Should you count your carbs?
Should you count your carbs? As with everything we discuss the answer is always… it depends.
What does it depend on? It depends on your goals.
Well, let’s start with a plain fact. The average American eats 300-400g of carbs a day from refined carbs while leading a sedentary lifestyle. That’s an insane amount of carbohydrates from poor sources with not enough exercise.So, that’s the high end.
The low end would be something like the ketogenic diet which typically goes below 25-50g of carbs a day.
The middle ground, for most people being between 75-150g of healthy carbs from vegetables and fruits is a good place to start.
When might it be a good idea to count your carbs:
-You’re eating good quality food already, and you hit a weight loss plateau
-You’re a hard charging athlete
-You are trying to achieve a particular body composition (six pack, fitness competition, etc.)
When do you not need to count your carbs for most people:
-You’re just starting to eat healthy, focus on food quality
-If eating non-starchy vegetables (brussels sprouts, spinach, celery)
-If eating foods with more fiber than sugar (i.e., low net carbs)
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