Carbs are carbs?
 

I have tried various types of low carb/ good carb diets and honestly have trouble staying on the diet due to the limitations in foods. I am wondering if anyone here has tried simply counting protein/ carbs and allowing freedom in food choices, I.e. " carbs are carbs" and as long as I stay under the limit of carbs( as specified by Eades) would I still lose weight??!! For instance potatoes would be nice once in a while. Could I have the potato( or portion of) as long as I stayed within my daily allowance.I suppose this would be similar to the WW point system except I would count carbs from any foods I eat rather than being limited to food lists. I would love to hear your thoughts and/ or experiences with this approach!!!

I don't have experience with it. But from my reading, I would expect it depends on one's insulin response. This is what appears to get us in trouble in the first place.

Actually I've been considering the approach you suggest.

I just reread PP and I thought you could. I will look again.

RapidDash- I do think you are right. He just says that two things can have the same efc but not the same nutritional value. A carb is a carb but make wise nutritional choices...

carbs are carbs
 

I would suggest posting the question at Michael R Eades M.D. blog site. Lots of good info and threads there and I think he will respond directly back to your question. I also would be interested in what he has to say.

Dyong great idea! I think I will do that!

different carbs affect your insulin levels in different ways. they aren't the same.

If you are still searching for a good plan with more options try the Primal/paleo approach.
I love Mark's daily apple and I'm following his primal fittness routine.

Carbs are not carbs. Use proper carbs.

A carb is not a carb...that is why some people gain or stall eating certain things even tho they are low in carbs...The best way to find out is to try it and find out how your body responds...no one knows your body like your body does...

IIRC, ProteinPower does basically imply that carbs are carbs.

However, it's not true for everyone. I used a glucometer for over a year, testing each and every food that I ate. I learned for example that 20 net carbs worth of strawberries raise my BG, but 20 net carbs of raspberries do not. I also learned that 10 net carbs of tomatoes make my BG skyrocket more than a pint of Haagen-Dazs PB and Chocolate (this data was from before I started low-carbing, obviously).

So there's more going on than merely total carbs, or net carbs.

If you really want to eat as broadly as possible, get yourself a glucometer and test. Assemble a meal of foods that are safe for you (for example, some steak with a pat of herbed butter on it), and then add a variable: some type of berry for dessert, or a salad with a measured amount of tomatoes, for example.

Test blood glucose right before you eat, and 1 hour post-prandial. Then when you repeat that meal of "safe" foods, omit the variable, and test similarly.

During the hour after eating, try not to change behaviors---like don't the first day take a nap but the second day go for a run, or something. That'll skew your results.

Good luck!

No, no, no! Not all carbs are equal, and PP makes that clear. You must eat carbs full of nutrition, e.g., vitamins and minerals, not just starch, which puts you on a blood sugar roller coaster. White potatoes are in that category, as are most grains, and definitely any type of bread, according to Eades.

newbr1, there's a signature line by one of our forum members that applies here: "There's a million things you can have and a million you can't. Focus on the million you can." There's a huge range of possibilites with low-carb foods — just check the recipes section of this forum for examples. Go to Amazon.com, and enter the search term "low-carb recipes," and you'll have thousands more at your fingertips in seconds.

If you've gotten overweight and your lab work is bad because you're addicted to carbs, face the addiction squarely. Otherwise, you're looking at diabetes, drugs to try to control it, and eventually things like damage to your eyesight, tingling pain in your limbs, and other nasty symptoms, not to mention how hard it is to carry the extra weight. I know from experience how hard it is to wrestle with a carb addiction daily. But you have to be willing to adopt a new mindset that says, "I broke my body, and I need to repair it every day." if you want to recover your health.

Also, you must cook, unless you're rich and can pay someone to do it for you. Most restaurants serve the lowest-quality ingredients their customers will pay for, simply because of the low margins in that business. Besides, you can't get a cup of bone broth at Starbucks.

Warning: Year old thread.

But then in PPLP, they provide those different levels of attention. The only name I remember is "Hedonistic".

I've always found the PP books contradictory in terms of what carbs to eat.

Also, I'm aware that not all carbs are created equal. It was this implication from the PP books that I disliked, and that dissuaded me from following their plans.

Thanks for pointing that out....I feel a little like a Tard

For the newbies and some of the others that have forgotten, this info is important and wouldn't hurt to get it out there.

