Admit it. You love carbs. It’s okay, we all love carbs. Most carbs, whether they are simple or complex make us feel good. They give us energy and help improve satiety which is crucial to enjoying a healthy and active lifestyle. Why is it though that so many of us perceive carbs as the enemy? Most dieters try to avoid and eliminate carbohydrates all together when they are trying to shed excess body fat. But can one little macronutrient really make that much of a difference when it comes to weight loss? Isn’t it all just calories in verses calories out? Well…Kinda….Sorta….Not Really. In my opinion the answer is far more complex then one might think.

Okay, at the risk of losing all of my online clientele I’m just going to come out and say it – There’s no real secret when it comes to dieting. If you truly want to lose weight all you have to do is burn more calories then you consume. Once you have put your body into a calorie deficit and add in a few workouts each week to your weekly routine the weight should fall off quite easily (unless ofcourse you have a thyroid issue in which case the issue of weight loss becomes a little bit more complex and needs to be discussed and monitored by your doctor). But let’s say for argument sake that you do not have a thyroid issue and just need to lose a few pounds. Is eliminating carbs really the answer?

Well if you talk to an avid Akins or Keto Dieter they will tell you without a doubt that low carbs = quick weight loss. And I would have to say that I agree with this statement. Scientific studies have proven over and over again that by lowering one’s carbs along with a slight increase in activity, a person with a normal functioning thyroid should be able to lose anywhere from 1 to 3 pounds each week. This is a fact, and one that I cannot argue with. However in all of my years of working with clients who’s main objective is to lose body fat while building and maintaing lean muscle tissue this is rarely a route that I take to help them reach their target fitness goals. Why? Keep reading.

Most of the clients that I generally tend to work with are not just concerned with a number on a scale and if they are then they are better off joining Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers as I cannot help them. As somewhat of a health expert and self proclaimed fitness enthusiast I am strongly against low carbs diets. My views of low carb dieting have been formed through my own trial and error weight loss / weight gain experiences as well as from working with numerous different body types over the years. In the short term low carbs diets do work. However in the long term I believe they can cause more harm then good.

So by now, it’s no secret that I am VERY pro carbohydrates and for many reasons. Some of which I will explain to you below. It’s important to keep in mind that this is of course, relative to the individual’s needs, weight, body fat levels, goals and carb tolerance. However the general viewpoint that I carry is that it’s in your interests to keep your carbohydrates as high as you are able to, while enabling progress in the right direction (Obviously, this will differ from one individual to the next).

And here’s why . . .

Metabolic Massacre!

Carbohydrates help stimulate your thyroid which governs your metabolic rate. If you reduce/remove them to a point, then you’re metabolism will eventually slow down. This makes burning fat far more complex.

Senseless Sensitivity

If you drop carbohydrates out of your diet you run the risk of really becoming too sensitive to them when it is time to reintroduce them into your diet, meaning you’re left in a position where its a very gradual process to re-add them.

Carbs are Cool

Carbohydrates help keep your muscle bellies looking fuller and harder. You often find when those who reduce/remove carbs in excess start to look flat, soft and appear to be lacking fullness in their muscles. In other words, carbs keep you looking good!

Excellent Energy Source

Carbohydrates are a very good, easily usable energy source which is what your body needs when it is training hard. Yes it can create glucose from protein/fat, but this is a longer process. If you can get the energy you need, easily from carbohydrates then its crazy not to in my opinion.

There are many other reasons that I could list off, but these are the core reasons why I feel you should never reduce your carbohydrates beyond a certain point, unless you absolutely have to!

As a Personal Trainer I feel that if someone thinks they have to remove carbs to get lean, something is wrong in their diet and training which needs reviewing generally speaking. This is why I believe it’s important that we enjoy the food that we eat which is key to helping us make this a life long lifestyle commitment and not just another fad diet.

So do carbs make people fat? No. Sugary sweets, salty snacks, inactivity and overeating make people fat. With that said, remember that just like calories, not all carbs are created equally. Complex carbs (good carbs) will supply you with sustainable energy while not increasing your blood sugar levels or your waist line if taken in moderation. Simple carbs (the bad carbs) on the other hand will do the complete opposite, but damn they taste so good!

At the end of the day there really is no magic formula when it comes to weight loss. Everyone is different and therefore will respond differently to every diet plan. Rather than seek out that perfect diet or purchase the latest weight loss supplement on the market I suggest that you first go back to the basics and experiment with your own diet first. It’s important to find a nutritional plan that you can incorporate into your lifestyle. One that you won’t get sick of within a few weeks or even days and give up on completely. Yes, this will take a bit of work and effort on your part at first however the results you achieve you will be able to maintain for a lifetime.

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove