The Biggest Nutrition Mistake That’s Keeping You From Losing Fat and Building Muscle

If you’re eating clean, exercising, and doing all the things — but you’re still not seeing results — you’re not alone.

I hear this all the time from my clients. They’re frustrated because they feel like they’re working so hard, yet the scale won’t budge, or worse… their body fat actually goes up while they’re losing muscle.

Here’s the thing: the #1 nutrition mistake I see people make when they’re trying to lose fat and build lean muscle is this…

Cutting carbs way too much.

And I get it — you’ve probably heard that low-carb, keto, or fasting is the key to weight loss. But here’s what’s really going on when you go too low on carbs.

Why Cutting Carbs Can Work Against You

When you don’t eat enough carbs, your body goes into a high-stress, catabolic state.

That means your cortisol (stress hormone) spikes, your body starts breaking down your own muscle tissue for energy, and your metabolism slows down.

So even though you might lose weight on the scale at first, what you’re really losing is muscle — not fat.

And here’s the kicker: the less muscle you have, the higher your body fat percentage becomes, even if you weigh less.

On top of that, high cortisol throws your hormones out of balance, tanks your metabolism, and makes it even harder to see results.

So if you’ve been doing keto, carnivore, low-carb, intermittent fasting, and fasted workouts… and you’re wondering why nothing’s working — this is probably why.

Why Your Body Actually Needs Carbs

Carbs are not the enemy. In fact, they help:

• Fuel your workouts

• Preserve your lean muscle

• Keep your hormones balanced

• Keep your metabolism firing

The trick is eating the right kinds of carbs, and timing them properly.

How to Eat Carbs the Right Way

Here’s what I recommend:

Eat low-glycemic, high-fiber carbs.

These won’t spike your blood sugar but will give you steady energy. Some of my favorites are:

• Sweet potatoes

• Oats

• Whole grains

• Starchy vegetables

Skip the high-glycemic stuff like white bread, pasta, and processed sugars — those will just crash your blood sugar and stress your body more.

Time your carbs around when you’re most active.

Your body needs carbs when you’re moving — not when you’re sitting at your desk all evening. I usually tell my clients to frontload their carbs earlier in the day or around workouts to fuel performance and recovery.

Build balanced meals.

Each meal should include:

• Lean protein

• Healthy fats

• Low-glycemic carbs

This keeps your blood sugar stable, your cortisol in check, and your body burning fat while keeping your muscle intact.

Want More Help?

I go deeper into all of this (and more!) in my free guide: The Strong, Fit, and Energized Blueprint.

I break down the hidden reasons why your metabolism and hormones might be sabotaging your results — and exactly what to do instead.

Grab your free copy here

Here’s the bottom line: carbs are not the problem — the wrong carbs, at the wrong time, are.

When you fuel your body properly, you can finally start seeing the results you’ve been working so hard for — without wrecking your hormones or metabolism in the process.

And if you want a personalized plan that works for your body, I’d love to help. Reach out and let’s chat.