Why You Need Carbs To Lose Weight

Can we talk about the biggest lie diet culture ever sold us?

🚨 “Carbs make you fat.” 🚨

Nope. Wrong. False. If carbs were the problem, Italians would have gone extinct centuries ago.

But somehow, we’ve been convinced that the only way to lose weight is to:

❌ Swear off bread like it’s toxic

❌ Live in fear of fruit (but berries are okay?)

❌ Feel guilty for eating a potato, even though it’s one of the most satiating foods on the planet—packed with fiber, vitamins, and keeps you full longer than that sad lettuce wrap.

Listen, if cutting carbs was actually the key to weight loss, wouldn’t we all be at our goal weight by now? I know I would have been long ago, but alas, all low-carb did for me was cause more problems. 😏

Here’s the truth: Your body needs carbs to burn fat efficiently.

1️⃣ Carbs fuel your metabolism. When you restrict carbs, your body starts utilizing fat for fuel (not as ideal as you might think), and because the body is in an energy (glucose) deficit, it'll actually store more fat. In the meantime, the liver is trying to make up for the deficit by creating its own glucose, which is an inefficient and dirty process.

I know you've probably been told "burning fat for fuel" is exactly what you want to happen, but in the context of how your body actually functions, this is a bad situation to be in.

2️⃣ Carbs support muscle growth. If you’re constantly restricting (carbs or food in general), tired, and losing muscle mass, eating more protein is only going to take you so far. You actually need carbohydrates in order to utilize that protein to build that muscle. Think of protein like the wood to build a house and carbs like the workers that put the wood together. Wood is just wood without the magic of the workers.

3️⃣ Carbs keep GLP-1 medications working properly. If you’re on a GLP-1 medication, you can ramp up your carbs in a hurry all while benefiting from improved metabolic function and (what feels like) magical weight loss all at once. Restricting carbs while on GLP-1 can stall your weight loss as well as put you in a worse off state down the road.

(You can learn all about the above in Module 2 of GLP-1 Done Right, by the way.)

So, what should you do if you've been living the low-carb life?

✅ Eat the carbs. Prioritize whole-food carbs like fruit, potatoes, rice, and oats. Your body thrives on them. If you're on GLP-1 meds, go wild with as many carbs as you can get down. If you're not on GLP-1, you may need to take reintroducing at a much slower pace so your body can figure out how to utilize carbs again.

✅ Stop demonizing real food. Carbs aren’t the enemy—ultra-processed, chemical laden, franken foods and extreme restriction are.

✅ Build habits that last. Long-term success comes from balance, not extremes. If you're struggling to build those healthy habits, I can totally help you out with my new Healthy Habits Done Right program!

If you've lived a life of struggle my friend, I can't recommend GLP-1 medications enough. They can be life changing to help your body recover from metabolic mayhem. Whether you have no idea where to start, you're already on your GLP-1 journey but struggling to know what to eat, how to dose, or how to avoid those scary things you've heard about, I'm here for you. This is exactly why I created GLP-1 Done Right—so you can navigate weight loss without falling into the trap of restriction and further metabolic damage, and you can actually find long-term success.

And if you’re ready to build habits that are easy enough that you'll follow through even on your worst days, Healthy Habits Done Right walks you through a 10-day step-by-step process of creating a balanced, sustainable lifestyle that will get you to those goals you've been trying to hit.

So the bottom line for weight loss with my good buddy the carbohydrate? You don’t need to cut carbs to lose weight. You can enjoy the happiness and good vibes carbs bring to your life. They're essential for a fully functional and healthy body, so enjoy, knowing you're actually helping your body, not hurting it.

Hugs & Sweet Potatoes... I mean Smoothie Smiles,

Coach Camille PN, SSR

P.S. If you’re still side-eyeing your carbs, I break this all down in Module 4 of GLP-1 Done Right. Trust me, your metabolism will thank you. 😊

P.P.S. I'm working on revamping my membership site to be your one-stop-shop for all things "Done Right". It's called The Done Right Wellness Vault. 🤩 Once I get that up and running, you'll have access to Healthy Habits Done Right, my new 10-day habit forming program that will have you hitting those big goals in no time!