She sat down on the bench after her last set, breathing hard but smiling.
“I’ve cut out all carbs,” she told me, like a confession and a victory all at once.
“I just feel like… they’re what’s holding me back.”

It wasn’t the first time we’d heard it.
And it won’t be the last.

Somewhere along the way, carbs got cast as the villain.
Like they were the reason people were tired, inflamed, or not losing weight.
Like bread and rice and fruit were the thing standing between us and our goals.

But if we slow down the noise, drop the fads, and come back to physiology…
We remember something deeper. Something ancient:
✨ Carbohydrates are not the enemy.
⚡️ They are fuel.
🎶 They are rhythm.
🌱 They are life.

🧬 What Are Carbohydrates, Really?

Carbohydrates are your body’s primary energy source 🔥
They fuel your brain 🧠, your muscles 💪, and your metabolism 🔁

Without them, your body either:

breaks down muscle for fuel 🥩➡️🔋
or enters a stress-based state like ketosis 😰 (not always a bad thing—but not for everyone)

💡 Most people strength training, building muscle, or navigating hormone changes need healthy carbs for sustainable results.

🍠 Not All Carbs Are Created Equal

Let’s break it down:

🚫 Problematic carbs = ultra-processed, sugary, stripped of nutrients
🍩 White bread, chips, pastries, candy, soda

✅ Nourishing carbs = whole foods, fiber-rich, nutrient-dense
🥔 Sweet potatoes, 🍚 brown rice, 🍌 bananas, 🍓 berries, 🥖 sourdough, 🌾 oats, 🫘 legumes

The real problem? 👇
It’s not carbs.
It’s what’s been done to them.
They’ve been processed, packaged, and sold back to us in addictive forms.

🍽️ Quality Over Quantity: Choose Your Carbs Wisely

Not all carbs are created equal. It’s not about cutting them all out—it’s about choosing the right ones to support your energy, training, hormones, and longevity.

Here’s a simple guide to help you choose better fuel:

📝 Tip: Always read labels. The fewer ingredients, the better. Aim for foods that grew from the ground, not from a factory.

🔁 Let’s Flip the Script

If you're willing to cut out carbs to feel better — we love that willingness to try something new. 🙌
But what if the answer isn’t about removing all carbs…
What if the answer is removing ultra-processed foods?

✨ Imagine this instead:
You keep the potatoes, the fruit, the rice.
You ditch the sugary snacks, fake health bars, and boxed freezer meals.

Your energy stabilizes.
Your mood lifts.
Your cravings calm.
Your workouts thrive.

Ready to explore that version of nourishment?
💡 Start here: Read our Qi Element: Food guide for a deeper understanding of how food quality affects everything.

📆 Carb Timing: Eat for the Phase You’re In

Here’s something most people never get taught:
Your carb needs change throughout the year. 📉📈
Just like your training changes with each phase… your nutrition should, too.

➡️ Hypertrophy Phase
🎯 Goal: Build lean muscle
🛠️ Higher reps, more total volume, more metabolic stress = more carbs needed to fuel workouts, support recovery, and stimulate muscle growth.
Carb Strategy: Increase your intake of quality carbs like sweet potatoes, oats, bananas, and rice—especially around your training window.

➡️ Strength Phase
🎯 Goal: Build power and neurological efficiency
🏋️ Lower reps, heavier weights, longer rest periods = slightly lower overall energy demand, but you still need carbs to replenish muscle glycogen and support your nervous system.
Carb Strategy: Moderate carbs with a focus on timing—prioritize carbs pre- and post-training while increasing healthy fats for hormonal support.

➡️ Metabolic Conditioning Phase
🎯 Goal: Burn fat, build endurance, improve cardiovascular health
🔥 Short rest intervals, higher heart rate, circuit-style training = opportunity to use stored fat as fuel while still protecting muscle.
Carb Strategy: Use carb cycling to support your goals:
👉 Eat more carbs on intense training days, and scale back on rest days.
👉 Reserve most of your carbs for right before or after workouts—this is when your body is most insulin sensitive and can efficiently use carbs for recovery or fuel without storing them as fat.

🌀 It’s seasonal. It’s cyclical. It’s intelligent nutrition.

You don’t have to eat the same way year-round.
In fact, you shouldn’t. ❄️🌷☀️🍂
Your training, energy, hormones, and goals shift—and so should your plate.

✋ How Much Carbohydrate Do You Actually Need?

The simplest way to portion carbs? Use your hand.

🥄 1 cupped hand = 1 serving of carbohydrates

💡 Examples:

Women: Aim for 1 cupped hand of carbs per meal → ~3–4 servings per day
Men: Aim for 2 cupped hands of carbs per meal → ~6–8 servings per day

How many servings you need depends on your:

Sex
Activity level
Training phase
Goals

👉 Training for hypertrophy? You may need more.
👉 In a metabolic conditioning or fat loss phase? You may scale back slightly or cycle based on workout days.

🌀 Your carb needs aren’t static—they shift with your lifestyle, training, and goals. That’s not a problem—it’s a strategy.

**✨ Why Your Body Loves Carbs**

When you eat intentional, whole-food carbs, magic happens:

🧘‍♀️ Your nervous system calms – carbs help with serotonin and sleep
🔥 Your metabolism fires up – thyroid hormones depend on them
💪 Your performance improves – carbs refill glycogen after training
♀️ Your hormones balance – especially important for women’s cycles
🌿 Your gut flora thrives – thanks to prebiotic fibers

⚖️ Are There Times to Go Low-Carb?

Sometimes, yes. Situations like:

🩺 Insulin resistance or Type 2 diabetes
📉 Targeted fat-loss phases (with guidance)
🧠 Short-term mental clarity (via ketosis)

But even here, it’s rarely about zero carbs. It’s about strategy. 🎯

🧠 Carbs + Muscle = Long-Term Health

We’re here to help you build a body that lasts—not just a body that shrinks.

When used with intention, healthy carbs help you:

Train harder 🏋️
Recover faster 💤
Sleep deeper 🛌
Live with more energy 🌞

💭 Gentle Questions to Reflect On

🌀 What story have I been telling myself about carbs?
🍽 Am I avoiding them out of fear—or from a place of clarity and empowerment?
🧘 How do I feel on days I eat whole carbs vs. when I restrict them?
🌿 Am I giving my body the fuel it needs to thrive?

❤️ Final Word

If you’ve opted to go carb-free—even for a short time—you might be feeling tired, foggy, irritable, or just off.
And you’re not alone. So many people get lured into thinking that carbs are the problem…
But what if they’re actually part of the solution?

You can still get amazing results, build lean muscle, lose body fat, and feel vibrant—while eating carbs.
It all comes down to your timing, your food quality, and your portioning.
You don’t need to starve your body to heal it.
You need to fuel it wisely.

So be kind to yourself.
Be cautious when the media targets your fears with oversimplified advice.
And above all, stop blaming carbs for what processed foods have done to your body.
Your body was built to run on real food—and that includes carbs that come from the earth.

Yours in wellness,
Brien & Dre
Qi Movements – Move well. Live well.™

🧠💪 Carbs Aren’t the Enemy — They’re a Source of Life 🍞🍚