Carbs - advice needed please

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munchlax65
munchlax65 Posts: 31
in Food and Nutrition
Hi

I normally have carbs with every meal (e.g. toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, potatoes/rice/pasta with dinner). Is this ok? I tend to have quite hefty portions and have always been a bit of a carb fiend! Is it possible to still have plenty of carbs and lose weight? I've heard friends who do Slimming World say they have eaten as many carbs as they could and still lose weight - is this possible?

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  • dnsrmr
    dnsrmr Posts: 99 Member
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    I'm a low carb eater 95% of the time. I used to eat carbs and count calories but now that I'm getting older it's harder to keep it off so I stick with low carb foods and try to stay around 20 carbs per day excluding counting anything else but carbs. On the weekend I'm with family so it's alot harder so I eat what I want, but most of the time I stick to a low carb eating plan (Atkins.com Induction) otherwise I'd be over 200 pounds easily.
    Good luck in finding what works for you.
  • Mnata
    Mnata Posts: 35 Member
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    Carbs are a nutrient, just like protein or vitamins, so you should be able to eat carbs and still lose weight. Like other things, go for less-processed versions when possible - whole wheat, brown rice, etc.

    Some people do react more to carbs and have to cut them back more when trying to lose weight. Also, some carbs (such as white potatoes) can easily break down to sugars and wreak havoc with blood sugar levels in people sensitive to such changes. (Carbohydrates are molecules made up of multiple sugar molecules. Whole grains tend to break down slower, while many processed grains break down quickly and give more of a sugar-like reaction.)
  • munchlax65
    munchlax65 Posts: 31
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    Thanks. I think I am going to try cutting down on my carbs, perhaps have fruit for breakfast salads for lunch and then have carbs with dinner and see how I get on with that. Problem will be I am going to see SO hungry when I start! Thanks for your advice and good luck to you too :)
  • munchlax65
    munchlax65 Posts: 31
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    Carbs are a nutrient, just like protein or vitamins, so you should be able to eat carbs and still lose weight. Like other things, go for less-processed versions when possible - whole wheat, brown rice, etc.

    Some people do react more to carbs and have to cut them back more when trying to lose weight. Also, some carbs (such as white potatoes) can easily break down to sugars and wreak havoc with blood sugar levels in people sensitive to such changes. (Carbohydrates are molecules made up of multiple sugar molecules. Whole grains tend to break down slower, while many processed grains break down quickly and give more of a sugar-like reaction.)

    Oh my goodness I did not know that about potatoes and I eat loads of them! Are sweet potatoes any better? I eat wholemeal bread most of the time over white but I did not know white potatoes were bad. At the moment I am just starting out so body needs to get used to new way of eating. I am worried I am going to be grumpy cutting down carbs but has to be done...
  • Mnata
    Mnata Posts: 35 Member
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    Oh my goodness I did not know that about potatoes and I eat loads of them! Are sweet potatoes any better? I eat wholemeal bread most of the time over white but I did not know white potatoes were bad. At the moment I am just starting out so body needs to get used to new way of eating. I am worried I am going to be grumpy cutting down carbs but has to be done...

    White potatoes aren't necessarily bad, but for some people they do cause wide swings in blood sugar. For those people, it's often better to avoid white potatoes. And from what I've heard, sweet potatoes are better in that respect, not giving such large swings in blood sugar.
  • munchlax65
    munchlax65 Posts: 31
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    I feel moody when I get hungry, perhaps I am addicted to carbs? Not been to bad with my carbs today trying to have wholemeal/wholegrain stuff and will start having sweet potaoes instead of white ones.
  • fitnessfashionista17
    fitnessfashionista17 Posts: 16 Member
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    You can still lose weight eating carbs, just make sure 90% or more of the carbs your eat are good for you. I don't limit my carbs at all, but I try to eat protein so I just happen to not eat as many carbs because I am not hungry.
    Try eating beans, quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal and fruit as your main high carb foods. All of them with the exception of fruit has a good amount of protein and some good fats, which cuts the overall carb count.
    You shouldn't try to avoid carbs. For some people it works, but it is unhealthy to sustain, and your organs need carbs to function.

    If you think your eating too much:
    start your meal out with a source of protein: meat, fish, greek yogurt, edamame, lentils, protein powder (eat as much as will fill you up, don't limit the protein)
    add in healthy fats: avocado, olive oil, any type of nuts, chia seeds (if your trying to loose weightthese are high calorie, so just add a little)
    add in low calorie carbs: fruits and vegetables (but not high calorie ones) you can eat as much of these as you would like, they will add carbs but have many nutrients and ae low calorie
    add in your high carb foods: whole grains, beans, maybe even an unhealthy high-carb food, but just make sure it is a small portion if your trying to lose weight.
    For example, eat a sandwich but have it with a big salad and some protein and avocado.
  • wackyfunster
    wackyfunster Posts: 944 Member
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    Carb intake has nothing to do with weight-loss (unless you are on a keto diet, which is IMO unnecessary and potentially unhealthy).

    Calories in - calories out. No need to make it any more complicated if simple weight loss is your goal.

    If you want to make it super complicated: If you eat cheeseburgers and ice cream, and carry a weekly caloric deficit of 3500, you will lose a pound a week. If you eat nothing but fresh veggies and lean meat (healthy low-carb diet), and carry a weekly caloric deficit of 3500, you will lose around 1.1 pounds per week, due to the superior thermic-effect of whole foods. That is the difference between losing 52 pounds in a year, and 57 pounds in a year.

    People focus on the wrong things, and as a result fail to meet their goals. Fitness is not complicated.

    Calories in - calories out is 90% of weight loss.
  • munchlax65
    munchlax65 Posts: 31
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    Carb intake has nothing to do with weight-loss (unless you are on a keto diet, which is IMO unnecessary and potentially unhealthy).

    Calories in - calories out. No need to make it any more complicated if simple weight loss is your goal.

    If you want to make it super complicated: If you eat cheeseburgers and ice cream, and carry a weekly caloric deficit of 3500, you will lose a pound a week. If you eat nothing but fresh veggies and lean meat (healthy low-carb diet), and carry a weekly caloric deficit of 3500, you will lose around 1.1 pounds per week, due to the superior thermic-effect of whole foods. That is the difference between losing 52 pounds in a year, and 57 pounds in a year.

    People focus on the wrong things, and as a result fail to meet their goals. Fitness is not complicated.

    Calories in - calories out is 90% of weight loss.

    Thanks thats really good to know. I am going to stick to my calories each day and not worry too much about carbs now!

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