10 Tips To Help You Lose Weight While Still Eating Carbohydrates
Here are 10 great carbohydrate tips that I have used with my clients in my practice as a NYC personal trainerand for myself as a lifetime drug free athlete that needs to stay in peak condition at all times. (I always say that if I don’t watch my figure, then no one else will!) Many of my personal training clients over the years have a hard time reconciling the idea that you need carbs to lose weight efficiently if you really want to keep those pounds off permanently and these tips will help keep your carbohydrate intake from affecting your waistline:
1.- Educate Yourself.It is really a must! Get a book or chart detailing the glycemic index of the foods that you eat along with their macronutrient and fiber makeup. Choose carbohydrate sources that have a low glycemic index and if you do eat a food with a high index, combine it with a protein source with fat to lower the rate of digestion, which in turn will ultimately reduce the overall insulin response to the food. A good example of this would be steak and potatoes- on its own, potatoes create a rapid rise in blood sugar, however the fat present in steak serves to significantly reduce the insulin response. A look at foods like ice cream which has a glycemic index of is a good example of this, however I would not advise you to eat icecream on a regular basis for very obvious reasons.
2.- Eat mainly fruits and vegetables with a relatively low glycemic index of under 50- All fruits are not created equal. You can eat grapefruits all day long and not worry about overdoing it- but eat grapes and mangoes all day long and you will have a bit of a problem! Not that you cannot eat them, but higher glycemic index fruits have to be eaten in moderation. You can check out my free weight loss ebook for more information on fruit intake as well!
Rice won't make you fat- unless you over do it!
3.- Avoid processed and refined carbohydrates- Check labels for high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sugar, and partially hydrogenated oils.- and stay away from them! You cannot eat something that is inherently bad for your body in moderation. As much as we may want to think that a cheat meal here and there isn’t that big of a deal, you are far better served by learning to eat better in the long run than indulging in something that is actually harmful to your body. On the outside some Oreos or pptato chips may feel good, but on the inside it is a really different story! Refined carbohydrates are actually the main reason that carbs get such a bad rap in the first place as a food responsible for making people gain unwanted pounds, whereas the crux of the problem lies with the artificial nature of processed foods in the first place and how they wreak havoc on the human body.
4.- Make sure that the carbohydrates that you eat are in as natural a state as possible. The first and most important test for your carb sources, is to simply ask yourself if it would exist without the presence of food processing. Use the Naturally Intense question: Ask yourself if you would be able to find the food in front of you if were stranded in the wild, far away from supermarkets, fast food restaurants and convenience stores. If the answer is “no” then it is most likely not a good choice.
5.- Eat only carb sources that are high in fiber - Since fiber is not digested if you eat a food with 15 grams of carbs and 8 grams of fiber you are only really getting 7 grams of carbs. Not bad, is it? You will also feel fuller as a result and be less likely to overeat or succumb to food cravings for the wrong foods over time. Some great choices are oatmeal (a family favorite), rice, potatoes, yams and vegetables. Make sure as well that you have a healthy amount of fiber intake for breakfast- as it is key to regulating your appetite for the rest of the day.
6.- If you have to eat things like cold cereal pasta or a bread product make sure it has over 3 grams of fiber per serving and is low in simple sugars- That piece of advice eliminates a lot of what you will find in the supermarket but if you look hard enough you will find some good products. You’ll learnto read lablels in the process as well!
7.- Remember that milk contains a significant amount of sugar.- Back in the old days of bodybuilding the competitors would stop their milk intake befor a contest when they really wanted to reduce their body fat and lean out. The same applies to anyone interested in really getting their waistline under control. Lactose is the primary form of sugar found in milk (which in essence is water, sugar protein and salt) and can create some problems with a large percentage of the population. Even if you are not lactose intolerant, I would advise you to stay away from it. You also don’t need it for its calcium- studies have conclusively proven that osteoporosis here in the United States and developed countries has little to do with inadequate calcium intake, but rather other factors that take calcium away from the body or reduce absorption such as high sodium diets, smoking, carbonated beverages and lack of sunlight exposure to name a few. Milk is also a poor source of calcium in comparison to foods such as kelp, bones of all kinds and sardines. Trust me- you don’t need it and the extra pounds around your waist that you will get from all of those simple sugars isn’t worth it!
8.- Don’t eat a lot of carbohydrates and a lot of fats at the same time. Fettucine Alfredo, donuts and French Fries are all great exercises in weight gain. It will be hard to stop for many of you, but your body will thank you in the long run!
9.- Consume an adequate supply of water at all times. The more water you drink, the less carbohydrate foods you will consume and the easier it is to not give in to the urge to constantly snack on something. Remember the key is to find simple ways that not just get you on track, but keep you on track as well and you’ll be surprised at how much weight you can lose if you substitute plain old water for juices. It is as simple as that!
10.- Eat 5 to 6 small meals daily, always eating before you get hungry! If you wait until you are starving you are going crave everything that is bad for you! That has nothing to do with lack of willpower, it is just how the body works. Make sure you have a small meal every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar regulated and please make sure you eat breakfast!!
Now everyone is different and as such each individual must determine exactly how much carbohydrates that you need. If you feel sleepy after a carb meal- you’ve eaten too much. Remember this is not a natural process and feeling sluggish after a meal isn’t something to enjoy, it’s a hint that you are doing something wrong. Spread out your carbohydrate intake throughout the day, taking in most of it earlier in the day and eating less and less as the day winds down. Even though carbohydrates are an essential part of a balanced diet the idea is not to overdo it and follow the middle road. If you employ these 10 tips for as little as two weeks you’ll not only see a big shift on the scale, but also in your overall energy levels! All the best!!
Good luck!
Lose weight, build real muscle and get Superfit training only 10 minutes 3 times a week! That’s the slogan and the 100% guarantee of the Naturally Intense System of Diet & Exercise™ created by visionary NYC personal trainer, internationally renowned natural bodybuilder and fitness expert, Kevin Richardson. Get a copy of Kevin’s free award winning weight loss ebook here!
