Yep, I eat them all. Love them. They're a daily part of my diet. Sometimes multiple times a day. OMG, they're carbs! Yep, they are. But they're not refined, over-processed, or bad. And you know what else they are? Excellent sources of plant based Protein and Fiber. A baked potato has 160 calories. By itself, it has 4g of protein. Throw some vegetarian chili on there and you're in the high teens. Awesome lunch! Brown rice...half a cup has around 100 calories and 3g of protein. Add some bean or peas and you've got complete amino acids...tons of protein... and a crazy awesome amount of fiber. Why is dietary fiber important? To grow good gut bugs. Your microbiota and the health of your gut (and metabolism) depend on happy little bacteria. The strains of gut bugs that live in the guts of skinny people....have a favorite food: dietary fiber. Feed your good bugs good things and they'll be good to you. They like to eat fruit, veggies, Beans, whole wheat bread... Whole wheat bread? I eat this A LOT:) For instance.....A lite Thomas English wheat muffin has 5g of protein for 100 calories. This dietary powerhouse has 8g of dietary fiber! Smear that sucker with your favorite nut butter or fruit preserves, and you're in business. One of my favorite go-to dinners these days...... is fresh homemade wheat bread with 16 veggie soup...and fruit for dessert. I eat about four servings of fruit a day...and that's not even counting the watermelon I huddle over in the car while hissing "My Precious...." LOL:) A banana is not "a candy bar" A banana is a wonderful healthy food. I eat lots of them. Hell, I have a Yonanas that makes them into ice cream. They're terrific. Normal weight does not HAVE to mean giving up carbs. It means being carb smart, balancing, and making mindful choices. More than one way to do this whole thing. Weight loss success does not mean ONLY eating meat for the rest of your life with broccoli on the side. That's great once in a while, though! Not trying to tell anyone they're doing it wrong.....just sayin'....there's more than one way to do it right:) Extreme thinking, extreme dieting, extreme self denial....is not sustainable. Work on a forever diet you can live with. Be mindful, be accountable....but be kind to yourself.