What's the deal with carbohydrates? If you're trying to lose body fat, then you shouldn't eat carbs, right?
Wrong. There is a lot of confusing and conflicting information out there. So what should you do?
You should view carbohydrates as an energy source. Just like gas is fuel for your car, carbohydrates are the main source of fuel for your body. If you put a small amount of gas in your car, you're not going to get far. If you don't eat enough carbohydrates, your body isn't going to get very far, either.
Whether you're heading out to go for a run, ride a bike, play tennis or go to the gym, you're going to run out of gas if you don't put enough fuel (carbohydrates) in your tank.
Otherwise, how are you going to be able to have an effective workout?
Strength training is necessary to build and maintain muscle when trying to lose body fat. If you don't eat enough carbohydrates, your body will have to find an energy source somewhere -- and unfortunately it's from muscle.
You might be thrilled to drop a few pounds, but if it's from muscle loss, that's not something to celebrate. Muscle is what burns calories and is necessary to melt off stubborn fat.
Want to have more strength, more energy and burn more calories? Then make sure you eat carbs before you work out.
Eating protein with your carbs is best. It helps maintain blood sugar levels and helps to keep your body from burning off muscle.
Eating a light meal that combines protein and carbs 30 to 90 minutes before working out is ideal.
How much is needed depends on the person and the length and intensity of the workout. Generally, a woman should eat about 15 to 25 grams of carbs with equal amounts of protein. The amount for men is 30 to 50 grams.
If you haven't eaten for several hours or get up to work out first thing in the morning, you're gas gauge is on empty. Oftentimes you will feel nauseous and could get sick from a quick drop in blood sugar.
The best pre-workout carbs are complex carbohydrates -- oatmeal, sweet potatoes, brown rice and whole grains.
Complex carbs are broken down into simple sugars, but the sugars are released much more slowly than simple carbs.
Simple carbs are processed foods, such as candy, pop and doughnuts. They cause your blood sugars to rise fast, causing an increase in insulin and opening the door to your fat stores. They easily are converted to body fat and increase overall fat storage. Foods high in sugar, such as simple carbs, also are processed by your body very fast -- meaning if they aren't used for energy, they'll end up as fat. Since complex carbs take longer to break down, they are less likely to be stored as body fat.
So don't fear carbs. View them as a necessary energy source and helpful in the war against fat.
