Carbs are hugely important to eat in a healthy lifestyle. Why are so many people saying carbs are bad? They give you the fuel to exercise. Pointless just eating vegetables for the rest of your life and sitting on your arse. Eat a diet with carbs, protein, veg and exercise 3-5 times a week and you will be far healthier than if you just ate salad the rest of your life.
A healthy diet
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Originally Posted by DaisyBill:
“I'm not sure that carb consumption went up in the last 30 years. As someone from a poor family growing up in the 60's and 70's I would say that bread and potatoes were diet staples. Meat was in quite short supply (and often processe or encased in pastry to make it go further).In fact similar in many ways to the wartime diet, when obesity was very rare.”
“I'm not sure that carb consumption went up in the last 30 years. As someone from a poor family growing up in the 60's and 70's I would say that bread and potatoes were diet staples. Meat was in quite short supply (and often processe or encased in pastry to make it go further).In fact similar in many ways to the wartime diet, when obesity was very rare.”
A lot of carbs are hidden now, in refined cereal products added to foods, especially ready meals.
The hysterical "low-fat" campaigns of the 1980s meant that fat was removed from a lot of food.... which left manufacturers with the quandry of having products with zero flavour. Solution? Pack it with sugar instead.
It's not always down as sugar, of course, it's dressed up as 'fructose' or 'corn syrup'.
Yoghurt is a classic example. Sold as a health food because it is 'low-fat'..... low fat yes, but packed with spoonfuls and spoonfuls of sugar.... the sugar that triggers a glycaemic reaction in people eating it.... flooding their bodies with insulin, the fat-creating hormone.
Our fat consumption has dropped over 30% in the last 50 years, Yet we are getting fatter and fatter.
Originally Posted by borodave:
“Carbs are hugely important to eat in a healthy lifestyle. Why are so many people saying carbs are bad? They give you the fuel to exercise. Pointless just eating vegetables for the rest of your life and sitting on your arse. Eat a diet with carbs, protein, veg and exercise 3-5 times a week and you will be far healthier than if you just ate salad the rest of your life.”
“Carbs are hugely important to eat in a healthy lifestyle. Why are so many people saying carbs are bad? They give you the fuel to exercise. Pointless just eating vegetables for the rest of your life and sitting on your arse. Eat a diet with carbs, protein, veg and exercise 3-5 times a week and you will be far healthier than if you just ate salad the rest of your life.”
Fat is a better fuel.
You just need to look at our evolutionary past.
What did we eat? Ok there was bread fairly early on, but mostly it was vegetables, fish, meat, berries.... and occasionally sweet fruit (seasonally and at limited times of the year).
Our bodies aren't designed to deal with a high glycaemic load.
Originally Posted by c4rv:
“Porridge or rolled oats have a high GI index making them difficult for the body to break down. Alpen aside from the high sugar content (I don't have the data to hand but I read its worse then sugar puffs) is quite refined making it much easier for the body to breakdown.
There is whole lot of stuff around GI, insulin and how your body reacts to energy spikes which shows why all calories are not equal.
Basically the less processed / refined your food is the better.
Also as several people have mentioned, fruit is fine in sensible quantities but it is high in sugar and therefore low GI carbs.
The other item to watch out for is alcohol. Not only is it bad for you in nutritionally but it impairs your judgement making you more likely to eat junk.”
“Porridge or rolled oats have a high GI index making them difficult for the body to break down. Alpen aside from the high sugar content (I don't have the data to hand but I read its worse then sugar puffs) is quite refined making it much easier for the body to breakdown.
There is whole lot of stuff around GI, insulin and how your body reacts to energy spikes which shows why all calories are not equal.
Basically the less processed / refined your food is the better.
Also as several people have mentioned, fruit is fine in sensible quantities but it is high in sugar and therefore low GI carbs.
The other item to watch out for is alcohol. Not only is it bad for you in nutritionally but it impairs your judgement making you more likely to eat junk.”
a useful link re glycaemic index, porridge is better than you think
i would argue in favour of proper jumbo oats though, not the finely milled ones, ie 'superfast'
i never eat the ready made oats in cartons, some of the sugar content and additives are enough to put me off!
http://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/GIDiet.pdf
hope this helps!!
not all carbs are bad, its making the right choice and going for complex carbs and whole grains which is key
boxed cereals such as sugar puffs, list their ingredients according to volume, here's a link to one example
http://www.honeymonster.co.uk/produc...cts-detail.htm
and another interesting report..
