Do carbs make you fat?
Fit_Housewife
Posts: 168 Member
I have been on every type of diet and have lost and gained a significant amount of weight several times. However I find it impossible to loose weight unless I do some sort of low carb diet. I love carbs and have tried any and every diet out there to try and include carbs. Reducing my calories doesn't work I've tried all different calorie ranges even going below the commonly recommended 1200 min and nothing but low carbs seems to work. It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me. I realize I may differ from the norm and this calorie counting May work for most people. I'm just frustrated and trying to learn more. My question is has anyone else experienced this? Or come across research that indicates why this is. I've heard that some people metabolize certain foods better than others and I know my body and what I need to do to get the numbers moving just trying to get more information on what's going on.
Thanks for any insight experiences or advice you may have
Thanks for any insight experiences or advice you may have
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Replies
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It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.0 -
No, carbs do not make you fat. Eating too much makes you fat. And it doesn't matter if you eliminate all kinds of breads, sweets, etc. You still need to track calories, because it is possible to over eat no matter what type of diet you choose to follow (despite what some may say). It is all about calories in and calories out. You just need to figure out your calories in and your calories out accurately, so you can create a deficit.
If you aren't already, I suggest buying a food scale and weighing all your solids including things like peanut butter. Use measuring spoons and cups for liquids. Until you get a good handle on how much you are really eating, it is difficult to know whether you are in a deficit or not.0 -
It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.
What evidence do you have that every person's body responds the same to all food calories, regardless of the source?
ETA: While you are correct that the body burns units of energy, that is not the same as saying that every calorie from food we eat is processed or used by the body the same in each of us. The human body is a very complex organism and what happens to those food calories can vary from human to human.0 -
It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.
Exactly this.
I don't mean to sound harsh but if counting calories, down to 1200 doesn't cause you to lose weigh then you're eating more than 1200. Its as simple as that. Inaccurate logging most likely.0 -
In to read after it erupts.0
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It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.
This^
Low carb prompts a bunch of water weight up front. So it "appears" to be more effective than regular dieting. Go back to eating carbs again.....and water weight comes back. So it "appears" carbs make you fat.
Stop the yo-yo by picking a plan that changes "something" permanently. Lifestyle changes help you maintain a weight loss. I've been a yo-yo too. So I know what you are going thru. I manage carbs because I know I wouldn't be low carb forever.0 -
Food makes you fat if you eat too much. Thats it.0
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It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.
What evidence do you have that every person's body responds the same to all food calories, regardless of the source?
The numerous peer-reviewed studies that have been done that all show parity in diet effectiveness despite different macronutrient breakdowns. Barring a medical condition, macros do not matter in terms of weight loss. And even in those cases where they do matter, they only matter to a small extent, and the mechanisms that make one macro "better" for weight loss than another in a person with a medical condition are usually mechanisms of increased RMR, which all comes back to calories in vs. calories out.0 -
It honestly is all about calories in-calories out. That being said, carbohydrates are energy. There are good carbs and bad carbs. All carbs are not created equal when it comes to delivering energy to our bodies. Fresh fruits, veggies and whole grain will give you more bang for your buck than processed, sugary, starchy carbs and junk food carbs. Go to the database and put in your favorite junk food item, then put in a good amount of your favorite healthy vegetable dish...not laden with fats and oils. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrot medley is packed with vitamins but cost very little in the way of calories. An orange has less calories than the same amount of chocolate per gram or ounces but has much more in the way of vitamins and minerals.
I have done low carb before and at first what you are losing is water weight. You have a big quick loss then it begins to slow down. As for as under 1200 calories, that is not healthy eating and does not give the body enough energy, nutrients and vitamins to sustain a healthy metabolism for very long.0 -
For me, yes. I've figured out I'm insulin resistant and cannot consume a certain amount of carbs per day.
Add me if u want. Been doing this 3 years now and have lots of stuff to share with u :-)0 -
It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.
What evidence do you have that every person's body responds the same to all food calories, regardless of the source?
The numerous peer-reviewed studies that have been done that all show parity in diet effectiveness despite different macronutrient breakdowns. Barring a medical condition, macros do not matter in terms of weight loss. And even in those cases where they do matter, they only matter to a small extent, and the mechanisms that make one macro "better" for weight loss than another in a person with a medical condition are usually mechanisms of increased RMR, which all comes back to calories in vs. calories out.
