Here’s how carbs DON’T make you fat
Here’s a common myth that just won’t f-ing die:
CaRbS mAkE yOu FaT.
When someone tells me this and I ask why they think that is, I usually get “because I lose weight when I cut carbs.”
👉 And here’s where I want you to pay attention, because the myth-busting is twofold here:
The carbs they talk about are almost always junk food, takeout, or alcohol.
The immediate weight gain isn’t fat, it’s water.
When someone “cuts carbs,” they are also cutting pastries, candy, beer, wine, fried food, ice cream, chips, venti mocha-choca-latte-yayas—in other words, the most calorie-dense food on this planet.
It’s not fuckin magic. Every single diet “works” because it controls the amount of calories you take in.
Keto removes food with carbs.
Paleo removes processed food.
Fasting controls the amount of meals you have.
Macros controls the amount of protein, carbs, and fat you have.
Some of the leanest people in the world, like physique competitors and athletes, eat a ton of carbs.
Want to know what carbs do?
CarboHYDRATES pull water into your cells, hydrating them so they work better and plumping them up so your muscles look nice 😎 This increase in hydration/water weight makes the scale number go up, but it’s not fat!
They keep your blood sugars at happy levels so you’re not a grumpy a-hole.
They fill your muscles with on-site energy called glycogen so you have explosive power, making your workouts feel great and more effective.
They calm the body’s stress response by reducing cortisol.
They help you sleep better.
They support your thyroid.
They support your liver.
Now, is it true the most hyper-palatable foods on this planet are some kind of amazing carb-fat combo bomb? Most def.
And when people hear that, they immediately jump to restriction—“I need to cut sugar/carbs!!”
But hold up.
I know this feels uncomfortable, but if you start shifting your meals toward something more balanced that has whole-food protein, fats, AND carbs, your cravings for junky carbs will plummet.
So you’ll feel satisfied, charged up, and you won’t feel deprived, which means you can stick with it for a long time without it feeling like a diet. Because it’s not. It’s just how you eat.
TLDR;
Carbs temporarily increase scale weight because they pull water into your cells. This is a very good thing, and the weight gain is not fat gain (continue overeating calories of any kind, however, and that will lead to fat gain)
Whole food carbs like fruit, whole grains, potatoes, beans/lentils, and honey are great for your health, satisfaction, and body composition, especially when paired with an animal protein like meat, eggs, or low-fat dairy.
You don’t need to cut sugar or carbs to lose fat, but you do need to shift how you construct your meals.
The amount of needed carbs varies for each person, but everyone needs some amount of carbs to feel and perform their best.
If you’d like some support learning how to shift your diet so that it both feels awesome and moves you toward your goals, consider applying to the Adventure Ready Academy!
Love & muscles,
Coach Mac
Muscle Sherpa
