Are Carbs Evil?

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Replies

  • Daerina8
    Daerina8 Posts: 35 Member
    There is no one diet and nutrition system that works for everyone, if you want to eat carbs and do a calorie control diet, go for it!

    But if you want to do a keto diet, then yes, carbs are "evil".

    Essentially, here's a brief summary;
    Your body takes in and uses energy (aka calories) from one of three different sources; carbs, fats, and proteins.
    If you take in less energy than you consume, you'll lose weight. Period. No matter what diet you're on.

    HOWEVER, many of us have some excess energy laying around on our hips, stomachs, thighs, etc. So, a keto diet basically reduces your carb intake to 5% or less of your total calorie intake, and lowers your protein intake to a healthy amount (30% or so) and encourages a high fat diet where 65% or more of your calories are from fats. This "trains" your body to use fat as its main source of energy, so it will be more likely to use that excess fat sitting on your hips as energy when it's run out of food. Keto diets are proven to be a very effective method of weight loss, but it is definitely not for everyone.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    1) it's not so much carbs that are evil as processed "foods" which are usually carbs even if they wouldn't otherwise be. .
    What does that even mean? Foods get processed into "foods" (presumably the scare quotes mean they are no longer actually food) and somehow turn from fats or protein into carbs?
    but obviously if you are eating breads cookies cakes, or anything processed you aren't doing to have too much success.
    I beg to differ, I've been pretty successful with breads, cookies and cakes. And chocolate, pizza, ice cream and wine.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    Carbs are not evil, abuse of Carbs is evil. Not knowing how much protein,fats and carbs make for a balance in your body is just something all of us learn.

    I need more protein at age 55 than I did at age 35. I only get X amount of calories a day, and I have to plan my meals around protein first, fat second and then carbs. I try to eat the most nutritional dense foods each day. That's why I eat an avocado instead of crisco, and salmon instead of a hotdog.

    When I went on my weight loss journey, which is now my fitness journey, I cut out bread, pasta , potatos and rice as well as any desserts. I didn't add those back in maintenance, and only have desserts occasionally. I get carbs from all the other foods I eat. It is easier to get my macros balanced when I leave out gluten laden foods and rice,pasta. I think potatos have a lot of great nutrtion in them, but I will overeat them everytime. So I just stay away.
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  • Wildflower0106
    Wildflower0106 Posts: 247 Member
    beyond the basic/obvious insulin response issue, 2 points: 1) it's not so much carbs that are evil as processed "foods" which are usually carbs even if they wouldn't otherwise be. 2) different people respond differently to different macro nutrient percentages. (even in their insulin response) for instance my sister does really well on a lot of meat, and i do really well on a lot of squash, sweet potatos, taro and pumpkin. beans are pretty high carb too and if i'm getting puffy that's what i go to the most (along with the usual greens and colourful veggies obviously). but obviously if you are eating breads cookies cakes, or anything processed you aren't doing to have too much success.

    Well um... NO...
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    beyond the basic/obvious insulin response issue, 2 points: 1) it's not so much carbs that are evil as processed "foods" which are usually carbs even if they wouldn't otherwise be. 2) different people respond differently to different macro nutrient percentages. (even in their insulin response) for instance my sister does really well on a lot of meat, and i do really well on a lot of squash, sweet potatos, taro and pumpkin. beans are pretty high carb too and if i'm getting puffy that's what i go to the most (along with the usual greens and colourful veggies obviously). but obviously if you are eating breads cookies cakes, or anything processed you aren't doing to have too much success.

    Look at my diary.
  • MuseofSong
    MuseofSong Posts: 322 Member
    evil-carbs.jpg

    Where is my like button, dammit!

    I know, right? That's a great picture for this topic!

    *Feeds Evil Pancakes more butter and syrup*

    *Eats them!*

    The evil has now been contained. All clear!
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    evil-carbs.jpg

    Ahhhh!
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    but obviously if you are eating breads cookies cakes, or anything processed you aren't doing to have too much success.
    I think you need to research more, especially the successful people on this site
  • gogoboobzilla
    gogoboobzilla Posts: 91 Member
    So are they? It's Fall my favorite season full of warm tea under blankets and hearty meals. My sister who happens to be a fitness fanatic who is gluten free and dairy free hardly ever eats any carbs tells me I should eat like that if I want to lose weight.

