Should You Eat Carbs or Not?

I eat a lot of carbs.

And yet, I tell most of my fat-loss clients to stop eating them.

That’s not my hypocrisy. That’s my clarity.

You see, the reason fat loss feels like an uphill battle for most people isn’t because they’re lazy or unmotivated, it’s because they fundamentally misunderstand carbohydrates.

But once you understand carbs deeply — not the nerdy textbook stuff, but the real, practical, lived truth — your entire life will change.

This article will help you do exactly that.

I’ll break down:

• Why you love eating carbs (even when you say you’re “cutting down”)

• Why most people should reduce them

• Which carbs you can eat and still get into the best shape of your life

This isn’t another blog post repeating “glycogen holds water” or some hormonal cascade diagram. You won’t need a degree in biochemistry to follow along — just a desire for clarity.

Let’s go.

The Wake-Up Call

We live in a carb-dominant society.

Carbs are everywhere — rice, bread, pasta, oats, cereal, potatoes, sugar, processed junk. Every meal. Every snack. Every day. It’s so normalized that no one ever “forgets” to eat carbs. They dominate the average diet by default.

That’s why I tell my clients to cut carbs — not for some magical fat-burning reason, but as a psychological reset.

Sometimes, you need to shock the system to wake it up.

Carbs Are Not Essential

Let’s address an uncomfortable truth:
Carbs are not essential.

You will not die if you don’t eat them. Your body can function just fine using protein and fat for fuel. That’s not a “keto trend” — that’s basic human physiology.

That said, this article isn’t about going zero-carb forever. It’s about earning your carbs, using them strategically, and understanding when they help and when they hurt.

Why You Actually Crave Carbs

You think you eat carbs for energy.

But that’s not the real reason.
You eat them for pleasure.

Carbs light up your brain like a Christmas tree. They give you a high. That’s why you reach for them when you’re tired, bored, emotional, or anxious. Carbs are comfort food. Literally.

But that comfort comes at a cost:
→ Bloating
→ Fat gain
→ Energy crashes
→ Chronic cravings
→ Lack of discipline

You can’t chase pleasure 24/7 and expect to become disciplined. That’s not how life works.

Learn to embrace discomfort. Embrace hunger. Embrace effort.
That’s where real growth lives.

Not All Carbs Are Created Equal

All carbs come from plants.
But not all plants are safe — and not all carbs are helpful.

Most plants have built-in defense mechanisms (toxins) to protect themselves from being eaten. These show up in two major forms:

• Anti-nutrients – Compounds that block your body's ability to absorb real nutrients

• FODMAPs – Carbs that ferment in your gut and mess with your digestion

If your carb sources are high in either (or both), they’re probably hurting you more than helping.

So here’s a simple way to choose better carbs:

✅ Best carbs: White rice, fruits, sweet potatoes
❌ Worst carbs: Bread, pasta, cereal, wheat, granola bars, anything processed or man-made

Stick to whole, single-ingredient carbs. If man made it, don’t eat it.
Pick an apple over a granola bar. That’s not “clean eating” — that’s common sense.

The 20% Rule

Here’s a rule that works for most people:

Keep carbs to 20% of your daily food intake.
The other 80% should be built around essentials — protein, fat, micronutrients.

Now, some people (like me) can handle more carbs because we burn more energy. I train hard. I walk 10,000+ steps without even trying. I’m constantly working, writing, thinking, building, solving problems.

But if your biggest energy burn is scrolling Netflix and complaining that nothing looks interesting — you don’t deserve that bowl of rice.

Eat for what you do, not for what you crave.

Go Zero-Carb for 90 Days

Want a real breakthrough?
Try zero carbs for 90 days.

No bread.
No sugar.
No fruits.
Just animal protein and fat.

I did it for 6 months. Not because I had to — I was already lean. I did it to understand what it would do to my mind, body, and clarity. What I learned during those 6 months changed the way I see food forever.

You’ll come face-to-face with the version of you that’s addicted to comfort.
And when you break free from that addiction, carbs will never control you again.
You’ll eat them by choice, not by compulsion.

Let’s End With This…

Everyone says fat loss is simple: “Eat less, move more.”

But if that were true, everyone would be fit.

The real challenge is not knowing what not to eat — it’s understanding why you can’t stop eating it.

If your strategy is to eat less to burn fat, you’ll eventually have to eat even less to keep burning. That’s the path of deprivation — not abundance.

Instead, find a way to eat as much food as possible, while still burning fat.
That’s what happens when you choose the right foods.

TL;DR – Your New Carb Rules

• Carbs aren’t essential — earn them.

• Keep them to 20% of your total food intake.

• Eat only single-ingredient, whole carbs.

• Avoid high FODMAP and high anti-nutrient foods.

• Favor fruits, white rice, and sweet potatoes.

• Try a 90-day zero-carb phase if you want radical clarity.

• Eat based on your lifestyle, not your cravings.

If you want more no-bullshit insights like this every week, subscribe or check out everything I do at www.thegous.com.