Good Carbs

Carbs give us energy and whole food sources are packed full of fiber and vitamins too.  Fiber keeps food moving through our bodies and aids in elimination of toxins which in turn protects us from colon cancer.  Insoluble fiber is not digestable and does not add to our calorie count.  In addition, insoluble fiber requires 10 calories per gram to move through the digestion system.   This helps with weight loss and also helps us feel fuller longer.  Soluble fiber is digestable and doesn’t subtract from the calorie count, but it helps reduce cholesterol and gives other benefits.  Love your fiber!

Gram for gram carbs and proteins have equal calories (4 cals per gram), but they serve different purposes in our bodies.  Nutritionists recommend that 60% of our daily calories come from carbs, while only 15% should come from protein and the remainder (25%) from fat.  These percentages should be calculated on a weight maintenance diet.  A mere 15% of calories from protein on a reduced calorie diet is not enough.

Bad Carbs

Non whole food sources of carbs (white rice, white pasta, white flour, sugar) have no fiber and no vitamins (unless they are fortified which still leaves them nutritionally inferior to whole grain sources.)  That is why they are often referred to as empty calories.  Eating these foods protects your body from buring it’s own fat reserves for fuel while providing no other life sustaining purpose.

Balancing Carbs with Protein to Gain Muscle and Lose Fat

Yesterday we learned that protein is essential for body function.  If we get too little protein our body starts robbing our muscle mass to continue with basic bodily functions.  On the other hand, if we take in too little energy giving carbs or fats, our body takes the energy we need from the fat in our bodies. That is exactly what we want when we are trying to lose weight.

When I am creating a weight loss menu plan, I keep an appropriate amount of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, but reduce the number of carbs and fats.  As long as I am careful to take in enough fiber (through whole, unpeeled, fruits and veggies–not juice) my health won’t suffer, but I’ll lose weight.  Please note that I am reducing the number of carbs and fats not eliminating them.  

Apply it to a Menu Plan

If I would normally eat a 2,000 calorie diet, then 60% or 1200 calories should come from the carbs in whole grains, fruits and vegetables.  To lose a pound a week only 700 calories come from grains, a reduction of 500 calories a day or 3500 for the week.  (I keep my fruit and vegetable servins the same.) Or I could split the calorie reduction between both carbs and fat.  In a 2,000 calorie diet, 25% or 500 calories should come from fat.   I could reduced my fat calories by 200 and my carb calories by 3oo.  By doing it this way, no food group is completely eliminated and I’m still taking in all essential vitamins and minerals.

Carbs and Water Weight

When we digest carbs, our bodies break them down into alcohol, carbon dioxide and water.  The alcohol is used by the body as fuel or stored as fat. The carbon dioxide is exhaled, but the water can be held onto by our body cells as extra weight gain.  Water can be stored in our fat cells, plumping them up without adding extra calories.  Rest, drinking water, and eating enough fiber will help expel the extra water.  Simple carbs like sugar, white flour and white pasta cause the most water weight gain, while the fiber in whole grains helps to protect the body from too much water retention since extra water is needed to help the fiber pass through the body.