To carb or not to carb

[Gringo_Picante]

When I comb the internet and even talk to people in person who know a lot about health, one of the most common things I hear/read in regards to weight loss outside of counting calories and having a calorie deficit, is to lower my carb intake.

But then I hear people say that I need to consume carbs in order to have good energy before doing high intensity workouts, such as the MMA training that I'm doing. And the response I get from these people when I confront them with the "I though I'm supposed to cut back on carbs to reduce calorie intake", they say things like, "Yeah but that's because you're getting carbs from junk like pizza or hotdog buns."

So for someone like me who has 100-120 pounds to lose while doing MMA training, do I consume carbs or not?

Also, If I DO need to consume carbs, what kind and how much?

For example, the only "healthy" food I'm aware of that has a ton of carbs as well as a ton of protein is Quinoa (a food I discovered 2 weeks ago). I just finished creating a week worth of "prepped meals" as part of reconstructing my diet from scratch, so I'm not tempted to cheat on my diet while at work that consists of 1 kiwi (and yes I eat the skin), 1 chicken breast, a half can of spinach and some Quinoa. I am consuming the Quinoa because of the high protein content, but I just found out that is has a lot of carbs, so did I just mess up?

I'm consuming the chicken breast with it because I hear and have read that my protein needs to come from both plants AND animals because of the pro/cons that come from getting protein from JUST animals or JUST plants. Am I wrong about this regarding protein?

 

[Volador]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with consuming carbs. Pretty much all grains, fruit, tubers, and legumes can be part of a healthy diet. People who say otherwise are usually part of the keto crowd who ignore all evidence that shows these things are totally fine to eat. No, you will not “mess up” by eating quinoa. IMO your main focus should be in consuming whole foods that aren’t extremely processed and are, in general, low in sugar and saturated fats, watching your calorie intake, consuming vegetables and a good amount of fiber, while getting a good amount of protein from lean sources (animal or plant is mostly irrelevant from what I’ve seen, as long as you consume adequate amounts to support physical activity, ~1g/lb of lean BW). And this doesn’t mean you can’t consume sugar or saturated fats, but I’d keep an eye on those and do so in moderation.

 

[Renard]

The idea is to eat just enough carbs that you're not tired during your workouts, and not more. Carbs spike insulin and as long as insulin is high fat cells can't release their fat. Every meal you eat spikes your insulin, but in the hours following it the insulin goes down and fat burning can occur. A lot of fat is burned during sleep. If you were sedentary your macros in order would be protein -> fats -> carbs to maximize the amount of time you're burning fat. Since you're active and you have to finish your workouts, you get to bump your carbs a little but don't go crazy.

Studies concluded that fruit is the carb that promotes satiety the most. Not surprising since many fruit have a lot of fiber and water. I would avoid tropical fruit though, they're very high in sugar. If you don't have issues with satiety at all, technically you could eat any non-processed whole food carb. Potatoes, brown rice, buckwheat, that sort of thing. Personally I avoid stuff like wheat, corn and oats if it's not organic because they're full of glyphosate (RoundUp). The prices for organic have gone down so much that they're only marginally more expensive.

 

[Trabaho]

Eat carbs but not too much. Cut out added sugar and reduce white processed grain.

Your brain works on carbs, and your muscles too.

Also eat plenty vegetables and a solid amount fruits.


If you cut out too much carb you can get low blood sugar and hunger atacks and splur on a bunch of cake / fast food.

 

[chimpoehurricane]

When I comb the internet and even talk to people in person who know a lot about health, one of the most common things I hear/read in regards to weight loss outside of counting calories and having a calorie deficit, is to lower my carb intake.

But then I hear people say that I need to consume carbs in order to have good energy before doing high intensity workouts, such as the MMA training that I'm doing. And the response I get from these people when I confront them with the "I though I'm supposed to cut back on carbs to reduce calorie intake", they say things like, "Yeah but that's because you're getting carbs from junk like pizza or hotdog buns."

So for someone like me who has 100-120 pounds to lose while doing MMA training, do I consume carbs or not?

Also, If I DO need to consume carbs, what kind and how much?

For example, the only "healthy" food I'm aware of that has a ton of carbs as well as a ton of protein is Quinoa (a food I discovered 2 weeks ago). I just finished creating a week worth of "prepped meals" as part of reconstructing my diet from scratch, so I'm not tempted to cheat on my diet while at work that consists of 1 kiwi (and yes I eat the skin), 1 chicken breast, a half can of spinach and some Quinoa. I am consuming the Quinoa because of the high protein content, but I just found out that is has a lot of carbs, so did I just mess up?

