Are carbs bad for you?

samsara18

Hi as title says 'are carbs bad for you?'. I know too much fat causes weight gain and I've heard too much sugar gets stored as fat too. Do complex carbohydrates also get stored as fat and affect insulin levels too much too? Thanks

jimmmer

You're going to get a variety of responses on here I suspect!

If you're going to exercise a lot, then carbs are necessary IMHO. Any endurance activities: running, cycling, tennis, skiing, etc. where you might find yourself going for more than 40 mins at a time will be like pure hell without sufficient carbs. You end up feeling like a zonked-out zombie.

Some people will respond that they are doing low-carb and they cope just fine. And I'm sure they do..... for me, however, carbs are an essential part of my diet. I eat white bread, white rice, pasta and other stuff that's supposedly "bad" for you too (i.e. things that people label as simple carbs) and have suffered no ill effects. I'm healthy and happy. Although I realise I'm a sample group of 1, so that's not scientific!

Just to tackle your assertion that fat makes you fat: it doesn't. Eating at a calorie surplus makes you fat (and only then if you are not providing sufficient exercise stimulus to disrupt homeostasis and build muscle), you can eat fats, carbs (be it sugars or complex carbs), protein and stay under your TDEE and you will still lose weight. Whether that weight loss will be LBM or not depends on the training stimulus you provide.

There are no really "good" or "bad" foods. You need enough protein and fats to keep your body healthy and then you can make up the rest of your calorie allowance with carbs/fats/whatever to provide fuel. If you are doing endurance sports, then as I said above, you're going to want those carbs.....

mummyzena

As long as you aren't diabetic, have an insulin resistance or an intolerance to them they are fine to include in your meals.
I low carb for non of these reasons though because I can eat an inhuman amount of pasta and rice for me to feel satisfied and I find it better to abstain and what I can't have I rarely miss.

memubo99

I love carb because it suits me, in that it seems to stop my cravings and I feel way better than when eating high carb. You decide what suits you. Try it and see after a few wekks if you can do it or not.

Hotsauce16

Jimmmer is on point with his response. A surplus of calories makes you fat, not the macronutrient (carbs, fats, proteins) itself. Eat your carbs, exercise hard, and eat less calories than you burn. Consistency will yield results. Good luck!

aliceclutz90

Personally I find carbs are best before a workout and at breakfast as they are an excellent source of energy. If I am not doing much and am just a bit hungry I would tend to go for protein instead as it keeps you feeling full and satisfied. I was also told that your body doesn't store protein as fat even in excess though that may not be true at all (any opinions on this are welcome)! I think it is different for everybody and you have to experiment a bit to find what works for you.

theCarlton

Carbs aren't bad for you. They get a bad rap because they're often calorie-heavy, and don't provide long-term sustenance. Carbs are delicious! I'm not the breads and pasta type of person, so my meals usually include very little and it's paired with something high in protein so the meal not only makes me feel full, but carries me until the next time I will eat. Be smart about how you eat. You won't stay within your calorie range as easily when you use up all of your calories on nutritionally sparse foods.

XXXMinnieXXX

Carbs aren't bad, but too many carbs is. For weight loss around 30% carbs is good. I do 30% carbs, 35% proteinaand 35% fat. (home goals, change goals, manual)

Every very successful weight loss friend on my list does the same. Once you are at goal weight it's ok to increase them. This is what works for me, but like I said for all my successful MFP friends too.

Have to find out what works for you, and your body.

My diary is open if you'd like a peek.

Zara

Admiral_Derp

An excess of calories causes you to gain weight. Carbs have 4 calories per gram, protein has 4 calories per gram, and fat has 9 calories per gram. All three of these things are necessary to proper body function. If you need help figuring out how to set them up, I highly recommend reading this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

Good luck with all of your goals.

majope

Carbs aren't bad, but too many carbs is. For weight loss around 30% carbs is good. I do 30% carbs, 35% proteinaand 35% fat. (home goals, change goals, manual)

Every very successful weight loss friend on my list does the same. Once you are at goal weight it's ok to increase them. This is what works for me, but like I said for all my successful MFP friends too.

