Carbs are a big no-no.

You should avoid them at all costs!

They stop your body from losing fat and make you gain weight.

Or so you might’ve heard…

I sure as hell know I couldn’t imagine a life without carbs (sorry, not sorry keto), so if you can’t either, what I’m about to say will be music to your ears. 

The truth about weight loss is this, and I know the keto warriors may come for me with this one but if they do, I’m ready 😂 …

It’s absolute crazy talk to say eating carbs will just automatically make you fat. 

It’s no different than saying intermittent fasting is some magic weight loss hack (it isn’t).  

There’s nothing at all to fear, you can and should eat carbs guilt-free. 

So in this post, we’ll be debunking the whole “carbs make you fat” myth. 

 

First off, what are carbs?

Carbs are your body’s main source of energy.

They’re what give you the strength to go to the gym, lift heavy weights, and push through a tough workout.  

So, ask yourself this…

Why would eating your body’s primary fuel source be a bad thing and make you fat? 

That’d be like saying practicing your favorite sport, instrument, or whatever makes you worse at it, which just sounds silly. 

 

The different types of carbs

I won’t spend too much time boring you about the different types of carbohydrates. 

But there are two main categories.

 

1. Complex carbohydrates

First, you have complex carbs, which include foods like:

• Bread
• Pasta
• Rice 
• Beans
• Oats
• Potatoes
• Whole grains
• Veggies
• Fruits 

Complex carbs haven’t been processed as much and typically contain a decent amount of fiber (which is a secret weapon to stay full in a calorie deficit). 

 

2. Simple carbohydrates

Refined carbs, like cookies, donuts, Honey Buns (that one’s thrown in there for me), etc have been processed more than complex carbs, and that strips away some of their fiber and nutrients.

 

Complex vs. simple carbs: Which is better?

This is a trick question because the answer is neither. 

I know you’re probably thinking simple carbohydrates are bad because they’re processed.

But carbs (and really, food in general) don’t have a moral value, so ditch the whole “these foods are good for you and these foods are bad for you mentality.”

You won’t get far having an all-or-nothing mindset and viewing weight loss in absolutes. 

Think about how miserable life would be if you just completely cut simple carbs out of your diet.

That would mean no more of your favorite sweets, treats, and snacks (I know I definitely couldn’t do it!). 

Sustainability (which is how you achieve long-term weight loss) is all about balance.

So have some complex carbs like oats, whole grains, fruits, and veggies, and also make room for your favorite simple carb treats, sweets, and snacks in moderation.

 

Why do people say carbs make you fat?

It’s similar to the argument you might hear from people who say fruits make you fat but the main argument I’ve heard from the “avoid carbs at all costs” crowd is this… 

1. It causes your body to release more insulin and raises your blood sugar levels.

2. When your insulin levels rise, it results in the storage of more body fat.

Let me lay out for you why this argument is completely and utterly absurd.

I have three main points as a rebuttal.

First off…

Yes, it is true that eating carbs raises insulin.

We’ll give the no-carb crowd that much.

But insulin spikes don’t automatically just lead to fat storage.

Carbs aren’t the only food that spikes insulin, so does protein. 

So does that mean eating protein will just automatically lead to weight gain and extra body fat too? 

Actually, the opposite is true.

Protein is to weight loss what studying is to getting good grades in school. 

If you’re not getting enough protein, you’ll have a hard time losing the 20 pounds you want and actually keeping it off this time. 

It’s super filling, the simple act of eating it increases your metabolism, and protein plays a crucial role in building/preserving muscle mass.

And guess what?

The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism is.  

Onto point number two…

Assuming you’re a healthy individual without diabetes, your insulin levels won’t stay elevated.

It’ll return to normal levels soon after eating, so in the VERY SHORT time your insulin is elevated, your body just won’t even have a chance to store away body fat.

Long story short, insulin spikes don’t automatically cause weight gain or make your body store more fat.

Third and final point… 

If eating carbs did automatically cause weight gain, what would happen if you had just one piece of bread a day for the next month?

You’d expect to lose weight, right? 

Makes sense, you’re only eating one piece of bread.

But wait, I thought carbs cause you to gain weight no matter what? 

Do you see how THE AMOUNT OF FOOD you’re eating matters and it’s not just carbs in and of themselves that make you gain weight? 

