Carb question & Head Games

 
Hi,

I haven't been on here in a while but I realize I should be more often than I am currently.  

How many grams of carbs do people eat?  I am trying to deal with my head when things get stressful and NOT eat popcorn but it becomes a reward at night which I know is bad.  I realize that when I don't eat it I can go back to my goal quickly.  Why does it put weight on SO quickly when it's not even that many extra calories.  Just wondered if anyone else struggled with that.  It's hard to feel like you never get any treats.

Struggling a little with old demons so any support is appreciated.   Thanks for listening!

:)  Soo

I keep it around 50 grams of carbs a day, all complex like fruits, vegetables or whole grains. I haven't had any popcorn yet but I have a hot air popper. It seems with me anyway, that I gain easier with some foods no matter what the calorie content is. I can eat the same amount of calories in protein or in carbs but it seems like I lose more with the protein calories. Don't know if it's scientific, it's just a personal observation.

I try to do a 40/30/30 balance so with the calories I get now, I try to keep it at 60 grams or less. If I eat more than that, I stall or barely lose at all. I do eat some treats though...a square of dark chocolate, a handful of popcorn, etc...

I log all my food so when I hit my carb "budget" for the day...I am done. It works so far and I don't feel deprived at all. I pay attention to the glycemic load of foods since I was insulin resistant....hopefully I can add a little more carbs when I get to maintenance.

Good luck!

My nighttime treat is SF Hot chocolate, 25 cal and give me a sweet and chocolate fix. 

In Jan I only lost 4 lbs which, considering I was only 5 months out seemed like not enough.  I cut my carbs in Feb and lost 7 lbs.  I do think, even if the calories are the same, some food don't promote weight loss. 

 This  is just my personal two cents  based solely on empirical  evidence .   I think those 100  calorie  thingies  are SOO  fattenning , ALL  of em .

Why ?  because they mix carbs and fats - just in small portions (  and no I dont  trust the calorie counts either at ALL )

But its a definite fact  that  if U eat  just a few extra BITES  a  day ....U will  gain a LOT Of weight .  Well those packs of empty and useless and fat promoting super high  glycemic index calories calories  ...  just seem to PACK it on for me ...I started to eat em at my hubby's house ( he has huge BOXES  from costco all over the place  ... and next thing U know  Im not fitting  into anything and feeling  like garbage   )

so to me a calorie is not a calorie at all

I eat a LOT  of calories  but because theyre fat free and high fiber i get away with it .

 If I ate the same amount  in  100 calorie packs -  first of all I'd be STARVING because i'd  have eaten no real food  and no nutrients ...

there'd  be no VOLUME in my stomach or intestines  

and it'd  take me a WEEK  to go to the bathroom which means my body would hang onto every single available  calorie .    

Now  it seems  if i eat fat  free  but a lot of carbs  .... I maintain 


if I eat  fatfree  but low carb....  I  gain a LOT of definition  ....  and maybe lose weight  ( seems I'm losing SIZE  already )   ....  


either way I'm not hungry  , I'm energetic and not obsessing about whats next on the menu (  in other words  not ina " dieting "  head .

so far so good !! 

I get about 40% of my calories from carbs.

 
Thanks everybody for their input!