Carbs?

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jhall1980
jhall1980 Posts: 47
in Food and Nutrition
Hi Everyone! :happy:
I know some people who are on a no carb diet... Is this good for you? I've read that you have to have some carbs for energy & if you cut out all carbs you won't lose weight. Anyone know anything about this?
I'm debating on cutting out ALL carbs... please give me some of your opinions or expertise.

Thank you,
Jen

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11/2/09 172lbs
11/9/09 171lbs

Replies

  • jljune
    jljune Posts: 59
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    Cutting out ALL carbs is very taxing to your liver, and your brain. Chances are you will be very sluggish and forgetful. You need carbs for energy as well as balanced fiber and protein. It is VERY true that if you cut out ALL carbs you will lose weight and FAST but it is not good for your body and chances are you will not be able to maintain that diet, especially with the holidays around the corner, for very long and will gain your weight back just as FAST. I would suggest that you follow the percentages for your age and weight and if you want to cut your carbs in 1/2 that would be fine. Good luck!

    I am new to Myfitnesspal.com! I have recently lost 55 pounds after having my baby and hope to lose an additional 15 to 20 pounds in the near future!

    297714.png Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • rtmama
    rtmama Posts: 403 Member
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    A BALANCED diet is the key to losing weight.

    If you want to reduce carbs, remove all the processed sugar and refined flour from your diet. And only eat good quality high fiber whole grains, veggies, fruits, etc.
  • twin2
    twin2 Posts: 404
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    I am new to Myfitnesspal.com! I have recently lost 55 pounds after having my baby and hope to lose an additional 15 to 20 pounds in the near future!

    Welcome to MFP!!
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    Hi Everyone! :happy:
    I know some people who are on a no carb diet... Is this good for you? I've read that you have to have some carbs for energy & if you cut out all carbs you won't lose weight. Anyone know anything about this?
    I'm debating on cutting out ALL carbs... please give me some of your opinions or expertise.

    Thank you,
    Jen

    292859.png

    11/2/09 172lbs
    11/9/09 171lbs

    All Carbs?? You realize you're cutting out all fruit and almost all veggies, right?
  • sournotez
    sournotez Posts: 14
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    If your body doesn't have enough carbs to use for energy, then it will burn off proteins instead. This will take the protein away that you need for muscle development/repair. Plus, you'll lack energy and will have far less motivation to exercise. I used to limit carbs until my trainer told me that I was doing the completely wrong thing. Ultimately, it is a bad idea to cut them out comletely.
  • jhall1980
    jhall1980 Posts: 47
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    Thank you so much everyone. I love potatoes & I usually have a huge portion when we have them (which is often). I think I will just cut down on how large of a portion I have. I am still going to eat my fruits & veggies. I am definently eating better then I have been for the past couple of years. I was drinking a 2 liter of Pespi a day & I finally cut out pop altogether. I feel so much better already. Now I just need to lose the weight.

    Jen

    292859.png

    11/2/09 172lbs
    11/9/09 171lbs
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    It's pretty much impossible to cut out ALL carbs. You couldn't eat any dairy products, for example, or nuts. Just meat and eggs. :laugh:

    But, the reality is that there are no essential carbs. Carbs provide quick energy and are a ready source of glucose, which the brain needs. But our bodies can make glucose from anything and get energy from any calories we feed it. So how many carbs you consume should be based on what works for you.

    Personally, I think the current mainstream recommendations of getting 50-60% of your calories from carbs doesn't make sense in our modern, largely sedentary, society. If you work an office job, you don't need quick energy most of the time. You need slow burning energy like you get from protein and fats.

    Then, there is the whole cravings issue. When I eat too many carbs, my body starts craving more and it doesn't crave fruits and veggies but junk food. I can control that by keeping my carbs under 185 g a day (give or take).

    I eat carbs before and during a long workout, because that's when you do need quick energy, and I eat a lot of fruit and veggies for the micronutrients. But my snacks and meals are primarily protein-based. That doesn't mean that I only eat protein, but that the core of the meal is protein and the carbs and fats are secondary.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    It's pretty much impossible to cut out ALL carbs. You couldn't eat any dairy products, for example, or nuts. Just meat and eggs. :laugh:

    But, the reality is that there are no essential carbs. Carbs provide quick energy and are a ready source of glucose, which the brain needs. But our bodies can make glucose from anything and get energy from any calories we feed it. So how many carbs you consume should be based on what works for you.

    Personally, I think the current mainstream recommendations of getting 50-60% of your calories from carbs doesn't make sense in our modern, largely sedentary, society. If you work an office job, you don't need quick energy most of the time. You need slow burning energy like you get from protein and fats.

    Then, there is the whole cravings issue. When I eat too many carbs, my body starts craving more and it doesn't crave fruits and veggies but junk food. I can control that by keeping my carbs under 185 g a day (give or take).

    I eat carbs before and during a long workout, because that's when you do need quick energy, and I eat a lot of fruit and veggies for the micronutrients. But my snacks and meals are primarily protein-based. That doesn't mean that I only eat protein, but that the core of the meal is protein and the carbs and fats are secondary.