In other words, it’s not WHAT you’re eating but HOW MUCH you’re eating that determines weight loss/gain. 

Recall back to the one thing you need in order to lose weight. 

You have to be in a calorie deficit, which is when you consume fewer calories than you burn (to keep track of how much you’re eating, I highly recommend counting calories).

So go ahead and toss some of those carb sources you love into your cart the next time you go grocery shopping!

Then, why do I gain so much weight when I eat carbs?

Carbs specifically aren’t the issue, you’re just eating too much in general. 

As we talked about in the previous section, gaining/losing weight comes down to calories in vs. calories out.

Consume fewer calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight.

Consume more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight.

Consume as many calories as you burn, you’ll maintain your current weight.

Don’t overcomplicate it, it really is that simple. 

 

Well, why do so many people lose weight on keto and other low-carb diets?

It’s not the elimination of carbs specifically that helps you lose weight on a diet like keto.

But by removing an entire food group, it drastically increases the likelihood you’ll eat less. 

And when you eat fewer calories than your body needs, you’ll create a calorie deficit and the end result will be weight loss. 

Now, people who do keto might lose weight at first.

Christine from next door won’t stop bragging about how much weight she’s lost doing keto?

Good for her, maybe she’ll be able to stick with it and continue to enjoy weight loss.

If you can realistically see yourself eating a certain way 10, 15, 20+ years from now, then, by all means, keep at it.

But if you can’t see yourself eating a certain way for life, I wouldn’t eat that way for even a single day.

Because if you can’t sustain your way of eating, any results you achieve will just reverse themselves in the end. 

I just know that for most people, cutting out entire food groups doesn’t end up working out long-term.  

It’s the same thing when you slash your calories super low in an attempt to lose weight fast.

You may lose a little weight at first but it catches up with you and before you know it you’ve gained all the weight back you lost (plus more if you’re unlucky). 

Again, and I know it probably feels like I’ve said this a million times but…

If you’re not losing weight, it isn’t exclusively because of carbs.

It’s because you’re eating too many calories in general, which is preventing you from being in a calorie deficit.

 

Do carbs make you gain weight FAQs 

 

How do I eat carbs without gaining weight?

Let me walk you through step-by-step how to do this.

You probably won’t find this secret anywhere else, so pay close attention.

The first thing you’re going to do is find the nearest carb source available to you.

You could be at home or even out to eat.

Then, and this next part is SUPER important so make sure you don’t skip it…

Take your pasta, noodles, piece of bread, rice, whatever, and put it in your mouth.

Then, you’re going to bite down, chew, and swallow it. 

You eat the carbs you have 

Shocker, I know 🤯

But in all seriousness, eating carbs doesn’t just automatically lead to weight gain.

Putting on weight comes from eating too much. 

It doesn’t matter what type of food it is. 

 

Does eating carbs at night make you gain weight?

Not at all!

You don’t have a carb window where it’s like:

Nope, can’t eat carbs now or I’ll put on fat.

You can have carbs at night, in the morning, afternoon…Whenever you want. 

As long as you’re consistent with being a calorie deficit, you’ll lose weight

I understand I might be a broken record at this point 😂

 

What foods make you gain weight?

There is no such thing as a specific “weight-gaining food.”

Remember…

There is no one type of food that, just by eating it, you’ll unquestionably gain weight. 

That comes from eating too many calories overall, whether it be from foods like pizza, burgers, or fries, or those foods you consider “healthy” like chicken breast and vegetables. 

 

Do carbs cause belly fat?

We’ve established that eating carbs doesn’t just automatically lead to weight gain, so the same rule applies to belly fat specifically. 

To that point, if you want a flat stomach or a rock-solid core, know that spot-reducing body fat is just a myth.

 

What makes you gain more weight, carbs or protein?

I don’t care what it is, no food inherently just makes you gain weight.

As a side note, both carbs and protein contain 4 calories per gram of food.

So if you’re looking at a food nutrition label and something has 10g of carbs, that’s 40 calories of carbs in that food (10g x 4 calories per gram). 

And if a food has 10g of protein, that would be 40 calories in protein as well. 

 

Is it bad to eat a lot of carbs when trying to lose weight?

The only “bad” thing is eating too many calories.

That could be chips, cookies, candy or turkey breast, sweet potatoes, and even vegetables.

The types of foods you’re eating don’t matter, overall calories do.