Carbs Are Not The Enemy
Protein, If you don’t know why it’s important then go back and read this article first Why Protein is King For A Lean Toned Body
Now let's look at the most feared and misunderstood of all the macros - Carbs (insert screams of fear)
Carbohydrates are the body’s main fuel source, especially for the brain.
The body can rely on protein and fat for a period of time, but acid called "ketones" will eventually build up in the body and affect the brain.
Not only are carbohydrates used as fuel, but they are components of the cells that make up our body too.
Additionally, carbohydrates are needed for millions of cellular reactions going on in the body at all times.
So....pretty useful then aren't they.
Then why are people so scared of carbs these days?
Well thanks to Dr. Atkins, Keto warriors, Carnivores and other unqualified internet idiots carbohydrates are largely the most bullied group on the food pyramid playground.
Dieters can’t get enough of fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy, but carbs? Carbs make people fat, right?
Wrong: That’s where dieters are very wrong.
The primary reason why carbohydrates were negatively associated with fat loss is due to the hormone insulin. When we consume carbohydrates, our pancreas releases the hormone insulin, which acts to increase glucose uptake from the blood and store it within our tissues to convert to energy later.
Insulin also acts to inhibit fat breakdown, or lipolysis, which is where the notion that carbohydrate negatively effects fat loss originated.
However the body is not stupid and is well equipped to control blood glucose within healthy physiological ranges and carbohydrate intake is in fact independent of weight loss.
Carbs actually do a body good and give us the energy we need to live our lives, but they still get a bad rap, and that’s where consumers’ misunderstanding of the macros comes into play.
If chosen carefully, carbohydrates can deliver a number of health benefits and also help people maintain their weight.
When eaten around the time you train carbs can greatly improve your training and:
May Reduce Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
May Increase Training Intensity
May Improve Strength Training
Will Not Affect Fat Storage
So whether dieters like to believe it or not, carbohydrates actually have a rightful place in any food regimen, no matter how strict.
However, there is a caveat to all this. Not all carbs are created equal and you need to pay attention to what types of carbs you are eating.
A doughnut is not the same as a bowl of brown rice.
Now/ let’s get one thing clear.
There are NO BAD CARBS, Just like there are NO BAD FOODS.
No carb or food has a specific or measurable bad effect on your body in itself. Poor health comes from a combination of poor nutritional and lifestyle habits as a whole, not from specific foods or macros.
We need to move away from Good Vs Bad.
Instead we need to look at what is More Nutritious Vs Less Nutritious and with carbs we consider them Simple (less nutritious) or Complex (more nutritious)
Carbs can be conveniently classified as four types:
simple/refined
simple/natural
complex/refined
complex/natural
For most people, avoiding simple/refined carbohydrates is just good sense, because you are literally wasting energy and calories on a food that has no nutritional or health benefit? These would include fizzy drinks, sweets, or other highly processed foods with no vitamins, minerals, or any other nutritional benefit, and these foods are designed to be hyper-palatable - as in specifically designed to make you want them!
Simple/natural carbohydrates are found in foods like fruit and dairy, and while they are still fast acting but they have a number of other beneficial nutrients.
Complex/refined carbohydrates are your “white” products: white bread, white pasta or white rice. They are complex because they are composed of many more molecules of sugar strung together but refined as some nutrients and fiber are lost in the process. .
Finally, complex/natural sources would be vegetables, potatoes, oats, barley, quinoa, brown rice and whole wheat breads. For both blood glucose control and maximising your nutrient intake, these should ideally be your main source of carbs.
What's the takeaway from this blog then?
Don't fear carbs! without them life and fat loss is so much harder and more boring.
Yes they are the easiest macro to drop and manipulate to create a calorie deficit but nothing about carbs will inherently cause fat gain, after all they have the same calories per gram as protein at 4 calories per gram.
Also your body has absolutely no idea what time it is, so not eating carbs after a certain time of day has zero effect on fat loss, what matters is your total daily intake of calories.
The only way to gain weight is to over eat for a prolonged period and any food and macro can cause weight gain if you eat too much of it.
To find out more on how to calculate your calorie intake for fat loss then read this article - How To Calculate Your Macros For Fat Loss
If you are concerned about carbs from a health perspective, Speak to a professional Nutritionist….don’t just listen to the internet, that’s asking for trouble.
Hi, I’m Aaron Schiavone, owner of Mind Muscle Personal Training. Over the past 5+ years I have helped women increase their self confidence, improve their relationship with food, improve their health, become stronger, fitter and happier.