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/02Februa...-in-sugar.aspx
some useful links there too
Originally Posted by kate36:
“
and another interesting report..
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/02Februa...-in-sugar.aspx
some useful links there too”
“
and another interesting report..
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/02Februa...-in-sugar.aspx
some useful links there too
”
All i can say to that is no wonder the NHS are such a monumental failure when it comes to obesity.(not that that should be a shock because if we were all in great shape they'd have very little to do and everyone would be calling for cuts).
They see people getting fat on carb dense foods and their solution is 37 grams of carbohydrates first thing in the morning ,12 grams of which are sugar. Wow what a mess!
I've been doing 20-30g of carbs oer day for the past 6 months and I've lost 45lbs. Not sure why people have to be so righteous and bigotted about their opinions on diets, especially when it comes to low carb.
No, you don't need more than a minimal amount of carbs (and they should be coming from green leafy vegetables), and no, you don't need sugar in your diet. There are literally no negative health effects from eating low carb and there's not a single peer reviewed scientific paper that says otherwise.
Low carb isn't the only way to be healthy, nor is it the only way to lose weight, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with it and to suggest there is, is stupid.
No, you don't need more than a minimal amount of carbs (and they should be coming from green leafy vegetables), and no, you don't need sugar in your diet. There are literally no negative health effects from eating low carb and there's not a single peer reviewed scientific paper that says otherwise.
Low carb isn't the only way to be healthy, nor is it the only way to lose weight, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with it and to suggest there is, is stupid.
Apart from a bread roll each day for my soup which is homemade from stoneground organic wholemeal and stoneground organic white flour I've been on a total plant based diet since August 2012. The first 60 days of this were just juiced fruits and veggies and then after solid food was brought back into my diet.
In that time I've lost just over 7st about 100lbs or 50kgs and I'm still losing weight now.
I get enough carbs in my diet from the bread roll and all the fruit and veg and there is zero added sugar in anything that I eat, only what's naturally there and I feel great. I sleep so much better at night and actually feel refreshed in the morning when I wake, and I never get the afternoon lag now after lunch that my work colleagues get and I got after lunch at work.
Oops nearly forgot, the other intake of carbs is from my Oat bran porridge that I have every morning for breakfast when I get to work.
While what I did and do wouldn't suit everyone, at about 28st and grossly overweight and just turned 40 I needed big change and took up this change in lifestyle after watching a film on US Netflix called Fat,Sick and nearly Dead. This film inspired me to change my ways to do something about my life before it was too late. I was consuming far too much added sugar in my diet, and I hardly ate and fruit n veg and consumed vast amount of refined flour products and gallons of coke or other fizzy drinks.
I'm still over 20st now, but the weight is still coming off and I reckon by the end of this summer I will easily be a nice healthier 16 - 17 st, which for me will be amazing. As far as BMI scales will go, I'll still be classed as overweight, but I won't be in the morbidly obese or the obese category that I was and am right now.
In that time I've lost just over 7st about 100lbs or 50kgs and I'm still losing weight now.
I get enough carbs in my diet from the bread roll and all the fruit and veg and there is zero added sugar in anything that I eat, only what's naturally there and I feel great. I sleep so much better at night and actually feel refreshed in the morning when I wake, and I never get the afternoon lag now after lunch that my work colleagues get and I got after lunch at work.
Oops nearly forgot, the other intake of carbs is from my Oat bran porridge that I have every morning for breakfast when I get to work.
While what I did and do wouldn't suit everyone, at about 28st and grossly overweight and just turned 40 I needed big change and took up this change in lifestyle after watching a film on US Netflix called Fat,Sick and nearly Dead. This film inspired me to change my ways to do something about my life before it was too late. I was consuming far too much added sugar in my diet, and I hardly ate and fruit n veg and consumed vast amount of refined flour products and gallons of coke or other fizzy drinks.
I'm still over 20st now, but the weight is still coming off and I reckon by the end of this summer I will easily be a nice healthier 16 - 17 st, which for me will be amazing. As far as BMI scales will go, I'll still be classed as overweight, but I won't be in the morbidly obese or the obese category that I was and am right now.
Well done!!
The people here who insist you need potatoes and pasta in order to literally be alive are probably either disgustingly fat and have been their whole lives, or have never had to worry about their size.
It's ridiculous how militant people get over their opinions of dieting, especially when the subject is based around carbohydrates and sugar.
