Lower Carbs Don't Eliminate Them
Restricing your carbohydrate intake is a big part of many people's diet plans today. That doesn't mean you need to eliminate carbs from your diet altogether, however. As a matter of fact, we need some carbs in our diets for our body to function the way it was designed to. Instead of removing them from your diet, instead try reducing them.
|
Lower Your Carbs, Don’t Eliminate Them
With the plethora of diet plans available today, it’s no wonder so many people are confused about which is the right one for them. One thing is certain however, you’re body needs carbohydrates in order to function properly. So many people have heard how bad carbs are when you’re trying to lose weight and immediately think if they eliminate them from their diet all together they will successfully reach their goal of being thinner. That’s simply not true and in order to truly eat healthy, we need protein, fats and yes, even carbohydrates in our diet.
First let’s take a look at what exactly carbohydrates are and how they work in your body. Being the most abundant nutrient, we find carbohydrates in many of the foods we consume. Carbs consist of both simple and complex sugars and these sugars are used by our bodies to give us energy and are stored as fat when we’ve received enough. Examples of simple carbs include fruit and dairy products. The complex carbohydrates consist of pastas, breads, etc. and they are the ones that tend to stick around in our bodies well beyond their usefulness. One way to lose weight would be to eat less complex carbohydrates.
By eliminating carbs altogether, we force our bodies to get all of our energy form fats and proteins. Once the protein is gone from our bodies, we still need a way to meet our energy needs and without carbohydrates available our body will begin to take what it needs from the tissue in our muscles. This is not a good thing. In order to function we must have another source of energy and that energy needs to come in the form of glucose in the form of carbohydrates. The brain can’t use glucose from any other source, therefore protein will not suffice.
So, how do you monitor your carbs without completely eliminating them in order for your body to function properly? We use a system known as measuring our glycemic index or GI number. By measuring your glycemic index, you can make more informed choices regarding your carbohydrate intake. If a food has a GI higher than fifty, it will cause your body to store fat. On the flip side, foods with a low GI cause your body to burn fat.
When you maintain a low GI carbohydrate diet, your body maintains a steady insulin level, making the processing of carbs slower within your body slower. This will cause the hormone glucagon to burn the sugar in the carbohydrates so that it can be used for energy. The result is a less frequent hungry feeling because you have a steady stream of energy thanks to the more stable level of insulin.
By eating carbohydrates, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, along with whole grain breads and pastas in place of those made with white flour, you are creating a more consistent level of energy for your body to use as it was designed to.
Instead of cutting carbohydrates out of your diet completely, just reduce them if you are hoping to lose weight and gain more energy. Choosing the right carbohydrates can be even more healthy than sending your body into distress due to the drastic change of removing one of the essentials it needs to perform at it’s best.
|
