Eating shouldn’t be tortuous or restrictive, it shouldn’t upset your stomach or make you feel guilty, but it should be simple to do and should always help you feel better. Now, if you’re happy eating some carbs and are fine with your body, then my suggestion is to get Strong(er).
Let’s get right down to the nitty gritty. Carbohydrates are not bad for your body and your brain, in particular, is a big fan. I’m talking about carbohydrate dense vegetables and the like (natural) not processed carbohydrates (not natural). You simply have to deserve your carbs before eating them, especially if losing body fat is the goal. There is a time and place to eat them and a hierarchy of healthy too not so healthy, according to any goal.
A bowl of ice cream before bed or half of a sheet cake for breakfast is not good timing and they are not good carbs. Low sugar fruits (low in fructose) in the morning or root vegetables (sweet potato) within 2 hours of training, are good carbs and is good timing.
I should also mention that some of you lucky ducks will be able to consume way more carbs than others without it affecting your body fat. You folks should thank your ancestors. Without experimenting, you won’t know if you tolerate them well. For example; eat a stack of pancakes for breakfast one day and if you’re sleepy an hour later, you don’t tolerate carbs very well. Which means you should probably lick the bakery window ten times and stare at the cupcakes, rather than eating them, because that’s the extent of your carbohydrate tolerance.
Now, what are healthy carbs and when should you eat carbs?
Great questions…
Look, I’m human and I love pumpkin pie. I’m not giving it up, but this is not the best carb choice and so, I eat it strategically, not always.
A small list of healthy carb dense vegetables and fruits
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Beets – (Carb Dense)
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Carrots – (Carb Dense)
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Cassava – (Carb Dense)
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Kohlrabi – (Carb Dense)
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Onion – (Carb Dense)
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Parsnip – (Carb Dense)
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Plantain – (Carb Dense)
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Pumpkin – (Carb Dense)
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Rutabaga – (Carb Dense)
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Squashes – (Butternut, Summer, Winter, Spaghetti) – (Carb Dense)
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Sweet Potatoes – (Carb Dense)
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Berries – lowest in sugar
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Fruits (Low in Fructose – High in Sucrose)
Let’s go a little deeper. There are also sensitivities to dairy, fruit, nuts, breads, pastas and other foods that can cause your hormonal makeup to hold onto fat. Those foods have some carbs as well, but they are not necessarily bad, however they must be accounted for. Most food has some carbohydrates, except naturally occurring lean meat (not processed in any way). Most green leafy vegetables have carbs, but they are ‘free’ carbs and can be eaten all the time. So the suggestion is: strip away as many carbs as possible and replace with protein, veggies and good fats. Then experiment bringing one carbohydrate back and see if your results get better, your energy gets better and recovery gets better. Then you’ll know what to keep and what to avoid, based off your results. If eating carbs gets you results – it’s right!
Lower Carb Options include:
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Butter is fine if grass fed, within reason
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Healthy oils: olive, coconut and sesame are great
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Balsamic and apple cider vinegars
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Nuts and nut butters are good, within reason
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Avocadoes are extremely healthy
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Dark Chocolate (80% +) is good
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Uncured, pasture raised, nitrate free bacon is good, within reason
However, if one of these foods is a ‘domino’ food and you just can’t stop, then you need to examine if having it around helps your goals. Maybe that’s one you don’t keep in the house.
When should you eat carbs?
***The best time to eat carbs – is within 2 hours of a hard training session and ideally, right after. If you have cognitive hunger (sluggish thoughts) then drink more water to quench the thirst response (very similar to hunger) and then possibly have more carbs. If you have ravenous belly hunger, eat more protein.
***Post Workout – Fast acting carbs should be consumed right after training to kick start recovery (pentacarb drink or fruits low in fructose or even white rice in some cases) and spike the bodies insulin levels to replenish your glycogen (energy) stores. Fast acting protein (grass fed whey, eggs) needs to be consumed as well. After 2 hours, eat according to your goals. Eat no fats post workout, because it blunts the insulin spike and this is no good.
***For Weight Loss – Unless you are UNDER 10% Body fat as a man or 18% as a woman, you need not worry because your carbs are already hanging on your body in the form of excess body mass and so, consume no extra carbs. Instead, replace carbs and grains with protein and greens.
***For Fat Loss – Eat fast acting carbs ONLY within the 1-2 hour period POST Training. The rest of the day, consume Proteins, Good Fats and Veggies.
***For Muscle Building – This one is subjective but eat with each main meal, within reason. The meals pre and post workout should have some. If you’re getting your results, eat the least amount possible but monitor and adjust accordingly.
***For when you want to Eat dirty: Ice Cream, Pasta, Bread, Pastries, Donuts, Cake, Thanksgiving Dinner etc. – 10-20 minutes before one of these meals you MUST TRAIN YOUR BODY (at least 5-10 minutes) and NO EXCEPTIONS or EXCUSES (Unless you want to have excess FAT.)
- Examples
- 40 Air Squats
- 60 Pushups
- 100 Kettlebell Swings
**DISCLAIMER** – Please keep in mind, if you want to lose some body fat but still enjoy life then there is a process and you’re either going to follow it, or not. Please don’t say you want to lose fat on one hand and then turn right around and defend your habit of drinking multiple beers with pretzels every night. That doesn’t cut it, capice? If it is something you will not moderate, then your right to complain is revoked because you didn’t follow the plan. There will be some excess fluff and you can deal with it or do something about it. If you’d like to do something about it, be sure to sign up for your FREE Report HERE!
P.S. – This is an uncomfortable situation for some, because it forces you to get really honest with yourself….and that isn’t easy…. I know, but if you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.