I'm 6'2" and hover around 170.

Sugar triggers the same reward pathways as cocaine is what I have heard. So it is addictive. The other thing it does is cause a spike in insulin that can overshoot and then cause a rebound low blood sugar. Low blood sugar tells the body to "eat something, I'm hungry". So a big carb load typically makes you hungry again in just a few hours.

The body is designed to handle small sugar loads without a problem. It is just that many people are consuming huge amounts these days instead of modest amounts. And consuming it so often insulin never gets to drop to low levels, eventually causing insulin resistance. Once insulin resistant the body tends to store fat instead of use the energy properly. Eating lots of carbs but the body's cells are starving for energy with the energy going to fat storage instead of being burned. The hormone insulin is out of balance because of insulin resistance in the cells. By cutting the sugar out or at least not eating it all the time (no snacks and skipping a meal) insulin levels have a chance to drop and insulin resistance has a chance to go into remission. The body can utilize the energy again properly instead of storing it as fat.

It is being insulin resistant and the resulting hormone imbalance that is the problem. Resolve the insulin resistance then the body can function properly and utilize energy properly. The sugar or carbs can go to energy as it is supposed to instead of being shunted to fat storage because of improper high insulin levels.

It is a hormone imbalance problem more than a calorie problem. Yes calories matter, but hormones do also because they determine fat storage and metabolism levels. I eat like a horse but do not gain any weight. A calorie of fat is not metabolized nor has the same insulin response as a calorie of sugar. A calorie of fat is not the same as a calorie of sugar. They have completely different insulin responses and that makes all the difference of how the body utilizes it. There are also completely different satiety effects between the two.

John