I’m often asked how many net carbs I eat on a daily basis, and my answer is generally, ‘as many as possible.’ When you’re told all the time that you need to restrict yourself, it’s easy to lose sight of what would constitute a normal diet. The truth is, there is no set number of carbs you should eat, and it varies from person to person. However, I will give you a general guideline as to how many are safe for your body.
The Number Of Carbs You Should Eat To Lose Weight
As a general rule of thumb, try to keep your carbs below 45 grams per day to lose weight. (1 oz of wheat bread has 7 grams of carbs, and 1/2 cup of strawberries has 11 grams of carbs.) For some people, this may be too many carbs, depending on their body types and how much exercise they’re getting. While others may be able to eat more carbs and still lose weight. It really depends on each person’s metabolism, how their bodies process food, and their own personal preferences.
Why A Carbs Limit?
When you begin a low carb diet, it’s common to wonder how you’re going to sustain yourself. After all, there are just so many foods out there that you love and miss that have carbs in them. (I often crave bread during the first few weeks of my low carb lifestyle. When I do eat carbs, I really have to watch how much I eat or else I’ll gain weight!) People who are newly diagnosed with diabetes or who are already diabetic and are trying to control their blood sugar levels may need to keep a closer eye on their carb intake due to the nature of their disease. However, the general population doesn’t have to limit their carbs as much as they think they do. The truth is, unless you’re a diabetic or have some other metabolic disease, your body doesn’t need to be restricted in terms of the amount of carbohydrates it can process.
What About Fat?
When people first begin a low carb diet, they wonder if they’ll lose weight because they’re not eating enough calories. (After all, they don’t need as many calories as they think they do to maintain their weight.) Well, it depends on your body type. If you have a muscular build and lots of energy, you may not have to worry about overeating. However, if you have a higher body fat percentage, you may want to watch your calorie intake. In some cases, it’s easy to underestimate how many calories you’re actually taking in when you eat something high in carbs. (They can always be disguised as tasty treats or junk food.) One way to keep track of your calories and fat intake is with a nutrition tracker app. With the right apps, you can track all the food you eat and get useful information on the go. There are dozens of apps to choose from, so it’s important to try a few before you settle on one. If you’re looking for an app that specializes in diet tracking and weight loss, then try My Fitness Pal. It’s a popular app with over a million five star reviews and it’s available for both iOS and Android devices.
How Many Calories Should I Eat?
This is another common question among people who are just starting out with a low carb lifestyle. If you’re wondering how many calories you need to eat in order to lose weight, then try this formula: first, figure out how much weight you want to lose. (I recommend using this calculator.) Then, multiply that number by 0.9 for men and 0.8 for women. (These are the generally accepted ‘ideal’ ratios for healthy people. The number can vary from person to person based on physical activity levels, body size, and whether or not you’re trying to gain or lose weight.) After you know how many calories you should be eating, it’s easy to determine how many grams of carbs you should be consuming. (Multiply the amount of calories by the ratio of carbs to protein to fat for the number of grams of carbs you need for the day.) If you want to lose weight, then try to keep your calories under what you’d need to maintain your current weight. (Just subtract 500 calories from your daily intake if you want to lose 5 lbs.) If you’re not sure how many calories you need, then use an online calorie counter to help you out. Most nutrition websites will give you an estimated calorie count for everything you order, so you can have a general idea of how many calories you’re taking in each day. (This will also help you determine how many carbs you’re consuming.)
More Carbs = More Energy?
This may be a common question among those who are just starting out with a low carb diet: does having more carbs affect your energy levels? Well, it depends on what form of carbs you have. If you have plenty of high quality, nutrient-rich carbs, like freshly-made oatmeal, then you’ll have plenty of energy to keep you going all day long. (Carrying excess carbs in your blood stream will not only cause you to have more energy, but it will improve the way your body processes food as well. Imagine eating a banana and feeling completely energized for the rest of the day. Not only that, but the natural sugars in the banana will help your body to stay healthy and strong as you age. High quality carbs like oatmeal let your body keep regular hours and give you a steady supply of energy without any extreme highs or lows. This is why a low carb diet is also known as a healthy or an energy-producing diet.)
Will A Low Carb Diet Make Me Thinner?
One of the most commonly asked questions about a low carb diet is: will I lose weight? (And the answer is, yes!) When you cut out refined carbohydrates, it often helps to lose weight. (You may have noticed that the foods with the most carbs are the fattiest, and the foods with the least carbs are the thinnest.) A low carb diet can help to clean out your system, reduce your blood sugar levels, and give you more energy. So, while it may not be the most convenient diet for somebody with a larger body size, people with smaller body sizes may actually benefit from a low carb lifestyle. (Just make sure that you’re not consuming any foods with too many carbs if you have a small body. In those cases, you may become lethargic and eventually end up having to increase your carb intake anyway. Keep your body in good condition by consuming a diet that is high in fiber and low in sugar. (Check out the foods that I eat on a regular basis, and you’ll see that I focus a lot more on food quality than I do on counting calories or carbs. These are all part of my daily routine and I feel great!)
What About Exercise?
If you want to lose weight, then you’re going to have to do some sort of exercise. (Or, you could try a diet plan that doesn’t include any exercise.) There are dozens of ways to get exercise, from hitting the gym to taking up a sport to joining a running club. (Check out this article for some suggestions.) The important thing is to find something that you enjoy and that forces you to breathe harder than you normally do. (There are plenty of workouts out there that you can do without having to pay for a gym membership.) Running is an excellent alternative because it’s simple and you’ll be doing something that you enjoy. It also forces you to breathe harder than you would if you were just sitting around at home. So, if you haven’t run in a while or if this is your first time trying, then it may be a good idea to join a running club. (Just make sure that you’re not going to embarrass yourself by joining a club that is too competitive. You don’t want to hurt yourself or end up destroying your runs by overusing caffeine or alcohol before your workouts.)