    The thing is...I LOVE CARBS! If I stay under my calorie count for the day shouldn't I be able to eat whole grains and potatoes?

    Yes, carbs are evil. If you eat them you must pray to the porcelain god to cleanse you of your sins.





    oh-brother.gif
  • Rayanne203
    Rayanne203 Posts: 207 Member
    .
  • Rayanne203
    Rayanne203 Posts: 207 Member
    How many carb threads in one day?
    How hard is it to just look at the first 2 pages of this sub section?

    Because I would rather ask myself.
  • srogers89
    srogers89 Posts: 190 Member
    photogallery_secrets_to_portion_control_01_full.jpg



    Portion control....


    that is all

    THIS^^^^^^

    Feel free to check out my diary. I eat carbs EVERYDAY! I am losing weight using IIFYM and couldn't agree more with the above post. It is all about portion control, portion control and then some more portion control.

    Your sister is right, in a sense, you WILL lose weight cutting out carbs. Doing that is a lifestyle choice though, the minute you re-introduce them it is almost guaranteed you will gain back any weight you lost and then some. So beware, feel free to eat like her and never see/eat carbs AGAIN.... or you can eat carbs, in moderation, enjoy those hearty meals and still lose weight. I think I know which option I would choose (HINT: Not your sisters).
  • GEMINI_STL
    GEMINI_STL Posts: 93 Member
    Carbs aren't Evil, especially if you are a very active person, training, exercising, etc. You just have to eat the "RIGHT" kind of carbs in order to get the real energy your body needs to fuel itself and not the junk carbs. Been learning a lot about this myself in the last few weeks. Of course you want to avoid, Breads, Grains, etc. if you are trying to lose, but there are plenty of other Good Carbs out there and NO, they aren't nasty! LOL! Feel free to message me if U want to learn more. But NO, they aren't evil, just need to know which carbs to eat and the right times to eat them.
  • Pookylou
    Pookylou Posts: 988 Member
    No.
  • Hauntinglyfit
    Hauntinglyfit Posts: 5,537 Member
    They definitely are. That's why they make so many horror movies about people being attacked by carbs.
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    I also had this huge good food bad food mind set. And also when it came to carbs!!

    There is no such thing as bad food.
    Portion control and getting it in your calorie goal is what matters!

    I TRY fit mine into a certain percentage of protein, fat and carbs.
  • RebekahR84
    RebekahR84 Posts: 794 Member
    I've lost weight on a regular diet. I am currently on Keto, though, because someone told me to try it, and I love the way my body feels on it. But I don't think carbs are evil. I still eat lots of veggies, and some fruit. But, if I ever tire of being on Keto, then I will slowly reincorporate the carbs.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    So are they? It's Fall my favorite season full of warm tea under blankets and hearty meals. My sister who happens to be a fitness fanatic who is gluten free and dairy free hardly ever eats any carbs tells me I should eat like that if I want to lose weight.

    The thing is...I LOVE CARBS! If I stay under my calorie count for the day shouldn't I be able to eat whole grains and potatoes?

    Keep doing what is working for you and don't worry about the diet of others (including your sister).

    You will continue to lose weight with lots of carbs in your diet as long as you remain at a caloric deficit.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    If you don't have any sort of blood sugar issues, the answer is no...you don't have to specifically restrict your carbs. I have to stay low to moderately low carb (up to 150g/day) for health reasons, but I don't think "carbs are evil". I love carbs, but have found I feel better and have less trouble staying within my carb guidelines when I keep my carbs to mostly veggies and a little fruit each day.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    I heard they annexed Czechoslovakia and invaded Poland. So yeah, they're pretty evil.

    No wait: that was the Nazi's. Right?
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    So are they? It's Fall my favorite season full of warm tea under blankets and hearty meals. My sister who happens to be a fitness fanatic who is gluten free and dairy free hardly ever eats any carbs tells me I should eat like that if I want to lose weight.

    The thing is...I LOVE CARBS! If I stay under my calorie count for the day shouldn't I be able to eat whole grains and potatoes?

    So your sister is gluten free, dairy free and bad mouthing carbs?

    Sounds like she has a poor attitude with food. Obsessive food restriction works to lose weight but it isn't much fun or mentally very healthy and often leads to nutritional issues. Don't follow.