This is a bit of a grey area, says Bethan Crouse, a performance nutritionist at Loughborough University. She wouldn’t advise the athletes she works with to completely cut out carbohydrates – foods such as bread, grains, potatoes and sweets. “However,” she says, “reducing carbohydrate intake can be beneficial for weight loss, if we can moderate total energy intake.”
Weight loss comes down to energy balance: consuming fewer calories than we burn. There are many ways to achieve this: exercising more, eating less, or choosing foods that are lower in calories. Cutting back on some carbohydrates can be one way to create this deficit, she says. Not because carbs are uniquely “fattening”, but because other macronutrients such as fibre, protein and fat tend to be more filling. “If we spend more of our calorie budget on these foods, we feel fuller for longer,” Crouse says.
This is especially the case when it comes to refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and sweets, which are digested quickly. They can be useful as a pre-workout snack, but they’re less helpful as a staple carb source. Instead, Crouse recommends higher-fibre varieties at mealtimes, such as brown rice and wholemeal bread, which release energy more slowly.
“You’ll feel much better for eating a balanced, high-protein meal with vegetables and some healthy fats,” she says. “It’s a much better investment of your ‘calorie cash’.”
Crouse recommends consuming more carbohydrates on days when you’re working out: “It reduces the risk of illness and injury, and supports exercise adaptation.” On rest days or less active days, cutting back on carbs can help to reduce your overall energy intake, as long as you still include protein for muscle repair, plus plenty of fruit and vegetables for vitamins, fibre and antioxidants.