The people here who insist you need potatoes and pasta in order to literally be alive are probably either disgustingly fat and have been their whole lives, or have never had to worry about their size.
It's ridiculous how militant people get over their opinions of dieting, especially when the subject is based around carbohydrates and sugar.
Originally Posted by AdamCleland:
“Well done!!
The people here who insist you need potatoes and pasta in order to literally be alive are probably either disgustingly fat and have been their whole lives, or have never had to worry about their size.
It's ridiculous how militant people get over their opinions of dieting, especially when the subject is based around carbohydrates and sugar.”
“Well done!!
The people here who insist you need potatoes and pasta in order to literally be alive are probably either disgustingly fat and have been their whole lives, or have never had to worry about their size.
It's ridiculous how militant people get over their opinions of dieting, especially when the subject is based around carbohydrates and sugar.”
Like you?
Funnily enough, the only fatty I know is the one whose forever on no carb or low carb like Atkins.
Originally Posted by Christian_Grey:
“Like you?
Funnily enough, the only fatty I know is the one whose forever on no carb or low carb like Atkins.”
“Like you?
Funnily enough, the only fatty I know is the one whose forever on no carb or low carb like Atkins.”
"Forever on low carb" sounds like someone who can't stick to it but that that wouldn't prove it doesn't work.
Originally Posted by AdamCleland:
“Well done!!
The people here who insist you need potatoes and pasta in order to literally be alive are probably either disgustingly fat and have been their whole lives, or have never had to worry about their size.
It's ridiculous how militant people get over their opinions of dieting, especially when the subject is based around carbohydrates and sugar.”
“Well done!!
The people here who insist you need potatoes and pasta in order to literally be alive are probably either disgustingly fat and have been their whole lives, or have never had to worry about their size.
It's ridiculous how militant people get over their opinions of dieting, especially when the subject is based around carbohydrates and sugar.”
I eat carbs at every meal and I've lost 1/2 stone in 5 weeks, I've found that cutting down on my portion sizes, cooking meals from scratch and exercising works for me.
And I eat what I want on Sundays!
But what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for everyone.
[quote=lucyloves;64211039]I eat carbs at every meal and I've lost 1/2 stone in 5 weeks, I've found that cutting down on my portion sizes, cooking meals from scratch and exercising works for me.
And I eat what I want on Sundays!
But what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for everyone.[/QUOTE
That's pretty much what I have done. I have lost nearly 5 stones in this way and am much fitter as a result.
IMO no one needs any specific type of food to survive, but neither does eating any one specific food make us fat.It just comes down to eating a variety in the right size portions.
And I eat what I want on Sundays!
But what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for everyone.[/QUOTE
That's pretty much what I have done. I have lost nearly 5 stones in this way and am much fitter as a result.
IMO no one needs any specific type of food to survive, but neither does eating any one specific food make us fat.It just comes down to eating a variety in the right size portions.
Originally Posted by lucyloves:
“I eat carbs at every meal and I've lost 1/2 stone in 5 weeks, I've found that cutting down on my portion sizes, cooking meals from scratch and exercising works for me.
And I eat what I want on Sundays!
But what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for everyone.”
“I eat carbs at every meal and I've lost 1/2 stone in 5 weeks, I've found that cutting down on my portion sizes, cooking meals from scratch and exercising works for me.
And I eat what I want on Sundays!
But what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for everyone.”
I'd agree that not every diet works for everyone. I've tried the smaller portion sizes and keeping the rice, pasta, potatoes ect but i spent half the day feeling hungry and i lost half an inch of muscle off of my arms and around 2 inches off my chest in in about 3 weeks. On low carb i maintain more lean muscle and the more lean muscle, the more calories you burn and, while losing muscle means you lose more weight, if you slow down your metabolism by eating less and losing muscle then its more likely that you'll put weight back on faster than you lost it(as over 90% do).
Originally Posted by DaisyBill:
“That's pretty much what I have done. I have lost nearly 5 stones in this way and am much fitter as a result.
IMO no one needs any specific type of food to survive, but neither does eating any one specific food make us fat.It just comes down to eating a variety in the right size portions.”
“That's pretty much what I have done. I have lost nearly 5 stones in this way and am much fitter as a result.
IMO no one needs any specific type of food to survive, but neither does eating any one specific food make us fat.It just comes down to eating a variety in the right size portions.”
I agree that everyone is different, and that cutting down on portion sizes definitely helps weight-loss.
However, I do feel that 'cutting down' doesn't always help. It's very easy for willpower to slacken, and for those portion sizes to creep back up again.
