CARBS...how bad can they be?
Here’s the thing, we all love them
and indulge probably more than we should but are they really a big
deal? The answer is YES! They are a very big deal. Carbs cause
inflammation, brain fog, accelerated aging process, daily fluctuation in
energy, mood, and appetite. We often think that carbs give us an energy
boost but what they really do is cause a spike in blood sugar. This
overload of glucose is carried away by insulin to be stored in your body
if it is not burned immediately. We all know what that means...hello
fat cells filled with triglycerides! That’s right! The nasty stuff that
clogs your arteries. Once the glucose is stored, it’s CRASH time! Time
to reload with more carbs instead of using the stored fat as fuel
because our bodies can’t access it since we have become carb dependent.
It truly is a vicious cycle that most people struggle with breaking.
So
what do we do for energy if we don’t consume grains and sugary snacks?
That’s what I was wondering so I started reading about “Keto” thanks to
one of our members, Tom Groff, who got me interested in it. Here’s what I
learned, “Keto is a state of metabolic efficiency where you are able to
burn stored energy in the form of body fat and ketones, and not be
dependent upon regular high-carbohydrate meals to sustain your energy,
mood, and cognitive focus.” (Sisson, Mark. & Kearns, Brad. The Keto
Reset Diet. 2017). Who doesn’t want to burn stored fat!! So you can use
stored fat for energy and eliminate carbs so you are no longer carb
dependent and break the carb cycle. Sounds good to me!
I
decided to give it a try. So on January 2, 2018 (Nope I didn’t start
January 1, that would mean it was a New Year's resolution and you know
how I feel about those lol), I jumped on board the “keto” wagon. I
figured it couldn’t hurt right. Here’s what happened, in 5 days I lost 4
½ lbs and 1.2% body fat. Now, don’t get me wrong, it was water weight
but that just shows you how much inflammation I had from the carbs. By
January 14th, I lost a total of 6 lbs and 2.1% body fat. What I also
noticed was that chronic feeling of inflammation, that low-grade
headache, and constant fatigue was gone. I am not hungry or having my
weekly craving (who am I kidding...my daily craving) for ice cream.
That’s huge for me. Just ask Frank! I will admit I looked forward to my
“cheat days” on Friday nights, Saturdays, and Sundays. Come on, I’m
human. I needed a carb fix every now and then. Now I look forward to the
meals I prepped and no more “cheat days.”
How can we become
fat and ketones adapted? First, you need to eliminate grains, sugar, and
refined vegetable oils. These foods cause inflammation, fat storage,
dysfunctional fat metabolism, and increase your risk of cancer and heart
disease. You then need to replace these foods with healthy sources of
fat. Fat does not produce insulin. It stabilizes your appetite, energy
levels, and keeps you satisfied longer. Ultimately, you will consume
less calories. Following a
high healthy fat, moderate protein, and
very low carb, by low I mean 50 grams per day or under, diet, you will
become a fat burning machine.
I’m not suggesting this is for
everyone. What I hoped to do was bring light to another way of eating
and highlight why carbs are so bad for you. There are alternative energy
sources out there to fuel your body in a much healthier way. Our bodies
were not designed to be reliant on carbs as our fuel source. Break the
cycle and eliminate carbs to see how you feel. Choose healthy fats,
carbs that come from green leafy vegetables, and good sources of
protein. What do you have to lose? Oh that’s right...a few pounds and
body fat, not to mention inflammation and brain fog! Good luck!
