Okay I think calorie counting is the easiest to follow. I also believe that bad carbs have a lot to do with weight gain and not being able to lose weight. How many carbs do you eat per day while calorie counting? I have done Atkins and though it def. works I can't stick to it and I gain the weight back. I was thinking about doing a low calorie diet/ restricted carbs only wheat bread and fruit. No noodles, potatos, and starchy items.
If you want to count calories, I'd suggest starting off with JUST that. Figure a good calorie range for you and plan to eat HEALTHY foods within your calorie range. By healthy I mean lots of veggies, grains (things like rice, whole grain bread, etc. ), fruits, lean proteins.
Once you're comfortable with that, you can start looking at your macro ratios - the percentages of carb/protein/fat that you're eating.
But for now, concentrate on your calories. You'll find (if you're doing it right) that you'll automatically start leaving out things like white bread and pasta because you'll find better use for those calories elsewhere. But you won't have any "forbidden" foods that you can't eat.
I use a range of calories/fats/protein/carbs. I found that is helpful to me because my tendency is to want to eat only carbs and not get enough protein. I got these numbers via Sparkpeople.com.
I do watch my ratio (f/c/p 20/40/40) but I find it very hard to eat both low cal and low carb, because a lot of things that are low cal like veggies and fruit have a lot of carbs. It's a hard balance, and I doubt the outcome is very healty.
I don't see much wrong with this plan. Since you seem to already know lots about different forms of carbs, I don't see you tripping over your own intricate rules.
Lots of calorie counters quickly learn that white bread and white pasta add up too fast and add no nutrient value. You already know this.
Your plan is not much different from someone who wants to count calories but will not eat dairy. They just exclude it from their roster. You'll just exclude the things you've chosen to pass up.
And as for macronutrients ... you'll figure them out as you go. "Restricted carbs" is a notion that definitely is in the eye of the beholder. If your ordinary diet is 75% carbs then 40% is restricted. If you only ever ate 50% then 25% is restricted. Did that make sense?
Work away for a few days and see where you end up .... easily. You can always tweak which I think is the beauty of calorie counting.
Yeah, what SusanB said. Just don't make yourself crazy trying to follow too many rules. Right now I'm focusing on carb intake, but basically I've counted calories.
I don't count carbs at all. (I calorie count-but I pay more attention to fat, protein, and fiber intake.)
However, I do watch what KINDS of carbs that I eat-and try to keep it at fruit, veggies, and whole grains. I do like to have a glass of wine on the weekend, and occasionally a piece of dark chocolate-and I don't sweat it. If I am going to have a treat, they are much healthier than a Little Debbie snack cake.
So, I watch what kind of carbs that I eat...but I don't count carbs at all.
I met with a nutritionist a month ago - she told me to keep carbs low 100-130grams per day. I think it is helpful. I can eat a little more if I keep my carbs in check. I'm still not losing weight fast. But it is much easier to count my carbs than all my calories on weekends when I am not near a computer. Also keeping away from bad carbs keeps my blood sugar from crashing. I definately do not think all calories are far game...
Article taken from Sparks:
[quote]
Why Calories Are King -- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian
1. What is the most common misconception about calories?
I’d say it’s the belief that calories from different foods are worth more or less. It’s true that fats are higher density in calories than protein or carbohydrates. But in the end, all that matters is whether your body needs those calories or not. If your body has met all of its immediate energy and energy store needs, those extra calories will be turned to fat whether they came from a tomato or a Tootsie Roll. You could eat no junk food at all, but if you wolfed down 3,000 calories worth of fruits and vegetables, you’d still gain weight. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to calorie totals, both of what you eat and what you burn. If those numbers are in line, you should be fine. Of course, it’s still essential to get calories from a balanced diet so you get all the nutrients you need.
2. Suppose someone has cut calories, but still hits a plateau. Is it possible that she may need to eat more calories to lose weight?
It’s possible. If you’re not eating enough, your body sort of panics and goes into what’s known as starvation mode, slowing down your metabolism and fat-burning processes. If it’s being starved of calories, it has to hold onto all of the energy stores and calories that it can. Think of your body as a furnace. If there’s not enough fuel, the fire just simmers for a long time without really burning hot. If you’re not eating enough calories to match your activity level, your body just simmers and no real progress is being made. The danger is that people react to this type of plateau by eating even less, which of course just makes the problem worse and harder to recover from. It’s a horrible cycle that can lead to real problems.
