I have only recently began recording my food intake on my fitness pal and noticed that my carbs range from 35gm to 45gm a day, I was just wondering if that is the norm for others on IP or too high or too low.

Thanks for answering.

That's in the right neighborhood. We don't actually carb count on the diet, just follow the protocol - it's all been figured out for us in terms of which veggies will keep us where we should be when combined with the packets. Even if you are using alternatives, they are comparable in nutrition stats to IP products.

Monica, I haven't been counting carbs, but I wanted to comment on how fast you are losing weight! 30 lbs in 2 months, that's impressive! So whatever it is you are doing, I want to make sure I am doing the same. Do you exercise? Don't eat restricteds? Something else? Should I start counting carbs?

Can I HIGHLY recommend that you not compare yourself to others? No one's weight loss is the same - no one. It just cant be. There are too many variables in the mix and everyone is different. There's not even a need to count carbs at all.

Just following the protocol, as this board shows every day - works.

You're doing fine. Keep the faith and stay OP and you'll be fine.

Learning to Fly: I would agree that none of us should compair ourselves to others, our bodie are all different.

To answer your question, I eat a restricted every day becasue my body needs them for energy, if I don't I get tired and run down easily. My exercise is walking my dogs 4 or more times a week for atleast 30min or longer. I am drinking lots water 3-4 liters (though I am try to up my water). And I am following the plan

I was not counting my carbs but then I started using the my fitness pal app on my iphone, and computer to daily log what I eat and it handily keeps track of my daily calories, carbs, fat, and protein intake. Through this I found that without eating a restricted, my carbs were in the lower 30's those days and I would be very tired. I am also a type A person and I like to know what I am taking in and how my weight changes daily. I don't disagree with anyone that if you follow the plan it will work but as we are all different I do believe we have to make the plan work for us and our lives now while we are losing and later while in maintenance. For me I want to keep track of what I am doing and what works for me now so its second nature when I am doing it on my own without the plan making my daily meals.

As for my weight loss, my starting weight was much higher then yours and this was a very big life change for me as I was not eating that well and had alcohal often. My body had been at the same weight for over 10 years no matter if I ate better or increased my exercise, so I think I am losing fast now because it is such a shock to my system and I have so much extra weigh to lose, I am sure as I get smaller, the losses will slow down, but as long as there is losses then I am succeeding.

Hope this answers your questions, I am on nights and so I am long winded, good luck to everyone.

I've lowered my intake of IP packet carb grams per week the past few weeks and am down to about 64g. This of course does not count the carbs I'm eating in my 4 cups of daily veggies or the occasional 100 cal Muscle Milk Lite RTD drink carbs (about 3G carbs per serving) I have when I've gone too long between meals.

Are you counting net carbs (total carbs minus dietary fiber) or total carbs? Dietary fiber does not digest at all and doesn't "count", when we talk about having 20-40 carbs per day we are talking net carbs.

Marlene, Monica, thanks for the reminder!! At my first post here when I announced that I am starting this diet, I was advised NOT to compare myself to others and I totally meant to take that wise advice to heart....here we are week and half later and I already forgot... So yes, no comparisons! (although that is hard...I keep looking at WI numbers in people's signatures and hope that mine will be as good as some of them and not as low as some of the others...need to stop that. )

So true, learningtofly. I know that my losses are slower than some others, but I'm ok with that - as long as the scale keeps moving in the right direction. It took a very long time to put on this weight and I'm happyi it's coming off. I know my weight loss rate is perfect for me.

You're going to do great if you follow the program.

Total.

Gotcha - you may want to check what your NET carbs are per day to make sure you aren't TOO low.

joysh-- your pics show it definitely IS working. Look at your "hourglass" figure! Wish I had a waistline! LOL.... Oh yeah, we're not comparing

Keep up the great work. Your pics show the success!

That is exactly why Weight Watchers didn't work for me. I've never been a note taker, diary or story writer, so I would guesstimate the points (and not lose a single lbs!) This protocol is SOOO amazing that everything is figured out for me.

Have a great day!

Personally, I think counting carbs/tracking your food really helps in the long run. I can scan or look up an item and make better choices. It really makes me conscious of what im eating.
I think the "just follow the sheet" attitude is a negative trait of IP. Granted I didn't do IP, I did alternatives. But I met my goal and have maintained for over a month maybe two now. I never had to diet before my late 30's and even then got comfortable being fluffy, until I had to buy a cocktail dress and didn't recognize the woman in the mirror. I never read labels, worried about food, or weighed myself even. Now I know how to eat, thanks to lots of research, this site, and myfitnesspal.