When it comes to carbs and weight loss, you'll find dozens of conflicting opinions on how many carbs you should consume each day, when you should eat them and what types of carbs you need to include in your daily meal plan. Understanding how carbs play a role in your diet can be confusing, but once you understand some simple principles about how the body uses and stores calories from carbohydrates and what you need to do to avoid gaining weight from excess carbs, the process of weight loss is much, much simpler. Whether you want to lose 5 pounds or 50 pounds, you can lose weight easily when you understand the truth behind carbs and weight loss.

Why Your Body Needs Carbs

Carbohydrates are a primary source of fuel for the body and are easily converted into energy. Your mind and body need carbohydrates to function at their optimal level, and you can meet your daily carb requirement by eating several different types of foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals and flour products.

Not eating enough carbs can leave you feeling tired, anxious, lethargic and depressed. Eating the wrong types of carbohydrates on a regular basis can also be very unhealthy; too much sugar or starch in your diet can raise your blood sugar levels too quickly and leave you "crashing" just a few hours later. When you're trying to lose weight, you need to eat a certain amount of carbs to have enough energy to get through your day but need to cut back or eliminate some sources of carbohydrates completely.