Low-carb Diet, doesn't Mean No-carb Diet!

Low-carb Diet doesn’t mean No-carb Diet!

When I first started competing in centurion bicycle challenges I would always have spaghetti dinners the night before. I did this because I knew it was important to have the nutrients and energy. Especially with an endurance challenge that is as demanding as a 100 mile bike ride. Looking back, I should have had whole grain spaghetti, but I was young and had the metabolisms of a cheetah back then. Plus, I was super active. 

Then along came the no carb craze. People were so anti carbs all of a sudden. With (some) good reason. Carbs can be bad. Carbs can make you fat, like really fat. Some diets stripped all carbs out of a person’s reach, meaning no fruit even. What kind of messed up diet says “no apples, here is some bacon!” A silly one that is what kind. Our bodies need carbs. NEED. Like, if you cut out carbs completely, you will notice a huge difference in your energy levels and overall well-being. That being said, ya gotta cut out the bad carbs. So, how can we tell the difference between the two? It is easier than you think.

Canadian dietitian and best-selling author Liz Pearson can help shed some light on the subject of bad carbs vs. good carbs. According to Liz, all carbs are NOT created equal. And she is right! “getting carbs from refined grains such as white breads and pasta, or cereals, cakes and cookies made with white flour, as well as highly processed sugary drinks, candy and desserts, can increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, macular degeneration and some cancers,” warns Liz. What should you look for? Whole grains! I mean real whole grains too, when the first ingredient is “enriched whole wheat” or “enriched whole grains,” put that loaf of bread or box of pasta DOWN. Whole grains do not need to be enriched.

We live in a world that is constantly telling us things are bad, then they are ok, don’t drink 8 glasses of water, do drink 8 glasses of water, don’t work out too hard, work out hard or you will be fat forever, and so on and on. We have been confused about fitness for a really, really long time. In reality, weight loss is one of the simplest things. Balance your body's nutrition to regain that energy level you thought was lost with age, eat real foods, and stay active. The billion dollar weight loss industry wants you to think there are miracle pills and magic belts, but really, one of the main miracles for our bodies, has been given a bad rap! Complete Cellular Nutrition is the corner stone to health and weight loss. Cellular nutrition includes carbohydrates and will not work with out them, I know I steered clear of carbs for a month once, it left me a total mess and by months end, I went to Safeway and ate like 6 donuts. Yes, that worked really well for me! If you want to lose weight, you have to balance your nutrition , and balanced nutrition includes carbs!

So eat! Don’t starve yourself and do not deprive your body of things it needs to keep going. And if you are trying to loss weight, or just a regular guy like me who is trying to stay fit, you need to fuel your body. Carbs in their whole grain form are a great way to fuel your muscles for those tough workouts! Stay away from white breads, white pastas, refined sugars, and all that nasty food that has been modified so much, it is almost NOT food! And get on the carb train, the way carbs are meant to be!  I know it will taste different, maybe even weird, at first. I know when I brought home whole grain tortillas for tacos, I was not impressed. But over time, I have come to like and appreciate the difference. As will you. :-)

Thank you.

John Cardinal

Copyright Healthy Weight Loss for Life 2012