what are carbs and what do they do

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  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    and why do a of people on mfp hate them so much :angry:

    I blame Dr. Oz, and a lot of the late night info ads that people see.... they are so loaded with .... HORSE **** it's unreal.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,400 Member
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    I live in Italy and can wait it out. Here carbs are a staple and most people are thin.

    http://www.thelocal.it/20130905/six-million-italians-are-obese-report

    "The (Italian) government spends an estimated €67 billion a year on the direct and indirect costs of obesity, which has risen 25 percent since 1994, the association said."

    Yes there are always more, but I did say "most" and I stand by that because it's what I see on the street and traveling around the country. Whereas, when I return home to the States I have seen more and more obese over the years. Italy is nothing like that.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    I ate under 20 net carbs for almost 6 weeks and it was horrible.

    I was so foggy headed and actually got sick, which made me mad because I never get sick.

    I'm sure it is the magic ticket for some, but not me.

    A lot of women have found that low-carb(under 50, or 100 depending on the person) really hurt their thyroid levels and hormones, long term. Regardless, that low in carbs will put you in Ketosis. Whispering low-carb in my women's lifting group (with 6,000 ladies) brings forth books of warnings and stories from women explaining the horrific, permanent damage they encountered doing such. It's actually quite sad. That's why they are so outspoken about it.

    Anyway, you're not alone in your experience. Glad you listened to your body.

    Would like to know more about how low-carbing can hurt thyroid levels and hormones long-term, do you have data you can point me toward?

    I highly doubt it. My Endocrinologist (who specializes in Metabolic and Endocrine disorders) actually stated that lower carb way of life actually helps to heal and aid the thyroid back to normal functioning.

    In the years that I have been low carbing I have steadily decreased my Thyroid meds and I am almost completely off the Armour thyroid.

    My Endocrine system has been a mess for years.....................it has been a very slow going process, but I have been slowly healing my body and now I am starting to see effortless weight loss again............I have been unable to lose weight for years due to hormone imbalances and other issues.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    Hi guys, first you need to understand which somatotype (body type) you are, there are 3 types which are endomorth(fat build) ectomorth (skinny build) and mesomorth (muscular build). People who say they eat as much carbs as they want and not put on any weight are ectomorths and those that put as much as smell food and start putting on weight are endomorths. So if you want to start losing weight, you need to start with your breakfast. Carbs and protein: your body does not store protein, it just uses it and gets rid of it while carbohydrates are stored as fat for energy, so when you eat carbs for breakfast its being stored as fat.

    I almost spit out my coffee from laughing at this when I read it. The sad part is that you claim to be a fitness instructor yet spew this garbage that doesn't even rise to the level of broscience.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    Hi guys, first you need to understand which somatotype (body type) you are, there are 3 types which are endomorth(fat build) ectomorth (skinny build) and mesomorth (muscular build). People who say they eat as much carbs as they want and not put on any weight are ectomorths and those that put as much as smell food and start putting on weight are endomorths. So if you want to start losing weight, you need to start with your breakfast. Carbs and protein: your body does not store protein, it just uses it and gets rid of it while carbohydrates are stored as fat for energy, so when you eat carbs for breakfast its being stored as fat.

    I almost spit out my coffee from laughing at this when I read it. The sad part is that you claim to be a fitness instructor yet spew this garbage that doesn't even rise to the level of broscience.

    Probably a Beachbody "coach" with a few too many Facebook friends. Kinda like people who buy a fancy camera and immediately think they're great photographers and should charge others
  • strawberrypopsicles
    strawberrypopsicles Posts: 39
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    But all bodies DO work differently. She may be like me; excess carbs DO make me fat(ter). I have insulin resistance, and my body doesn't use carbs right. They store my carbs in my mid-section over my belly button, so I have this fantastic "spare tire."

    I may be ignorant here, but if you are insulin resistant, how would the glucose in your blood be carried to the andipose to manufacture said fat? Rather, I thought insulant resistant subjects have high concentration of glucose in their blood and lead to hyperglycemia???


    What I do know for sure, in a normal functioning body (i.e. where insulin is doing its job), "excess carbs" are carried out of the blood where it is stored either as glycogen or Triglyceride in andipose cells (aka fat).

    Insulin stops the use of fat as an energy source by inhibiting the release of glucagon. Except in the presence of the metabolic disorder diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome, insulin is provided within the body in a constant proportion to remove excess glucose from the blood, which otherwise would be toxic.

    So if you are insulin resistant, the excess glucose is not removed and therefore cannot be stored as fat.

    You obviously know nothing about insulin resistance. I don't have it but it runs in my family. It's fairly common and doesn't really affect anything, except you can only lose weight on a low-carb diet. This has been studied extensively by real doctors. The human body is more complicated than your elementary understanding of insulin.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    is there any one who can answer this with common sense

    When in doubt, go to the experts. Real experts, not goofballs on the internet who think they are experts.

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/
    Pretty much this, but I wish they'd focused more on vegetables and fruits than "adding" more grains.

    For some (for the OP) certain carb sources cause more hunger, the munchies, and what not, while others don't. I'm one of those people. So for me, it's easier to focus on the carbs that make me happier (vegetables, fruits and 100% whole grains).

