Carbohydrates aren’t “bad.”
They’re just misused.
Whether carbs help you or hurt you comes down to you as an individual, not dogma, trends, or what worked when you were 25.
There are four principles you must apply if you want carbs to work for your body instead of against it:
Deserve. Earn. Timing. Type.
Let’s break them down.
1. DESERVE — Do You Deserve Carbohydrates?
This comes down to insulin sensitivity, which is strongly correlated with how lean you are.
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The leaner you are → the better you utilise carbohydrates
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The more body fat you carry → the poorer your carb tolerance tends to be
If you’re lean, carbs are more likely to be:
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Used for fuel
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Stored in muscle
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Supporting performance and recovery
If you’re not lean, excess carbs are far more likely to:
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Cause fluctuations in energy and mood
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End up stored as body fat
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Worsen energy crashes and inflammation
Reality check:
If body fat is high, carbs are best to be pulled back.
2. EARN — Have You Actually Earned Them?
Carbohydrates are best earned through high-volume, demanding work.
And by high volume, I don’t mean:
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A casual arm session
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Chest and shoulders
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A short pump workout
I mean:
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Brutal leg sessions
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Long, demanding cardio (long rides, long runs)
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Sessions that significantly deplete glycogen
Now here’s the part most people ignore:
As we age, earning carbs becomes less frequent.
Personally, at 50, I no longer annihilate my legs like I did in my 30s.
My goal now is stimulation, not destruction.
I want to:
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Feel trained the next day
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Recover well
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Keep joints, nervous system, and hormones intact
So do I “earn” massive carb loads anymore?
Often — no.
When I do earn carbs, they’re usually:
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Fruit with a post-training shake
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Some rice or potato with my post training meal
3. TIMING — When Should You Eat Them?
For most men over 35, the best time for carbs is the last meal of the day.
Why?
Carbohydrates:
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Are calming
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Reduce stress
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Increase serotonin
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Support melatonin production (sleep quality)
Evening carbs help:
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Down-regulate the nervous system
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Improve sleep depth
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Reduce nighttime cortisol
The other time carbs make sense is post-training — but only on days you’ve actually earned them.
Outside of those windows, carbs tend to do more harm than good unless you are crazy lean or on steroids.
So be careful who you get your advice from. The juiced up influencer is probably not the best choice.
4. TYPE — What Kind of Carbs Are You Eating?
This is where most people completely screw it up.
a) Fast vs Slow Carbohydrates
Post-training:
You want high-glycaemic carbs.
Why?
Muscles act like sponges after training
Glucose is rapidly taken into muscle
Minimal fat storage if training was appropriate
No training + high-GI carbs = problem
Insulin spikes
Glucose has nowhere useful to go
Ends up in the liver → triglycerides → body fat
That’s where the “carbs are bad” myth comes from.
They’re not bad — they’re just misused.
Evening meals:
You want low-GI, slow-release carbs:
Sweet potato
Quinoa
Root vegetables
Colourful whole-food sources
These:
Release energy slowly
Prevent blood sugar crashes
Reduce nighttime wake-ups
High-GI carbs at night often cause:
A rapid spike
A crash
Waking at 2–3am hungry, wired, or restless
b) TOLERANCE — How Your Body Reacts
Not all carbs are equal — especially gluten-based carbs.
In Australia, most wheat:
Is grown in nutrient-poor soil
Is heavily sprayed
Has been bred for yield, not digestion
Result?
Harsh on the gut
Pro-inflammatory
Common contributor to brain fog and fatigue
Even people who “aren’t sensitive” often still react — just subtly.
If you eat gluten and notice:
Brain fog
Bloating
Fatigue
Poor focus
That’s not coincidence.
If you choose gluten:
Opt for ancient grains
Italian, French, Croatian sources tend to be better tolerated
Or choose gluten-free whole foods (not ultra-processed gluten-free junk)
Remember:
Gluten-free does NOT automatically mean healthy.
The Bottom Line
Carbohydrates are not the enemy.
But they must be used intelligently, especially as you age.
Ask yourself:
Do I deserve them?
Have I earned them?
Am I using the right timing?
Am I choosing the right type?
Get those four right, and carbs become an asset, not a liability.
Ignore them, and they’ll quietly work against you.
That’s the real equation.