Going low-carb actually stabilizes your body's cravings.
When eating low-carb, you're not going from one sugar spike to another, feeling hungry and craving the next 'fix'.
Your body gets used to a more constant glycaemic level, and your appetite will be easily satisifed.
Originally Posted by Welsh-lad:
“I agree that everyone is different, and that cutting down on portion sizes definitely helps weight-loss.
However, I do feel that 'cutting down' doesn't always help. It's very easy for willpower to slacken, and for those portion sizes to creep back up again.
Going low-carb actually stabilizes your body's cravings.
When eating low-carb, you're not going from one sugar spike to another, feeling hungry and craving the next 'fix'.
Your body gets used to a more constant glycaemic level, and your appetite will be easily satisifed.”
“I agree that everyone is different, and that cutting down on portion sizes definitely helps weight-loss.
However, I do feel that 'cutting down' doesn't always help. It's very easy for willpower to slacken, and for those portion sizes to creep back up again.
Going low-carb actually stabilizes your body's cravings.
When eating low-carb, you're not going from one sugar spike to another, feeling hungry and craving the next 'fix'.
Your body gets used to a more constant glycaemic level, and your appetite will be easily satisifed.”
Definitely been the case here. A couple of weeks in on this low carb diet, and I'm now completely satisfied after my meals, and rarely get hungry inbetween either. The only high carb food I'm actually eating is cereal in the morning, and even that's only about 30g or so - getting enough 'fat' from the salmon I eat most days (about 20 grams), eggs, and the small amounts that are in everything else.
Absolutely love this low carb diet to be honest - feel much healthier, have more than enough energy, and losing weight - perfect result.
Originally Posted by Pumping Iron:
“I am on low carbs at the mo and am always bloody starving!”
“I am on low carbs at the mo and am always bloody starving!”
How long you been on it? My first week was a struggle as I felt hungry, constantly, but I rode it until my body adjusted to it's new diet, and now it's plain sailing.
I recommend the MyFitnessPal App if you have android/iPhone.
Tracks your calories, the level of each group, vitamins etc you are getting and is such a big app now I've yet to find something I buy in the supermarkets that isn't in there. As so many people use it properly, most of the information is accurate and it will not only let you track where you are missing key nutrients or food groups, you can be surprised how much more you eat than you may think you do.
I've started using it again a week ago, reckon I've lost at least 5lbs (I weigh myself a lot so it fluctuates across the day, so its difficult to truly tell the weight loss) since last Monday, simply by noting all my calories and being sure to not go over the recommended amount of calories per day.
Tracks your calories, the level of each group, vitamins etc you are getting and is such a big app now I've yet to find something I buy in the supermarkets that isn't in there. As so many people use it properly, most of the information is accurate and it will not only let you track where you are missing key nutrients or food groups, you can be surprised how much more you eat than you may think you do.
I've started using it again a week ago, reckon I've lost at least 5lbs (I weigh myself a lot so it fluctuates across the day, so its difficult to truly tell the weight loss) since last Monday, simply by noting all my calories and being sure to not go over the recommended amount of calories per day.
Originally Posted by Jay Bigz:
“How long you been on it? My first week was a struggle as I felt hungry, constantly, but I rode it until my body adjusted to it's new diet, and now it's plain sailing.”
“How long you been on it? My first week was a struggle as I felt hungry, constantly, but I rode it until my body adjusted to it's new diet, and now it's plain sailing.”
5 weeks now Jay. I am never satisfied after my meals and have a lack of energy. It'll be worth it though!
I just want to add this for anyone wanting to eat healthy food......http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=8C...D9395667D5F200
Originally Posted by 1Mickey:
“I'd agree that not every diet works for everyone. I've tried the smaller portion sizes and keeping the rice, pasta, potatoes ect but i spent half the day feeling hungry and i lost half an inch of muscle off of my arms and around 2 inches off my chest in in about 3 weeks. On low carb i maintain more lean muscle and the more lean muscle, the more calories you burn and, while losing muscle means you lose more weight, if you slow down your metabolism by eating less and losing muscle then its more likely that you'll put weight back on faster than you lost it(as over 90% do).”
“I'd agree that not every diet works for everyone. I've tried the smaller portion sizes and keeping the rice, pasta, potatoes ect but i spent half the day feeling hungry and i lost half an inch of muscle off of my arms and around 2 inches off my chest in in about 3 weeks. On low carb i maintain more lean muscle and the more lean muscle, the more calories you burn and, while losing muscle means you lose more weight, if you slow down your metabolism by eating less and losing muscle then its more likely that you'll put weight back on faster than you lost it(as over 90% do).”
