Dr. wants me to cut carbs.

**2grewinmyheart** · 05-30-2007, 12:03 AM

I also have pcos so how many carbs. the things is I don't understand these grams of carbs.....I am gonna cut out bread, pasta and potatoes for sure but how do I know what is the normal healthy amount of carbs a person should take in a day?

**thewomanwithin67** · 05-30-2007, 11:21 AM

Welcome, I think the most popular lower carb diets are Atkins and South Beach Diet.

I have done low carb a few times in the past year and it works well if you stick to it and up your carbs slowly back into your meal plans.

You can go to google.com and look up low carb diets and find a wealth of info on the plans.

How much did your Dr say to cut out? It's always best to heed the advice of your dr since a website or others may not know what's going on with you.

If you haven't, try and find a place to log and count your daily food intake. I know this site has a great supply of tools & info if you are a paid member for diets and tools like counters etc.

I have to use the paid site my dr utilizes for his office, so I am not familiar with all of the ones here - check out the FAQ's and do a search, I know there is alot of info on here on cutting carbs

**kimberpc** · 06-23-2007, 04:55 PM

I would look into it alot further before doing it. Low carb isn't a diet... it's a lifestyle....and an unhealthy lifestyle as a nutritionist told me... after I was on it for like 5 months... so look into it deep before you leap!

**susanpesek** · 06-23-2007, 05:29 PM

I 'pologize for not seeing this post sooner, Hon. See(2004):
The government has released the Dietary Guidelines for Americans -- as it does every five years -- to shape the nation's long-standing nutrition advisory, the food pyramid.
"The focus is very clear ... achieving a healthy weight and maintaining it," says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of the nutrition therapy department at The Cleveland Clinic and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
"The guidelines emphasize the type of calories you consume -- fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lower-fat milk products -- and that makes a lot of sense," Moore tells WebMD. "What's near and dear to my heart, it's educating people on wise carb choices. Not all carbs are villains. Many are in fact very good."
Americans are asked to cut back on sugars, but mostly to help with weight control.
In fact, physical activity and weight control take prominent spots in this year's guidelines. For the first time, the body mass index (BMI) takes a front-and-center spot. So does physical activity.
The food guide's specific messages:

To make sure you get all the nutrients and other healthful substances you need, choose the recommended numbers of daily servings from each of the five major food groups.
Control calorie intake to manage body weight. Check your weight on WebMD's BMI Calculator. A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 25.
Be physically active every day. Adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. Children need 60 minutes. Moderate physical activity is any activity that requires about as much energy as walking two miles in 30 minutes.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables of different kinds -- at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables each day. Certain fruits and vegetables provide more nutrients. Choose whole or cut-up fruits and vegetables rather than juices, which contain little or no fiber.
Eating plenty of whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread or oatmeal, can help protect against many chronic diseases, and the fiber in these foods can help you feel full longer. Aim for at least six servings of grain products, including whole grain, per day. Older children or teens, adult men, or active women may need more.
All fats are not created equal. Fats supply energy and essential fatty acids, and they help you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Limit saturated fats because they increase the risk of heart disease. However, unsaturated fats do not raise cholesterol and thus are healthier. Choose from a variety of healthy fats, vegetable oils, fish, and dairy products.
Keep saturated fats to less than 10% of your calories and total fat intake to no more than 30% of calories. This will also help you keep the amount of cholesterol you eat each day to less than 300 mg. Choose from low-fat and lean foods to help cut back on saturated fat.
Limit daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg to reduce the chance of developing high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure and people at higher risk of developing high blood pressure, such as blacks and older adults, may need to cut back even more.
Limit foods containing added sugars, which provide extra calories but few vitamins and minerals. Watch out for foods that have added sugars in them.
If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. This means one drink per day for women and two for men. One drink is 12 ounces of regular beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. Drinking more than this can raise the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and certain types of cancer.