    I agree. And the reality is that, the lower our blood sugar, the lower our insulin levels, and the higher our fat-burning hormones. A low-carbohydrate diet (which is actually 30-40% carbs, not 0%) can be helpful in regulating blood sugar and allowing more fat and protein in the diet, which promote satiety. I get on fine at 40% and I run 4-5 miles every other day. Yes, some days I'm more fatigued than others, but that's also due to overall caloric restriction...and I'm running to burn calories, not compete. I have tried everything from 10% carbs to 50% carbs and I find that I'm much more full on a moderate level (30-40%) with more protein.
  • BamaRose0107
    BamaRose0107 Posts: 635
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    I did an extremely low carb diet for years. Believe me if you are at all active your body will start fighting against you. I had no energy, headahes, dizziness, vomitting, and my blood sugar became unbalanced. I also started having kidney pain from the large amounts of protein. While carbs from processed sugar like those found in boxed meals are unhealthy carbs from veggies fruits and wheat bread and pasta can be benificial. Now I still do a reduced carb diet but it is about 40-50% instead of 0%. I eat healthy carbs instead of pre packaged junk. I am able to work out hard lose weight and tone up now where before I could hardly get out of bed some days. I know everyone is different but this is my experience. Hope it helps.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    There's no need to cut out carbs. Enjoy a nice, healthy balanced diet.
  • jhall1980
    jhall1980 Posts: 47
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    This all definently helps & gives me something to think about. I appreciate all the feedback. I have realized from my food diary that i'm not even usually all of my daily calories. I need to figure out how to manage it better. I've only been doing it for 2 days so i'm sure i'll get the hang of it. As for the carbs... I do just need to cut back on my portions. I don't think I will ever STOP eating carbs. I love them too much :tongue:
    My "diet" really just consists of no pop, no junk food (except my mother in laws cheesecake on thanksgiving & christmas) & portion control.
    I already feel better just after a week of eating better. I am going to keep this up. I am determined to get back to my weight before I had my baby

    Thanks again,
    Jen

    292859.png

    11/2/09 172lbs
    11/9/09 171lbs
  • barbiecat
    barbiecat Posts: 16,948 Member
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    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
    balanced is better.......
    I stay away from sugar, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and processed foods and try to balance carbs, protein, and healthy fat.
  • mar109
    mar109 Posts: 101 Member
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    heres the deal.

    carbs and starches are two very different things, which can be easily confused. YES, you should absolutely have carbs in your diet, and most times... it's unavoidable. Most vegetables have carbs, and fruit is high in carbs. However, should you be eating a lot of bread, potatoes, and pasta? Nope, it isn't that great for you. You should keep everything balances, and lower your starch intake. Maybe instead of having a starch for every meal, cut it down to one serving at one meal. Your likely to get an adequate amount of carbohydrates from eating more fruits and vegetables!
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    heres the deal.

    carbs and starches are two very different things, which can be easily confused. YES, you should absolutely have carbs in your diet, and most times... it's unavoidable. Most vegetables have carbs, and fruit is high in carbs. However, should you be eating a lot of bread, potatoes, and pasta? Nope, it isn't that great for you. You should keep everything balances, and lower your starch intake. Maybe instead of having a starch for every meal, cut it down to one serving at one meal. Your likely to get an adequate amount of carbohydrates from eating more fruits and vegetables!

    Actually, they are the same thing. Starch is a TYPE of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates can come big (starches) or small (monosaccharides like glucose). Fruit and vegetables contain starch. Some veggies contain less and are considered more fibrous, like broccoli, while others, like corn, are higher in starch. Fruits are entirely starch--the form of 'food' the seeds would 'eat' if they were to germinate. Whole grain bread, pasta, and even potatoes are all full of 'starch' but also fiber, (incomplete) proteins, and vitamins and minerals. So there's really no reason to limit yourself to just fruits and vegetables unless it's a personal choice because you don't like grains or have an allergy.
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    Yeah, I never understood why people think potatoes are so evil ... as an example. They are a vegetable too!

    What I think it worth cutting out (or down on) are the processed starches. Like pasta made from white flour instead of whole grain flour. Or white bread. Not because they are a starch, but because they are processed.
  • jhall1980
    jhall1980 Posts: 47
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    Yeah, I never understood why people think potatoes are so evil ... as an example. They are a vegetable too!

    What I think it worth cutting out (or down on) are the processed starches. Like pasta made from white flour instead of whole grain flour. Or white bread. Not because they are a starch, but because they are processed.

    I agree. I have switched us to whole wheat bread... I did that a while ago. I still can't get my family to eat anything but pasta made from white flour. I don't know why. It all tastes the same I think. Maybe i'll do it without them knowing lol
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    I couldn't get mine to switch to whole grain pasta either! I think dh doesn't cook it right because we can tell the difference. I'm thinking about mixing it half and half and seeing if that works better.
  • BamaRose0107
    BamaRose0107 Posts: 635
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    I tricked my husband into eating it. My husband loves white flour products and fatty hamburger meat he would always give me a hard time when I ate the healthier stuff so I replaced ground chuck with turkey and white noodles with whole grain in my pasta dish without telling him. He loved it. Now if I want him to try something I just put it in front off him and I don't tell him it is healthy.
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    Unfortunately, my dh does most of the cooking so my opportunities to fool him are limited. :laugh:

    It's been a tough process of careful negotiation and taking over the grocery shopping (he can't cook it, if I don't buy it, right?) to get him to cook healthier and I can't say I've been overly successful. But I have made progress! :happy:
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    Yeah, I never understood why people think potatoes are so evil ... as an example. They are a vegetable too!

    Amen!
    I love me some potatoes. Just had mashed ones for lunch. Yum!

    I'm definitely not trying to go "low carb" on purpose but I've found that when I eat sensibly, I hover around 200g each day (+/- 25g or so). I could easily get it lower if I cut out daily treats like hot chocolate or popcorn, or whatever. It just kind of happened automatically for me when I started eating in a way that made sense. I definitely don't try to do it or even really notice it most of the time.

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