Recommended allowance of Carbs

1g of protein per lb of body weight <

---

minimum
.35 x body weight for fat <----minimum
Fill what is left with carbs :]

This is a loaded question here bc so many people have their own opinions!!!

I have been trying to lose weight for YEARS and now that I am following low carb I am finally losing! Goodbye cravings, mood swings and hunger!!!

You have to find what works best for you. Some people so really well cutting some carbs and staying around 100. I do best around 50. My carbs come from mostly veggies. Once I am at my goal I will add in fruit and a few more carbs slowly.

Good luck to you.

Agree with yummmmm - everyone is going to have thier own opinion....

Personally I feel Carbs is best left to how your diet and how you feel - Most days I usually stay about 125 carbs or less a day, as I eat very little in the form of grains and processed foods - per MFP it allots 220/day.

Some people thrive on a higher carb diet - others don't - it also depends on what you are using for your carb sources too.

Don't feel that you have to eat the max in carbs...

I would like to know more about this, too. As someone who has 25-30 pounds to lose, I wonder if I should lower my carbs? I aim for 45-50% carbs, but a lot of days, I'm closer to 60%! It's hard since they seem to be in everything, especially fruit. I wonder if I would benefit from it, but at the same time, I don't want to be unrealistic. If I go too low, my weight loss will only be temporary.

Fruit has lots of carbs from the complex of sugars...try swapping some fruit for a low carb veggie to snack on.

I try and limit myself to one fruit serving on the days I don't work out - the days I work out I allow myself to have 2 servings - being as carbs and sugars are designed to give your body energy - if it is not used then it can be stored as fat (potentional energy)

In a calorie deficit it will not be stored.

I think it depends on your body and your lifestyle, there is no "one size fits all" magic number that will have you instantly losing weight.
Try eating what MFP recommends and if you see a reason to change it after a month or so, then do it.

I usually have my diary set up for 55% or more of carbs and I've lost weight successfully, I've morphed into a runner and am happy and healthy. Other people find that too many carbs don't give good results for them.

My personal opinion is that if you are getting carbs in relatively unprocessed forms (fruit, veggies, whole grains) then you'll probably be fine.
Getting your carbs in cupcakes, chips and candy is not doing you any favours - you are just getting calories but without any of the nutrition that you find in fruits, veggies and whole grains.

Good luck working out what is right for you!

1g of protein per lb of body weight <

---

minimum
.35 x body weight for fat <----minimum
Fill what is left with carbs :]

Too much protein unless you're a bodybuilder. The average person, who is sedentary, only needs 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight to maintain muscle mass. Any more than that in a caloric deficit is not necessary.

One gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is for muscle growth and bodybuilding, won't really help much for weight loss.

TEF is 99% inconsequential. For one thing it's already factored into your TDEE, for another, a drastic change in eating may give you a difference of a dozen calories a day or so, especially as you mix protein, carbs, and fat in a meal, the TEF of all 3 change anyway.

Also, the formula I posted is all you need for muscle retention.

As for satiety, again, mixing protein, carbs, and fat together in meal changes the way that operates. I personally don't know anyone who eats 100% carbs, or 100% fat, or 100% protein for any one meal, so it's really not applicable to normal, practical living.

I don't know about anyone else, but I gave up calorie counting all together, and just limit my intake of CARBS and SUGARS. The pounds are finally coming off. I still eat carbs -- no way I could be one of those people cooking up weird noodle substitutes or never eating bread again -- but I have limited them significantly.

If I eat grains, it is ONLY whole grain. In fact, I have a piece of 100% whole wheat toast with natural (unsweetened!) peanut butter for breakfast every day. But then I have a humongous salad with cheese and meat and fats for lunch, and meats and veggies for dinner, and snack on nuts and cheese and meat.

Basically, I try to limit or avoid carbs - grains (especially processed flours), starchy vegetables (potatoes, beans) and anything with added sugars over 3g. I skip processed foods as much as possible. But... If I want mashed potatoes, I have a little bit occasionally. If I go to Panera, I eat my favorite Broccoli Cheese soup AND the baguette. BUT...I make sure I am careful with carbs the rest of the day and the next. And I don't do it all the time.

I eat a piece of unsweetened dark chocolate almost daily. I drink wine every week. I don't count calories or carbs, and I weigh myself once a week. I eat until I am comfortable full, and then stop. I try to stay feeling like I'm at least 3/4 full to full...I don't let myself get hungry, and I don't stuff myself.

Finally understanding how my body works and eating according to that has made a huge difference recently, and hopefully will continue. Eliminating most carbs and sugars has also eliminated most cravings as well. THAT in itself is a huge difference. If anyone is interested , the book that changed my life was "Why We Get Fat, And What To Do About It" by Gary Taubes. You can read reviews on amazon, and check it out of the library if you are interested. Eye-opening miracle of a discovery for me. Good luck everyone!

Finally understanding how my body works and eating according to that has made a huge difference recently, and hopefully will continue. Eliminating most carbs and sugars has also eliminated most cravings as well. THAT in itself is a huge difference. If anyone is interested , the book that changed my life was "Why We Get Fat, And What To Do About It" by Gary Taubes. You can read reviews on amazon, and check it out of the library if you are interested. Eye-opening miracle of a discovery for me. Good luck everyone!

