The non-carb craze is making us fat. The biggest factor is that people crave carbs so you can’t stay away from them for long. Remember: Extreme diets = short term success (maybe) and long term failure (for sure)
You need carbs all day long. If you do not consume carbs, your body will break down protein in a process called glucogenesis to make them. This involves destroying hard-earned muscle, and converting some of the amino acids to glucose for your brain. Your brain will not be starved; it will do what it has to do to survive.
The best kinds of carbs are ones that exist as close to their natural form as possible. Vegetables, fruit, beans, and brown rice are all great carbohydrate sources. White rice is natural but not preferable due to the insulin spike it causes. Whole grain bread is better than other types because it has been processed less. Look for the least number of ingredients and avoid the added sugar if possible.
The next key to carbohydrates is to eat them with protein. This is not a hard and fast rule, though. If you work out in the morning, for instance, you’ll want to get up and have some fruit. This is going to fuel your workout.
I love honey after a workout. Honey requires no digestion, yet it directly fuels both the liver and the muscles in minutes.
For breakfast, I often have 2 scoops of protein powered mixed with ground oatmeal. Oatmeal is a great slow-burning carbohydrate. Slow burning carbs keep a steady flow of glucose in your blood without causing an insulin spike. Brown rice has a similar effect but I don’t like that for breakfast. I do like brown rice for dinner, though. YUM!
You need carbs all day long. If you do not consume carbs, your body will break down protein in a process called glucogenesis to make them. This involves destroying hard-earned muscle, and converting some of the amino acids to glucose for your brain. Your brain will not be starved; it will do what it has to do to survive.
The best kinds of carbs are ones that exist as close to their natural form as possible. Vegetables, fruit, beans, and brown rice are all great carbohydrate sources. White rice is natural but not preferable due to the insulin spike it causes. Whole grain bread is better than other types because it has been processed less. Look for the least number of ingredients and avoid the added sugar if possible.
The next key to carbohydrates is to eat them with protein. This is not a hard and fast rule, though. If you work out in the morning, for instance, you’ll want to get up and have some fruit. This is going to fuel your workout.
I love honey after a workout. Honey requires no digestion, yet it directly fuels both the liver and the muscles in minutes.
For breakfast, I often have 2 scoops of protein powered mixed with ground oatmeal. Oatmeal is a great slow-burning carbohydrate. Slow burning carbs keep a steady flow of glucose in your blood without causing an insulin spike. Brown rice has a similar effect but I don’t like that for breakfast. I do like brown rice for dinner, though. YUM!
So start mixing some good carbohydrates in with your diet if you haven’t already. Dump the processed stuff! And guys, stop taking 50 grams of protein in a single shake. Your body can only process about 25 grams at a time anyway; the rest is turned to glucose using the same process described above. Think slow burning carbs all day, then fast carbs before and after a workout. You’ll feel better, be less hungry, and have more energy for your workouts.
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