Do you limit carbs at dinner?

I'm trying to limit my carbs at dinner, but its so hard!!

I just wondered if anyone else does this and if they think it makes a difference??  Also, what do you eat with your protein to mix it up??

CW 124.1

GW 112

I limit carbs ALL the time, but not by counting. I just try to do things like limit my non-veggie carbs to 1 item per dinner. Ie, a tortilla wrap, a slice of bread, or a cup of rice. Then the rest of my meal is going to be veggies + lean meats/beans. I think it makes a huge difference because if I eat less simple carbs then I am eating more healthier foods as well as staying fuller longer. =)

Original Post by hillary86:

I'm trying to limit my carbs at dinner, but its so hard!!

I just wondered if anyone else does this and if they think it makes a difference?? Also, what do you eat with your protein to mix it up??

CW 124.1

GW 112

Eh no. What is the point. Right now I am eating mashed potatoes, made with greek yogurt, and lean fanks. yum.

Original Post by umneydurak:

Original Post by hillary86:

I'm trying to limit my carbs at dinner, but its so hard!!

I just wondered if anyone else does this and if they think it makes a difference?? Also, what do you eat with your protein to mix it up??

CW 124.1

GW 112

Eh no. What is the point. Right now I am eating mashed potatoes, made with greek yogurt, and lean fanks. yum.

Thanks, that was really helpful (sarcasm)...........when I am maintaining I love to eat mashed potatoes with my protein.  But since I am trying to lose weight, this was a recommendation I got.  

Q) What is the point?  A) Obviously, the point is I am trying to lose weight.

Tonight for dinner we had pork chops, pan-roasted green beans & baked beans.  The baked beans were a bit of a splurge, but way better than mashed potatoes!

Generally, we don't have bread or tortillas, but we will have brown rice.  I really like the short grain brown rice.  It takes an hour or so to cook, but it's almost like barley & we make ours with chicken broth, onions & mushrooms.  It's soooo good!  It is about 170 cals per serving, but with a green veg & lean protein that puts dinner at about 500 cals, so not too bad.

For breakfast we always have an omelette that is made with one whole egg & 3 egg whites plus whatever veg or protein we have available.

Original Post by hillary86:

Original Post by umneydurak:

Original Post by hillary86:

I'm trying to limit my carbs at dinner, but its so hard!!

I just wondered if anyone else does this and if they think it makes a difference?? Also, what do you eat with your protein to mix it up??

CW 124.1

GW 112

Eh no. What is the point. Right now I am eating mashed potatoes, made with greek yogurt, and lean fanks. yum.

Thanks, that was really helpful (sarcasm)...........when I am maintaining I love to eat mashed potatoes with my protein. But since I am trying to lose weight, this was a recommendation I got.

Q) What is the point? A) Obviously, the point is I am trying to lose weight.

I was genuinely curious. Did you ask why? A lot of people follow these diets without knowing why they work. It becomes almost like a religion. So I ask a question again why do you think limiting your carbs for dinner is a good thing?

What is wrong with mashed potatoes anyway as long as it's part of a balanced meal?

UD

She's asking us if and how it works.. someone recommended it, and she's wondering if it's a good idea and helps with weight loss... so yes, she has asked why, she asked us...

i think it helps a lot, later at night, u have no need for carbs because ur not moving around much. I know that it's about calories not when exactly, but i've found that having my carbs earlier in the day gives me energy when i need it, and then leaving it out of dinner has helped me lose alot of weight.

I find with the last 5 kilos, cutting out carbs at night is the only thing that worked. This is because over night and in the evening, ur body begins o burn fat. The body uses carbs as the first thing burnt for energy. If you don't give the body that carb, its starts working on fat which is why protein/low carb diets work.

I normally have chicken/steak etc with a big salad, or stir fried/steamed veggies. It usually keeps me pretty full till bed. It's not a big deal if you have rice/pasta but I have found cutting down does help me personally.

Original Post by nezzy:

She's asking us if and how it works.. someone recommended it, and she's wondering if it's a good idea and helps with weight loss... so yes, she has asked why, she asked us...

i think it helps a lot, later at night, u have no need for carbs because ur not moving around much. I know that it's about calories not when exactly, but i've found that having my carbs earlier in the day gives me energy when i need it, and then leaving it out of dinner has helped me lose alot of weight.

