http://www.carbfreecafe.com/carbs/counting-carbs.html Counting Carbs can be a very confusing undertaking if you aren't familiar with nutritional requirements. We are all bombarded with information that is supposed to make it easier, however, if you stick to a few basic rules, counting carbs can be fun. en-us Thu, 17 Nov 2005 13:46:04 EST Thu, 17 Nov 2005 13:46:04 EST Weblog Editor 2.0 Counting Carbs can be as easy as 1-2-3 if you familiarize yourself with a few simple guidelines. You may want to start with the purchase of one of the many books that list, in detail, the amount of carbohydrates and calories that are found in many of the foods we enjoy. After that, you can become a carb guru by simply mastering a few simple calculations. It's as easy as keeping a pen and paper handy to figure out your daily requirements. Or, if you prefer, grab your handy dandy calculator. While there are many diets out there that call for very low amounts of carbs in our daily caloric intake, it is important to take a rational approach when reducing your carb intake. As with anything, when we try to overdo or overcompensate for past bad behaviors, there is often a backlash that results in failure. When we deprive ourselves of the things that we enjoy, overindulgence is one of the many pitfalls. It is better to follow a diet that allows us to make healthier choices that include some of our favorite foods. In doing so, the practice of counting carbs will seem less burdensome. Counting Carbs, for some people, is a necessary part of their daily existence. For example, the rise in incidents of adult and childhood diabetes has many health care professionals alarmed. With the prevalence of fast food in school cafeterias, now is the time to examine the diets of you and your family. It is easier than you might think. To determine the optimal amount of daily carbs that is right for you and your family, most physician's recommend a diet this is about 50 to 60% carbs. With that in mind, now is the time to get out those calculators to help you determine how much of your daily intake should come from carbs. For many, the 2,000 calorie guideline is the catalyst for the amount of carbs we need to maintain our weight. Before using this as your beginning standard, check with your local physician to determine what is right for your height and desired weight. Using 2,000 calories as an example of a daily caloric intake, let's do a simple calculation of a healthy daily carb intake. In other words, this is the amount of carb calories that should be ingested on a daily basis. To calculate how much of your daily intake should come from carbs, simply multiply your daily caloric intake by .50 or .60. In our example case, 2,000 Multiplied by .50 would provide a product of 1,000 carb calories per day. Repeating that same calculation with 2,000 Multiplied by .60 we come out with a 1,200 carb calories per day. So, you are looking at a at a daily intake of between 1,000 and 1,200 total carb calories. We hope that you have found some of the answers to your questions regarding counting carbs. Taking the time to evaluate your own needs is an important way to make sure that your diet is as healthy as possible. Don't make the mistake of giving up, counting carbs can be a simple answer to weight management. sf Thu, 17 Nov 2005 13:46:04 EST