Can you explain exactly what you mean by "calories in"? And what medical conditions would matter?0 -
Carbs only make you fat if you're in a calorie surplus and only eat carbs. Regardless of your personal (unscientific) opinion, it really is calories in vs. Calories out, where those calories come from is completely irrelevant in terms of weight loss. To the extent that you actually believe that carbs make you fat, it's just an excuse. Get a scale, weigh and log all your food, and feel free to eat all the carbs you want. I bet if you do that and refuse to make excuses you'll lose weight, but it's all about consistency and holding yourself accountable.
Rigger0 -
Carbs do not make you fat. I either hit my carb intake or was over and still managed to loose 16 lbs. It's about moderation.0
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It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.
What evidence do you have that every person's body responds the same to all food calories, regardless of the source?
The numerous peer-reviewed studies that have been done that all show parity in diet effectiveness despite different macronutrient breakdowns. Barring a medical condition, macros do not matter in terms of weight loss. And even in those cases where they do matter, they only matter to a small extent, and the mechanisms that make one macro "better" for weight loss than another in a person with a medical condition are usually mechanisms of increased RMR, which all comes back to calories in vs. calories out.
Can you explain exactly what you mean by "calories in"? And what medical conditions would matter?
Calories in = calories consumed, i.e. food eaten. Medical conditions that would matter would be primarily diabetes, insulin resistance, and thyroid conditions, although I think thyroid conditions just alter your metabolic rate moreso than change your response to certain macros. There may be other conditions but I'm not a doctor so I haven't bothered to extensively research the matter.0 -
It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.
What evidence do you have that every person's body responds the same to all food calories, regardless of the source?
The numerous peer-reviewed studies that have been done that all show parity in diet effectiveness despite different macronutrient breakdowns. Barring a medical condition, macros do not matter in terms of weight loss. And even in those cases where they do matter, they only matter to a small extent, and the mechanisms that make one macro "better" for weight loss than another in a person with a medical condition are usually mechanisms of increased RMR, which all comes back to calories in vs. calories out.
Can you explain exactly what you mean by "calories in"? And what medical conditions would matter?
Calories in = calories consumed, i.e. food eaten. Medical conditions that would matter would be primarily diabetes, insulin resistance, and thyroid conditions, although I think thyroid conditions just alter your metabolic rate moreso than change your response to certain macros. There may be other conditions but I'm not a doctor so I haven't bothered to extensively research the matter.
I have Hashimoto's and Hypothyroid - I can attest it is still calories in and calories out. Just takes a litttle longer for us
but it still works ... Let me add a disclaimer IF IT IS CONTROLLED... if thyroid isn't controlled then it is a whole other matter... 0 -
Carbs do not make you fat. Eating above your maintenance calories makes you fat. However, macronutrient management is crucial. Varying degrees of macronutients is the primary difference between all the diet plans on the market. What diet plan works for you depends on what macronutrient percentage works best for your body.
Carbs raise your blood glucose. When your blood glucose goes up, your body releases insulin to lower it. Insulin causes the body to store carbohydrates as fat because it activates a fat storage enzyme, lipoprotein lipase. Insulin also inhibits the body from being able to draw on stored fat for energy.
Whether a low carb diet will work for you depends on how much carbs impact your blood glucose and how your body responds to the insulin that is released because of elevated blood glucose. People who are carb sensitive and/or insulin resistant find that a low carb diet is the best (and often only) way to lose weight.
It is not strictly necessary to reduce your carbs to a ketogenic-inducing level, as in the Atkins diet. Many scientists/theorists/researchers believe that a carb amount below 100g/day is low enough to produce desired glucose management and weight loss.0 -
I bet there are some nice folks with PCOS on the board that may disagree with you, a few ladies in menopause who might as well.It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.0 -
It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.
What evidence do you have that every person's body responds the same to all food calories, regardless of the source?
The numerous peer-reviewed studies that have been done that all show parity in diet effectiveness despite different macronutrient breakdowns. Barring a medical condition, macros do not matter in terms of weight loss. And even in those cases where they do matter, they only matter to a small extent, and the mechanisms that make one macro "better" for weight loss than another in a person with a medical condition are usually mechanisms of increased RMR, which all comes back to calories in vs. calories out.
