Can I lose weight on high carb diet?

[kharris]

Hi guys, hopefully my post doesn't sound like I'm a total idiot, but I'm starting to think my protein intake is making me hold onto my weight and also look bulky. I'm not gaining weight, but I'm not losing weight either, which is what I want. My daily protein/carb/fat intake looks like 45/30/25 (something like that... Anyway, lots of protein. But I'm thinking if I lower the protein and up the carbs [complex carbs most always], then I REEEALLY won't lose the weight! The goal here is to lose 15lbs and I've been 163 for MONTHS. My calorie intake since I started NROL (for the past week) has been 1600-1700. Prior to that, around 2000 a day. (i'm in stage 1 of NROL, and prior to that, weights 4 days a week, karate 3 days a week, spin 1 day a week, and a boot camp class at the gym once a week). I just can't seem to figure out this eating thing, and wonder if the amount of protein I eat may be screwing me up. All I ever find on the Internet is conflicting info... protein helps you lose weight/gain weight, etc... i'm so confused about it that i could SCREAM!! Thoughts? Anyone??? Please??!! HELP!!

[Defiant1]

I'm seeing pretty good results right now with a balanced f/p/c approach. I usually only eat carbs in the morning and then around my workouts though. And I understand that what works for me want work for you. But what I would suggest is just try it for a week or two and see how it goes. There is really not a one-size-fits-all plan out there. Experiment with yourself and see what works best for you. Sorry for such a vague answer.

[Trevor M.]

The calorie is what is most important. For example, One can loose or gain weight just as affectively on either a high carb or high protein diet so long as the calorie content is in check.

If you are not loosing weight it means you are still not in a calorie deficient state. Simple.

Your protein intake is not making you look "bulky" or making you hold onto weight. If you look bulky to yourself that is just simply how you look to yourself. Eating protein doesn't simply change someones appearance.

How exactly have you been counting your calorie intake? I suggest Fitday.com if you are not already using it or a similar method.
Remember, daily fluctuations by only a few 100calories can make or break short term weight loss.

In order to give better advice on your situation please type out a typical days diet and exercise plan. Give the calorie content of each meal and exact details of what you did during your workout.

[featherz]

On my actual 'diet', which I did about 4 years ago, I had no clue what I was doing other than 'eat 1500 calories'. I ate 1500 cals (I was 5'4, 170) of what most fitness forum folk would insist was 'crap' - healthy choice and lean cuisines and 'diet' ice cream. Lost 35# that way, then transitioned into 40/40/30 'clean' for the last 10 pounds. So yes, you can eat lots of carbs and lose weight. You might be hungrier tho - I was STARVING most of the time!
If upping carbs, at least make them high fiber carbs - I eat a lot of oat bran but hardly any bread except for the occasional ezekiel.

(where in california are you? I see we are close to the same age and both in cali.. )

[Cynic]

At the end of the day, it's calories in < calories out.

I wouldn't recommened a high carb diet for a few reasons:

1. Carbs have a lower thermic effect than protein. IOW, it takes less calories to break down carbs for absorbtion and metabolizing.
2. Cals/g of carbs = cals/g protein, but see #1 above.
3. Carbs affect insulin response quite readily, regardless of whether they are complex or simple. The only carbs that do not affect insulin levels is fiber and I think most sugar alcohols. Insulin is responsible for moving glycogen/glucose to muscle and other active tissue, but also into adipose. I high carb diet means a lot of insulin in the blood stream.
4. Fat is 9cals/g, so if you're combining a higher fat intake with a higher carb intake, you have a lot of insulin in your blood, along with a lot of calories that the insulin wants to move to muscle and adipose.

[Txgirl]

What's considered high carbs? I'm trying to stay around 40/40/20 at around 1800-2000 cals a day...........is this okay?

[JoshDunn]

Stupid question time: are you male or female?

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Txgirl

What's considered high carbs? I'm trying to stay around 40/40/20 at around 1800-2000 cals a day...........is this okay?

That should be fine. Mind your progress.

