Old Forum Carbs?

[McLaren]

I was wondering what is considered a proper amount of carbs? While I know it will vary from person and their training effort, it is one area that I have been treating from a perspective other than training.

 

Let me start with that I have been a Type 1 Diabetic for 34 years now. Currently, about 70% of my calorie intake comes from protein, 10-12% from fats, and the rest in carbs. While I have always made sure to get enough protein, the amount of carbs I eat has always been dictated only by keeping my blood sugars in line, but I have never considered if I am getting enough to support my training.

I am 5' 6" and currently weight 148. I have been sporadic in my training over the last two years because of hand issues and surgery and now that I am recovered and back in the game, this is an area I have neglected in the past. In my "prime" I was 160 at about 9.5% body fat. I don't see myself getting that heavy again, and I am currently burning off the last of the squishy that I developed in the down time.

Any insight is appreciated.

 

Thank you.

 

 

[Jason Paul]

I've been reading a vegan forum for the past few weeks.

I don't plan to join their ranks, and many of them have gone off the deep end.

However, I"m getting more and more convinced that we don't need nearly as much protein as we think we do. One popular diet is 80-10-10, which is 80% carbs and 10% each of fat & protein. These are raw vegans for the most part - almost exclusively fruit.

The forum I've been reading is the 30 Bananas a Day forum. Again, some of these folks are beyond me, and a lot is simply entertaining. But there is some degree of science and even common sense behind it. From the forum, it's obvious many of them are having health problems, so I couldn't do this, especially not long term.

But again, it does make me think we may be overdoing it with protein, and maybe the right carbs aren't so bad. Honestly though, I don't know about your situation as a diabetic.

 

[Samuel]

It's in a vegan's best interests to argue that protein is minimally required and carbs should be high. After all, they have limited sources of protein and the ones they do have are also carb-dense. The high risk of bias makes me sceptical of what they say.

Even outside of that, my gut reaction/immediate rational thought is the opposite - why do people need so many carbs? The majority of the population is sedentary. Fat serves a variety of important functions in the body, and protein is the building block of pretty much everything. Carbs? Carbs are just energy. Most people don't need that much. Of course when you start talking about active individuals and supporting training, then you need more. But 80%? Nonsense. I don't think even professional endurance athletes go that high.

Alan Aragon and Lyle McDonald are better sources of nutritional information.

Though when you add diabetes to the mix... probably best to consult a dietitian on that one.

 

[Jason Paul]

Samuel - I agree and have no plans to go vegan. Though I don't agree with their percentages, I do think there's something to a lower protein diet than what I'm used to seeing in the fitness world (often 1g of protein for each pound of bodyweight). Even twice the vegan recommendation (25-40 grams is common) is way less than half that. Considering the potential kidney issues, I think there's some merit. Also, I'm getting this from other sources too, not just vegans. Again though, I don't think their recommendation is high enough.

Also regarding another point you made; I meant to mention it in my first post, but most of the vegans I've seen on that forum are after endurance: runners, cyclists, etc. So, their goals are indeed very different from ours, and many of them are too skinny for my taste.

I don't mean to turn this into a protein thread when the OP started it as a carb thread. But, adjusting one generally means adjusting the other. If the primary goal of food is to provide energy, what is a better energy source - carbs or protein?

I don't have answers, as I'm just starting to read more on this. Also, their recommendation is fruits, not starchy carbs.

Also, my point when posting in the first place was really to show the OP that there's a group of people who take in 80-90% carbs, and do well on that (for a time, at least). But again, it's not bread, rice, pasta etc., but mostly fruit.

And again, I don't plan to go on that diet. I'm just planning to lower my protein and get more of my overall calories from fruits & veggies. I guess it's paleo-ish, but leaning more toward fruits/veggies than proteins. And I don't plan to completely give up my occasional junk food.

McLaren - sorry for hijacking your thread! Hopefully this is still useful in some way.

 

[Steve Freides]

Carbs?  Yes, eat carbs.

In reply to some of the other posts in this thread, it's easy to argue  we need less/fewer ...

Carbs (low carb, TKD/CKD, Atkins, South Beach, etc.)

Protein (vegetarian)

Fat (the US governement, at least until recently)

Food (look up CRON if you don't know what that is - calorie restriction w/ optimal nutrition)

... than we think we do.  Winning that argument and having $2.50 in your pocket will get you a ride on the NYC subway.

If the OP is Type I diabetic, what he eats and how he might change his diet ought to be discussed with his doctor, and his progress monitored by his doctor.  The little bit of amateur advice I can give the OP is that if exercise increases your need for carbs, then you need to satisfy that need, and the timing matters.  Anything more than that ought to come from a doctor.

Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.

-S-

 

[McLaren]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I really can't follow the fruit diet above, while healthy for a non-diabetic it contains too much sugar for me. Either that or I take massive amounts of insulin, and too much of that is not good and contributes to fat gain.

 

I have always maintained good A1c levels using the diet ratio I describe in my original post. And on many occasions, it is not uncommon for me to eat a meal of only meat and veggies and not have to take any insulin (other than the usual basal amount twice a day) and keep a nice even blood sugar level through the night.

In an indirect way, the responses have helped me come to a conclusion that I might have had I just stopped to think about it, so much appreciated and thank you all for taking the time and giving thoughtful responses.