Please name a few vegetables for my low carb plan? Been doing low carb since March 24th and have lost 57 pounds. I need to add vegetables! Was eating fresh tomatoes until I recently (duh!) realized all the carbs in them. Love me a bunch of tomatoes...sigh.
Thanks.

I MEANT TO SAY CARBS! LOL!
TS

Green veg. Broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, spinach, cauliflour......

Jo xxx

Mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, peppers, lettuces, the dark leafies like kale, turnip greens, mustard greens. Cucumbers though technically not a veg I guess.

There are lots of frozen veggies bagged up as combos that would also work, like broc-cauli-carrots, Italian blends, multi-colored peppers, etc. I often eat a bag of microwaved frozen veggies as a meal with just a teaspoon of oil, a few tablespoons of tomato sauce, and lowfat cheese.

Not sure about low fat cheese - tampered with, whoknowswhat added..... Nah, a nice knob of full fat philli is much better and you get the fat you need!!!

Jo xxx

I agree with ojoj. Full fat cheese is much better than low fat cheese. First, because fat from milk is a very good fat plenty of fat-soluble vitamins and short-chain fatty acids, and second because low-fat cheese makers use to add milk protein, which are high glucemic.

WOW! I ask one question and get quick and correct answers just like that! Thank you all for this help.
I had meant to say the CARBS in tomatoes instead of calories. LOL! Silly ole woman...
TS

It's fall where I live, and to herald in the season, I made oxtail soup (with homemade stock, naturally). I put in these root vegetables:

• turnips (2)
• parsnip (1)
• celery root/celeriac (1/2 of the root)
• carrots (2)

Net carbs/serving: about 11g

For you, this might have to wait until you get closer to maintenance, but I wanted to let you see how many types of veggies are available to you at a low carb cost.

I'm an diabetic but with LOW carb eating I am doing very well. I've now lost 62 pounds and have 90 to go... or whatever. I'm having green beans in a bit of coconut oil, and cauliflower later today as veggies. I eat cream cheese with celery for a satisfying snack and a good steak for supper. Got to eat a tomato yesterday without hurting anything.
It's a pleasure to come here and see the suggestions. Thanks.
TS

Thanks but for my plan full fat cheese has too many calories and saturated fat. I do CRON so it's more about restricting calories and saturated fat. I eat cheese for the calcium hit and don't want the fat. :)

Ok, I´m sorry. Fresh cheese is a very good source of calcium, but there is a better one, althoug I don´t know if you can eat. I'm referring to bones of canned fish like sardines.

Thank you for bringing this information to the fore. I usually live over at atkins but do try to branch out to the other books I have read and PP is one I tried.

LaZig hit on an importan point; we are all individuals and need to find what carbs work for our own unique body. In general though, some are far better choices. Lots of green leavy vegies to choose from in the market these days. And I eat berries, especially fresh as I can meter out just 4-5 at a time to add variety. Find an Atkins book for an extremely long list of very good vegie choices. About 30 listed. I don't miss the high carb vegies anymore. I try to eat one more salad instead.

Find a used copy of Dr Atkins book; you will find it helpful.

all carbs are not created equal :)

good info posted on the board about insulin spikes etc.

for me when I hit maintenance it will come down to carb limit per day. I will be one of those in the 'never over 40 carb per day range'. heavy carbs nail me to the wall.

So I have to eat most good food I can and stay low carb. If later I decide on introducing store bread back, then 24 carbs per slice---well 1 sandwich is all I can eat for the day. DONE. no more food.

So I won't be introducing back higher carb foods because it will severely limit my food amt. for the day. I wanna eat, not starve :)

I would choose a real food over a frankenfood anyday. I would eat tomatoes and 'occasionally' a potatoe vs. fake low carb products, pasta and other junk.

stay to fresh foods and you should be ok but I know I won't be introducing taters back into my meal plan ever. They are addicting to me. not good for me one bit.

When I was previously on the low-carb routine, I stayed off all starches when I was in the first phase (2-3 weeks), then in maintenance I used to have one night I could eat starch. I'd go to Vino's with my son and grandkids, have wine and pizza, and not feel guilty or mess up my diet.

Look at your food labels... many also spell out what carb % are sugar based vs fiber/other. Try to always consume products that have less than 1g sugar based carbs... even better if there are zero sugars involved. As an example: the carb load may read as having 3g carbs per serving... just make sure they are not sugar based carbs.