Carbs Are NOT The Enemy!

There are so many misconceptions about carbs - carbohydrates - that it has become very common to hear the following phrases:

"I know I need to cut back on my carbs"
"A low-carb diet will help me lose weight"
"I eat too many carbs and that is why I am overweight"
"Carbs are bad, but I just can't stay away from them"

Carbs have gotten a really bad rap, esp. in the last 10 years. Think about it -- the low-carb diet craze, the no-carb diet craze, the "carbs are bad" mentality -- all over the last 10-20 years while at the same time obesity is SKYROCKETING during this time. Think there might be a little connection?

Carbs are NOT the enemy! 


Carbs are LIFE. 
Carbs are ENERGY. 
Your body NEEDS Carbs. 

When a client comes to me wanting to change her life and get healthy, one of the first things I do is a nutrition analysis, based on what she is currently consuming each day. 80% of new clients believe that they have a problem with Carbs before we start working together. And what do I find out after the nutrition analysis? 80% of new clients are fine, carb percentage-wise. They just might be eating the wrong kinds of carbs. So what are the right kinds of carbs? And should you eat them?

Carbs are technically any of a group of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches, celluloses, and gums and serves as a major energy source in your diet. Carbs are generally thought of in food categories as bread, pastas, potatoes and rice, bread being the most popular. It frustrates me to no end when I hear someone say that they cannot or should not eat a sandwich because it is "all carbs". It's all carbs if you make it all carbs. You just need to learn how to eat the right kinds of carbs.

Healthy vs. unhealthy carbs:

Oatmeal vs. boxed cereals
Sweet potatoes vs. potatoes
Whole wheat breads vs. white breads
Brown rice vs. white rice
Fruits and veggies vs. fried foods [any]

Does this mean that you have to go home and change all your unhealthy carbs to healthy ones overnight? No, make a gradual change. It's ironic that moms of young children are so careful to make sure that their baby gets the proper BALANCE of foods, gotta get those fruits in, gotta get those veggies in, proper balance of milk and lean meats, but then when it comes to themselves, they barely eat a fruit or vegetable and snack on candy and chocolate that they would never think of feeding their baby. As the children get older, they relax on the rules a little bit, but mom's eating habits stay the same. She just keeps gaining weight. Pretty soon, it's a habit, she's overweight and that's when it gets frustrating.

Carbs are not bad for you, but like anything else in a good NUTRITION plan [not a die-it], moderation is KEY!

If you cannot give up boxed cereals, have it in moderation coupled with a healthy fruit. Try brown rice instead of white rice. Try a sweet potato instead of a regular potato. I think the worst things on the list above is white breads and fried foods. Those need to be limited as much as possible. And that's where our obsession with sandwiches and chips or fries comes in, such a good combination. You can still eat a sandwich. It just depends on how you make it.

Use whole grain breads. Fill it with a good protein source. Fill it with good veggies. Limit fatty sauces or don't use them. My favorite lunch sandwich is a California Avocado from Atlanta Bread Company. No white bread, put it on whole grain. No dill sauce [glorified mayonnaise]. Takes me 20 seconds to tell them to make those substitutions. But those are my choices. You go to any restaurant and you can make the same choices. You cook at home and you can make those same choices.

Stop labeling the food as "BAD" or talking about them like they are the enemy. The food is energy to help you through your day. But YOU have to be in charge, YOU choose your health at every meal. So start making good choices. So if you feel like having a sandwich, have one - just make sure it's a healthy one!