Can someone please tell me how I am suppose to be calculating my carbs? I know all the basics, use the MyFitnessPal app to track my calories, nutrients, etc and I am sticking to the Normal recommendation of but how can I already have 15g of Carbs from one healthy salad and dressing only containing the ingredients of what I'm suppose to have???

25g of Total Net Carbs--- Fat: 96g ---- Protein:72g

So, Here is what my tracker has for the only meal I had yesterday and it just doesn't seem accurate to me. Please tell me what I am doing wrong.

Edited December 12, 20178 yr by WV_Chef

Your salad was 7 grams of carbs. Not 15.

Sent from my Vivo 5R using BariatricPal mobile app

Your drink was 8 grams of carbs

Sent from my Vivo 5R using BariatricPal mobile app

What dreamingsmall said.

First thing I'd do is switch from splenda. It's cut with maltodextrin (aka sugar) and has those 2g of carbs. I'd switch to a different coffee that doesn't have carbs. Cuz that's cray cray. Mine has zero just for the brewed coffee. I use liquid stevia (Vitacost brand in the eyedropper bottle), liquid sweet n' low (store brand), Swerve or Truvia (both have zero net carbs). Also, Half n' Half and Cream do have carbs in them, but MFP doesn't observe them. They do add up. My feeling is, if you're drinking your coffee any way but black, then you might as well throw some protein in there too and use Premier Protein drinks as the creamer, cuz then you at least get protein along with the little bits of carbs in the PP drink...it's about the same carbs as from cream or HnH.

I'd also switch your preferences in MFP so the carbs and fiber "live" next to each other. It's easier to calculate. Next, I'd do the protein so the first 3 things you track are carbs, fiber, protein. It makes taking net carbs easier. I net which means I subtract my fiber from the total carbs.

When I'm not following my crazy rules from the RD/surgeon, I kinda look at splitting my day this way to get about 30g net carbs. Mine naturally will fluctuate between 20-30g net carbs when I'm doing hardcore low carb:

Breakfast 5-6g net carbs

MS (optional) 1-2g net Carbs

Lunch 10-12g net carbs

AS (optional) 1-2g net Carbs

Dinner 10-12g net carbs

BS (optional) 1g net Carbs

If I do snacks, then I subtract out 1-2g of carbs from a meal and use them for snacks. That's cuz boiled eggs, cheese, lunch meats, 1/2oz nuts all have slight amounts of carbs: 1-2g per snack size portion.

Looks good so far!

Edited December 12, 20178 yr by FluffyChix

15 grams of carbs is nothing. Carbs are not our enemy, they are necessary for our health. It is really only an issue when the carbs take over the majority of your diet OR the only carbs you are getting are the worthless processed carbs.

According to my tracking yesterday:

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about 15g of carbs personally.

@BigViffer Gosh I wish our realities were the same!! I think for some of us poor schmucks we have to seriously monitor our carbs. I'd love to be able to eat whole grains, beans/legumes, etc. I seriously jones for them and miss them. You're menu looks pretty drool-worthy to me. I also agree that not everyone has to be a carb miser. I agree with everything you're saying for many people--especially you guys/gals who've normalized your insulin and blood sugars post surgery.

Sadly though, since I'm a post-meno PCOSer with a very high HOMA-IR and high fasting insulin, I'd be at a diabetic level A1c eating 175g of carbs a day--especially since I'm unable to lift heavy and do resistance training (yet). I went from averaging 20-40g net carbs and an A1c of 5.3 to eating an average of 40-60g of net carbs (RD and doc want me doing that for now) and my damn A1c went up to 5.7 and my HOMA-IR is well over 3.

Sucks to be me...

Edited December 12, 20178 yr by FluffyChix

11 hours ago, WV_Chef said:

Can someone please tell me how I am suppose to be calculating my carbs? I know all the basics, use the MyFitnessPal app to track my calories, nutrients, etc and I am sticking to the Normal recommendation of but how can I already have 15g of Carbs from one healthy salad and dressing only containing the ingredients of what I'm suppose to have???

25g of Total Net Carbs--- Fat: 96g ---- Protein:72g

So, Here is what my tracker has for the only meal I had yesterday and it just doesn't seem accurate to me. Please tell me what I am doing wrong.

DISCLAIMER - not for newbies...Follow your plan

My two cents for whatever it's worth.

this is not a one size fit's all. Especially further out from surgery. We are all different body physiology and activity levels

If you are losing weight ..........Your goal says 135

Goto https://tdeecalculator.net/

It is going to calculate your calories, protein and carb goal specifically dialed in for you.

• by sex male or female
• age
• hight
• weight
• activity level.

Once you enter your information (skip body fat) It will give you your maintenance calories on the top left hand side.

Scroll down to MACRONUTRIENTS

You will see three tabs (maintaining) (cutting) (bulking) Click (cutting) to calculate your weight loss macros (calories carbs protein)

• It will give you a 500 calorie deficit from your maintenance calories.
• Look below it gives you three options of low, moderate and high carbs
• Start at low carbs to see if you go into weight loss mode. Move up and see if you are still losing with higher carbs.

Once you have these calculations you can enter them into MYFITNESSPAL

For people further out. This in may mean dialing it in to see what macros kick you back into weight loss. I had to lower my calories a bit more than the calculator suggested.

@jenn1 Cool tool, thanks!

1 hour ago, BigViffer said:

15 grams of carbs is nothing. Carbs are not our enemy, they are necessary for our health. It is really only an issue when the carbs take over the majority of your diet OR the only carbs you are getting are the worthless processed carbs.

According to my tracking yesterday:

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about 15g of carbs personally.

Look at you and your bad ass self 3,174 calories.

3 minutes ago, jenn1 said:

Look at you and your bad ass self 3,174 calories.

Well, my goal is actually 2,000. That is just after my heart rate monitor sync'ed with MFP. I don't like to go over 2,500. But there have been days when I have hit 3,000. Usually on deadlift days.

Track total carbs, not net carbs, which are a marketing ploy developed/pushed by food manufacturers like Atkins.

35 minutes ago, BigViffer said:

Well, my goal is actually 2,000. That is just after my heart rate monitor sync'ed with MFP. I don't like to go over 2,500. But there have been days when I have hit 3,000. Usually on deadlift days.

I know you have built a lot of muscle and work out like a beast. How long does it take you to get in that many calories with a bariatric stomach?

All damn day!

Sent from my phone. Please forgive brevity and spelling.

8 hours ago, MarinaGirl said:

Track total carbs, not net carbs, which are a marketing ploy developed/pushed by food manufacturers like Atkins.

Weeelllll, kinda sort. True insoluble fiber shouldn't count as a carb. Case in point would be the cellulose husk that cannot be digested around each kernel. While the inside is easily digestible, the husk passes through the entire digestive system.

7 hours ago, jenn1 said:

I know you have built a lot of muscle and work out like a beast. How long does it take you to get in that many calories with a bariatric stomach?

Now that I am home, I wanted to expound upon that answer. I eat probably every 2 hours. I start off the day with protein. Then carbs two hours later. Small carb 20 minutes before the gym at lunch, then protein on the way back to the office. Then a salad. As I'm leaving, more protein. Then dinner. Then a "dessert" which is usually a protein cake.

I don't care what the protein is really. Beef, chicken, whey... as long as it gets the job done. Carbs are pretty much always oats,bran or quinoa or this really great multigrain bread we've found. The salad dressing is the worst part of any salad. I don't really enjoy the eating the same as I did pre-op. I just like hitting my macros.