In the past 3 weeks I have been asked about ten times whether avoiding carbohydrates helps with weight loss. Many people are fighting the Corona kilos! They often eliminate carbohydrates from the diet without knowing whether or not carbohydrates are useful in your body. If you study the new diets, you will notice that carbohydrates are limited. What does your body need to function and what effect do I achieve with that? There is only one thing to remember. If you eat more than your body needs, your body will store a fat surplus. If you eat less than you need, your body will burn those fat stores. But… if you need 1500 kcal for normal functioning then it makes no sense to eat only 500 kcal. This stresses your body.
100% Power. You always want that, don’t you?
When you burn carbohydrates (or sugars), your body has a lot of energy. You have 100% power and no dip moment. But when you burn fat, you lose power in the form of energy. So you tend to think you are tired more quickly and you may come home and fall asleep on the couch.
Insulin, carbohydrates and proteins
Our body needs carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Fat and protein make you feel full, which means you won’t get hungry as quickly. If you are less hungry, you eat less and there is a chance that you will also lose weight with a low-carbohydrate diet.
So is it smart to avoid the carbohydrates? When you eat carbohydrates, your body makes insulin. That insulin ensures that your body can store the excess calories as fat. “YES!” I hear most people think. We stop eating carbohydrates and the problem is solved. Unfortunately. Proteins do exactly the same. They also stimulate the production of insulin and also ensure that unnecessary calories are stored in fat.
Combustion requires fuel
If you eat low-carbohydrates, it will not work equally well for everyone. There are people who lose weight. But is that muscle mass or fat mass? At ODS they can measure this and map it out nicely for you. If you work in the factory and you take more than 10,000 steps a day, you can say that you have a very active job. If you then start to reduce or omit your carbohydrates, you will have a problem. Carbohydrates are the fuel for the powerhouse that is in your body. If you want to lose weight, you also need muscles. Muscles are fed with a combination of proteins and… carbohydrates.
If you are still unsure whether you need carbohydrates, consider fiber. Sufficient fiber ensures a nice blood sugar level and the removal of waste products. Fiber is found in legumes, whole grains and fruit. And it also contains carbohydrates. So if you eat too few carbohydrates, you will miss out on some essential dietary fiber.
No bread because that is a fattener.
Have you ever heard of the term fast bread or slow bread? Read all about it in the blog on my website. There I will tell you more about bread in relation to carbohydrates. When you eat carbohydrates without fiber, you are talking about fast sugars. Fast sugars often make you want even more sugars. Too many sugars make you fatter and cause your blood sugar to spike. As a result, a quick dip. If you have that dip, you have no energy and you are tired. That is stupid. You would think, the more sugars, the more energy. That is not true. Sweets, cookies and sugary drinks (including fruit juices) make you like sweet things more and more and that I want to eat them. The result: too many carbohydrates and extra fat storage. In other words: the fast sugar effect.
So…
If you want to limit carbohydrates in your diet, do this with conscious choices. First remove all the white from your diet. White bread, white pasta, sweet toppings, etc. Replace with varieties containing wholemeal and spelled. This will take you a big step in the right direction!
Take a look at my Facebook, where I put daily tips, tricks and recipes that give you a helping hand. André Mostard is a sports nutrition coach and has been active in the sports world for more than 30 years. André regularly writes a piece for ODS with good practical tips to feel good! Sports nutrition coach André Mostard