**rebeleagle1965** · 06-23-2007, 10:51 PM

Low carb is NOT unhealthy-especially for people with pcos or diabetes.
If you have pcos and don't go low carb, it will lead to diabetes, heart disease, and extreme obesity.
I just got diagnosed with pcos a few months ago, too. Anyone who has a problem with insulin resistance HAS to cut seriously down on carbs to remain healthy, because their body can't handle the blood sugar spikes. This is why people with pcos are usually very overweight. When you eat simple carbs, your body releases an abnormally high amount of insulin to compensate, and more fat gets stored. So if you don't cut down on simple carbs, even if you eat an x amount of calorie a day diet and are religious about it-you will still put on weight because of the IR.
I love chocolate, and this has been a big problem for me

Susan is right-it's more about the quality of the food you eat. Atkins is a little over the edge. I tried it and lost weight, but it isn't something that is easy to live with long term.
The average American eats about 300 grams of carbs a day. Atkins allows for 20 grams. The reason Atkins can be unhealthy for some people is that if you use that number, and that number alone, to define how healthy your eating is-then you can eat four pounds of bacon a day and still be "on" the plan.
If you need a regimen, South Beach is alot more forgiving (and better about adding in complex carbs), but I have decided not to plot and count every thing that goes into my mouth from here until the end of time. Just not realistic or enjoyable.
Complex carbohydrates do not have the same effect on blood sugar/insulin as simple carbs do. The biggest changes that you will have to make are right there. No cake or cookies

. Sugar, white flour, potatos, and pasta are the biggest enemies, and you should only have them in STRICT moderation. Do a little research on the glycemic index. It is a better indicator of how different foods affect blood sugar than actual carb counts. Switching to whole grains, like brown rice, whole wheat breads and pastas, etc., and keeping portions small are the best way to get started and get used to the change in your diet.
From all the research I've done since I was diagnosed, the most important thing about diet for a person who has pcos is to keep the level of carbohydrates you take in at a constant level. As in have about the same amount (and a LOW one) at every meal, and keep meals and snacks evenly spaced throughout the day. The goal is to prevent a spike or shock to your metabolic system, to prevent the release of too much insulin. Many people with pcos end up having to go on Metformin, a diabetes medication. I haven't had to because I am maintaining my weight through diet.....but it's really hard. If you slip up and have a bad day, you can wake up to have 3 or 4 pounds sneak up on the scale. It's horrible, especially for a junk food junkie like myself. It's a constant battle. I don't concern myself with the worry of losing any more weight, because I'm still just trying to get used to maintaining it-that's difficult enough.

Try to find an online pcos support forum. There are dozens of them, and you will find alot of helpful information and support! This is a difficult to diagnose and incurable disease-and not many doctors are adept at treating it....so unfortunately, alot of research on your own is necessary to deal with it successfully day to day. PM me if you need anything!
Laura

**kimberpc** · 06-24-2007, 12:42 AM

I too have heard alot of talk about glycemic index recently and it sounds alot better for anyone than "low carb" if you ask me. Yes it may be a "form" of low carb.... but it makes alot more sense. I think Laura had alot of good advice. Jessie Lynn has been living with PCOS for a long time now.... she was big on this forum for about a year but has been pretty scarce lately... maybe you could PM her for some advice on the PCOS.

**fruit blender** · 06-25-2007, 11:04 PM

The first doctor I saw when I was younger about my weight problem told me to take up the carb diet. I had already tried the no carb diet to no avail. He didn't sound like he really cared about my needs, so I saw a different doctor.

But I guess its different for me because I'm vegan (and I was specifically following the Atkin's Diet). Eating veggie burgers all day gets really old really fast, and just makes me absolutely ill. I was sluggish all day and hungry all the time.

I would say be careful about all the meats you're eating. Transfatty acids, which are found in meats but mostly in oils today, cause infertility in women (Harvard Medical School did a study about it). Also, eating a lot of meat can cause a multitude of other problems too, heart disease, colon cancer, and similar.

Its strange, because I've seen the no carb diet do wonders to other people, and destroy others. So I hope it works for you, or you find a diet that does.

Just showing you the other side of the coin here.

**findingme4me** · 06-26-2007, 02:57 AM

I tired to go low carb once and couldnt handle it. i tried and my body just kinda went goofy on me, i had serious mood swings and just felt loopy!
im sure i didnt go about it the most healthy way, so im sure youll have better luck. please let me know how it works for you and what you find works and what dosent!
thanks
Cassandra