My portion sizes are smaller than before but I was definitely over eating. On a normal weekday I eat
Breakfast - Egg and soldiers
Lunch - Homemade bean chilli/curry or a chicken and avocado sandwich
Dinner - I eat a lot of spicy food, so lots of curries, stir frys, I either have chicken or fish and I always have rice or some carbs with it. I weigh everything which can be pain but it's worth it, I have 50g of rice or couscous.
Dessert - I love the 0% fat total greek yoghurt, I have about 150g with some frozen raspberries.
I then have a couple of snacks in the day, normally salted popcorn, bananas or peanut butter.
I no it's not the healthiest diet but I try and eat as much natural food as possible, I cook all my own meals and I try to eat every three hours, this helps to stop you feeling hungry!
I use myfitnesspal too
[/quote]
That's pretty much what I have done. I have lost nearly 5 stones in this way and am much fitter as a result.
IMO no one needs any specific type of food to survive, but neither does eating any one specific food make us fat.It just comes down to eating a variety in the right size portions.[/quote]
Completely agree with that bit!
That's pretty much what I have done. I have lost nearly 5 stones in this way and am much fitter as a result.
IMO no one needs any specific type of food to survive, but neither does eating any one specific food make us fat.It just comes down to eating a variety in the right size portions.[/quote]
Completely agree with that bit!
Originally Posted by lucyloves:
“My portion sizes are smaller than before but I was definitely over eating. On a normal weekday I eat
Breakfast - Egg and soldiers
Lunch - Homemade bean chilli/curry or a chicken and avocado sandwich
Dinner - I eat a lot of spicy food, so lots of curries, stir frys, I either have chicken or fish and I always have rice or some carbs with it. I weigh everything which can be pain but it's worth it, I have 50g of rice or couscous.
Dessert - I love the 0% fat total greek yoghurt, I have about 150g with some frozen raspberries.
I then have a couple of snacks in the day, normally salted popcorn, bananas or peanut butter.
I no it's not the healthiest diet but I try and eat as much natural food as possible, I cook all my own meals and I try to eat every three hours, this helps to stop you feeling hungry!
I use myfitnesspal too”
“My portion sizes are smaller than before but I was definitely over eating. On a normal weekday I eat
Breakfast - Egg and soldiers
Lunch - Homemade bean chilli/curry or a chicken and avocado sandwich
Dinner - I eat a lot of spicy food, so lots of curries, stir frys, I either have chicken or fish and I always have rice or some carbs with it. I weigh everything which can be pain but it's worth it, I have 50g of rice or couscous.
Dessert - I love the 0% fat total greek yoghurt, I have about 150g with some frozen raspberries.
I then have a couple of snacks in the day, normally salted popcorn, bananas or peanut butter.
I no it's not the healthiest diet but I try and eat as much natural food as possible, I cook all my own meals and I try to eat every three hours, this helps to stop you feeling hungry!
I use myfitnesspal too
”
I might have been able to go through all that a year ago when i was 2 stone heavier but nowadays i doubt i could even fit half of that in.
Originally Posted by Welsh-lad:
“I agree that everyone is different, and that cutting down on portion sizes definitely helps weight-loss.
However, I do feel that 'cutting down' doesn't always help. It's very easy for willpower to slacken, and for those portion sizes to creep back up again.
Going low-carb actually stabilizes your body's cravings.
When eating low-carb, you're not going from one sugar spike to another, feeling hungry and craving the next 'fix'.
Your body gets used to a more constant glycaemic level, and your appetite will be easily satisifed.”
“I agree that everyone is different, and that cutting down on portion sizes definitely helps weight-loss.
However, I do feel that 'cutting down' doesn't always help. It's very easy for willpower to slacken, and for those portion sizes to creep back up again.
Going low-carb actually stabilizes your body's cravings.
When eating low-carb, you're not going from one sugar spike to another, feeling hungry and craving the next 'fix'.
Your body gets used to a more constant glycaemic level, and your appetite will be easily satisifed.”
Lucky I don't get those 'cravings' and 'sugar spikes ' then. I have found that using a smaller plate, eating less ( but still some)sugar, fat and things like bread and potatoes does the trick for me. Something I've been able to stick to for about 20 months now.
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