I find with the last 5 kilos, cutting out carbs at night is the only thing that worked. This is because over night and in the evening, ur body begins o burn fat. The body uses carbs as the first thing burnt for energy. If you don't give the body that carb, its starts working on fat which is why protein/low carb diets work.

I normally have chicken/steak etc with a big salad, or stir fried/steamed veggies. It usually keeps me pretty full till bed. It's not a big deal if you have rice/pasta but I have found cutting down does help me personally.

Thanks!  My personal trainer forbid carbs at dinner, with the exception of green vegetables.  I'm in a situation where my body wants to hold on to these 10 pounds, so I have to make some drastic changes.  I appreciate hearing other's experiences =)

Thanks again.

Actually it is very recommendable to eat more proteins during dinner. I always try and have veggies with proteins instead of any sort of grain with proteins...ofcourse this is not something I always follow religiously, but I try to as much as I can. I do it mostly to maintain my weight.

Makes sense since carbs require you to move aroudn to burn them efficiently and at night time we usualy sit around and wath tv or stuff like such....so yeah

Id go for a nice piece of lean meat or fish, with a side dish of veggies or salad.

(I always have chicken or turkey for dinner, so it works)

take care

I always try to limit simple carbs. Complex carbs are best. Here is an interesting article on eating carbs late. Makes sense. But people mistakenly think that carbs and fat are bad and make you fat. Not true in the right balance. You must  have carbs and fat. Just educate yourself on proper nutrition and eat the recommended amount.

http://www.shapefit.com/late-night-snacking.h tml

I limit carbs all the time. Over the years I've tried various weight loss (weight watchers, michael thermond, etc.) and the only thing that actually makes me lose weight and keep it off without killing myself is low carb.  I've lost 34 pounds and kept it off (without feeling like I'm suffering on a diet) - I'm at a plateau right now, but that will soon pass. 

Hey Hillary:

I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in on this one as I have found it almost impossible for myself to limit carbs completely... its a very hard thing to do.  So I ended up buying a book on the glycemic index and I allow myself carbs that have the lowest score in that book... sweet potato instead of regular... brown rice instead of white.... etc.

It seems to make a big difference for me anyway.  I think it seems to take away the cravings I get for carbs when I try to completely cut them out.

Hope this helps.

Tracy

Hey Hillary-

I agree with almost everyone that cutting carbs helps lose weight, but it is hard. I just had a suggestion for you that might help. My friend told me how to "cycle" my carb intake.

 Basically, for 2 days in a row you pretty much eat little to no carbs. The important thing to remember is that you can't expend too much energy on these days, so do only light cardio/weights, yoga..etc. This is because your body won't have enough energy to perform. Also, on these days you don't have to limit fat intake, so eat up all the PB you want (as long as its a natural or low sugar kind).

Ok, so for 4 days of the week you eat pretty regularly, I would suggest doing what you do now and limit your carbs at night, but eat a good balance of carbs, fats, and proteins in the morning and throughout the day. On these days you can work out normally ( I'm assuming you work out here)

So finally, on the 7th day, you can eat all the carbs you want (without going overboard of course). However, you have to make this day the day you expend the most energy ( I like to save it for Saturdays).  Also, try to save the 2 consecutive low/no carb days for right after the "high" carb day.

It sounds confusing, but its not, and it helped me lose a couple stubborn pounds. It's also healthy for active/athletic people, unlike most low-carb diets. It trains your body to burn up all the immediate energy that carbs give you while keeping your metabolism rate up and at a steady level while your not intaking many carbs. And, the best part is that you have something to look forward to on that "high" carb day too, instead of feeling like you have to limit yourself.

Anyway, let me know if it works for anyone.

Original Post by hillary86:

I'm trying to limit my carbs at dinner, but its so hard!!

I just wondered if anyone else does this and if they think it makes a difference??  Also, what do you eat with your protein to mix it up??

