. Not long ago, everyone we knew was refusing the bread basket, passing up pasta, and ordering burgers without buns. Many of us did need to eat less starch and sugar. But the desire to lose weight led some people to get carried away. So make no mistake: A totally carbohydrate-free diet is not a goal you should be working toward. In fact, it could actually set you up for future weight gain.
"Carbohydrates are the body's fuel of choice, so sugar and starch are critical to a well-balanced diet," says Johanna Burani, a registered dietitian and the author of Good Carbs, Bad Carbs. Because carbs are your primary energy source, you're likely to feel lethargic if you don't eat enough of them. And here's the weight-gain kicker: Depriving yourself of any food — especially one you really like — can lead to some serious binge eating. That's what happened to a lot of people who went whole hog on the no-carbs. They lost weight at first but eventually couldn't resist their cravings.\
Can you let carbs back in your life and still control your weight? Absolutely, says Burani. The key is to make sure you're eating the right kinds of carbs: those that are whole grain and/or high fiber (like brown rice, beans, and bran cereals). Because these "good carbs" are digested slowly, they provide a steady, gradual supply of energy that keeps you feeling satisfied longer. What to avoid: low-fiber, refined carbs (think white bread and rolls, most crackers, and sugar-loaded foods). These "bad carbs" break down quickly, causing a rapid rise and then decline in blood sugar levels; as a result, you're soon foraging for another fix.
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