Do I have to cut carbs to lose weight?

Nikkiey explains on Ep. 83 that your body needs all three macronutrients to function: your brain needs carbohydrates, your hormones need fats and your muscles need protein. Cutting one out, she says, just doesn't work, even though plenty of people preach it. On Ep. 101 she goes further: protein needs carbs to do its job. If you starve your body of carbs around intense workouts, through keto or fasted training, she says your body may burn protein for energy and, in severe cases, break down hard-earned muscle to fuel the session. Carbs after training also help restore the energy you just used.

On Ep. 347, Nikkiey lists fearing carbs and cutting them too low as one of the most common mistakes she sees. The quick drop on the scale in the first week is mostly water, not fat. Over time, she says, chronically under-eating carbs tanks energy, hurts performance, can disrupt hormones and makes building muscle nearly impossible. If the scale moved fast on a low-carb plan and then everything came back, that's the plan, not you.

That doesn't mean anything goes. On Ep. 102, nutrition coach Mike Millner says the answer is in the middle. You don't have to eliminate carbs, sugar, oils or alcohol, but you'll probably need to cut back on some things. He suggests an 80/20 approach: about 80% whole, quality foods and 20% flexible foods.

WarriorBabe clients describe what this looks like in real life. On Ep. 154, Marie was sure more carbs would make her gain, yet during a diet break with more carbs and fat she still lost weight. On Ep. 304, Jennifer says she never wants another low-carb diet; she's eating fruit again and seeing her measurements and the scale shift in a way that feels sustainable.