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Originally Posted by adkpam
Hi Dina,
I've been between 40-60, except for those days that I've been indulging in ice cream or cashews, and then I'm probably at 100. But I've put on 5 pounds by doing this, so I certainly know my limits.
I mean to clarify my statement in that eating the 60 or 70 is very dependent on what kinds of carbs I eat. 20 carbs of anything breadlike seems to make me hungrier, whereas 20 carbs of fruit does not.
So I haven't really been climbing the carb ladder at all since maintaining...I more or less eat the way I've always eaten low carb, between 40 and 60, only I stopped losing at this weight, which I do like.
Except for the extra 5 pounds, which I'll be getting rid of NOW.
I find all these replies very interesting. And I deliberately didn't state a level, since I know that varies so much by the individual. Personally, I figure anything under 100 carbs a day qualifies as low-carb.
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I very much agree with your personal findings, Adkpam. I find carb counting to be very inadequate. 10 net carbs from a huge fibrous salad, or berries, or even higher glycemic fruits like apples and peaches, in no way impacts me like like 10 net carbs from bread or rice. Grain, for some reason, does more damage than most fruit.
So, I really have stopped "counting carbs" for this reason. I just eat intuitively now. I pretty much know my limits. I group everything into categories like follows:
1) eat as much of as you want (very low carb/low cal/high nutrition foods like salad greens),
2) eat frequently, but impose a modicum of moderation (berries, nuts, avocado, carrots, peas, and other higher carb/calorie yet still low carb nutritious foods),
3) eat with strict moderation (low carb junk foods, and fairly high carb foods like milk and most sweet fruit, reduced calorie/carb grain products)
4) avoid when possible (refined vegetation products like sugar, flours, and fruit juices)
I find the more secure I get in my ability to maintain weight, the more I start to divorce myself from any "plan" (i.e. Atkins) or "structure" (i.e. calorie counting, Fitday, etc) and just go with myself instead. I think carb counting is helpful for newbies to learn their limits and give them a reference point & structure to experiment from. It creates an aura of having a "safe zone" which makes experimenting less scary (if something "goes wrong" they can always come back to "induction" aka 20 limited carbs until they regain control). Easing the anxiety associated with weight control, by giving people a "safe zone" and "safe foods" is a very powerful motivator to keep you on the right track.
However, once you become secure in
yourself and your
own ability to control your weight, I find that counting anything becomes superfluous. There's no need to count calories or carbs or fat or anything once you have proven to yourself that the way you eat and the types of food you consume will not promote weight gain. Once you really get "settled in" to having a way of life, theres no reason for counting. Just make sure you don't allow yourself to
deviate from that way of life too much or too frequently, and you'll be fine
.
. I agree with you 
and IMHO, if you stick to non-starchy vegetables and low GI/GL fruits, full fat milk or yougurt as your carbs sources, it's hard to fit more into your diet. You need a more refined sources of cabrs, like sugary drinks, fruit juices, sodas, candies, etc to get 300-500 g a day.
. I check my blood sugar on a regular basis and I've noticed that low GI fruit doesn't spike it while potatoes, bread, even whole grain, do. The best choice from grain is slow cooked oatmeal and pearled barley, ~ 1/2 a cup. Also, full fat whole milk and fermented dairy like yougurt and kefir don't impact my BGs as well as some beans, like chana dal and red kidney beans. It's a trial and error for me, but my meter is always brutally honest. 
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