Carbs vs. Calories ... what do YOU do?

FatToFitWife · 02-09-2012, 06:45 AM

Basically just that! I'm curious to see what everyones thoughts are on this. I've counted both seperately before, and now am counting both. What does everyone else do?

kateleestar · 02-09-2012, 07:21 AM

I count calories as my "plan"... but I watch my carbs too. Not like a hawk or anything, but I watch them to know when I'll have a little extra water weight the next day.

VermontMom · 02-09-2012, 07:31 AM

I have found that I use my calories badly when I count calories...like wasting them on cookies instead of real food. When I watch carbs that is not a problem for me.

carter · 02-09-2012, 07:31 AM

I count calories but I don't bother counting carbs - I have never needed to. Refined carbs, as far as I am concerned, count themselves - I have no interest in spending calories on them. I do eat quite a lot of fruit, though, and a high-protein cereal has turned out to be a very convenient breakfast for me, and my regular lunch is a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread. So my eating isn't low-carb even remotely.

That's just what has worked for me - plenty of people find that low carb works for them. The only way to know for yourself is to try the science experiment - pick an approach, try it for 6 weeks or so, and see how you feel on it.

sontaikle · 02-09-2012, 08:05 AM

I sort of do both. I count calories and choose lower carb, higher protein options, but I don't worry if I happen to have a higher carb day here and there. I never actually sit there and count out my carbs though.

When I DID count the carbs of a typical day, I found I was eating a pretty low carb diet overall.

I find that eating more protein and less carbs has helped me with my strength training and overall fitness goals. I still lost weight at the same rate as I did when I wasn't worrying about carbs, though, as I ate the same amount of calories.

emmy13 · 02-09-2012, 08:17 AM

I have found that the ONLY way I can lose weight is to eliminate processed carbs from my diet. The only carbs I get are from veggies and fruit. I am pretty much addicted to simple carbs, I can't handle even small amounts. They make me hungrier and I always end up over eating or binging.

bargoo · 02-09-2012, 08:19 AM

I count calories only, but keep a watchful on on carbs as I do sodium.

runningfromfat · 02-09-2012, 08:35 AM

Neither.

I do intuitive eating, little to no sugar/artificial sweeteners, whole grain- little to no white four, and make sure to eat lots of veggies/fruit/meat.

My diet is relatively low carb but definitely not that low carb either. I also make myself aware of the calorie content in food but don't ever sit down and count them.

FatToFitWife · 02-09-2012, 08:58 AM

Thanks for the quick replies

I, like some of you, cannot handle processed carbs, such as junk food, chips, candy, white anything, etc. If I eat it, it'll lead to a binge no doubt. I did, however, add some creamer to my coffee today as a treat. I'm planning on counting calories, and keeping an eye on my sugars & carbs. I know I do best with protein/healthy fats, veggies & lower carbs. I dont plan on sticking to a hard number, but keeping it under a certain number most days. I like what someone said ... Try it for 6 or so weeks & then reevaluate. That's my problem ... I need to stick to it for long enough to see changes

I was feeling icky on Atkins so I changed it up. I was hungry on cc so I went to Atkins instead of just sticking it out & letting my body adjust. Thanks everyone

StephanieM · 02-09-2012, 09:46 AM

I count both, but carbs before calories. I'm doing the first phase of Atkins so I have to stay under 20 net carbs. I count calories because I find it easy to undereat because I don't get hungry and I want them above 1200 at the minimum.

Katydid77 · 02-09-2012, 10:21 AM

If someone asks me, I always say "just watch my calories" and that is my priority, but I do focus on making sure that I limit my carbs and junk.

I can lose weight either way, but if I let myself eat junk, I stay hungry, miserable, and not feeling good the entire time.

If I eat real foods with lower carbs and the most natural sources it makes a world of difference in how I feel.

It also makes a difference in my tummy not feeling bloated and yucky all the time. I've had that experience where you have dropped x number of pounds but your belly is sticking out more, and you feel grosser than you did before.

I just don't like that.

freelancemomma · 02-09-2012, 10:23 AM

I just ballpark calories and don't count carbs at all. On occasion I have nothing but carbs for breakfast or lunch. My evolving motto is to eat what I want within my 2,000-calorie allotment, as long as it all shakes down as reasonably healthy over a week or so. So far it seems to be working for me (fingers crossed).

F.

philana · 02-09-2012, 10:58 AM

I've been calorie counting for a while, watching m y carb intake but not very closely. I know from before when I paid lots of attention to my protein I felt way less hungry. So I started counting carbs today. I am shooting for 75g carbs at most. Meanwhile staying within 1200calories.

Though I already notice it's gonna be easy staying within those calories because I am not even remotely hungry. I started this because I kept going overboard on candy. When I was calorie counting before I lived on my own, there just wasn't any candy around. But now I live back home and theres candy/carbs everywhere so my calories are spent way more on carbs than they were before. That made me decide to start counting them strictly.

Sunshine73 · 02-09-2012, 11:03 AM

I count carbs. As much as I LOVE them I have to limit them. I tried calorie counting many times and no matter how hard I tried I wasn't able to lose unless I cut my calorie intake to 1000 or less. I was always starving and pretty darned cranky to boot!

Now, on a low carb WOE, I can comfortably consume between 1500 and 2000 calories a day and have been losing weight without being so hungry I want to gnaw my own arm off.

astrophe · 02-09-2012, 11:47 AM

Both.

The first time I dropped significant weight I got within 20 lbs of goal. It was all calories then and it was the late 90's.

PCOS, pregnancy, gestational diabetes, and insulin resistance/syndrome X/hypothyroid? That's not enough any more. It's got to be calories, carbs and quality of food. I spent most of this last decade figuring that out and yoyoing. Ugh.

Have to buckle down now.

A.