Carbs Are NOT The Enemy!!!

Carbs Are Not The Enemy!

“Carbs are making me fat.”  How many times have we heard that line from a friend, co-worker, family member, or even ourselves? As a trainer, I hear this often from many of my clients.   I have met many people on low-carb, and no-carb diets, who have attempted this method as a last-ditch effort to shed weight.

This method is both wrong, and harmful.   Most people overlook the real use for carbohydrates, and see them as a hindrance to their weight loss effort, rather than as the body’s primary fuel source.

This fuel cannot be replaced by proteins, fats, vitamins, or minerals.   Many misled people believe that they can simply substitute other nutrients to make up for the lack of carbohydrates in their diet, but unfortunately, this is a myth.

Proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals are all essential to good overall health, however, each play a different role in weight loss.  Proteins, fats, and minerals have more long-term benefits.  They act as maintenance for your body, as well as being the building blocks for long-term muscle growth.

There is no substitute for the energy provided by carbohydrates.  They give you the energy to drive to work in the morning, and to tackle daily tasks at work both physical, and mental. They allow you to calculate, rationalize, synthesize, process, and evaluate, but most importantly, as a trainer, carbohydrates are what allow you to perform at an optimal level during your workouts in order to achieve RESULTS!

Carbohydrates are your brain’s main source of energy as well.   This is why people on a low-carb diet feel sluggish, tired, irritable, and unable to function after only a few days on such a diet. Yes, the weight drops off, but how the heck are you going to achieve your fitness goals if you don’t even have the energy to sit at a desk, and make it through a work day, let alone an entire session with your trainer? What happens when you reach your desired weight, and add carbs back into your meal plan?

The main misconception with carbohydrates is that they are all evil, and they all contribute to weight gain. What people need to comprehend is that it is the TYPE of carbohydrate they consume which can be detrimental to their weight loss plan, as well as the portion size, and time they ingest their carbohydrates.   This can be confusing, so I have posted some general guidelines below.  Before reading these guidelines, it is firstly important to understand the different types of carbohydrates, and how they are used.

There are two types of carbohydrates; simple, and complex.  What we want to do is limit our consumption of simple carbohydrates, as they are often saturated with sugar, and void of essential nutrients.  They are digested very quickly, and can either be stored as muscle glycogen, but are more often stored as fat.  Examples of simple carbohydrates include:  pastries, cakes, donuts, fruit juices, most pre-packaged cereals, bread and pasta made with white flour, and soda pop.  Even milk and yogurt can be classified as simple carbohydrates depending on sugar levels! 

Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are a longer, more complex chain of carbohydrates (hence the name),  and require more enzymes to break them down, resulting in a slower digestion process, thus resulting in a steady, even, and constant supply of energy to the body.  Because complex carbohydrates are slowly digested, and released, they are used instead of stored.

So when should someone ingest carbohydrates, and how much?  This answer depends on many factors including activity level both throughout your day, and in the gym, the time of day your workout occurs, as well as a person’s size, and shape.  However, here are some general guidelines to assist you:

1.        ALWAYS have breakfast.   Don’t skip the most important meal of the day.  Your body has been fasting for six to eight hours during sleep, and it’s crucial to re-fuel first thing in the morning.  Your breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day, and should consist of complex carbs and proteins, as most of it will be immediately used for fuel due to your overnight fast.

2.       Simple carbs are best consumed directly after your workout when your body is craving glucose. The glucose from simple carbs directly after a workout is beneficial for glucose synthesis and is transported directly into your muscle. I’m not saying it is okay to consume a pound of pastries directly after a workout, but a shake with some berries is best consumed at this time, and so is a cheat meal!

3.       Eat carbohydrates within an hour of working out.  You’ll see most people leaving the gym with shaker-cup in hand, and only consuming protein.  Carbs are just as important after exercise because they become glucose, which then converts to muscle glycogen, which then becomes fuel for your daily mental, and physical activities! 

4.       Portion out your carbohydrates throughout your day.  Remember, half a cup is the size of a computer mouse, and three quarters of a cup is the equivalent of a tennis ball. Don’t eat too much!

5.       We have all heard that carbs should not be ingested two hours before bed, however, if your workout is the last thing you do before hitting the sack, then ingest those carbs!  You NEED to re-fuel regardless of the time of day.

6.       Have something small that includes complex carbs about an hour before your workout.   You will need that fuel.  It will allow you to perform, work hard, and achieve your desired results!

Here is a list of some complex carbohydrates. There are many to choose from!

• Spinach
• Turnip Greens
• Apples
• Lettuce
• Buckwheat bread
• Prunes
• Water Cress
• Zucchini
• Oatmeal
• Pears
• Asparagus
• Plums
• Artichokes
• Okra
• Wild rice
• Cabbage
• Brown rice
• Yams
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Beans
• Soybeans
• Radishes
• Lentils
• Broccoli
• Navy beans
• Garbanzo beans
• Brussels
• Sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Kidney beans
• Eggplant
• Almond milk
• Lentils
• Onions
• Quinoa
• Couscous
• Brown rice

If you are still unsure about when, and how much to ingest, please consult a registered dietician.  They can really help put a meal plan together for you based on your individual goals!