3. How many calories do people need to eat?
That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? You’re going to hate me when I say that it depends. There are three factors involved: Your weight loss goals, your Basal Metabolic Rate (the number of calories your body burns via normal, everyday functions), and how much exercise you get. First, calculate your BMR. Next, consider how much activity you get. Add the calories you burn through activity and exercise for one day to your BMR. This is your baseline for daily calorie needs. To lose 1 pound per week (if that’s your goal), you’d simply eat 500 calories less than this number each day. Whatever your baseline is, more than 1,000 calories per day below that (resulting in 2 pounds lost per week) is not a good idea. Your body needs enough nutrition and energy to deal with whatever exercise level you choose. At bare minimum, no matter what, I strongly urge women to not drop below 1,200 calories daily and men to not drop below 1,500 calories daily. Any lower than that and starvation mode – or worse – will almost always kick in.
4. Why do people still need to get calories from carbs? Can’t more protein make up for it?
Each type of nutrient (fat, carbs, protein) is an energy source. Each has the same end result – they’re either used or eventually stored as fat. But each is processed in a unique way and fills a very specific need. Let’s focus on carbs versus protein, since this is the focus of a lot of dieting these days. Both carbs and protein work on different assembly lines in the same factory. A minimum amount of carbs is essential for immediate energy needs and to metabolize fat properly. People seem to forget (ironically) that carbs are also your sole source of energy for the brain. No one else in the factory can do this job. Proteins can provide energy too, but they have more value if used in other ways, like building and repairing cells, producing antibodies to fight disease, and helping out with other body functions. If not enough carbs show up for work, proteins are pulled off of the jobs they’re best at to cover those energy-producing functions. Meanwhile, the work proteins were supposed to be doing goes undone. The factory suffers.
5. What rule of thumb should be used in allocating calories?
Since menus and eating realities change daily, average ranges work better than absolute percentages. For the most part, your calorie intake should come from:
40-65% Carbohydrates
10-35% Proteins
20-35% Fats
It’s important to try to meet these ranges every day to fulfill your energy and nutrient needs without creating more fat storage. But if you miss these ranges periodically, don’t stress too much, just keep an eye on it and work on improving your habits. Trying to match an exact number – or even a range -- every single day is unrealistic. If your results are within these ranges over time, that’s what matters
[quote]
I try to get 30% protein, don't worry so much about the rest. Like others have said, I have dropped a lot of the high cal items, but a lot of fruits and veggies pack on the carbs. I did pretty much drop white bread, but still eat pasta and white rice - haven't figured out how to make brown rice that doesn't have the taste and consistency of rice from the bottom of a bowl of soup...
I usually end up with 27-33% protein, 47-55% carb, 25-30% fat. some days the carbs are a little higher... I really like pasta so I make it work in my calories a couple of times a week.
Okay I think calorie counting is the easiest to follow. I also believe that bad carbs have a lot to do with weight gain and not being able to lose weight. How many carbs do you eat per day while calorie counting? I have done Atkins and though it def. works I can't stick to it and I gain the weight back. I was thinking about doing a low calorie diet/ restricted carbs only wheat bread and fruit. No noodles, potatos, and starchy items.
What do you think?
I kinda do the same thing and it's working for me. I don't "count carbs" but I limit them. I have one grain thing day and then eat lost of veggies. I average about 180 g of carbs a day, but it's all good carbs. I do eat more lean protein that most people I'm sure, but it is what works for me.
I also don't count carbs at all. I do, however watch what kind of carbs I am eating. I choose whole grain breads, sweet potatoes, occasional servings of whole grain pasta and I love and eat whole grain brown rice. That isn't to say that I never eat regular potatoes (hey, I love my spuds) or white pasta or rice. But, I want the biggest nutritional bang for my caloric buck, so I limit the "white" foods.
I also watch my sugar intake. While I don't cut it completely out, I am careful not to eat too much of it. Same with artificial sweeteners. I am a salt freak and limiting it is very, very hard for me. But I am trying to get my sodium intake down a bit, too.
I try very hard to get plenty of protein every day. But I don't count or track the amount of protein I eat. I am numbers challenged (PC for a total math idiot... ) and just counting calories is enough figuring for me. My poor calculator is smoking.
I think I am doing an okay job, overall. My weight is coming off and I am eating a lot better than I think I ever have.
Last edited by Rain Dancer; 09-06-2008 at 11:52 AM.
Reason: To fix a spelling error and to edit a word. :)
I was reading just lately and thought of this this morning ...
According to Anne M Fletcher's Thin for Life ... nearly half of her weight loss masters indicated they lost weight by following self styled schemes as opposed to those who followed a structured programme.
Calories/carbs
) or white pasta or rice. But, I want the biggest nutritional bang for my caloric buck, so I limit the "white" foods.
) and just counting calories is enough figuring for me. My poor calculator is smoking. 