Thursday, July 18, 2013

Carb cycling


Since beginning this journey six months ago, I have struggled with the concept of carbs. Aren't we taught that carbs give us energy? They have fewer calories. And think back to the food pyramid we learned in elementary school-



grains were at the bottom in plentiful amounts. Even the new plate that has been designed by the USDA has a substantial portion devoted to carbs:




I have been doing a lot of reading and research on this. Think about it. The high carb, low fat diet guideline came about in the 80's. If we are all following it, why aren't we stick thin??? Why such the obesity epidemic? What about those of us with insulin resistance?

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying we should throw out all carbs because not all sources are bad ones. I am saying though, that we need to investigate the KINDS of carbs we are eating as well as the source. I have pretty much ditched bread. I just tend to think that wheat has become overly processed and isn't really all that healthy.

As of this week, I have decided to try carb cycling. It is a concept where on cardio days, you eat low to no carb forcing your body to use it's fat stores for energy, and then on strength building days, you eat moderate or high carbs to feed your muscles. It is a pretty fascinating topic. As I learn more, I will share. So far this week, it is going well. I am on a steady slide down (what happened to not weighing daily? Hello, my name is Therese and I am addicted to my fitbit scale).

What are your thoughts on carbs? I'd love you to join in on the discussion.


1 comment:

  1. I think the right carbs makes all the difference. I know with my 3 type 1 children, high processed carbs push them too high and carbs that are more natural like fruit, legumes and veg have them fairly steady. I try to eat less than 60 grams of carbs with main meals and no more than 15 with snacks. If I don't get enough carbs though, I am low on energy.

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