Can you explain exactly what you mean by "calories in"? And what medical conditions would matter?
Calories in = calories consumed, i.e. food eaten. Medical conditions that would matter would be primarily diabetes, insulin resistance, and thyroid conditions, although I think thyroid conditions just alter your metabolic rate moreso than change your response to certain macros. There may be other conditions but I'm not a doctor so I haven't bothered to extensively research the matter.
Is it calories consumed or food eaten? Or do you believe those are always identical?0 -
Carbs do not make you fat. Eating above your maintenance calories makes you fat. However, macronutrient management is crucial. Varying degrees of macronutients is the primary difference between all the diet plans on the market. What diet plan works for you depends on what macronutrient percentage works best for your body.
Carbs raise your blood glucose. When your blood glucose goes up, your body releases insulin to lower it. Insulin causes the body to store carbohydrates as fat because it activates a fat storage enzyme, lipoprotein lipase. Insulin also inhibits the body from being able to draw on stored fat for energy.
Whether a low carb diet will work for you depends on how much carbs impact your blood glucose and how your body responds to the insulin that is released because of elevated blood glucose. People who are carb sensitive and/or insulin resistant find that a low carb diet is the best (and often only) way to lose weight.
It is not strictly necessary to reduce your carbs to a ketogenic-inducing level, as in the Atkins diet. Many scientists/theorists/researchers believe that a carb amount below 100g/day is low enough to produce desired glucose management and weight loss.
This-100%0 -
I totally share your frustration and experience - I have struggled for 20 years and as I am now in my 50's it's even harder. I recommend reading Gary Taubes' book "Why we get fat and what to do about it"http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-About-ebook/dp/B003WUYOQ6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403540319&sr=1-1&keywords=why+we+get+fat+gary+taubes
It was a rel eye opener and also at the same time a tough reality check. The science he works with has long term studies so it's not about a diet. It's all about explaining the body physiology that is prone to gaining weight from starchy carbs and sugar. I follow his advise - I do find it impossible to completely eliminate all starchy carbs (bread, baked goods, etc.) but I have been able to cut down and make better choices, stop the yoyo, loose weight slowly and sanely. Mainly self acceptance and understanding the results of eating foods that don't work for my physiology has brought me a lot of peace and a realistic outlook on the situation. I have not given up being fit or having a slice of great whole grain bread now and then - just learning to manage the situation from a more educated position helps a ton.0 -
It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.
What evidence do you have that every person's body responds the same to all food calories, regardless of the source?
The numerous peer-reviewed studies that have been done that all show parity in diet effectiveness despite different macronutrient breakdowns. Barring a medical condition, macros do not matter in terms of weight loss. And even in those cases where they do matter, they only matter to a small extent, and the mechanisms that make one macro "better" for weight loss than another in a person with a medical condition are usually mechanisms of increased RMR, which all comes back to calories in vs. calories out.
Can you explain exactly what you mean by "calories in"? And what medical conditions would matter?
Calories in = calories consumed, i.e. food eaten. Medical conditions that would matter would be primarily diabetes, insulin resistance, and thyroid conditions, although I think thyroid conditions just alter your metabolic rate moreso than change your response to certain macros. There may be other conditions but I'm not a doctor so I haven't bothered to extensively research the matter.
I have Hashimoto's and Hypothyroid - I can attest it is still calories in and calories out. Just takes a litttle longer for us but it still works ... Let me add a disclaimer IF IT IS CONTROLLED... if thyroid isn't controlled then it is a whole other matter...
Why would it take longer, if calories are all that matters?0 -
It just drives me nuts when I hear it's all about calories from experts or anyone for that matter because that's not the case for me.
Yes it is, it's the case for every human being. Different peoples' bodies do not work differently on such a fundamental level as how and what they burn for energy. Calories are literally units of energy - your body doesn't burn specifically fats, carbs, or proteins, it burns units of energy. High carb can cause more intense fluctuations in water weight which maybe masked weight loss for you, or you just weren't counting accurately or didn't give it enough time to see a change. I personally find it impossible to see a change in weight on a daily or even weekly basis and always feel like I'm "stalling", but when I look at a long term graph of my trending weight it's always in a decline.
