So you think carbs are bad for you? We’re not surprised. Over the last few years carbs have been given a bad reputation, especially those that are high in sugar which in turn has given ‘fats’ the front runner in our nutrition plans.
Fats are a great source of energy but I can assure you that a diet containing carbs doesn’t give you the kiss of death as long as they are introduced correctly.
To solve your carb confusion, I’ve put together just 4 simple steps to take to fit carbs into your nutrition plan whilst still being able to achieve top body composition results.
Always Eat Your Carbs Post-Workout
One of the major causes of obesity in todays society is a persons high sugar intake. This increase in weight can be significantly linked to their insulin resistance so one of the best ways to improve this is to improve your insulin sensitivity through lifting weights.
When we lift weights the muscle becomes responsive to insulin and sends a signal to the brain which then takes blood sugar out of the blood and deposits it into the muscle.
No Carbs in the Morning
We used to believe that a good healthy breakfast in the morning should contain ingredients such as porridge oats, bran flakes, fruit, toast etc…but to put it bluntly, this type of breakfast is just a quick way for you to get fat.
When we wake up our cortisol levels are high and the body begins to use its natural fat burning throughout the morning. Eating carbs first thing will raise your insulin hormone which automatically blocks cortisol and empties your blood sugar, making you very hungry.
Build Muscle
A quick way to allow more carbs in your diet is to build more muscle. The body can hold up to a 1000g of carbs in the form of glycogen at any one time. Many of my clients who started on low carb diets and have built muscle throughout their transformations have now moved onto a higher carbs diet.
Another point to bear in mind is that the more active a muscle gets, the more carbs it will need. If you are training 5 days a week for example, you will need to include carbs within your diet and of course…post workout.
Night-Time Carbs
This statement can be confusing but they are many reasons behind ‘night time carbs’. The main reason being that at night, when we are looking to sleep, the body releases our sleepy hormone known as ‘serotonin’.
Research has found that when we have carbs with our evening meal the body will secrete much more serotonin versus no carbs, therefore helping you relax and get a good nights sleep.