My Diet Tips

Hi everyone,
After many hours of research I have come to realise that refined carbs are one of the biggest reasons why millions of people throughout the world get fat! I was one of these people a few years back, stuffing my face uncontrollably with sugar, breads, pastries and sugar filled sauces. It’s so obvious to me now just how bad this type of food is yet so many people get sucked into the pretence that refined carbs such as white pasta and bread can be healthy.

One example I can think of is when I was in work and I’d nothing with me for lunch (as usual) and out of, what I thought was necessity, I went to the shop to buy “the healthiest option”. The laugh of it was I thought the healthiest option was one of those pre-packed pasta salads. Full of white pasta, fat, salt and preservatives.

Now I’m not saying I’m a fan of zero carb diets, but I can see the reasoning behind the idea. Put simply, unless you have rock solid will-power, the more carbs you eat, the more you want! The faster your body uses up those carbs for energy the sooner it wants more. Notice how I said the body WANTS more carbs, but it doesn’t NEED more. So the more refined the carb (the more processing it’s had) the less digestion it needs, so it has little to “lock” in the energy so to speak. The energy is released easily and rapidly, and before you know it, it’s like you never even had that snack, and you’re just as hungry if not more! It’s a cycle, and a vicious one, playing havoc with your energy levels, moods, motivation and your body fat.

I decided to swap almost all refined carbs for unrefined. So as often as possible I eat carbs in their natural state, or at least their whole grain cousins. Why? Well, because they have more fibre. Fibre slows the digestion and thus the energy release. This means sustained release and longer until I crave more.

In addition to the swap, I also pay more attention to the quantity of carbs I eat in relation to my energy requirements over the hours following that meal. So, in the evening when I’m likely to be sitting watching TV, I try not to eat any carbs, except what’s in the odd protein pancake. I try to stick to salad type foods which distract me from my cravings for other foods. I struggle sometimes to control my cravings, but if you’re firm with yourself at these times, you will reap the benefits and feel great for being consistent.

I always try and take some sort of lean protein with any carbs through the day as this will slow their digestion further and reduce the likelihood of hunger pangs. Drinking more water also helps.

So, what ever your fitness goal is, it’s vital to be vigilant with your diet. An easy way to look at it is to ask yourself before every meal, “what do I need this energy for?”. This question will really allow you to become in tune with your body’s NEEDS and not its WANTS.

But don’t deny yourself the odd treat – just watch the portion size

See you soon

Marianne