Due to many questions about my dietary approach, I’ve put together the following blog. I hope that it clarifies some of your questions.
My choice on diet has a lot to do with how a human would live without the conveniences of modern society. While certain foods (beans, grains, for example) might be fun to eat and have some nutrient value, without the ability to cook and process them, they would not be edible (you would break your teeth). Unfortunately, the ideas of a few people and the glamorization of the media often wrongly influences the public. It is overeating and refined sugars and grains that are the problem with most people’s diets. The ideas that carbs, especially from fruits, are bad is just plain WRONG.
CARBOHYDRATES
The myth that carbohydrates will make you fat has everyone in a panic. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth IF you choose the right foods. While carbohydrates contain the same number of calories as protein, carbs are much more easily digested, absorbed, and used in the body, so if you consume too many carbs at one time and they are not needed for immediate fueling needs your body will start storing them as fat.
That does not make them bad though. Carbohydrates are your “GO” foods. They give you energy to do much of your daily activity and are the sole source of energy for your nervous system. Ever wonder why people on low carb diets are lethargic and can’t think straight? Their body and brain are not getting the fuel that they need.
Now you SHOULD panic about processed carbohydrates. Any kind of refined sugar is NOT healthy for the body and you would be wise to reduce and eventually eliminate this from your diet. Be warned that MOST packaged foods contain refined sugar, which is why it is best to consume as few things as possible from a package (can, box, bag, jar, etc.).
However, without adequate carbohydrates, you do not have the optimum fuel that your body needs, you can’t burn fat as easily, and your body goes into a state of ketosis which can be very dangerous to your entire body especially over time.
Where should you get your carbs? The best sources are from fruits and vegetables. If you are sensitive to carbs, start with low glycemic fruits like apples and pears. You will notice, though, that your body will not respond to these carbs in the same way that it does to grains. Grains make you look puffy, but fruits and vegetables will not.
When you decide to eat higher glycemic carbs such as sweet potatoes, bananas, and raisins, it is best to consume them AFTER working out when your body needs to replenish the sugars stored in your muscles (known as glycogen) AND consume them with other foods that have protein and fat in them to slow down the absorption of sugars in your blood stream (and reducing the chances that too much energy will be available in your system at one time and stored as fat).
PROTEIN
Your body can use protein as energy but carbs are the preferred source. Many people over-consume protein because they believe more protein will help build larger muscles and fear that carbs will make them fat. This is very taxing on the body as it causes the body to become more acidic and places a heavy burden on the kidneys. Proteins are for GROWING (both for muscle building and cellular repair). Some cells in your body (like the ones in your digestive tract) are replaced every 3 days. Other cells are replaced every few months or even years. Protein is vital to this process. However, too much is NOT good. And just like any other nutrient, if you consume too much of it, it will be turned into fat.
So why do high protein diets work? Proteins tend to be very filling so people consume fewer calories. Many people go crazy finishing off an entire box of cookies, but I have never heard of anyone devouring an entire cow! Also, carbohydrates attract water to them and as you decrease your carb consumption, your muscles become glycogen depleted and will lose the water that is attached to it. Thus, the number on the scale decreases, but that is NOT because you lost body fat. You lost water weight.
When you are planning your diet, please don’t go about it blindly and just follow those that are loudest and act like they know the truth. Investigate physiology and how the body is supposed to work. Fad diets (high protein) may produce some external visible results, but do you know what it is doing to your insides? Remember that health is more than what you see on the outside.
Contact me at www.GoddessAthlete.com if you want some individual help on how to refine your diet and DEFINE YOURSELF!
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