“I KNOW CARBS CAUSED MY WEIGHT GAIN!"

“I’VE GOT TO CUT CARBS IN ORDER TO LOSE THE 10 POUNDS I’VE PUT ON!”

Hold up... Wait a Minute! ✖️✖️✖️

I just heard this come out of a client’s mouth this week. So, I began to ask questions!

What do you eat for breakfast? Couple eggs and toast most days. Other days, just some v8 juice. Ok.

How about lunch? Usually, turkey, tomato, lettuce, some cheese in a wrap. “I know I should not eat the wrap because of the carbs.”

And what about dinner? Here’s where I go wrong. I will eat pizza, pasta, garlic bread... some nights not all the time. I’ll have burger with no bun sometimes for dinner. Alright.

Do you snack after dinner? Yes...usually it’s ice cream, several chocolates. Probably have more than I should and oh don't forget the chocolate monster trail mix.

Humm. And you're highly active throughout the day, right? Yes. Constantly doing things around house don't sit much during the day at all.

My response to this client was, “The problem is not the carbs alone!” Problem is your total daily fat consumption paired with your carb intake. You are eating far more fats than you realize. Yes, pizza dough is a carb and yes you are getting some carbs from any veggies on that pizza. However, the cheese and meats! Also, the nightly snacking. Trail mixes are very high fat. Most people cannot stick to their small serving sizes and end up eating way more than they should. For so many, carbohydrate intake is usually paired with a very high fat intake. First thought is to blame the carbs as we have been made to believe for many years that “carbs are causing weight gain and you must cut carbs first!” Not necessarily. You have to look at your diet as a whole.

Next question…

What do carbs do for for our bodies? Carbohydrates have a very important role! They are our main source of energy. Carbohydrates are very important for those who are active and exercise regularly. Carbs are vital for brain function and recovery from exercise. An adequate intake of carbs also spares proteins and helps with fat metabolism.

Does low or no carb diets have their place? Yes, everyone is different and tolerate different amounts and kind of carbs. It depends on the person. Those who are overweight or obese. Fair well with low carb diet in the short term for insulin regulation. Once exercise activity begins to fairly increase many will need to introduce a more balance diet of carbs, fat, and protein intake. Research has shown a low carb diet sustainability is very low because of their important role.

Again, I can not repeat enough that everyone is different. But this blog is to focus on the ideology that “carbs are bad.” In truth carbohydrates are our main source of energy that allows us to perform basic movements throughout the day to high intensity exercise fueling our bodies and brains.

So what did I recommend to this client? It is best to start cutting out the snacking at night! No more ice cream, and monster trail mix every night. Allow yourself a small amount 2 or 3 nights a week and work your way to just once a week. Start with small changes and let your body adjust. Cutting calories drastically or carbs totally cold turkey is a recipe for failure!

Nutrition coaches will tell you, “All diets work as long as you are in a caloric deficit.” Here’s the catch. Which diet will create the most sustainability for your body? Hands down, for the majority it will be a balance diet of carbohydrates, fat, and protein.

Christina Brooks

NASM Certified Nutrition Coach

**Keep in mind healthy peeps and those with medical condition may see different results. Always consult your physician and a registered dietitian if you have preexisting conditions for the best exercise and diet program for your condition(s).