Carbohydrates (Carbs) ARE Your Friend!

     There is always controversy about this very valuable macronutrient.  It seems that we are always looking for someone or something to blame for weight gain and those unwanted pounds that relentlessly stick to our midsection.  Why not just blame it on Carbs? It is an easy fix! Just eliminate Carbs from your diet and those pounds will melt away, right? WRONG! Enter Atkins, Keto, or any other extremely low carb diet.  I promise you, it is not always as simple as just a low-carb diet. Remember … there are ALWAYS reactions to our actions. The proper philosophy is not to subtract from your diet, it is to add better, nutrient dense, whole foods to it! To some, this may sound strange, but stick with us.

The Basics:

     Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy in your body.Carbs are found in food sources that include vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, rice, and sugars.  Sugar is a carb but not all carbs are sugar. Carbs provide (4) calories per gram. They are broken down through digestion into sugar sand absorbed through the small intestine.  From there they are shuttled off into the blood system and used immediately or stored in the muscles and liver until needed for energy.  

     Our bodies can only store a limited amount of stored carbs, depending on how much lean muscle you have, between 800 - 2100 calories at any one time.  This is barely enough to sustain an individual through an hour and a half of intense exercise, which is why we need to eat carbs throughout the day. 

     Stored carbohydrates are called glycogen.  The average person will use up every gram of stored glycogen just by standing upright, breathing, digesting, thinking, and trying to maintain a constant body temperature.  This is called your Resting Metabolism. Once you include every day movement and especially exercise, your body demands additional carbs, preferable in the form of glycogen.  Without it, your body will rob your hard earned muscle tissue (catabolism) to be converted into energy. This DROPS your metabolic rate, which makes it harder for your body to burn calories.  Remember … Muscle burns calories! Fat does not. 

Now what?

So, with the internet being flooded with so much false information, how do I know how many carbs I should be eating? 

The honest answer is this … No two people are exactly alike, which means you need to eat the correct amount of carbohydrates for your desired goals.  Whether it is weight loss, weight gain, or maintenance, you do have a specific number that is right for you, and I PROMISE you it is not the low-carb trend!   For sustainable results, and to avoid future medical issues, stick with a well balanced diet of all of the macronutrients.