How to count carbs

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KenziesMomma11
KenziesMomma11 Posts: 258 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm trying to cut carbs but I'm not sure how to properly count them. Do I take the carbs - protein? I am cutting out all bread, rice, potatoes, pasta for now but would like to make sure I am accounting for the carbs I do take in.

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  • Gazjam_1985
    Gazjam_1985 Posts: 20
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    Why is it you want to cut out carbs? Are you exercising as well?

    Carbs are necessary for the body to function, cutting out is unwise really but can be a short term kick start, depends what you want from it.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Are you cutting them out forever? Because if not, as soon as you start eating them again you will gain all the weight back and then some. Educate yourself on healthy eating. Google it.
    Find healthy alternetives for the things you love. Lower carb lower calorie Whole grain foods, lowest carb fruit and Portion Control. Cut out unhealthy processed foods and anything high in sugar. Get yourself a food scale too.
    Don't go with fad diets they are very hard to maintain.
    As for how to count. Enter food before you eat them and try to stay within your limit. I have lost all the weight I wanted by staying at 45% carbs. in my goals.
  • KenziesMomma11
    KenziesMomma11 Posts: 258 Member
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    I am cutting out carbs for a kick start. I am going to do something like Atkins, slowly reintroducing them.
  • KenziesMomma11
    KenziesMomma11 Posts: 258 Member
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    bump
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    There is no special equation...MFP will help you keep track of the carbs you eat.

    I don't see anything wrong with cutting out grains, potatoes, rice, pasta etc. .. lots of people have great success doing this and maintaining a low-carb lifestyle. BUT, you have to be aware that this is not a diet but a lifestyle choice. If you go back to eating these things, you are very likely to put weight back on unless you are committed to limiting carb-heavy foods long-term.

    Even shooting for <100g of carbs a day is better than starting a diet that you plan to eventually wean yourself off of. At least it is a reasonable goal that will have better long-term results.
  • KenziesMomma11
    KenziesMomma11 Posts: 258 Member
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    There is no special equation...MFP will help you keep track of the carbs you eat.

    I don't see anything wrong with cutting out grains, potatoes, rice, pasta etc. .. lots of people have great success doing this and maintaining a low-carb lifestyle. BUT, you have to be aware that this is not a diet but a lifestyle choice. If you go back to eating these things, you are very likely to put weight back on unless you are committed to limiting carb-heavy foods long-term.

    Even shooting for <100g of carbs a day is better than starting a diet that you plan to eventually wean yourself off of. At least it is a reasonable goal that will have better long-term results.

    I fully agree with you. I am cutting out carb heavy foods for the kick start and then plan to live a lower carb lifestyle long-term. My original question should have been "how do you count net carbs?"
    I am eating some atkins bars and drinking some of their shakes as well and they take the carbs - fiber&sugar alcohol I believe to get net carbs. I'm wondering if I take carbs-fiber&sugar to get net carbs from other foods?
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    I fully agree with you. I am cutting out carb heavy foods for the kick start and then plan to live a lower carb lifestyle long-term. My original question should have been "how do you count net carbs?"
    I am eating some atkins bars and drinking some of their shakes as well and they take the carbs - fiber&sugar alcohol I believe to get net carbs. I'm wondering if I take carbs-fiber&sugar to get net carbs from other foods?

    I get you. The thing is, you don't get to subtract carbs from your diet just because you ate fiber. I still maintain that there is no magical equation for netting carbs. Carbs- fiber = net carbs is a hoax, just because you're pooping doesn't mean you didn't eat carbs ;) Only unicorns get the magical power of pooping out pure carbohydrates.

    Think of it this way... If you are getting carbohydrates from vegetable sources only, you should still be able to easily maintain a low-carb lifestyle. Veggies do contain carbohydrates as do fruit, but if you're cutting out enough processed grains (and potatoes, let's say), then your carbohydrate intake should be so negligible that you don't even have to count.

    Keep it as simple as you can.
  • kristinajaffe
    kristinajaffe Posts: 128 Member
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    I'M PRETTY SURE YOU JUST TAKE THE CARB COUNT AND THEN SUBTRACT THE FIBER COUNT...HOPE THAT HELPS
  • KenziesMomma11
    KenziesMomma11 Posts: 258 Member
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    I fully agree with you. I am cutting out carb heavy foods for the kick start and then plan to live a lower carb lifestyle long-term. My original question should have been "how do you count net carbs?"
    I am eating some atkins bars and drinking some of their shakes as well and they take the carbs - fiber&sugar alcohol I believe to get net carbs. I'm wondering if I take carbs-fiber&sugar to get net carbs from other foods?

    I get you. The thing is, you don't get to subtract carbs from your diet just because you ate fiber. I still maintain that there is no magical equation for netting carbs. Carbs- fiber = net carbs is a hoax, just because you're pooping doesn't mean you didn't eat carbs ;) Only unicorns get the magical power of pooping out pure carbohydrates.

    Think of it this way... If you are getting carbohydrates from vegetable sources only, you should still be able to easily maintain a low-carb lifestyle. Veggies do contain carbohydrates as do fruit, but if you're cutting out enough processed grains (and potatoes, let's say), then your carbohydrate intake should be so negligible that you don't even have to count.

    Keep it as simple as you can.

    You made me LOL with all of your talk of unicorn poop :D If you can talk poop, youre a good person in my book!

    I agree with you, I thought it was strange to somehow make the carb count lower by subtracting fiber?
    Now I am drinking Atkins shakes and eating their bars as well, do you think that will mess me up at all?

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