals?

    40/30/30 carb/protein/fat. .. It was suggested to me and upping fat has been such a good thing!

    Not a fan of percentages...

    OP follow this guide

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    OK, let me give a little more background here. While there are obviously some people that do well with a high carb diet, I am not one of them. From personal experience and observation of others, many people seem to do very well on lower carb diets and lose weight more consistently, and if maintained, keep the weight off better. I can find plenty of 'evidence' from a variety of sources about why low carb is best and high carb is bad or why high carb is good and low carb is bad.

    I also have concerns that what I choose to include or not include in my diet (definition used here being what I eat consistently, not weight loss method) being an example for my kids. My kids are 3 and 5, and I understand that their nutritional needs are not the same as mine, but it is very difficult to figure out what their dietary needs really are when it comes to nutrients as well. So I want to get the best balance for everyone in my house.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    OK, let me give a little more background here. While there are obviously some people that do well with a high carb diet, I am not one of them. From personal experience and observation of others, many people seem to do very well on lower carb diets and lose weight more consistently, and if maintained, keep the weight off better. I can find plenty of 'evidence' from a variety of sources about why low carb is best and high carb is bad or why high carb is good and low carb is bad.

    I also have concerns that what I choose to include or not include in my diet (definition used here being what I eat consistently, not weight loss method) being an example for my kids. My kids are 3 and 5, and I understand that their nutritional needs are not the same as mine, but it is very difficult to figure out what their dietary needs really are when it comes to nutrients as well. So I want to get the best balance for everyone in my house.

    Cho is non essential, so if you don't operate well on high to medium cho, then by all means keep it in the lower range
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    OP: Listen to these guys (MrsCon40, PBJunky, Acg, Sidesteal). They are spot on.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    I really only care about hitting my protein and fat. Carbs make up whatever is left in my caloric budget.

    How did you pick your protien and fat goals?

    Same here, but I count numbers not percentages.

    I go for:

    1g of protein for ever lb of body weight (or lean body mass when I was heavier)
    .35-.5 times my body weight for minimum fat

    then the rest of the calories i have left (varies day to day with exercise) I use on what ever. Usually carbs and a little more fat :]
  • MeganNP
    MeganNP Posts: 4
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    I am a low carber--3.5 years ago I went to a Bariatric Doctor and was educated on the proper diet for health and weight loss. I lost 34 lbs on a doctor supervised low carb diet and started to feel GREAT. 40-50 carbs a day is the target, striving for 15 carbs per meal. Remember carbs are sugars---watch out of "hidden" sugars in the foods you eat.....take # of carbs and divide by 5 and that is the amount of teaspoons of sugar in that food. Beware of marketing ploys--many foods are marketed as "healthy" when in fact they are loaded with sugar and have virtually no nutritional value.

    Another tip--your protien intake in grams should be your weight divided by 2 (140 lbs / 2=70 grams a day)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I set a minimum for protein, then let fats and carbs fluctuate (carbs more-so than fats) based on my workouts.

    Generally starting points should be 1g of protein and .3g of fat per pound of body weight.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I am a low carber--3.5 years ago I went to a Bariatric Doctor and was educated on the proper diet for health and weight loss. I lost 34 lbs on a doctor supervised low carb diet and started to feel GREAT. 40-50 carbs a day is the target, striving for 15 carbs per meal. Remember carbs are sugars---watch out of "hidden" sugars in the foods you eat.....take # of carbs and divide by 5 and that is the amount of teaspoons of sugar in that food. Beware of marketing ploys--many foods are marketed as "healthy" when in fact they are loaded with sugar and have virtually no nutritional value.

    Another tip--your protien intake in grams should be your weight divided by 2 (140 lbs / 2=70 grams a day)

    all diets work for weight loss in the same manner, a caloric deficit, there is nothing magical about low carb diets for weight loss

    and your minimum daily protein intake should likely be a bit higher as the equation you listed is roughly 1g per kg of bw
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
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    I try to get my protein (0.5-0.75g of protein per pound of BW), my fats (No less than 20g) and the rest is carbs. Typically that puts me around 160-200g per day.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    I am a low carber--3.5 years ago I went to a Bariatric Doctor and was educated on the proper diet for health and weight loss. I lost 34 lbs on a doctor supervised low carb diet and started to feel GREAT. 40-50 carbs a day is the target, striving for 15 carbs per meal. Remember carbs are sugars---watch out of "hidden" sugars in the foods you eat.....take # of carbs and divide by 5 and that is the amount of teaspoons of sugar in that food. Beware of marketing ploys--many foods are marketed as "healthy" when in fact they are loaded with sugar and have virtually no nutritional value.

    Another tip--your protien intake in grams should be your weight divided by 2 (140 lbs / 2=70 grams a day)

    1. Sugar doesn't matter. Sugar is carbs. Track your food intake. Period.
    2. Your protein intake equation is flawed, especially for people interesting in fitness, bodybuilding, athletes or anyone that is trying to burn fat while retaining lean mass.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I am a low carber--3.5 years ago I went to a Bariatric Doctor and was educated on the proper diet for health and weight loss. I lost 34 lbs on a doctor supervised low carb diet and started to feel GREAT. 40-50 carbs a day is the target, striving for 15 carbs per meal. Remember carbs are sugars---watch out of "hidden" sugars in the foods you eat.....take # of carbs and divide by 5 and that is the amount of teaspoons of sugar in that food. Beware of marketing ploys--many foods are marketed as "healthy" when in fact they are loaded with sugar and have virtually no nutritional value.

    Another tip--your protien intake in grams should be your weight divided by 2 (140 lbs / 2=70 grams a day)

    I disagree as a general practice. It may work for some people in some situations, but I don't think low carb low protein is a healthy "diet" option.
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
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    I am a low carber--3.5 years ago I went to a Bariatric Doctor and was educated on the proper diet for health and weight loss. I lost 34 lbs on a doctor supervised low carb diet and started to feel GREAT. 40-50 carbs a day is the target, striving for 15 carbs per meal. Remember carbs are sugars---watch out of "hidden" sugars in the foods you eat.....take # of carbs and divide by 5 and that is the amount of teaspoons of sugar in that food. Beware of marketing ploys--many foods are marketed as "healthy" when in fact they are loaded with sugar and have virtually no nutritional value.

    Another tip--your protien intake in grams should be your weight divided by 2 (140 lbs / 2=70 grams a day)
    BloodsportAAAAAAA.gif
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    joejccva71, MrsCon40, PBJunky, Acg, Sidesteal,

    I know the questions here are generally pointed just to adults. As I do have young children in the house, any insight for 3 and 5 year olds what kind of macro needs they have? They are both very trim and active - weight control is not an issue, but teaching them healthy life-long habits are important. I don't have much trust in the pediatrician since they suggested adding very high sugar liquids to their diets to help them put on weight - they are not underweight and have been consistent on their growth chart. There isn't any need for them to gain, but definetly, I don't want their weight percentage to go down.

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