what are carbs and what do they do

and why do a of people on mfp hate them so much

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.

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.

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

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).

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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.

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.

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.

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.

and why do a of people on mfp hate them so much

I miss Sarah Haskins

Carbs are known to give people a high but the bad carbs give you energy and then crash you with a spike sugar level leaving you tired and sleepy.

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

I said nothing at all about calories...that wasn't even in the original discussion. I stay below 1700 calories a day, exercise 6 days a week, eats fruits veggies and LEAN protein. But what I CANNOT do is eat breads, sugars (except what I get from the fruit I eat), rice, and pastas. This is not because of any "snowflake card" this is because of a medical condition that forces me to abide by certain dietary rules. I guess you assumed that because my body does not process carbs like yours that I eat in excess. Well that is a serious misconception.

One thing that a lot of people that promote low carb diets don't understand is how the body changes with body fat levels.

While most fat people will do well on a low carb diet, especially though that have insulin resistance to some degree (the morbid obese will almost universally do better on a low carb diet). As you get leaner and more fit, insulin resistance becomes sensitivity. You become very sensitive to glycogen levels, too low and exercise performance craters and you feel horrible. That whole insulin spikes and falling blood sugar making you hungry/tired, that only happens if you have some degree of insulin resistance; when lean and fit it tends to make you feel awesome.

Lean and fit people almost universally do better on a high carb diet.