So, are carbs evil or not?

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  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    carbs are not but should not be eaten after lunch and should only be good healthy carbs in the form of fiber.

    :noway:

    Makes absolutely no difference what time of day you eat food, including carbs. Calories in, calories out. Plain and simple.

    I generally work on the 40:30:30 macros but often go over on my carbs, especially if I'm exercising. I also go way over every weekend as I hike up mountains and need those carbs (including sugar) to power me up those thousands of feet! I also have an emergency can of Coke at the bottom of my rucksack for emergencies - cheaper than energy gels and the caffeine and sugar give me a good boost after six hours of clambering over rocks and burning thousands of calories. I've tried baked sweet potatoes, bananas etc etc but nothing quite hits the spot like pure sugar!

    QFT
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    Beer=Carbs
    Beer is not evil, beer is wonderful
    Therefore, carbs are not evil

    Cheers :-)

    I like you.

    :drinker: :drinker:
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    I generally try to limit carbs because *in general* I believe that proteins and fats are more likely to be nutrient-dense foods. Also, I have a general minimum amount of protein and a minimum amount of fat I try to reach each day. I just fill in the rest with carbs (and more protein and more fat) but don't really have a carb minimum.

    But no, I wouldn't exactly call them evil (assuming you've met your protein and fat minimums).
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
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    I generally try to limit carbs because *in general* I believe that proteins and fats are more likely to be nutrient-dense foods. Also, I have a general minimum amount of protein and a minimum amount of fat I try to reach each day. I just fill in the rest with carbs (and more protein and more fat) but don't really have a carb minimum.

    But no, I wouldn't exactly call them evil (assuming you've met your protein and fat minimums).

    i get what you're saying, but veggies are pretty damn nutrient-dense
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
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    No, but like jof I limit them. I'm not active enough to utilize them so I prefer 100 grams or so daily.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
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    did I say "coach" or "ready" by mistake? conjure you up? What is it that you want to argue now?

    what??
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
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    Unfortunately, Ed, individuals vary greatly. There is a distinct difference between men and women. What works for normal or even obese males, will not necessarily work for obese females--especially females "past their primes" (which, by nature's standards is past 35 and the child-bearing years). There is NOT just a one-size-fits all solution---that is much too simplistic.

    I'm sure several women "past their prime" are lol'ing at this statement
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    Personally, I have had great success with weight loss just calorie in and calorie out. However, fat loss, I have done much better dropping all processed carbs and sugars. I still ate dairy, fruit and veggies, just gave up pasta, breads, cookies, candy, etc. I still gave myself a meal or two where I allowed carbs. I have a love for hibachi rice and pizza. I guess it is what works for you. For me, carbs spike my insulin, which drives fat and hunger.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
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    1. Some people aren't iceman with their diets. Foods like pop-tarts are easy for us slackers to abuse.

    I really wanted to address this point. It's not about being "icemen." It's about taking control of your choices and owning up to them. In all my previous diet attempts, I used to clear my house of anything carb-heavy. Bread, sweets, pretzels - they all had to go. I believed they were triggers and I couldn't have them in the house or I just HAD to eat the entire container.

    You know what? The carbs didn't make me eat anything. I chose to keep eating. Blaming the pretzels because I refused to stop after one serving wasn't going to do me any good, unless I wanted to hide from foods I enjoyed for the rest of my life.

    For me, mastering the mental part of dieting involved a lot of therapy. I've been an emotional and stress eater as long as I can remember. But I made the decision to get over it and stop blaming my problems on food. I'm still working on developing a healthy relationship with eating, but it's so much more empowering than blaming Pop Tarts for my overeating.

    Agreed and good for you.
  • Jonesie1984
    Jonesie1984 Posts: 612 Member
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    No.
  • SoViLicious
    SoViLicious Posts: 2,633 Member
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    Thought this said Crabs...my bad.
  • yellowhoneybee
    yellowhoneybee Posts: 4 Member
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    No if you eat the right amount!
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
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    I have never watched how many carbs I've eaten and it hasn't stopped me from reaching my goals.

    But I have known others who ate low carb and lost lots of weight, tried to go back to eating normally & gained more weight than they lost back.
  • Rharvey75
    Rharvey75 Posts: 2
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    Well, as a diabetic, I have to watch my carb intake. They are not evil, but they do turn into sugar which can have adverse affects on someone with my condition. If you take in carbs or a lot of them, then you really need to consider exercise to keep energy levels up and avoid "sugar" spikes. Ultimately though calories are calories. I say be mindful of how many carbs you take in and calories in general.

    Side note: When our diets were more of a high carb diet (potatoes, grains, rice, root veggies) people were A LOT more active. We were farmers, construction workers, etc.. There was much more manual labor. Today we sit more and have automated factories, and large screen t.v.'s that keep us less active. The problem is that we never changed our diet.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    Energy sources are evil.
  • jamieeas
    jamieeas Posts: 21
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    I've seen this question asked a lot, and I've seen a hundred different responses. I personally think that you simply have to find what works for you. Try different things, find something you're happy with - that you can live with and sustain - and do that. I, and again, personally, cut out a lot of processed grains and refined sugar. That's not to say I never have them. I do, and I enjoy them when I have them. I do not beat myself up if I have a cookie. I've lost nearly 70 lbs - in 6 months. I still like pizza, cookies, and chips and salsa. I just don't have copious amounts of these foods. I'm also diabetic. I don't count carbs like a maniac. If I have something that I know has a lot of carbs in it, I just take a long walk...brings the glucose level right down. I exercise, I lift weights like a maniac, and I feel the best I have in my whole life. All of this while eating (moderate) carbs. You have to find balance, something you can live with, otherwise you're just wasting your time.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    Thought this said Crabs...my bad.

    Those aren't evil either.

    I could eat crabs all day.
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
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    what about that is good? it also has zero to do with the average MFP-er who isn't on anabolic steroids...

    If you new anything about Alberto Nunez you'd know he's not on them either.

    I don't believe that for a second.

    haha we can at least agree on that. :)

    You don't have to believe - and honestly I can't give two hoots if you don't.



    why does me "demonizing" a certain kind of carb have any effect on you or cause you ANY problems? out of curiosity.

    Look at the thread title. People are scared of them!

    As for me, lots of people who come to me for help and I help diet are scared of carbs again because people wrongly say specific carbs are bad. That's why.

    You still haven't given me a good example of any carbs that are bad yet tho?

    Nunez isn't even freakishly huge, he's just super diced. People always are quick to pull that gear talk when they see a physique out of their work limits.
  • angelique_redhead
    angelique_redhead Posts: 782 Member
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    For me they are evil. I had a cup of fried rice the other day and 3 hours later my blood sugars were STILL at 329. This is after a 39 pound weight loss. :frown:
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
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    Carbs have a direct correlation to leptin levels (hormone that regulates metabolism) carbs are good and should be where the majority of your cals come from.

    Yes, that is true in non-obese individuals (particularly men). But leptin is already elevated in obese individuals and the blood level of leptin that women have is already, 2 to 3 times that of men at the same level of body fat. The problem is leptin-resistance and that is curbed the same way that insulin resistance is curbed, by cutting carbs. In fact, leptin-resistance predicts insulin-resistance. It just isn't so simple. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/707432_7

    Leptin resistance is far few and between for the average dieter.

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