I'm consuming the chicken breast with it because I hear and have read that my protein needs to come from both plants AND animals because of the pro/cons that come from getting protein from JUST animals or JUST plants. Am I wrong about this regarding protein?

It's because majority of people are fat AF slobs. They are 10X in surplus.

If you got the resources, do a 21&me and get the data transcribed. See what you respond with. See how best to exercise and train. Know what sort of issues you are pre disposed too among a variety of things. Alternatively, you can play trial and error.see what you respond too. Personally I rather know and get to it vs spinning my wheels.

I was 97kg last summer. I'm 87kg now. I responded to calorie reduction in intermittent fasting. I mix in extended fasts 24-50 hours working towards 72hrs. No cheat days or meals. No pastas. Leafy greens. lean meat. Turkey, chicken, fish, etc. I run outside and I walk. Walking around is underrated. I highly recommend it.

Finally, maximize sleep. 8 hours is benchmark minimum. While there's less than 1% who can utilize under 8 and be optimal, you or I aren't that guy. It's a genetic outlier. Not thr norm. It's virtually IMPOSSIBLE to lose weight with fucked up sleep with any consistency. Search up Matt walker. Great resource. I saw him on JRE. It will change your life. When young, I would have late nights out and pushy crush. I won't compromise my sleep nor health for modern women. Not worth it.

TS single minded focus. Eliminate EVERYTHING that will hinder you and your progress. Weigh in every Sunday Sametime. I pick noon before I break my fast.

 

[chimpoehurricane]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with consuming carbs. Pretty much all grains, fruit, tubers, and legumes can be part of a healthy diet. People who say otherwise are usually part of the keto crowd who ignore all evidence that shows these things are totally fine to eat. No, you will not “mess up” by eating quinoa. IMO your main focus should be in consuming whole foods that aren’t extremely processed and are, in general, low in sugar and saturated fats, watching your calorie intake, consuming vegetables and a good amount of fiber, while getting a good amount of protein from lean sources (animal or plant is mostly irrelevant from what I’ve seen, as long as you consume adequate amounts to support physical activity, ~1g/lb of lean BW). And this doesn’t mean you can’t consume sugar or saturated fats, but I’d keep an eye on those and do so in moderation.

I had quinoa and had to take the meanest massive dump after. It is now routine. Getting backed up is why people get stuck or plateaus on weight loss. Regular poops are key. Fiber in diet.nice fruits too.

 

[anavrin85]

Whole grains, such as quinoa, are generally considered healthier options because they contain more fiber and nutrients compared to refined carbohydrates like white bread or sugary snacks. Including quinoa in your meal prep can provide a good source of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates.

Regarding protein, it's generally recommended to have a mix of protein sources from both animal and plant-based foods. Animal sources like chicken breast provide complete proteins with all essential amino acids, while plant-based sources like legumes, tofu or tempeh can be good alternatives for obtaining protein.

 

[STRYDG]

As said above, def eat carbs - just pick decent ones. Make sure you are eatting foods you enjoy so sticking to the diet is doable. Best of luck to ya!

 

[tonystpierre]

When I comb the internet and even talk to people in person who know a lot about health, one of the most common things I hear/read in regards to weight loss outside of counting calories and having a calorie deficit, is to lower my carb intake.

But then I hear people say that I need to consume carbs in order to have good energy before doing high intensity workouts, such as the MMA training that I'm doing. And the response I get from these people when I confront them with the "I though I'm supposed to cut back on carbs to reduce calorie intake", they say things like, "Yeah but that's because you're getting carbs from junk like pizza or hotdog buns."

So for someone like me who has 100-120 pounds to lose while doing MMA training, do I consume carbs or not?

Also, If I DO need to consume carbs, what kind and how much?

For example, the only "healthy" food I'm aware of that has a ton of carbs as well as a ton of protein is Quinoa (a food I discovered 2 weeks ago). I just finished creating a week worth of "prepped meals" as part of reconstructing my diet from scratch, so I'm not tempted to cheat on my diet while at work that consists of 1 kiwi (and yes I eat the skin), 1 chicken breast, a half can of spinach and some Quinoa. I am consuming the Quinoa because of the high protein content, but I just found out that is has a lot of carbs, so did I just mess up?

I'm consuming the chicken breast with it because I hear and have read that my protein needs to come from both plants AND animals because of the pro/cons that come from getting protein from JUST animals or JUST plants. Am I wrong about this regarding protein?

Losing weight is only about calories in and calories out and it doesn't matter what Macro you're eating more of. If you're in a calorie deficit you're going to lose weight. (Even if you're eating only Pop Tarts which are very high carb) and no I would not recommend doing that it was just an example


Carb diets are for people who don't work out tbh. Since you work out you should be eating some carbs IMO because they're really good for energy.

