So, are carbs evil or not?

Evil? Of course not. They're a macronutrient. No need to personify them.

How about harmful? Nope, they're not harmful either.

How about slightly harmful? Nope.

you will get a lot of mixed responses here too.

For me, it all comes down to portions. If you belly up to the table and eat a huge pile of pasta along with three or more hunks of garlic bread, you probably aren't doing yourself any favors.

From everything I've observed here recently and going backwards ten years to when Atkins really hit mainstream (well, thats when I did it at least), what i've learned is that if your go "low" on one thing, the other is going to be higher.. so, low carb means you'll be doing a higher fat diet.

It seems modern times have shown that a balance of fat/carbs/protein, and staying within YOUR appropriate calorie range, is the most successful and sustainable. I say sustainable because really this approach allows you to eat all the things you like, you just need to be conscience about how much of it you are stuffing in your face. If you eat something yummy and are still hungry, you need to have the brain power to fill up on the good stuff like carrots or whatever.

no food is evil. Eating carbs won't make you overweight, eating in excess will. Unless you have an allergy or intolerance, there is no reason to cut out a major food group.

Don't start eating in a way that you can't keep up for the rest of your life.

Not at all. As long as your diet doesn't consist primarily of them, they're awesome.

Most of the things on my 'favorites' list involve carbs.

No - they are not evil.

Cutting carbs can make the number on the scale go down due to water weight. It isn't fat loss. Stay within your calories, eat at least 1 gram protein per lb of lean body mass (find out how much you have here: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bf/ ) and eat at least .35 gm fat per lb lean body mass, and let the carbs fall where they may.

Carbs are evil if you have a problem with high blood sugar. If you don't, they're probably just calories.

Thanks for the responses guys. Basically I've really only cut out bread and pasta, and other really starchy/sugary things. It hasn't really bothered me any since like the first week or so, and I've been eating like that for around 5 weeks now. So I might as well keep it up?

If bread and pasta and starchy things don't appeal to you, you don't have to eat them.
You don't have to eat anything that you don't want to. Nor do you have to cut out anything that you enjoy.
The goal is health and fitness, right? Not deprivation.

Thanks for the responses guys. Basically I've really only cut out bread and pasta, and other really starchy/sugary things. It hasn't really bothered me any since like the first week or so, and I've been eating like that for around 5 weeks now. So I might as well keep it up?

it won't hurt you any to cut out bread and pasta. But don't torture yourself if you LOOOOOOVE these things - just reduce the quantity.

Carbz killed my father.

That rumour was never substantiated.

If the person kicking your *kitten* in the gym is fueled by carbs, I can see how you might perceive them as evil.

Carbs are what made mankind! Without carbs your brain can not function. People that cut out carbs to lose weight usually end up failing.

On a side note, carbs kill kittens.

you decide!

No, carbs are not evil. Carbs have always been a part of my diet. I am 5'6" female and currently weigh 145 pounds. My goal weight is 135. My starting weight was 150. I have included only whole wheat carbs in my diet and have been losing weight at the same speed that my fitness pal tells me I will. About a pound per week. Whenever I see the "if every day were like this one, you will weigh ..... in 5 weeks" it sometimes scares me. But so far, it has been right on the money and that is with a diet that includes healthy carbs. Hope this helps.

Carbz killed my father.

Only your father? They murdered my husband and stole my dog. It was quite bittersweet.