Your personal carbohydrate tolerance is your body’s natural point of equilibrium — the point where you don’t lose, or gain any more weight. This number is dependent on a variety of factors, including age, fitness level, activity level and more. Most people will find theirs falls somewhere between 40-120 grams of Net Carbs per day; 1 however, some people that have an extremely difficult time losing/maintaining weight, might find their range even higher. Remember, these are ranges.
Here’s a chart, which compares approximate personal carb tolerance to metabolic resistance. For instance, if you’ve never had much weight to lose, your metabolic resistance is probably fairly low. If you’ve always had difficulty maintaining or losing weight, your metabolic resistance is most likely high.
| If your range* is: | Your Metabolic Resistance is: | What it means: |
|---|
| 25 – 40 grams of Net Carbs per day | Very High | Your body is very resistant to losing weight |
| 40 – 60 grams of Net Carbs per day | High | Your body is fairly resistant to losing weight |
| 60 – 90 grams of Net Carbs per day | Average | Your body is slightly resistant to losing weight |
| 90 – 120 grams of Net Carbs per day | Low | Your body is efficient at losing weight |
*Raising your activity/exercise increases your range.
Why is knowing your personal carb tolerance essential?
To maintain your goal weight once you achieve it, you need to learn how many grams of Net Carbs you can consume each day without regaining weight.
How do you find your personal carb tolerance?
You begin to get a handle on your threshold for carbs during Pre-Maintenance, when you may have to “play around” within a 10-gram range to continue the process of losing the last few pounds. When you reach your goal weight and stay there for a month, you are officially in Lifetime Maintenance and have found the way you should eat for the rest of your life. We call that level of carb intake your personal carb tolerance. In the simplest terms, your personal carb tolerance is the number of grams of Net Carbs you can eat while neither gaining nor losing weight.
Once I establish my personal carb tolerance, will it remain constant?
Not necessarily. Your personal carb tolerance may decrease as you age and become less active, or increase if you choose to increase your level of activity. Changes in drug regimens or the onset of menopause can also impact your personal carb tolerance. 2
FAQs
Testing at your doctor's office
Your primary care physician, endocrinologist, or weight loss doctor may order fasting insulin, fasting glucose, or a Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test to assess your blood sugar during your office visit. These tests can also be quite helpful in determining your carbohydrate tolerance.
What should my carb limit be per day? ›
How many carbohydrates do you need? The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbohydrates make up 45% to 65% of total daily calories. So if you get 2,000 calories a day, between 900 and 1,300 calories should be from carbohydrates. That translates to between 225 and 325 grams of carbs a day.
Is 120 carbs a day too much? ›
In general, how many grams of carbs per day you should consume is probably going to be in between 500 and 800 calories from carbohydrates, and that's typically about 150 to 200 grams of carbohydrates per day — 200 is an upper amount and goes as low as 120, which may be ideal for many trying to trim down.
Can you lose weight eating 40 carbs a day? ›
You may lose weight faster on 50 g of carbs a day or less, but it depends on what else you're eating, how many calories you're consuming, how active you are, and many other factors. In addition, eating slightly more carbs may lead to lower but more sustainable weight loss.
What are the symptoms of low-carb tolerance? ›
Most of us have heard of people being lactose- or gluten-intolerant, but your body can have trouble tolerating other carbs as well. In some people, eating even small amounts of certain carbs can cause bloating, fatigue, abdominal cramps, poor digestion and heartburn.
How to reverse carbohydrate intolerance? ›
To reverse carbohydrate intolerance, it's important to add carbs back in slowly, starting with small servings and low-GI foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods have “good carbs,” which are higher in fiber, which can help prevent large blood sugar spikes.
What carbs don't spike blood sugar? ›
Anyone with diabetes might be surprised to learn certain foods minimally impact sugar levels, including:
- Carrots. ...
- High-fiber grains. ...
- Bran cereal. ...
- Potatoes. ...
- Cottage cheese. ...
- Lentils. ...
- Strawberries and raspberries.
Here's how the 5:1 rule works. Simply look at the ratio of grams of carbohydrates to grams of dietary fibre. Divide the carbohydrates by the dietary fibre. You want a 5:1 ratio or less.
What happens if I eat no carbs for a month? ›
Severe carb limits can cause your body to break down fat into ketones for energy. This is called ketosis. Ketosis can cause side effects such as bad breath, headache, fatigue and weakness.
How many carbs a day to lose belly fat? ›
As far as how many carbohydrates to eat, Pratt says 100 to 150 grams of carbohydrates is safe for most people who are trying to lose weight. It may be better for some people to eat carbs consistently throughout the day. “You can also break it up evenly with 40 to 50 grams of carbs per meal,” she says.
If you are sedentary, your energy needs are lower, so after eating all the protein and fat you need, there is not too much room for carbs. For maintaining weight a rough guideline is 50% of your calories from carbs. Anything from 40%–60% is still very much ok.
What does 50g of carbs look like? ›
Bread: Around 2 to 3 slices of white or whole wheat bread typically contain around 50g of carbohydrates. Oats: Approximately 50g of dry oats (about 1/2 cup) provides around 50g of carbohydrates. Fruits: Consuming around 2 medium-sized bananas or 3 medium-sized apples can give you close to 50g of carbohydrates.
How long does it take to lose 20 pounds on a low-carb diet? ›
“If the patient can maintain a steady calorie deficit, I expect them to lose one to two pounds per week,” says Dr. Seeman. So after 12 weeks, her clients are usually down around 20-25 pounds.
Why do I feel better when I don't eat carbs? ›
Our brains prefer glucose, and carbohydrates supply a steady and easily available source. When you stop eating them, your body is forced to find an alternative energy source for the brain. It will switch to breaking down fat into ketones, an alternative to glucose.
What carbs should you avoid to lose weight? ›
A low carb diet typically has you limit bread, sweets, and starchy vegetables. Certain types of fruit may also be high in carbs. Carbs are an important source of energy and one of the three main macronutrients in our diets, along with fat and protein.
Can you test for carb intolerance? ›
The main diagnostic platforms available for the determination of carbohydrate intolerance are hydrogen breath tests, small bowel disaccharidase biopsy testing, lactose tolerance tests and lactose intolerance genetic testing.
How do I know if I'm carb sensitive? ›
Symptoms and Signs of Carbohydrate Intolerance
An affected adult may have watery diarrhea, bloating, excessive flatus, nausea, borborygmi, and abdominal cramps after ingesting lactose. The patient often recognizes early in life that dairy causes gastrointestinal problems and avoids eating dairy products.
How do you test for carbohydrate malabsorption tolerance? ›
Diagnosis of Carbohydrate Intolerance
The diagnosis of lactose intolerance is also suggested if the stool from chronic or intermittent diarrhea is acidic (pH < 6) and can be confirmed by a hydrogen breath test or a lactose tolerance test that indicates malabsorption.
What happens if I go over my carb limit? ›
Exceeding your daily limits of carbs and/or fats while staying at or below your calorie intake goal can have some effects on your weight: You may gain water weight temporarily. Consuming more carbs and/or fats means your body will retain more water to process and store the excess nutrients.
