Let's talk CARBS!
Lots of people have tried super low (or no) carb diets to lose weight. And while these can be beneficial to help people in their short term goals - I really want to talk about what KIND of carbs you should limit or avoid. The ones that are affecting you the most are REFINED carbs.
Not ALL carbs are bad. You actually NEED good carbs!
What is a refined carb?? Refined carbs are forms of sugars and starches that don’t exist in nature. They do come from natural whole foods, but they have been altered in some way by processing to “refine” them. Processing methods include industrial extraction, concentration, purification, and enzymatic transformation. It’s easy for most of us to identify sugars, because they taste sweet and usually come in the form of crystals, syrups, or powders.
What can happen when you limit or remove a lot of refined or simple carbs and sugars from your nutrition plan?
- You may feel LESS hungry. Fat actually burns longer and slower than simple carbs so your energy stores will take longer to deplete. This means that you might not need that afternoon snack or that you won't be completely starving by the time for your next meal. You may also notice that it takes longer to feel hunger in the mornings after you wake up once you've cut out the simple carbs and refined sugars out of your diet.
- You burn MORE fat. When you limit or stop or limit eating simple carbs and sugars - your body no longer has readily calories to burn - so it switches over into burning stored fat as energy! This means you will notice a fast change in the way your pants fit around your waist and thighs!
- You have MORE energy. When your diet consists of simple sugars and refined carbs - your body is on a continual energy roller coaster. Right after you eat, your energy is super high and then an hour later your energy level crashes. All of that can change once you cut out these things from your diet. When you replace your meals with nutrient dense foods that sustain your energy levels for hours at a time - you won't deal with that frustrating roller coaster of energy levels.
- You will have a FLATTER stomach. Even after 1-2 weeks - you will notice that your stomach will become visibly flatter. That is one reward that shows you quickly how much you're helping your body! And who doesn't want a flatter stomach? Seriously :)
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So let's get practical.
Here are some good examples of foods lower in refined carbs and added sugar:
One great app you can download on your phone is called "Fooducate" - you can take your phone with you to the grocery store and scan any item and most things are in there with a food rating. It will tell you reasons why it's been scored as such. While it may not be perfect - and some opinions may vary product to product - I've found it to be a useful tool to at least learn more about what I might be buying for me and my family to eat!
I hope you found this helpful! If you have any questions or would like to talk about your nutrition and would like some tips, I'd LOVE to help. Nutrition is one of my passions and I love to help people to live healthier lives.
Feel free to connect with me on Facebook --> Click Here
- fresh/frozen meat or poultry
- eggs
- fresh/frozen fruit
- sweet potatoes
- all vegetables
- whole grains (whole grain rice, oats, barley, quinoa)
- nuts and seeds
- unsweetened nut butters
- unsweetened coconut
- whole legumes (beans, peas, lentils)
- gaucamole
- unsweetened, all-natural dairy products (milk, plain yogurt, cheese, butter, cream...)
- 100% stone-ground whole grain breads or crackers without added sugar (check ingredients!!)
- herbs and spices
- oils
- unsweetened vinegar
- most red wines
Main refined carbs to avoid:
- white flour
- white bread
- white rice
- pastries
- soda
- white pasta
- sweets
- breakfast cereals (unless you find a really good one!)
Your best bet is to shop the perimeter of the grocery store! If you do need something from the inside aisles and it's in a package or box - READ the labels! You may be so used to looking at the nutrition information and at calories or fat - but the most important thing to look at is the INGREDIENT list. Make sure that if there are grains, it says 100% WHOLE grains or 100% WHOLE wheat. If you see "sugar" in there - that is ADDED sugar and not the natural sugar in the food. So that is always a red flag to me. And the higher up in the list of ingredients, the more there is of that ingredient.
Example - the outside of this box may say in big letters "made with whole wheat!". It might also rave about the vitamins included. But then you turn the box over and your eyes should immediately go to the ingredients. First ingredient is "whole wheat"...this does NOT mean 100% whole wheat. Just PART of the wheat. You want it to say 100%! Then look at all of the different added sugars and processed ingredients! This is why ingredients matter. This is from a box of Frosted Flakes!
One great app you can download on your phone is called "Fooducate" - you can take your phone with you to the grocery store and scan any item and most things are in there with a food rating. It will tell you reasons why it's been scored as such. While it may not be perfect - and some opinions may vary product to product - I've found it to be a useful tool to at least learn more about what I might be buying for me and my family to eat!
I hope you found this helpful! If you have any questions or would like to talk about your nutrition and would like some tips, I'd LOVE to help. Nutrition is one of my passions and I love to help people to live healthier lives.
Feel free to connect with me on Facebook --> Click Here
Or you can email me anytime as well! --> Email Me