CW 124.1

GW 112

Hi Hillary, I limit my carbs because I'm diabetic.  It does help me and I believe it helps anyone who's trying to lose weight.  I replace the carbs with veggies and fruit.

Original Post by nezzy:

She's asking us if and how it works.. someone recommended it, and she's wondering if it's a good idea and helps with weight loss... so yes, she has asked why, she asked us...

I know that it's about calories not when exactly, but i've found that having my carbs earlier in the day gives me energy when i need it, and then leaving it out of dinner has helped me lose alot of weight.

I find with the last 5 kilos, cutting out carbs at night is the only thing that worked. This is because over night and in the evening, ur body begins o burn fat. The body uses carbs as the first thing burnt for energy. If you don't give the body that carb, its starts working on fat which is why protein/low carb diets work.

I normally have chicken/steak etc with a big salad, or stir fried/steamed veggies. It usually keeps me pretty full till bed. It's not a big deal if you have rice/pasta but I have found cutting down does help me personally.

I'll be the odd man (or is that a duck?) out, and say it doesn't matter. What matters is having a balanced meal. One thing about foods that have tons of simple carbs, like white rice, is that it doesn't fill a person up for long. Thus there is a tendency to get hungry sooner and overall eat more. That is why it is emphasised having balanced meals, and foods with complex carbs. So you do get some protein, fats, fiber with your meal. Which slows down the digestion, so person doesn't get hungry as often.

I highlighted some sections in your post. You admit yourself that it's more about calories then when. Also when you do not have carbs your body starts to break down muscle to get them. Extreme example is Atkins diet. People who follow it to the letter will have ketons in their blood. Which are byproducts of your body breaking down muscle to fuel it self. The body needs carbs to survive. I believe there is a lot of miss information in this thread. With one person going as far as saying that it's ok to eliminate all the carbs but you can eat all the PB you want "as long as it's natural". That is just silly.

Anyway not sure if I am explaining it correctly. This site talks more about it in more detail: http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/08366/h%26p2 fuel.htm

That is a summary page if you go to content page they go over how carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are used.

If anyone has any links, that are not just from some fad diet website, that explain it better or contradict me please post them. I would be more then happy to read them.

UD

UD, I agree with you, balance is key. I personally find that limiting carbs at dinner (getting whole grains and other good-for-you carbs earlier in the day) enables me to save some carb calories for an after-dinner treat later, like a small dessert item or a few crackers. As long as my day is balanced, I am happy, it's taken me a long time to figure this out for myself but I am finally on track to a healthy bmi.

Er...I hate to mention it...but one tiny thing, UD. I have read a lot of posts of yours lately, and I would just like to point out that it's unnecessary to quote every time you post a response. Just where it's vital to understand your response. In general, we can all figure out what you are responding to.  

You seem like a reasonable person so I feel (fairly) safe mentioning this!

Sorry, a habbit. :)

I limit carbs because they have a lot of calories... portion control is important. I have 1/2 to 1 cup of starch at a meal, and fill up the rest of the plate with extra vegetables. I'd never try to cut them out entirely though, because carbs are part of a balanced diet like anything else.

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the information and ideas!  I have always been a carb lover, potatoes are my favorite (I'm swedish, so they are like air/water...I need them LOL)  But while trying to get back to my former weight, I think I will try eating them for lunch instead of dinner.  

Just wanted to thank everyone for commenting, it reminded me of some things I had forgotten about!  (especially the glycemic index!)

~Hillary 

It's so hard too. I am asian and grew up eating rice with EVERY meal. I didn't eat cereal when I was little it was either Jook (rice with chicken broth and hardboiled egg) or rice with milk or soy milk and honey or sugar. I love rice so much especiallu white rice. I know it's not the best, but brown rice taste like dirt. Not a big fan so now I mix the two 3/4 brown and 1/4 white. 

I have the large rice cooker, it's just a must in an asian household. I just don't make the 10 -12 cups it can hold. I eat rice only for dinner and measure it out to 1/2. 1 cup is acutally a lot. They ususally serve you just over 1/2 a cup at the resturants. I just try to stick to that. Sometimes I will steal  few bites from my boyfriends plate but not much. I wish rice was better for you. It takes so good with the right sauce. oh boo.