I do exactly that for a decade. This is not for discussion, we know this. Stop eating carbs 2 weeks and your cells will adapt. There is no such thing as carbohydrate deficiency or we would not be able to surive to this age.
Most of the carby foods are typically nutrient shit. Fiber like psylium exluded and somewhat resistant starch. You better try to avoid all else as your life depends on it.
If you are really serious athlete, do whatever you want honestly. 99.9999999 people are not. Your muscles are sugar pumps in that case (not the teeth though).
> I wonder why they are always the ones woefully less fit than the serious athlete acquaintances.
Thats because you look at the wrong thing. Seriously fit people in my experience are seriously not that fit when they give me their blood tests.