How Much Refined Carbs?

Options
Can I eat as much refined carby, sugary food as I want and still lose weight as long as I stay within the number of OK carb and sugar grams set automatically for me by MFP?

Replies

  • BrewerGeorge
    BrewerGeorge Posts: 397 Member
    Options
    Yes, but you'll probably feel hungrier more than if you replaced those white starches with more whole grains.

    Edit: For that matter, you can blow the MFP carb number out of the water and still lose weight as long as your calories in are less than your calories burned.
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
    Options
    Try it and see? :P Probably not so good for your body, even if you do lose weight doing that.
  • juliesummers
    juliesummers Posts: 738 Member
    Options
    Why on earth would you want to torture and deprive your body like that?
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    Options
    Calories are what matters when it comes to weight.
    deficit = loss
    surplus = gain
  • nevadjinn
    nevadjinn Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    am I torturing and depriving my body by eating lots of yummy sweets or by potentially switching to more healthy and filling complex carbs?

    I run enough and get enough protein and veggies to stay full in spite of my chocolate/bread addiction.
  • juliesummers
    juliesummers Posts: 738 Member
    Options
    am I torturing and depriving my body by eating lots of yummy sweets or by potentially switching to more healthy and filling complex carbs?

    By getting all of your calories from empty, processed, bleached sweets instead of offering your body all the fiber, amino acids, polysaccharides, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins it needs to thrive?
  • juliesummers
    juliesummers Posts: 738 Member
    Options
    am I torturing and depriving my body by eating lots of yummy sweets or by potentially switching to more healthy and filling complex carbs?

    By getting all of your calories from empty, processed, bleached sweets instead of offering your body all the fiber, amino acids, polysaccharides, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins it needs to thrive?
  • nevadjinn
    nevadjinn Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    ok then thanks for sharing.
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
    Options
    If you do, I hope you take a good multivitamin at the very least.
  • nevadjinn
    nevadjinn Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    I make sure to get my raw b-complex, b12 spray and plenty of iron.

    BTW, thank you everyone for your awesome help!
  • AdAstra47
    AdAstra47 Posts: 823 Member
    Options
    That depends on your personal metabolism and how well it processes different types of calories. A carbohydrate calorie is processed with a completely different chemical reaction than a fat calorie or a protein calorie. And some people's bodies are more or less efficient at processing different types of calories. This is why many people, those whose bodies don't process carbs as well as other nutrients, find it very helpful to adopt a low-carb lifestyle or at least to limit their refined carbs.

    Whether this is right for you or not is a question that only you can answer. Everyone's body is different. If you switch from white bread to wheat and stop eating sugary snacks, and you find that you feel better and lose more weight, then that's probably a good strategy for you. How much you restrict yourself depends on your own personal lifestyle, and on listening to your body and paying attention to which strategies make you feel better and which make you miserable. This is something you have to do yourself, no one can do it for you. We can tell you what worked for us, but that may or may not work for you.

    Personally, for me, the only way I have ever lost weight is by giving up wheat, rice, corn & other grains entirely, along with corn syrup and sugar. I'm not totally deprived, I've found good substitutes, like flaxseed muffins and protein powder pancakes. But even if I hadn't, I feel so much better now that what I give up is totally worth it for me. Like I said, that's just me, it's up to you to find what works for you.

    Good luck to you!
  • nevadjinn
    nevadjinn Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    Flaxseed muffins sound delicious. Are they vegan and, if so, where can I find them?
  • AdAstra47
    AdAstra47 Posts: 823 Member
    Options
    Flaxseed muffins sound delicious. Are they vegan and, if so, where can I find them?

    I'm afraid it's not vegan, the recipe calls for an egg & butter. Don't know whether substitutes would work or not, but it might be worth a shot. The recipe is "muffin in a minute," you just mix it up in a coffee cup and microwave for one minute; hence the name. :smile:

    http://www.atkins.com/Program/Phase1/WhatYouCanEatinthisPhase/AllAboutMIMs.aspx