Carbohydrates are not fattening. Carbs have received some bad press, with “low carb” and “no carb” diets having some popularity. Athletes (and everyone else) need carbohydrates for energy. Without adequate carbohydrates, your liver and muscles are unable to store glycogen, which breaks down into glucose (blood sugar ) to provide energy for physical activity. Plus, could you really avoid carbohydrate foods such as pasta, bread, cereals, fruits and vegetables for any sustained periods of time? Probably not. Doing so would not give you the variety of foods in your diet and could pose a health concern if you are not getting adequate nutrients that carbs provide.
Handling extra calories
Keep in mind that any extra calories, whether it is carbs, protein or fats, contribute to weight gain. However, it is easier for your body to transfer dietary fat into body fat than it is for carbohydrates. Let’s say you overeat and consume 100 more calories than you burn one day. For every extra 100 calories of carbohydrate you eat, 23 calories are burned in the process in storing those calories as fat, so only 77 calories really go to fat storage. For every extra 100 calories of fat you eat, only 3 calories are burned in transferring those calories into body fat. This results in 97 of those 100 calories being transferred to fat.
So don’t be afraid of carbs. Even if you are trying to lose weight through a diet and exercise program, you will need carbohydrates to give you energy for your workouts.