    I suspect there's also a lot of confusion because so many carbs (especially in packaged convenience foods) are produced without their important parts, and with tons of sugar or HFCS (which for me, REALLY causes hunger).
  • BaDaSsBrUnEtTe
    BaDaSsBrUnEtTe Posts: 518 Member
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    Carbs are delicious..and they make me happy
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    carbs wont make you fat unless you have a good amount of fiber. find out your bodies diet using this. http://www.customizedfatlosselite.com


    Never heard this. Fiber is a type of carb that human bodies don't have the correct enymes to break them down. so instead of absorbing them into the bloodstream to be used by our cells, they pass through our digestive system and out the poop chute into the toilet as solid waste. I fail to see the connection between excess carbs and fiber is fat production.

    Fiber makes you fuller so you have a less tendency to eat excess carbs and thus may provide success in weight loss. Other than that, again, I fail to see the connection.
    Not able to find who you're quoting here, but right, NO fiber doesn't make you fat the carbs that are higher in fiber are BETTER for you.
  • seekinglight
    seekinglight Posts: 5
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    Carbs aren't the enemy, you actually need them to burn fat.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    is there any one who can answer this with common sense

    When in doubt, go to the experts. Real experts, not goofballs on the internet who think they are experts.

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/

    Willet is also a goofball, so why link to Harvard Public health?

    "5. Pass on potatoes, and instead bring on the beans.
    Rather than fill up on potatoes – which have been found to promote weight gain – choose beans for an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates. Beans and other legumes such as chickpeas also provide a healthy dose of protein."

    LOL

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7498104
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
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    Hi guys, first you need to understand which somatotype (body type) you are, there are 3 types which are endomorth(fat build) ectomorth (skinny build) and mesomorth (muscular build). People who say they eat as much carbs as they want and not put on any weight are ectomorths and those that put as much as smell food and start putting on weight are endomorths. So if you want to start losing weight, you need to start with your breakfast. Carbs and protein: your body does not store protein, it just uses it and gets rid of it while carbohydrates are stored as fat for energy, so when you eat carbs for breakfast its being stored as fat.

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  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
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    Idk what they are but they make me fat.

    No, too many calories makes you fat. It doesn't matter if those calories are carbs, protein or fat.

    It's definitely the carbs. I know my body.

    Unless your body works differently than the standard human body, the biochemistry is the same. If carbs made one fat, all vegans would be fat. They eat almost nothing but carbs.

    Well everyone is different and they definitely make me fat. The skinny vegans must just be lucky.

    Something tells me Vegans may not be happy with this statement.

    But Luck has little to do with laws of thermodynamics.
  • lrkidd
    lrkidd Posts: 74 Member
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    Idk what they are but they make me fat.

    No, too many calories makes you fat. It doesn't matter if those calories are carbs, protein or fat.

    It's definitely the carbs. I know my body.

    Unless your body works differently than the standard human body, the biochemistry is the same. If carbs made one fat, all vegans would be fat. They eat almost nothing but carbs.


    Everyone's body IS different. We do not fit into a pre conceived mold and the idea that a "one diet fits all" is absurd. I have insulin resistance and because my body doesn't process sugars properly I CANNOT eat heavy carb laden meals or even lightly carb laden meals. I have no choice. I would be very happy if I could incorporate carbs into my diet but I can't.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    Idk what they are but they make me fat.

    No, too many calories makes you fat. It doesn't matter if those calories are carbs, protein or fat.

    It's definitely the carbs. I know my body.

    Unless your body works differently than the standard human body, the biochemistry is the same. If carbs made one fat, all vegans would be fat. They eat almost nothing but carbs.


    Everyone's body IS different. We do not fit into a pre conceived mold and the idea that a "one diet fits all" is absurd. I have insulin resistance and because my body doesn't process sugars properly I CANNOT eat heavy carb laden meals or even lightly carb laden meals. I have no choice. I would be very happy if I could incorporate carbs into my diet but I can't.

    So caloric deficits don't work for you? Pretty sure that diet works for everyone, but nice to play the special snowflake card
  • girlygirlnicole
    girlygirlnicole Posts: 54 Member
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    I'm a type 1 diabetic and been giving a carb diet my whole childhood by the doctors and maintained a healthy weight my whole childhood untill I got to 14 years old and started eating chocolate more often and rebelling against my diabetes which caused Weight gain .

    In my opinion healthy carbs are needed for energy but you only need a certain amount to get you through the day depending on activity level and to help the brain focus. I believe bad carbs such as chocolate affects the brain due to erratic sugar levels crashing High and low. Going over on carbs I find leads to weight gain but I'd say it retains more water in my experience so you look more puffy so that looks like weight gain and on the scale it's the same although I'm sure it isn't real gain?. The less carbs I've eating the more lean I have looked. Is this why most body builders eat less carbs for what they burn at the gym?

    There is obviously a difference between sugar puff carb and porridge carb and fruit carb to chocolate carb.

    I believe we are born to eat a cave man diet. All ground grown products and with that is healthy only carbs.

    By the doctors I was giving carbs all day for breakfast snack lunch dinner snack. Snacks had small amount of carbs say 25 max and dinner and lunch was always around 50. Healthy carbs also prolong good balance with sugar levels. Doctors have told me low carb diet are not healthy.

    Again this is just my experience in life with carbs.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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