Macro Cheat Sheet: How to Get 30 Grams of Carbs

Believe it or not, there’s people that struggle to get in enough carbs. So today I’m coming in with a carb macro cheat sheet so people can get more tasty carb goodness in their lives!

Carbs are delicious, help fuel us during workouts, can help us build more muscle, help us recover from workouts, and also can support our digestion via their fiber content.

Carb needs will vary greatly person-to-person, depending on how you workout, how much you workout, how many steps you average daily, how active you are at your job, digestion and personal eating preferences, etc etc.

But in general: the more active you are, the more carbs you might need to support energy levels, health, performance, and recovery from workouts (:

It’ll probably take a little trial and error to figure out where you feel best. But don’t forget that your needs may shift up or down anytime there’s a major consistent switch or change in your activity levels, too.

Your mileage may vary, but a great starting point for someone exercising 3-5x/week might be something like 3-5 grams of carbs per kilogram bodyweight. 

Example: 150 lb person / 2.2 = 68 kilograms = 205-340 grams of carbs daily

Ideas on How to Get 30 Grams of Carbs:

• 40g Instant Oatmeal: ~28-30g carbs
• 40g Breakfast Cereal: ~25-35g carbs
• 1/2 Bagel: ~20-25g carbs
• 2 Slices of Bread: ~20-25g carbs
• 2 Frozen Waffles: ~30-35g carbs
• 40g Pancake: ~30g carbs
• 100g Cooked White Rice: ~28g carbs
• 150g Cooked Sweet Potato: ~31g carbs
• 140g Cooked Quinoa: ~28g carbs
• 130g Cooked Yellow or Red Potato: ~30g carbs
• 100g Cooked Whole Wheat Pasta: ~30g carbs
• 1 Medium Flour Tortilla: ~25g carbs
• 2-3 Corn Tortillas: ~30g carbs
• 2-3 Rice Cakes: ~30-35g carbs
• 40g Gummy Bears: ~32g carbs
• 12 Sour Patch Watermelon Candy: ~33g carbs
• 125g Banana: ~29g carbs
• 200g Apple: ~28g carbs
• 200g Cherries: ~25g carbs
• 200g Blueberries: ~29g carbs
• 200g Raspberries: ~24g carbs
• 200g Blackberries: ~20g carbs
• 200g Pineapple: ~26g carbs
• 200g Clementine Oranges: ~24g carbs
• 200g Mango: ~30g carbs
• 150g Grapes: ~28g carbs
• 200g Kiwi: ~29g carbs
• 2 Pure Organic Dried Fruit Bars: ~28g carbs
• 2 Bear Dried Fruit Rolls: ~26g carbs
• Baby Food / Fruit Squeeze Packs: ~25-30g carbs
• 8 oz Orange Juice: ~26g carbs
• 8 oz Naked Fruit Smoothie: ~30g carbs
  

Do consider getting a minimum of ~25-30 grams of fiber per day, as well as lots of water and fluids. Fiber can help support better digestion, heart health, blood sugar regulation, hormone health, and healthy cholesterol levels (:

Signs You May Not Be Eating Enough Carbs:

• always feeling hungry, food cravings
• feeling cold all the time, cold hands and feet
• excessively sore from workouts
• low energy, fatigue, exhaustion, feeling like you’re “running on empty”
• brain fog, headaches, difficulty focusing
• low thyroid levels, irregular periods or amenorrhea
• poor sleep, trouble staying asleep
• light headed or dizzy during exercise
• mood swings, grumpiness, irrititability
• constipation/digestive woes (if falling short on fiber)
• food cravings, constantly find yourself wanting to snack
• feeling weak or no “second gear” when working out
• shakiness, low blood sugar (aka hypoglycemia)
• regularly bonking or hitting a “wall” mid-workout

Where To Go From Here

I’m always posting educational content regarding nutrition, fitness, and sharing what I’m up to on my Instagram. You can also follow us on the Paragon Training Methods Instagram for tons of free workouts and more tips to help you look and feel your best!