The Story on Carbs and Weight Loss
You may have heard that weight loss works better when you lower carb intake. This may be true to some extent but know that your body needs carbohydrates. Children burn off a lot of energy doing things like growing, running around, mastering new skills, and developing their brains. Then they reach childbearing age and still need an energy source, to raise kids and then to run after them for a while. Read on to learn more about the importance of carbohydrates and fats when considering recipe makeovers.
(In case you missed the last post in the series, click here to read it).
Dietary carbs are essential at this time.
During our later years of life, we need less carbohydrates, but we still do need them in moderation because carbohydrates help us to digest our food. As you age, your tummy doesn't work as efficiently as it once did, so fiber is necessary…never mind what some misinformed members of the low carb crowd may be telling you!
Fun fact: protein on its own does not pass through the digestive system without help from carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are made of plant matter which contains fiber. Think potatoes, rice, corn, oats, and any veggie such as broccoli, celery, carrots. Plant fiber is “undigestible” and that's why it works to clear our digestive system. This might sound gross, but it's the reason fiber helps you digest more efficiently and weigh less.
The fiber from plants you eat attracts water, bloats up and fills our intestinal tract. This activates peristalsis or pooping and it's how we pass waste from our bodies.
A body that's clear of waste is a healthy, happy body.
Forms of carbohydrates that have not been processed to death include all fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains. Many so-called experts advocate a low-carb diet. You can still do low carb the healthy way as long as you're heavy-handed with the dark, leafy, and cruciferous veggies. But if going to that extreme just isn't your cup of tea, or you'd prefer to stick with a balanced plate at every meal… you can simply modify the type and amount of carbohydrates you eat.
Take some time to rethink carbs.
- Instead of processed flour, go for whole grains
- Instead of filling half your plate with a starchy side, go with 1/4 greens and 1/4 whole grain such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta on your plate.
With time and practice, you'll eventually gain a new perspective on what's a healthy amount of carbs –which is much less than you have been conditioned to eat daily.
Know Your Lipids for Weight Loss and Good Health
If you think your body doesn't need fat, you're wrong. Fat is also an essential component of a well-balanced diet.
If you've ever been fed intravenously in the hospital, you may have noticed that a bag of lipids is included free with your overnight stay. Fat is that important to our body function. But as far as healthy eating goes, you don't want just any fat. You want the good kind that helps your hormones function and clears out the toxins in your blood.
Good fats come in many forms. And this includes fat from fruits like
- Olives
- Avocado
- Coconut
as well as the pressed oil of
- Tree nuts
- Sesame seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- And many others
You'll also find an abundance of healthy fat in fish such as
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Sardines
Saturated fat, which is the more-harmful-less-healthy kind, shows up in
- meat
- dairy products
Full-fat dairy has the most saturated fat
- sour cream
- butter
- cheese
- whipping cream
While saturated fat is an essential nutrient that your body needs, too much is harmful and can lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease. So it's important to balance it with other vital nutrients such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
A Great Example is the Mediterranean diet
Now that we know the building blocks of your healthy diet, let's explore how some simple changes help you enjoy your favorite foods but healthy them up. What you prepare in the way of daily meals can make all the difference in your health and in your size, shape and how much you weigh.
For decades, people who were looking to lose weight simply reduced fat in their diets.
That was the trend. The concept seemed easy enough, but it overlooked the fact that certain fats really are good for you and essential to a healthy and well-functioning body. Just think of how your skin and hair look when you include olive oil and avocado in your diet. That's just two examples…healthy fat is especially GOOD for aging people.
Nowadays, when it comes to fat, we know better. If you get enough good fat in your diet, you can minimize the health risks that come from eating bad fat aka saturated fat from animal products.
So doing something like indulging in a couple of bacon slices can be counterbalanced with a side of healthy fat, like avocado, along with a healthy dark green veggie, like spinach or kale. Add in a protein source – boiled egg- to round out the meal.
This is an example of a well-balanced lunch that is good for your health, and you get to enjoy a small portion of saturated fat!
In my next post, we will discuss the basics of a healthy recipe makeover.
6 Reasons you Need More Vegetables
Not All Fats Are Created Equal