 

[broggo]

Carbs are indeed a primary source of energy, particularly during high-intensity exercise. They can enhance athletic performance, especially during prolonged or intense exercise sessions.

 

[Tayski]

Carbs are fine and you need them if you train a lot, it's just the type of carbs that matter.

Get healthy carbs from vegetables, sweet potatoes and full grains like brown rice, etc.

Avoid all sugar and wheat flour products like white bread and pasta as they don't provide real nutrition and lack fiber.

 

[Osculater]

I eat a lot of carbs after training and I feel great, bruh

 

[bambammccoy]

Carb cycling through the week is my most effective way of dieting.

I don't count calories, only macros. 100g of carbs on low energy output days like off days/lazy days, 250g carbs on gym days, 500+g of carbs on high energy output days like intense leg workout/extended cardio sessions and usually have a reasonable cheat meal on those days. Protein is the same except on high carb days its lowered slightly, and on low carb days fats are increased some to help slow digestion and deal with hunger pains. Taking berberine through out the week also helps my bg levels and combines well with carb cycling.

 

[GolovKing]

If you really need to lose that much weight then it might be better for you to really cut back on carbs initially and then when you get down to a healthier weight, you can focus more on performance again and reintroduce more carbs

 

[NoSmilez]

Calculate your maintenance calories and eat a few hundred calories under it. The calculators are almost all the same and they will give recommendations to how many calories to eat under to lose .5-1lb a month. https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html You aren't going to lose weight if you eat at a surplus. You don't have to crash diet either. Those crash diets never work in the long run. It's just not sustainable.

Quinoa is fine. You probably just need to estimate how much of it are you eating. It's very easy to overeat. I think one cooked cup is around 200-250 calories. You can estimate from there. You don't have to weigh yourself daily but at least once a week. This will at least show if you are overestimating your caloric intake or not. In terms of protein intake just 0.8-1 gram of protein to 1 lb of body weight should be fine. Suppose say you are 250 lbs. You eat 250 grams of protein and split it within your meals. Good luck with everything.

 

[Trabaho]

Losing weight is only about calories in and calories out and it doesn't matter what Macro you're eating more of. If you're in a calorie deficit you're going to lose weight. (Even if you're eating only Pop Tarts which are very high carb) and no I would not recommend doing that it was just an example


Carb diets are for people who don't work out tbh. Since you work out you should be eating some carbs IMO because they're really good for energy.

Quality of food matters too. Your body doesn't respond the same to 1000 calories of jelly gummies, cake, soda and 1000 calories of chicken breast salad olive oil baked potatoes and water

 

[Trabaho]

Carb cycling through the week is my most effective way of dieting.

I don't count calories, only macros. 100g of carbs on low energy output days like off days/lazy days, 250g carbs on gym days, 500+g of carbs on high energy output days like intense leg workout/extended cardio sessions and usually have a reasonable cheat meal on those days. Protein is the same except on high carb days its lowered slightly, and on low carb days fats are increased some to help slow digestion and deal with hunger pains. Taking berberine through out the week also helps my bg levels and combines well with carb cycling.

So you rate your leg workouts 1600 carb calories more then your rest days.

 

[bambammccoy]

So you rate your leg workouts 1600 carb calories more then your rest days.

Those weren't exact numbers but not far off from my numbers while in a caloric surplus.

Plus leg day from how I've been coached has to be insanely brutal borderline low blood sugar inducing intensity so that's another factor why it might work for me to go that high on high days.

 

[xPINKx]

I don't count calories, only macros.

That is basically the same thing. Your carb cycling-approach probably works well, but that's not because of the carbs, it's because of the calories. Then again, not eating the same amount of carbs/fat or the same calories every day may very well make life easier while on a diet. People react differently to low(er) carb diets, I couldn't train properly on mostly fat, but many people can.

 

[bambammccoy]

That is basically the same thing. Your carb cycling-approach probably works well, but that's not because of the carbs, it's because of the calories. Then again, not eating the same amount of carbs/fat or the same calories every day may very well make life easier while on a diet. People react differently to low(er) carb diets, I couldn't train properly on mostly fat, but many people can.

Yes I'm aware lol regardless of carb cycling or not, counting calories are more of a beginner step, the next step in advancement would be counting macros, and then eventually including micronutrients.

2k cals in raw butter sticks will still get me fairly lean but leaving alot on the table by not optimizing macros, and if I want to be sharp as nails, micronutrients.

When it comes to actually being able to maximize the amount of food you can eat in a day or minimize the fatigue of being in a caloric deficit, tracking macros becomes a necessity.

And at the top of all of it is the manipulation of your pancreas and the sensitivity to the insulin it produces when it comes to lean mass.