Can I Eat Carbs and Still Lose Weight?

YES! You can eat carbs and STILL lose weight! With all the trending diets out there telling you that you shouldn't eat carbs, I can understand why you would think that you can't. That is just not true. You don't have to cut carbs to lose weight. Your energy stytem was designed to work off of carbs. Most of the initial weight loss on a no carb diet is water weight. For every 1 molecule of glycogen your body has, it produces 3 molecules of water. If your body is depleted of it's glycogen it won't produce the water, resulting in a quick weight loss. Unfortunately, that weight comes back fast because when you introduce the carbs to a body depleted of glycogen, it overcompensates and produces extra, therefore producing more water. Fruits and veggies are some of our most valued foods and they are getting cut? Balance is key. Choosing the right carbs is what you should focus on. Cutting carbs altogether also takes alot of fiber out of the diet which is what helps the food move through your body. A no carb diet could creat problems like hemroids and even heart issues.

So back to choosing the healthy carbs. Good carbs will help fill you up. Simple carbs like muffins, cakes, white bread, white rice, cookies, crackers, bagels, etc. are the carbs to avoid. These are what you call refined or processed carbs. They have very little nutritional value. When your cells don't need to be replinished with glycogen, your body sees this sugar (refined carb) and says "Hmm, I don't really need you right now so I think I'll store you as fat!". WHAT?! YES!!! That is exactly what happens.

Refined Carbs

Stick with carbs that are complex, meaning whole foods or grains. Carbs that are rich in fiber will get absorbed into your system slowly and help keep your blood sugar balanced instead of it sky rocketing. Good choices would be vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains. Always mix your carbs with protien and fat. This will also slow down the absorbtion in your body. The food will last longer. You will have more energy and this will also keep your blood sugar balanced. The only time there would be a need to intake carbs alone would be the 2 hour window after a workout. This would be when the carbs are being used to replinish the cells of the glycogen they released during the workout. These carbs will feed the muscles and cells. Other than being an athlete or after your workout, I would recommend eating all carbs with a protien and some fat.

Complex or Whole Carbs

Our bodies need and crave carbs. This is how God designed our bodies. We cannot change it. We need carbs, protien and fat. Yo yo dieting will mess up your metabolism and cause you to just be discouraged. You should be eating 45-60% of carbs, 20-30% of protien and 20-30% of fat in every meal.

A balanced diet will help control blood sugar levels, avoid diabetes, digestive problems and heart disease. Why diet when you can just be balanced. Enjoy life and be healthy. Life is too short to live it unhealthy.

Honor your body for it is a temple of the holy spirit who lives in you, whom you have received as a gift from God.

Happy Healthy Living!