First things FIRST…Carbs are not bad. Just like everything in life, and ESPECIALLY in nutrition, moderation and balance is KEY.
During digestion, the body breaks carbs down into glycogen (fuel for your muscle cells), which is then converted into energy or stored in the muscles or liver for later usage. Now let’s talk about the two different types of carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates are molecules that are broken down fast and more easily processed. They contain one to two sugar molecules that are linked together.
Examples: Table sugar, candy, soda, cake, donuts, crackers and fruits.
2. Complex carbohydrates are slower digesting and more “complex” in their composition. They contain two or more sugar groups linked together.
Examples: Sweet potatoes, starchy vegetables, rice, pasta and legumes.
There is a purpose for both types of carbohydrates… they can be timed and used in effective ways throughout your day and to fuel your workouts. As a general rule of thumb carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of energy. Therefore, the leaner you are the more carbs you will need to fuel your body because carbohydrates are easily and quickly utilized for energy rather than fats and proteins. For maximizing carb breakdown and muscle repair time, you should consume your carbs before and after workouts.
Now that we know a little more about carbs, here are some questions to ask yourself to better relate this information to your lifestyle.
How many do I need? How active am I? What kind of exercise do I like or participate in, if any? How do I eat according to the answers to these questions?
The amount of carbs that should be consumed depends on your body size and activity level. For instance, if you are a larger, more active person you need more carbs while the smaller, and less active person requires less carbs.
Carbohydrate intake also depends on fat and protein consumption.
To give everyone a specific answer I would need to work individually with you; however, I have listed below some general guidelines that may help you determine your general carbohydrate needs.
The video below goes into a lot of detailed information about how the body breaks down simple and complex carbohydrates and how insulin effects your cells. When we hear something like “when you eat a lot of carbs you can become insulin resistant and suffer from various diseases” then our instinct is to take it to the extreme and cut out all carbs or go on strict diet, but my goal and passion is to educate you! I want you to be educated in a way that is helpful and useful, not to send you into a frenzy and a low carb diet. Like I mentioned at the beginning of this post EVERYTHING IN MODERATION is important!!!
My desire is for this to be an educational article so that you can lead a heathier and more informed lifestyle no matter what your goals are.
I would love to hear from you… what did you like? What was confusing or helpful?