Have to find out what works for you, and your body.

My diary is open if you'd like a peek.

Zara

There are many, many successful people on MFP who don't limit carbs to 30%. Mine are typically set to 50-55%, and I have no difficulty losing weight. It is not necessary to limit carbs to lose weight--just to limit calories.

RunForChai

My two cents:

Healthy, organic foods are good for me in moderation.

I feel better, look better and am healthier when I eat less: wheat, corn, potatoes and starchy carbs.

Blueberries, apples and pears in moderation are worth the "carbs"--again, in moderation. I eat 2 fruits a day and
as many vegetables [not including potatoes or corn] as I want.

Experiment with yourself and use your results as your guide.

I don't believe in hard and fast rules made up by others.

Good luck!

cwolfman13

Hi as title says 'are carbs bad for you?'. I know too much fat causes weight gain and I've heard too much sugar gets stored as fat too. Do complex carbohydrates also get stored as fat and affect insulin levels too much too? Thanks

Too many calories make you fat...not fat, not carbs. Both fat and carbs tend to be calorie dense though, so over consumption of either could lead to a calorie surplus and weight gain.

I eat carbs...I eat fat...I eat protein. They're just macro nutrients. I have over 200 grams of carbs per day...most of them come from fruit and veg and whole grains...I don't do a lot of junky carbs or added sugars and I've eliminated high fructose corn syrup from my diet entirely.

Just find a macro ratio that works for you...personally, I think MFP's default macros are a bit carb heavy, but that's just me. I do a 40c/30p/30f ratio and I achieve my calorie goals...and I've lost 32 lbs so far.

kmr72

As long as you aren't diabetic, have an insulin resistance or an intolerance to them they are fine to include in your meals.
^^^^^^^^
This

CyberEd312

Carbs aren't bad, but too many carbs is. For weight loss around 30% carbs is good. I do 30% carbs, 35% proteinaand 35% fat. (home goals, change goals, manual)

Every very successful weight loss friend on my list does the same. Once you are at goal weight it's ok to increase them. This is what works for me, but like I said for all my successful MFP friends too.

Have to find out what works for you, and your body.

My diary is open if you'd like a peek.

Zara

There are many, many successful people on MFP who don't limit carbs to 30%. Mine are typically set to 50-55%, and I have no difficulty losing weight. It is not necessary to limit carbs to lose weight--just to limit calories.

Agreed... Watching your caloric intake is by far the most important aspect in weight loss... that being said I have my macro's set to 50% Carbs, 25% Protein, and 25% Fats...... From the very beginning a had a 40/30/30 approach but as my exercise output increased so increased my Carb intake... and to add I am a Type 2 Diabetic with averaging A1c now of 5.4...... Best of Luck

samsara18

Thank you all for your replies - I will have a look at the macro- ratio link. So it is calories that cause weight gain not whether they come from fats, carbs or proteins in particular - got it : )

ktliu

Carb is not a bad thing per se. but the question is with let's say 200 calories of carb can last you 1-2 hours(2 piece of white bread with nothing on it) and 200 calories of vegetables will probably last you for six hrs ( 2 plates of salad with minimum dressings) because of the bulk with the added benefit of all the minerals and vitamins you really need. So one can have a full diet on veges alone maybe on 600-800 a day and not feel hungry and have lots of health benefits. not if you calculate 600-800 calories of potato chips. it won't be that much, and you will be hungry very soon. kind of the old saying about "eating chinese food and being hungry an hour later."
So if you are on a weight loss diet. you want to be able to survive on lower calories without feeling hungry. So veges and meat might be a good choice. but veges have an added benefit of not having fat.

I personally survive on a diet on maybe 60% veges, 25 percent meat and 15% carbs. The trick is to be able to maintain the weight rather than losing it and gaining it back after all the hard work.

BonaFideUK

Carbs are only bad for people who sit on their bums all day. You should be eating a lot of complex carbs if you work out. Carbs are workout fuel. I'd say though its best to avoid simple carbs almost all the time.