Carbohydrates spark much confusion and controversy in the fitness and nutrition industry. Some diets completely rule them out, while some diets advise you to pack them on. So what is the truth?

Carbohydrates are important for your body functions. I would not recommend any diets or nutritional advice which bans all carbs as it simply does not make sense to ban a source of food we have developed to eat over thousands and thousands of years. Also if you hear about the miracle of no carb diets giving amazing weight loss results it is only because people lose water out of the their body, not fat. Once they go onto eating normally again they then gain back all that water weight and are back where they started.

From my research it is clear that there are bad and good carbs. The bad carbs are the unnatural over processed carbs which is partially responsible for the ‘anti carb’ view. These include:

  • sodas
  • juices
  • candies
  • crackers
  • cereals
  • pasta
  • muffins
  • breads

If you are overconsuming these carbs then you will likely find it difficult to lose fat.

But there is a solution…

1. Simply reduce these bad carbs in your daily eating habits. Replace them with carbs from vegetables, sweet potatoes, fruits and berries. I would not recommend fruit juices as it removes the fibre from the fruit. It is okay to have some of the ‘bad’ carbs now and again, but remember it is the overconsuming of these which is the problem.

2. Make sure to get plenty of lean meats, eggs, dairy products and a lot of vegetables and fruits in your diet.

3. Many people will find it odd to not consume lots of bread, cereals and pasta. Try to replace them with healthy fats such as seeds, avocados, nuts and lean protein. Healthy fats do well to satisfy your appetite by controlling hormone and blood sugar levels.

An example of a good carb meal

One sweet potato, salad (lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, chopped walnuts etc) with a healthy dressing such as virgin olive oil and balsamic oil (good fats!) and a tin of tuna.

This meal is a great tasting healthy meal. Many people add commercial salad dressing to their salad do not do this. If you add commercial salad dressing (the white stuff) this will completely ruin the objective of eating a healthy salad as the commercial salad dressing is loaded with bad fat and plenty of unneeded calories. If you have not tried virgin olive oil and balsamic oil, give it a try, it is more tastier than you might think.
Whether your goals are to lose fat, get ripped or generally feel more comfortable in your own body, my articles can give you information all related to fitness.