Since I'm not eating Low carb to loose weight but for a healther lifestyle should I count my carbs still? If so how many carbs should I eat a day?

Thanks

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Alaina

Green Tea started on Jan 8th 05
100 day cheat free challenge started on Jan 8th 05

Maybe you could do the Atkins for Life book. I hear tell that it is the way to go for just a healthier lifestyle.

I know there must be someone that is using it or has read it. I have just heard about it on this board.

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Noël


Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it empties today of its strengths.

Here's one way to approach a healthy low-carb lifestyle: pay attention to the KIND of carbs you eat. Some ideas:

1. Eliminate sugar completely, including processed foods with sugar in them.
2. Avoid anything made with white flour--bread, pasta, bakery goods. Choose whole grain products, and limit the servings.
3. Eat lots of dark green leafy vegetables and other vegetables from a "low glycemic" index.
4. Eliminate or limit white potatoes. Eat yams or other yellow veggies instead. Choose brown rice over white rice.
5. Eat fruits like berries and melon more often than bananas and pineapple.

Most of all, be aware of portion sizes, whatever you eat.

As Cushie suggests, do some homework. There are lots of enjoyable low-carb alternatives.

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Barb L.
Atkins since Jan 2003
Maintenance as of 4/05


My Fitday Journal

Great advice already. The Atkins For Life book would probably be your best bet--and I belive they suggest around 40-50 carbs a day. Best to read it though. There is also a great Atkins For Life Cookbook which has some yummy recipes in it!

Good luck!

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Renee
1/19/04
261/220/160
41 lbs off
60 lbs to goal



Race to 199 Challenge
Labor Day Challenge: Focusing on the Journey
Personal Goal: 199 by 12/31/05

My DH is sorta doing that too --

(but ya figure, since i've been LC for over 5 yrs, there are no tatoes, rice, white bread, ect in the house)

but he just watches his sugar intake -- almost nil
eats whole grains, and a lot of fruits and veggies.

He's never counted carbs, nor will he admit he's LC'ing
he's just trying to make healthy choices --
with high blood pressure and heart desease running in his family....

I think I would be aware of the rough amount of carbs in the foods you consume -- and as for how many, that also depends on your tolerance for carbs -- some can go higher and lose weight, while others need to be in the 50 range just to maintain their weight.

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My LC web site
LCE Member since 2000

well, i figure if weight isn't an issue, then avoiding sugar and white flour will probably do most of what you need to do if you're using lc to just eat healthier. the points about eating carbs with nutritional value are very good, as well.

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according to Colette Heimowitz from Atkins most people on maintenance should consume between 60 and 125 net carbs per day. But the question should you count them makes me ask the question - Do you really need to? If most days you aren't eating potatoes pasta pizza and all those other high carb foods you'll naturally fall in line with the above recommendation. And if you decide on a splurge, say a piece of a loved ones birthday cake, then you can make up for it in subsequent days carbs Depends how big a piece (or how many). You may not need to do any making up at all if you "cheat" moderately. Being 19 pounds from goal has had me thinking more and more about how I want to eat on maintenance. I want to add whole grains in like Brown rice. I may eat the occasional half sweet potato. I may switch to a traditional whole grain bread like ezekiel bread which has a lot more net carbs than low carb bread I'm using now. But if my carb allowance is 125 (and I'm hoping it's near that) then what's 20 carbs for 2 slices of bread. Even if it's 100 there's still lots of wiggle room as long as I'm not consuming potatoes and highly refined processed foods.

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