Earlier this week, I told you why I'm not a fan of low carb diets:

1. They're an unnecessarily restrictive way to reduce calories (i.e., what actually matters)
2. The way they affect the scale has little to do with fat loss
3. You pretty much always rebound afterward

In case you missed it, here's that email.

After sending it, I thought of two other things I should've mentioned:

1) Most demonized "carbs" are actually packed with fat

Pastries, cake, cookies, crackers, chips, pizza, etc.

When people tell me they cut carbs, they often mention these foods. But everything here actually packs a FAT punch, which has over double the calories per gram:

• Fat: 9 calories per gram
• Protein: 4 calories per gram
• Carbs: 4 calories per gram

Even if somebody mentions legit carb sources—bread, bagels, pasta, etc.—it's not like you're having those plain. You're adding cheese, butter, oil, and other fat sources.

So when you "cut carbs," it's usually the reduction in fat that makes the biggest calorie difference.

2) "When you cut carbs, your body uses fat as a fuel source"

If somebody says this, they either:

1. Don't understand basic nutritional science (most common)
2. Do understand basic nutritional science—but are trying to sell you something

When you cut carbs, your body goes to fat as a fuel source, yes. But not body fat.

Dietary fat: the fat you eat.

Whether you lose body fat still comes down to... you guessed it. Calories.

I hope Tuesday's email and today's email have made you less hesitant to have carbs.

There's absolutely no need to avoid them if you want to lose fat.

In fact, I'd go as far as saying that avoiding carbs is at ODDS with most people's goals.

As long as the goal isn't just manipulating the scale for a little while.

Sam

P.S. If you want to learn how to enjoy these foods while still losing fat, you can apply for coaching here.

There will have to be some planning and adjustments, yes.

But there's a world where you CAN have toast with breakfast, or pasta with dinner without feeling like you're "off track"—or preventing progress. It all comes down to having the right plan, and the systems in place to stay consistent.

​Submit an application here if you want to have a no-pressure chat about what that looks like.