Not All Carbs Are Created Equal

Carb counting and carb cutting have become popular in recent years. Good carbs, bad carbs, it can be quite confusing. But let this point be clear.........Carbohydrates are essential to a healthy diet. Whole grains offer a wealth of nutrients, fiber, and hunger satiating properties that are important to proper nutrition and achieving a lean physique. The glycemic index (GI) is an important resource for determining which carbs to eat and which to avoid. Foods with a low GI are digested slower and help to regulate blood sugar levels. Low GI carbs include old fashion oatmeal, pumpernickel and sourdough breads, legumes (beans), and bran cereals.

One notorious high GI foods consumed by individuals looking to lose weight is Gatorade!

While higher GI carbs and foods have their place in the effort to build muscle, these items have an adverse effect on the body's fat burning ability. High GI carbs spike blood sugar levels and quickly causes those levels to crash. Unlike low GI carbohydrates, high GI carbs do not provide the energy necessary to sustain the body throughout the course of the day.

So, eat carbs...........low GI carbs of course. But consume the foods that provide energy and reduce hunger. A carb is not a 4 letter word.

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Stale Fitness & Nutrition

Have you stopped learning about how you train and eat? Stopped learning about yourself? Fitness and nutrition are elements that should be progressive. Ever evolving is the prospect of getting into top shape. If you are satisfied with your physique and health, then rest assure you train to a level of mere satisfaction. Accordingly, your body will respond. Training to maintain is training that is ultimately destructive. A training regimen that is structured for constant improvement is an approach that will be fruitful for a lifetime. There is no doubt that the body requires periodic rest and recovery. But if you reach the "finish line" of your level of fitness, then you will fine that you have lost the race. By the same token, progression does not have to come by leaps and bounds. One step, one rep is improvement.

When you feel that your diet is as clean as it can get, continue to research and learn ways to make it better. A colleague of mine shared the knowledge regarding the determination of the nutritional value of whole grains, by considering the fiber content. Even is "healthy" food items there can be a less than desirable ratio of fiber to carbohydrate content. So, to figure out the nutritional value of a carbohydrate here is the quick calculation. Take the number of grams of carbohydrates in food item and divide it by the number of grams of fiber in the item. If the result is 10 or greater, then the food item exceeds the desirable ratio. If the item is 9 or less then it is in the healthy ratio.

Continue to learn and your health and fitness is guaranteed to improve.

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