Good Carbs, Bad Carbs

Today is picture day. I am not photogenic. Therefore, today will not be a good day. I'd say that's dome good deductive reasoning, wouldn't you?!

I have so much going on and just not enough time to get what I want done. There needs to be more time in the day! But alas, there's a measly 24, so I need to prioritize correctly...

AnYwAyS... so guess what the month of October is?! It's all about eating the good carbs that fuel our bodies and our brains and don't make them crash within an hour, A.K.A. your bad carbs. Last month, Tosca Reno had a challenge to strike sugar. How did everyone do? Just because the challenge is over does not mean that you have to stop following through!

Back to the carbs...

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Here is a list of GOOD complex carbs that fuel you and don't make you feel tired and lethargic after eating them: any and every vegetable, fruit (these are actually more simple, but most fruits contain a lot of vitamins and minerals so eat accordingly), oats, brown rice, basmati rice, wild rice, quinoa, amaranth, sorghum, barley, millet, plain popcorn, etc. Some of these you may have never even heard of, but hey try them out! 

Stay AWAY from any processed foods with SUGAR like Twinkies, processed brownies/chips/cookies/cakes, ice cream, soda, bagels, pretzels, etc. These are made with refined carbs that are bad news. Why? Because they are simple carbs and are digested very quickly by the body, which gives you no lasting energy and makes you want to pass out with exhaustion an hour after eating them. Ever have that 2:30 feeling where you just want to sleep? Check what you ate earlier in the day. I guarantee you weren't feeding your body the best carbs to keep you alert and focused.

By choosing the RIGHT carbs, you will have lasting energy and you will be able to do things more efficiently. This is because glucose, coming from carbs, is the main energy source for the brain. So by consuming the right carbs, you brain will operate to the best of its abilities and stay focused. Often, any bodybuilding competitors who reduce their intake of carbs will complain of feeling "out of it" because their brain has a lack of glucose and it needs to pull its energy elsewhere, and not as efficiently. Erin Stern, during competition prep, always has to remind herself that when she may lose her phone, she might have to check the fridge because she is so carb depleted that she forgets she puts it in there! (By the way, congrats to Erin for winning Ms. Figure Olympia 2012! I LOVE her!) 

I just had to put this one here. She looks INCREDIBLE. I look up to this woman! (Source)

There is that common fear of carbs everywhere. I've heard some girls my age who are trying to "lose weight" complain that they "can't eat that" because it has too many "carbs." Oh puh-lease. Let me get this out there: Carbs are not your enemy. Carbs are FRIENDLY. With that being said, the RIGHT carbs are freindly, when eaten in the right amounts. Overloading on even the good carbs is not good. Too much of ANYTHING is not good.

So, you may be asking yourself If carbs are 'good' then how come competitors and people trying to shed weight always cut their carb intake? Simple. When you cut your carb intake, you lose a lot of water weight since consuming carbs may hold water. The competitors do it because they want to look as shredded as possible on stage, and by getting all the excess water out, they are able to achieve that shredded look that they cannot maintain year-round. They even CARB LOAD right before going on stage since carbs will 'puff up' the muscles making them look fuller. These competitors aren't cutting carbs to stay THAT shredded for a long period of time--it's really not possible. Anybody claiming that they are cutting carbs for good really doesn't know what they are talking about. Cutting carbs will temporarily cause you to shed water weight, but the minute you consume carbs again, the water weight will come back on. This is why many competitors gain a few pounds back after competition when they slowly reintroduce water and carbs back into their diets.

In my opinion, although carbs are not a 'necessary' macronutrient, everybody needs them in various amounts. Could you imagine never eating carbs and always feeling airheaded, not remembering where you are and what you are doing because your brain is not being fed glucose? I couldn't, and I don't want to. Some people need more carbs than others, i.e. very active people like runners, cyclists, weightlifters, people trying to gain MUSCLE (yes, carbs are necessary for this) etc. Teenagers especially need to eat GOOD carbs to grow to their fullest potential. Some people don't need as many carbs, like those are not active and those that cannot handle them well. Yes, some people rely better on fat for energy than carbs, and most of these people follow the Paleo diet, but that's a blog post for another time. Basically, we all need carbs in some way. Cutting them out permanently is ridiculous and obviously not sustainable.

Remember to eat the GOOD carbs, and fuel that body! #ipromise (for more about the #ipromise challenge, click here) that for the month of October, the majority of my carbs will come from the GOOD sources. Yes, I do have days when I want a cup of frozen yogurt the size of my head, but I have those in moderation and enjoy those moments. Are you joining in?!

Question: Do you eat the right carbs? How does your body feel when you don't put quality carbs in your body?

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