I suggest you do a bit more research on Why We Get Fat, since Taubes spouts a ton of non sense in that book and in general

Here's a good place to start:

http://carbsanity.blogspot.com/search/label/Gary Taubes Fact Check

Finally understanding how my body works and eating according to that has made a huge difference recently, and hopefully will continue. Eliminating most carbs and sugars has also eliminated most cravings as well. THAT in itself is a huge difference. If anyone is interested , the book that changed my life was "Why We Get Fat, And What To Do About It" by Gary Taubes. You can read reviews on amazon, and check it out of the library if you are interested. Eye-opening miracle of a discovery for me. Good luck everyone!

I suggest you do a bit more research on Why We Get Fat, since Taubes spouts a ton of non sense in that book and in general

Here's a good place to start:

http://carbsanity.blogspot.com/search/label/Gary Taubes Fact Check

I don't see anything other than some guy's opinion on this blog...am I missing the cited studies he uses when criticizing Taubes' work? Like I said, people are free to make up their own minds based on their own research.

Also, the formula I posted is all you need for muscle retention.

Wrong:

"After much toing and froing and research had been done it was eventually found that a protein intake of about 1.5 g/kg of lean body mass (LBM; note that researchers actually used Ideal Body Weight but this is a rough proxy for LBM) was necessary to spare LBM losses in a non-training obese individual consuming low calories.

This is about double the DRI for protein (at 0.8 g/kg) at maintenance calories. So for an overweight individual at say 200 pounds and 30% body fat (this would give them an LBM of 140 lbs or 63 kg), that would be a protein intake of 95 grams of protein per day. Please note that this value is simply a minimum and dieters may still find that higher protein intakes are beneficial from a hunger blunting effect or what have you (see below)."

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/protein-intake-while-dieting-qa.html

As for satiety, again, mixing protein, carbs, and fat together in meal changes the way that operates. I personally don't know anyone who eats 100% carbs, or 100% fat, or 100% protein for any one meal, so it's really not applicable to normal, practical living.

What the hell are you talking about? Please point to where ANYONE suggested that.


From the aforementioned link:
"It’s worth noting that more recent research supports further benefits of increased protein intakes while dieting, beyond simple lean body mass maintenance. Protein is the most filling nutrient (meaning that higher protein intakes tend to control hunger better) and studies have found that higher protein intakes can help to stabilize blood sugar levels while dieting which has benefits from both an energy level and appetite standpoint. Protein high in the amino acid leucine (with the dairy proteins whey and casein being the two proteins highest in leucine) seem to have extra benefit in this regard."

I couldn't find the citations for the actual studies that were talked about there, any idea where I can find the actual research? My number came from the Canadian and US government recommendations. I'm not anti Lyle McDonald, but everything he sells is based on high protein, low carb, so I'd like to read the actual research, rather than his blog.

Finally understanding how my body works and eating according to that has made a huge difference recently, and hopefully will continue. Eliminating most carbs and sugars has also eliminated most cravings as well. THAT in itself is a huge difference. If anyone is interested , the book that changed my life was "Why We Get Fat, And What To Do About It" by Gary Taubes. You can read reviews on amazon, and check it out of the library if you are interested. Eye-opening miracle of a discovery for me. Good luck everyone!

I suggest you do a bit more research on Why We Get Fat, since Taubes spouts a ton of non sense in that book and in general

Here's a good place to start:

http://carbsanity.blogspot.com/search/label/Gary Taubes Fact Check

I don't see anything other than some guy's opinion on this blog...am I missing the cited studies he uses when criticizing Taubes' work?

LOL. You didn't even look at the link, did you?

First of all, CarbSane is a woman. Ya know, from the PICTURE at the top of the page.

Second, the site is extremely well referenced. She has these things called "links" that link to things called "sources"

Also, the formula I posted is all you need for muscle retention.

Wrong:

"After much toing and froing and research had been done it was eventually found that a protein intake of about 1.5 g/kg of lean body mass (LBM; note that researchers actually used Ideal Body Weight but this is a rough proxy for LBM) was necessary to spare LBM losses in a non-training obese individual consuming low calories.

This is about double the DRI for protein (at 0.8 g/kg) at maintenance calories. So for an overweight individual at say 200 pounds and 30% body fat (this would give them an LBM of 140 lbs or 63 kg), that would be a protein intake of 95 grams of protein per day. Please note that this value is simply a minimum and dieters may still find that higher protein intakes are beneficial from a hunger blunting effect or what have you (see below)."

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/protein-intake-while-dieting-qa.html

As for satiety, again, mixing protein, carbs, and fat together in meal changes the way that operates. I personally don't know anyone who eats 100% carbs, or 100% fat, or 100% protein for any one meal, so it's really not applicable to normal, practical living.

What the hell are you talking about? Please point to where ANYONE suggested that.


From the aforementioned link:
"It’s worth noting that more recent research supports further benefits of increased protein intakes while dieting, beyond simple lean body mass maintenance. Protein is the most filling nutrient (meaning that higher protein intakes tend to control hunger better) and studies have found that higher protein intakes can help to stabilize blood sugar levels while dieting which has benefits from both an energy level and appetite standpoint. Protein high in the amino acid leucine (with the dairy proteins whey and casein being the two proteins highest in leucine) seem to have extra benefit in this regard."

I couldn't find the citations for the actual studies that were talked about there, any idea where I can find the actual research? My number came from the Canadian and US government recommendations. I'm not anti Lyle McDonald, but everything he sells is based on high protein, low carb, so I'd like to read the actual research, rather than his blog.

Full-text
http://www.ajcn.org/content/78/1/31.full


And the bolded statement is just plain false. GFD, UD2.0, and his book on Nutrition for Athletes are not low-carb. (Nor are the vast majority of his articles).