Maintain the protein ration, but adjust carbs and fat it here and there to see if you can get a few more ounces/week out of the fat loss.

[ZachL]

I recommend you eat in a way that you can sustain for the rest of your life. In other words, if you can't see yourself giving up carbs to the extent that a low carb diet contains, then don't do a low carb diet. Unless you plan on dropping the diet after a very short time period, don't force yourself into an unsustainable way of eating. You CAN lose weight on a moderate-higher carb diet. While it is not quite as simple as eat less than maintenance to lose weight, as long as you eat healthy, whole foods and reduce your intake while exercising - you will change your body composition.

[Txgirl]

Originally Posted by JoshDunn

Stupid question time: are you male or female?

I'm female, about 5'10" and 132 pounds. Trying higher carbs on weight days and lower on cardio days.

[JoshDunn]

Originally Posted by Txgirl

I'm female, about 5'10" and 132 pounds. Trying higher carbs on weight days and lower on cardio days.

Sorry I mean't the person who started the thread.

40/40/20 is fine if your interested in eating like that. Those ratios are very similar to a very famous diet, The Zone which is 40/30/30

That would be a low carb diet in my book. High carb would be more in the 60% range.

[Ian Kay]

Originally Posted by kharris

My calorie intake since I started NROL (for the past week) has been 1600-1700. Prior to that, around 2000 a day. (i'm in stage 1 of NROL

If you've only been at 1700 cals and doing NROL for one week... I say give that routine a chance before you panic and change again. Follow Cassandra's nutritional advice, follow the workouts.. and give it a month before you worry too much about manipulating carbs from 30 to 40 to 50%, etc.

As to the original question: yes, you can have a large % of your calories be carbs and still lose weight.

[Txgirl]

Originally Posted by Cynic

That should be fine. Mind your progress.

Maintain the protein ration, but adjust carbs and fat it here and there to see if you can get a few more ounces/week out of the fat loss.

How much is too much protein. I weigh 132, so most people tell me I need to be around 132g of protein, BUT on most days I'm at around 160 or so. The higher I go up in caloric intake a day, the higher the protein is. Is there a certain macronutrient ratio that people follow? Is 100g of carbs considered low?

[ZachL]

Originally Posted by Txgirl

How much is too much protein. I weigh 132, so most people tell me I need to be around 132g of protein, BUT on most days I'm at around 160 or so. The higher I go up in caloric intake a day, the higher the protein is. Is there a certain macronutrient ratio that people follow? Is 100g of carbs considered low?

Well while your total number of calories depends on many factors (which you can get advice about in the diets discussed on this board), nutritional theory would say you only need approximately .7g of protein per lb of body weight per day to support muscular development during a weight lifting training program.

[Txgirl]

Originally Posted by ZachL

Well while your total number of calories depends on many factors (which you can get advice about in the diets discussed on this board), nutritional theory would say you only need approximately .7g of protein per lb of body weight per day to support muscular development during a weight lifting training program.

When my calorie intake gets around 1700-1900 or so, my carbs get higher...where else would my calories come from? I don't want to go way too high on fat.

[coach hale]

Primary determinant of weight loss is cal deficit. No matter how it is accomplished

thanks
Coach Hale
www.maxcondition.com

[featherz]

I just checked MY macros (I am not trying to lose weight, this is maintenance level calories) and my planned macros today for 1815 calories include 165gm of protein, which to my mind would be plenty in every sense of the word. (I'm 125ish pounds). So the rest would be carbs/fiber and fat. Sounds ok to me, even though with higher calories the ratio gets a bit skewed towards carbs. Of course, you should make them healthy fibrous carbs, not ding dongs.

If you WANT to do low carb, you'd ditch the carbs and go higher in fats.

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Txgirl

How much is too much protein. I weigh 132, so most people tell me I need to be around 132g of protein, BUT on most days I'm at around 160 or so. The higher I go up in caloric intake a day, the higher the protein is. Is there a certain macronutrient ratio that people follow? Is 100g of carbs considered low?

You're fine. The recommended minimum for people to take in while exercising is 1g/lb. That makes a good baseline to adjust from.