The easiest thing to remember when it comes to Carbohydrates is that we need them! This is our bodies main energy source and if you are low in carbs...you will be running low on energy, that's straightforward! So where do these low carb diets come in and play a role and where do these fit in with the average Joe working a 9-5? Elite athletes and serious gym goers know the importance of carbohydrates and the effect they have on your body and mind, bodybuilders can enter bouts of Ketosis to reduce body fat but they also understand the benefits of carb cycling but these can be the extreme lengths they go to with carbohydrates for competition worthy aesthetics. The basic stigma that the "average Joe" in the gym has towards carbs is that most people see them as bad and the best way to lose weight is to cut back and stay off them...to an extent this can be true if you are overeating and if your energy intake is greater than your energy expenditure but overall if you can eat carbs and stay in a caloric deficit Women - Under 2000 Kcals/day. Men - Under 2500 Kcals/day then you will still lose weight...again, these are the basics. These figures are a rough figure for the "average male and female" to Maintain their weight. I've touched on finding your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) previously. Remember - Maintain = stay the same, no one trains to remain the same!! So sort out that diet. Carbohydrates are a Macronutrient, along with Protein and Fat. Carbs, along with protein are 4 calories per gram, this is where the high protein and low carbs diets come into play, they are equal on calories but if you are eating simple carbohydrates e.g white bread, cereals, white pasta etc, this can be detrimental to your fat loss. These are called simple carbohydrates, simply because they are made up of only 1 or 2 sugar molecules and are very rapidly digested in the body making you hungry sooner and causing a spike in your blood glucose levels. As for Complex carbohydrates e.g Sweet Potato, Wholewheat Pasta, Oats etc. they are made up of much longer chains and take longer to break down in the body (keeping you fuller for longer), these foods are generally high in fiber and often high in vitamins and minerals - You must choose Complex carbohydrates when you are in a caloric deficit, they will not spike your blood glucose as severely and you will be fuller for longer. The Paleo diet is a way to reduce your starchy carb intake and promote a higher protein and low carbohydrate intake, whilst still getting in a ton of fruit, veg and fats. I wrote about this here: http://www.fitmalahide.com/blog/archives/06-2015 Fitness is Science - This picture is for the visual learners...a tiny insight into molecular breakdown of Glucose (Monosaccharide) and Complex Carbs (Polysaccharide) - note how the chain is longer on the complex carbohydrate making it more "complex" to be broken down by the body. The Polysaccharides are just composed of long chains of the monosaccharide units bound together! To make it slightly more complicated, we must then must look at when we take our carbs; Personally I start the day with a mix of complex carbs like oats and whey protein powder with milk - microwave or blended cold. That gives me that extra protein and a good hit of complex carbs that will slowly release energy to me until my next feed and I function well with it which is key. If you can't function with the foods you are taking in, especially breakfast then you seriously need to reconsider what you ingest! I would recommend this to people who struggle to get that breakfast protein and carb mix, also good for those who don't like eggs! - ditch the coco-pops and cheerios folks, full of sugar and wheat Ladies, there are far better ways to get your Folic Acid in so don't let the bright packaging fool you! We talk so frequently about Macronutrients that some people tend to forget to include those vital Micronutrients - see foods high in Folate here - mainly from those foods high in micro nutrients - http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/folic-acid-foods/ The bulk of your carbs ideally should be taken post workout, this will replenish your Glycogen stores that have been depleted during your workout - this will serve as the best way to get the protein you ingest post workout to the muscle to maximize the protein synthesis and muscle repair - vital if you are training frequently! The more you workout and the leaner you get the less carbohydrate ingestion will have an impact and you can get away with a higher carbohydrate intake to match your firing metabolism and energy expenditure. As I said before Fat is essential in your diet, Fat equates to 9 calories per gram so factor that into your calorie intake and don't over do it on the nut butters and the avocado's those of you already eating "clean". A few key points to take in with your carbs and general diet;
1) Get better food quality, ditch the sugar and heavy wheat-laden carb meals especially when energy expenditure is minimal. 2) Always choose from complex carbohydrates 3) Get more protein, most people get nowhere near enough - ask yourself, how many grams do I get with breakfast? Ditch the sugary cereals, aim for 25g-30g of protein, be consistent and witness the changes. 4) Most people need to eat more fat, those of you who add avocado's and nut butters to smoothies be mindful of the calorie content! Remember - Eat fat to drop fat. 5) Take regular body fat tests, track your progress. Eat well, train hard and see the results in facts and figures rather than just guessing. 6) It's your trainers job to keep your program varied and interesting and it's your job to stick to your nutrition plan! 7) Track your calories, it's so easy and so effective and if you want to see any form of results you just need to do it at least for a few weeks. This will make it easier to nail your Macros I've talked about before https://www.myfitnesspal.com/ download it for your phone - it's free and easy to use. 8) Include weekends- Yes liquid calories exist...and that pizza you had! 9) Last but definitely not least - Portion Control - Women stop eating like Men and Men stop eating like pigs! Gary Robb garyrobbpt@gmail.com 083-179-6648
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