The Carb Question

The Carb Question by Tracie Hammond Expert Trainer
thammond@wellbridge.com 603-387-4418

A lot of times when people say the word, or hear the word, “carbohydrate”, their mind immediately goes to breads, pastas, crackers, etc…the starchy carbohydrates. Therefore this is a reason that so many people think that being on a low carbohydrate diet is the way to lose weight. What if I were to tell you that this is not the case? Now, I’m not saying that you should eat breads, pastas and crackers all day but what I am saying that it is very important to eat 30-50% of your calories per day from the right types of carbohydrates.



What are the right types? First, it is important to note that no 2 people process food exactly the same so it is imperative that you start listening to your body and really seeing what works for you. With that being said, many people are very carb sensitive. The biggest offenders of carb sensitivity are grains, dairy and sugars. Possible side effects are sweet cravings, inability to focus, bloating, gas, excess mucus and stomach cramps. So it would make sense to limit the carbohydrates in your diet in the forms of grains, dairy and sugars.



What you will want to start doing is making sure that you get the proper intake of carbs in the form of vegetables and fruits. Some really good examples of healthy carbohydrates are: broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, onions, red peppers, cherries, grapefruit, prunes, apples, peaches, plums, pears, dry lentils, lima beans, chickpeas, and black eyed peas.



So next time you sit down to a meal take a moment to look at your plate and see if you have a good portion of healthy carbohydrates (like a nice big salad) along with your protein and healthy fat. Do this regularly and watch your health soar!



Action Item:



Identify how many meals per day you eat vegetables with:_________________________
How many fruits per day do you eat: __________________________________________
How many times do you eat starches (bread, crackers, pasta) a day:__________________


Challenge:



If you are not up to 3-4 servings of fresh fruit and 5-6 servings of fresh vegetables daily then challenge yourself to increase your intake of each by 1 serving daily for the next 7 days and then each week after that until you reach the minimum recommended intake. Do this and you will notice a huge difference in how you look and feel!