Carbohydrates

In today’s society, “carb” has become a four-letter-word. We have been told by countless commercials, diets, and misinformed fitness “professionals” that carbs are the reason we are overweight.
What followed was insane low-carb diets that will show an initial fat loss…
And then once our metabolism has crashed and we eat normally again we pack on the weight. Turning to the diets, pills, etc in a vicious cycle of improper nutrition!

We all need carbohydrates in order to function properly in our everyday life –  it’s the type and amount of carbs that you consume that determines your energy levels for the day as well as if you are maintaining lean muscle mass or promoting fat storage.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for all body functions.  Your body breaks down carbs into fuel for muscle cells and is stored as glycogen.  You need this source of fuel in order to exercise intensely for longer periods while sculpting lean muscle.
Protein is important to help repair and rebuild muscles after a workout, but carbohydrates are just as important because they replace glycogen stores for future use.  If you do not have these fuel stores, you will not have the energy necessary for your next workout.  In the event of a glycogen depletion, your body breaks down muscle for fuel – this decreases your metabolism and causes you to feel moody and sluggish.

Simple Carbs
Simple carbs are easily digested by your body and are associated with foods high in sugars such as:

• white bread
• cake
• candy
• soda
• juice
• fruit

Complex Carbs
Complex carbs take longer to digest and usually contain larger amounts of fiber. Examples are:

• grains
• legumes
• vegetables
• fruits
• whole grain cereals
• pastas

So… What’s the secret to boosting your metabolism and being able to eat “whatever you want”?
It’s really not as mysterious as the health food companies and diet programs lead you to believe.
Simply take a truly honest look at the food you are consuming. It isn’t as nutritious as it should be.

Now for the good news…
Follow these simple healthy lifestyle changes faithfully and you will see results. Guaranteed!

1: Prioritize Carbs
Limit simple carbs as much as possible to avoid the sugar highs and the crash that follows.
Rapid change in blood sugar and insulin levels cause the “crash” – this is a sign that you need to work on balancing your ratio of carbs (roughly 45-60% depending on the individual) and consume more complex carbs rather than simple carbs.

2: Avoid Low-Carb Diets
Everyone needs a sufficient amount of carbohydrates to function normally.  You may be under-eating if you are severely restricting your calories and your food intake. This decreases your metabolism and your body will resort to eating away at muscle to compensate for the lack of glycogen!
You will burn less calories no matter how hard you exercise.
If you are unsure whether you are eating enough, use an online BMR calculator to determine your caloric needs. Keeping a basic food journal will help you learn to visually gauge your appropriate nutrition without obsessively counting calories.

3: Eat A Healthy Breakfast
When you skip breakfast, it causes your body to go into a catabolic state and eat way at whatever muscle is there.  This not good if you are looking to maintain lean body mass or lose weight.  Start your day off right and kick those excuses to the curb!  You make time for what’s important in your life.

4: Carb Load In The Mornings
In addition to increasing your “good” complex carbs, you should also eat the majority of during  the day when you are most active.  Work on balancing your meals and gage how you feel after each meal.

5: Complex Carbs Before Workouts
Consuming approximately 20-40 gms of carbs from 30-45 minutes before training will provide a steady supply of carbohydrates during exercise for efficient energy intensity.  You want to avoid refined carbs so your insulin levels do not spike and you don’t come crashing down after that sugar high.  Good carbs can come in the form of sweet potato, oatmeal, whole grain bread or fruit, etc.

6: Simple Carbs After Workouts
This is the best time to consume your white starches, breads and pastas and fruits right after exercise.  Doing so prevents muscle breakdown and drives recovery nutrients such as creatine, glucose and amino acids into muscles cells to replenish glycogen stores.  Don’t go overboard though.

7: One Hour Rule
When exercising for high intensity levels for a period in excess of an hour, it is very important to replenish your carbohydrate stores so you don’t lose steam.  You will also prevent the drop in blood sugar levels and muscle breakdown.

8: No Carbs At Dinner
With the exception of a late night workout, you should stay away from carb intake right before bed.  At night, you are a lot less active.  Eating higher amounts of carbs will result in fat storage.  Keep carbs to a minimum and  be mindful of what you eat.  While you are sleeping, growth hormone is released and promotes muscle recovery and growth as well as fat burning.  A high intake of carbohydrates can interfere with this process and stunt your maximal results.

9: Eat More Fiber
Fiber is found mostly in complex carbohydrates which help to regular blood sugar levels and slow down the digestion of food.  This is very important in helping to regulate body functions as well as to preserve lean body mass and weight loss.  Added benefit is in preventing chronic diseases.  You should aim for 25-35 grams of fiber a day in order to stay healthy.

10: Plan Accordingly
There is no one guideline for everyone. We are all unique due to different body types, needs and goals.  What works for one person may not work for the other person.  There is no right or wrong answer which is why you need to experiment to see what works best for you.