Can you still get toned if you are eating carbs?

[mccollins]

I'm working out 5 days a week and eating pretty healthy in general. But I haven't cut out carbs, most the time its things like wheat toast or cereal but will I gain weight and or lose tone if I have things like spaghetti every once in a while?

[TurbulentDan12]

I talked a little about it in oOsweetonessOo's answer below but the reason carbs aren't good for you is because if you do not use them for energy, your body converts and then stores those carbs as fat. Fat is the body's way of storing energy for later use in case you have to fast because of a lack of food. Basically, if you eat a lot of carbs you better be active and excercise frequently because those carbs will literally go "straight to your hips" if they don't get used.

Sugar is a type of carbohydrate and most know that you get an energy boost from sugar so think of carbohydrates in that way. A little sugar here and there won't hurt you and is actually good for you, but excess amounts cause fat gain. Since you work out 5 days a week you probably won't run into problems with excess carb consumption but you still need to watch it. Everybody needs carbs and eats them with pretty much every meal so don't be afraid of them, just keep everything in moderation. That is the key to any diet :)

[oOsweet~o~nessOo]

+1 Best Answer right here :D

[Shaun]

Yep. This is it right here.

Track your carbs and calories burned.

[TurbulentDan12]

Thanks to both of you

[BeerME]

If you're working out then you should definitely be eating carbs. Because carbs give you energy, you'll likely find that they increase the effectiveness of your workouts. . TurbulentDan gave a pretty good overview so I won't get too into it, but I'll add that the type of carbs you eat are also important. Simple carbs like sweets and white breads are absorbed quickly only provide energy for a short period of time so try not to eat them as much. Instead go for more complex carbs like whole grain breads and pastas, fruits, vegetables, beans, etc.

Here's a good a read if you're interested in learning more link

[Anonymous]

Yes you can still get toned.

No you won't lose tone if you eat spaghetti ones in a while. It's a matter of how you cook and what ingredient you put in it (e.g. a lot of cheese etc.). Still, this is a better option than eating mayo or butter. In fact spaghetti meat gives you the protein you need to stay toned :)

You CAN opt for better choices (such as whole grain spaghetti) if you feel like cheating :P

[oOsweet~o~nessOo]

Well carbs are honestly the first type of energy you burn off;

I work out about the same as you do, and my coach always tells me to load up on carbs before a hard practice. So no, carbs really aren't the enemy as far as weight gain - is more sugars and saturated fats you need to worry about...

[Shaun]

But your coach isn't concerned about your physique from an aesthetic standpoint but rather an athletic performance standpoint.

[TurbulentDan12]

Sugars are carbs. The reason you load up on carbs before a practice is because your body uses carbs for quick energy boosts. Fat is used for reserves, but if the carbs you consume don't get used your body converts them to fatty acids to be stored for later usage.

[oOsweet~o~nessOo]

Well if I'm burning off the carbs at practice - how will they mess with my aesthetic appearance? They can't cause they've been conducted into raw kinetic energy for my muscles so I can perform. I've actually lost 20 ibs this summer on this regimen so I don't see the issue.

[oOsweet~o~nessOo]

Yes, carbs are sugars, but their the most vital sugar for producing energy in your body. If she was just consuming carbs and not working out at all, that's when the weight gain will start. Carbs are very important for those with an active lifestyle - but not all carbs. Only the one's found mainly in whole wheat (simple carbohydrates,) and fruits.

[TurbulentDan12]

If you are excercising you will "burn" most of it off and you have nothing to worry about. Obviously there are healthier foods than pasta or something like that, but if you are doing intense workouts and burn a lot of calories, carbs are fantastic for energy and recommended. The issue occurs when you eat a lot of carbs and don't live an active lifestyle.

[TurbulentDan12]

LOL I posted that without seeing your second post but you basically said exactly what I said. You have nothing to worry about as long as you are active.

[oOsweet~o~nessOo]

Yea, that's what I meant - or eat the wrong types of carbs, the more complex one's found in white rice / flour that take a lot longer to burn off. Pasta isn't a bad food to eat so long as you give it time to produce the energy - it's a great energy boost say for competition the next day. So her eating the whole wheat toast, and cereal isn't going to do much really, especially with her active lifestyle.

[oOsweet~o~nessOo]

ha ha I just did the same thing you did :P

Ah well...glad we agree :D

[currannaaach]

It'll just take longer if you eat carb packed foods like bread or pasta. Vegetables have some carbs in them. If you cut out major carb sources and just eat healthy vegetables and proteins, you'll get the results you want faster. But, you will begin to seriously crave carbs...

[TigerRoseBear]

Yeah definitely you can still get toned. And lmao things like spaghetti are healthy. Carbs are good for you because they give you energy. Too many carbs aren't good but I doubt you'd have too much.

[Anonymous]

yeah, it's OK to indulge in that every once in a while.

[sweetkiwi]

You'll hurt yourself if you try to work out without a fair amount of carbohydrates! You need some energy and you'll need to build at least a little muscle!