why do people think carbs are so bad/evil?

Bump. I'm curious about this too. I've always wondered if perhaps too much carbs would have an impact on BFP?

Just a super readily available energy source for the body. You don't need a ton at once, yet people eat a ton at once.

edit: You generally don't need a ton at once. You need a ****load of em if you want to build muscle.

For me, it is simple: diabetes.

I was pre-diabetic, went low carb and am now fine.

Carbs turn into sugar in your system. You overload your system with sugar and you risk diabetes.

It's not for everyone, but for me....it was necessary.

This is layman as I can make it while still giving details: Carbs are quick processing sugars and if you're not burning them any time soon, they tend to store as fat. That being said, when you eat lots of carbs, your insulin spikes. A diet regularly high in carbs leads to higher insulin production. That then numbs your cells to processing the carbs and without being processed that insulin builds up your insulin tolerance. This key is the start of diabetes. Lowering carbs is the first step to getting the roller coaster between insulin and glucose under control.

On the opposite end, however, you need carbs when you are regularly exercising. Those quick burning energy stores are required when you run regularly to replenish what your muscles burn. Long runs (marathons) especially rely on the carb loading they do both before and after a long endurance run to make it to the finish without injury or illness. And on that note....

I can personally testify that IHOP pancakes have never tasted better than the day I ran my first half marathon.

i would also like to add that it depends on physical activity. if you workout and by that i mean lift not cardio your body burns more carbs then calories so if you do weight lifting you dont need to worry as much about carbs but if not they become more of a factor

The closest thing I have to a study is this:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/junk-food-diet/MY01589

A nutritionist was having an argument with his student, telling the student healthy = nutritious (IE calories that have nutrients in them are better for you, in theory, than calories which don't have vitamins and minerals, ergo nutritious equals healthy). I hate the way modern society has made people feel bad about ice cream and Twinkies.

Now, for carbs, when we eat a carb, our body breaks it down into dietary fiber and glucose, simple sugar. To process it we need insulin, which is a fun little hormone that has its fingers in most other hormone levels. Which is fine.. normal people without diabetes or insulin resistance will see their blood sugar return to normal in about an hour.

When we eat a fat, our body breaks it down into lipids and fatty acids, and chains it with proteins for the body's caloric needs.

When we eat a protein, we break it down into amino acids, and those are used for most of the structural day to day stuff that goes on inside us.

The theory is, insulin tells us, our cells to store. It doesn't make us store, but elevated insulin levels in the presence of a calorie surplus pushes our bodies to store more.. in theory, this is what Dr Adkins was working on with diabetics.

The problem for normal people is, when they sip on carbs, like soda, which is ALL carbs, or when they frequently or constantly eat carbs, that can lend itself to giving us constantly elevated insulin levels. This is how people can and do EAT their way into diabetes type 2. However, it only happens in the context of a calorie surplus.

Some people believe that calories in = calories out, and it DOES, there is no denying that. Some people are worried that they have become insulin resistant after drinking numberous sodas a day every day, for years.. I would fall into the category of those that believe the latter. If you fast and dont eat carbs, you really CAN feel the effects when you eat a carb heavy meal.

Whether this is useful for weight loss purposes or not is open to hot debate, but the idea behind low carbing is to limit or try and moderate blood sugar and insulin spikes. I happen to think that there are MANY ways to jesus, and low fat is one of them. Carbs and proteins have 4 calories per gram, fat has 9 calories per gram, so if you low carb you essentially eat up on protein, and fil in the rest of the calorie needs with fats.. but this is within a calorie deficit.

My food log shows how I eat, low carbs, med fats, and high protein, and it's worked well for me. I'm the kid that will sit down with a plate of fries and eliminate them.. quickly.

Sorry, I couldn't find it so I had to type it all from memory.

For me, it is simple: diabetes.

I was pre-diabetic, went low carb and am now fine.

Carbs turn into sugar in your system. You overload your system with sugar and you risk diabetes.

It's not for everyone, but for me....it was necessary.

Same for me!

This kind of explains...

http://pinterest.com/pin/129408189264042839/

im just curious. a lot of people do a low carb diet for weight loss.. im not quite sure how low carb helps you lose weight. i always go way over on carbs for the day as per MFP's recommended value but ive had no problem losing the weight.. so even if youre within your calorie budget and still on a deficit- if you go over on carbs that means youll gain weight?

only people who dont run think carbs are bad :-)

I am digesting all this great and fascinating info, but one thing I need to know.....what foods are high in carbs, and which aren't? In other words, what foods should you reach for, and which foods should you avoid, if you are looking to go low-carb?

im just curious. a lot of people do a low carb diet for weight loss.. im not quite sure how low carb helps you lose weight. i always go way over on carbs for the day as per MFP's recommended value but ive had no problem losing the weight.. so even if youre within your calorie budget and still on a deficit- if you go over on carbs that means youll gain weight?

only people who dont run think carbs are bad :-)

Amen.

For me, it is simple: diabetes.

I was pre-diabetic, went low carb and am now fine.

Carbs turn into sugar in your system. You overload your system with sugar and you risk diabetes.

It's not for everyone, but for me....it was necessary.

Same for me!

I have PCOS, which comes with Insulin Resistance.. i.e. pre-diabetic. Going low carb has been the only way I have successfully lost weight. Why mess with something that is FINALLY working? (For me anyways...)

I don't eat bread, white potatoes or white rice, and I try to maintain a balance of carbs to protein and fat, but I dont avoid carbs anymore. I like them. They make me feel good. So I eat whole grains and legumes and veggies. If I'm really disciplined, I can lose 1.5 a week. I just have to make sure they aren't ALL I eat. I can sit happily down with a bag of Tostito natural tortilla chips and finish the whole bag in a couple hours. hmmm. I lost a lot of weight 10 years ago with a high protein, low carb diet and I was NOT a happy person.