What evidence do you have that every person's body responds the same to all food calories, regardless of the source?
ETA: While you are correct that the body burns units of energy, that is not the same as saying that every calorie from food we eat is processed or used by the body the same in each of us. The human body is a very complex organism and what happens to those food calories can vary from human to human.
Simple answer to this question. I agree that the body is complex and I can concieve different people getting different calorie values from different macronutrients. The way they would be different is how efficient our body would be at processing certain nutrients.
Here is the thing though, the calorie content marked on foods is a calorimetry measurement and therefore is the MAXIMUM amount of energy you could EVER get from that food. Sure, I could believe it is possible that person A gets 75% of the caloric value from carbohydrates where person B gets 50% of the caloric value from carbohydrates however there is no person C that gets 150% of the caloric value from carbs. You could never go above 100% so therefore this idea that you could somehow gain weight eating as low as 1200 calories is not possible physically.
Can you conceive of a way to get more than 100% of the caloric value from food because I'm confident that is impossible.
ETA: Also want to make it clear I do not think there has ever been anything to substantiate the idea that there is a broad spectrum of calorie efficiency differences in the population and honestly that sounds more like a hand-wavy response to any "I'm eating X but not losing help" style question than actual science.0 -
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Why would it take longer, if calories are all that matters?
Because hypothyroidism when uncontrolled will cause your "maintenance" calories to be severely off and metabolism goes to crap... Combined with they symptoms of muscle pains, fatigue etc... working out is the LAST thing you think about. It DOES cause weight gain..
Mine was uncontrolled for 13 years... but in the last year it is now controlled, better diagnosed and dead... I have learned what works and what doesn't. It is quite simple
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If you are insulin resistant or otherwise have insulin sensitivities, consuming too many carbohydrates can make it difficult to lose weight. This would essentially constitute a medical condition. If you are concerned about this, you should be paying a visit to your doctor.
Barring that, most people who eat the SAD could stand to reduce their carbohydrate intake to some extent in an effort to better balance out their diet...but it is not necessary to low carb to lose weight.0 -
No they do not. I say this as someone with insulin resistance who is deep in the throes of perimeonpause, two factors that should work against my favor when it comes to carbohydrates.
My macros are 50% carbs, 30% fat, 20% protein and I'm down 30-something pounds in 120-ish days.0 -
CALORIES make people fat. Plain and simple. Extra calories end up as fat. It is all about the math. You can get fat eating too many potatoes and carrots as easily as if you overrate candy. It's about chemistry.0
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Those nice folks are wrong.
Calorie deficit = weight loss Calorie surplus = weight gain
I don't believe in magic.
*editors note* Certain medical conditions, like PCOS and Hashimoto's, make it more difficult to lose weight. But even in those cases calorie guidelines specific to the condition must be adhered to. It doesn't mean calories don't matter for those cases, in fact they matter more.
Exactly... I have to be very vigilant in my calorie tracking and constantly adjusting my numbers... for instance I have been eating at 1800 the last week - nothing has happened so I will take it down to 1700.. which is usually my sweet spot. I use the TDEE calculators as a GUIDE only and I adjust for myself.0 -
I totally share your frustration and experience - I have struggled for 20 years and as I am now in my 50's it's even harder. I recommend reading Gary Taubes' book "Why we get fat and what to do about it"http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-About-ebook/dp/B003WUYOQ6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403540319&sr=1-1&keywords=why+we+get+fat+gary+taubes
It was a rel eye opener and also at the same time a tough reality check. The science he works with has long term studies so it's not about a diet. It's all about explaining the body physiology that is prone to gaining weight from starchy carbs and sugar. I follow his advise - I do find it impossible to completely eliminate all starchy carbs (bread, baked goods, etc.) but I have been able to cut down and make better choices, stop the yoyo, loose weight slowly and sanely. Mainly self acceptance and understanding the results of eating foods that don't work for my physiology has brought me a lot of peace and a realistic outlook on the situation. I have not given up being fit or having a slice of great whole grain bread now and then - just learning to manage the situation from a more educated position helps a ton.
Don't OP. One post from this person and first post is trying to sell you something. There are plenty of "diet secrets" books out there that you can choose from if you wish to confuse the issue or misinform yourself, if you are going to do that may as well get a cheaper one.0
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