FitSugar

Another Reason to Eat Carbs: Boost Your Mood

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:00:56 -0800

The majority of Fit readers call themselves carb queens, and Winter can make those carbohydrate cravings even more intense. But have no fear: scientists are finding even more reasons not to avoid this essential food group.

A recent study of more than 100 obese and overweight adults in Australia found that dieting put people in a better mood; a drop in pounds led to increased satisfaction. But for people on low-carb diets, the mood boost didn't last.

The study group was split, with half the subjects on a lowfat diet and the other half low-carbing it. Interestingly, folks in both groups lost the same amount of weight on average, about 30 pounds. But after a year, the low-carb dieters also lost the positive mood effects, while the low-fat dieters did not. Here's more from the study.

Are You a Carb Queen?

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:47:55 -0800

I'm not going to lie to you. I love carbs. Warm bread with olive oil, real macaroni and cheese, and pumpkin chocolate chip scones are a few of my faves. The big problem is that those foods tend to be high in calories, and if I eat too many, my jeans let me know. I don't live without them, though; I just keep my carb intake in check by eating mostly whole grains and eat them with plenty of lean protein, veggies, and fruits. What about you? Do you find carbs hard to resist?

Carb Quiz

FitSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:00:00 -0700

A building block of nutrition, carbohydrates have weathered the Atkins storm and are hopefully back in your daily diet. In our on-again, off-again relationship with carbs, we have lost some of the basic knowledge of the food group. Take this little quiz and see how much you know about carbs.

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Carbs: Simple vs. Complex

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Hopefully by now you know that no and low carb diets aren't the way to go if you want to lose weight. You may drop pounds at first, but as soon as you start eating carbs again, you'll end up gaining the weight back. Also, let me remind you that not all carbs are bad. There are healthy carbs, full of valuable vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein that you should be eating.

In order to know which ones you should be eating, you need to know the difference between simple and complex carbs. To do so just read more.

Simple carbs are mostly made up of refined sugars with very few essential vitamins and minerals. These carbs metabolize quickly, creating a sugar high and followed quickly by a sugar low. Enjoy simple carbs in moderation. Foods such as white bread, soda, candy, and foods made with white flour and white sugar such as cookies, crackers, pasta, and breads are considered simple carbohydrates.

Complex carbs are made up of starch and fiber, so they release gradually and provide our bodies with a steady source of energy. Foods such as beans, fruit, veggies such as potatoes and sweet potatoes, and whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat, and barley are complex carbs. When you eat them, they make you feel full and satisfied for longer, so you end up eating less.

It helps to be a label reader and look for foods made with whole grain flour, not enriched flour, and limit the amount of foods you eat that contain sugar.

The Magic Ratio For Recovery

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Replenishing your body post-workout is just as important as what you eat before you hit the road or gym. If your workout is over an hour, or you run over six miles, you need to refuel your muscles so they will be ready for your next workout.

Thirty to 45 minutes after working out, your body is more responsive to insulin, which helps the muscles pull glucose, made from carbs, out of the bloodstream and into the muscle. You should aim to eat 100 to 200 grams of carbs during this period. Add a little protein to the mix and your muscles can store even more fuel, and the protein also helps repair the muscle damage associated with strengthening them. The ratio of carbs to protein is four to one. You can find this ratio in recovery drinks like Accelerade, but real food can work just as well. In fact, chocolate milk comes close to the magic ratio for recovery and adds other vital nutrients.

I have read that you have until two hours post-workout to fuel your muscles with carbs and protein, but I have also read that you should start replenishing your muscles even before you hit the shower. You can always start off with a large banana immediately after your run plus eat 30 grams of carbs, and worry about refueling your muscles with the magic ratio after your shower.

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You Asked: Should I Ditch Carbs to Lose Weight Before My Vacation?

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Dear Fit,
I'm going to the Bahamas in April and I'm trying to lose some weight so I look good in my bathing suit. Is ditching carbs the best way to go?
-Beach-Bound Brooke

It's that time of year when we really start to think about toning up and losing weight since tank top, shorts, and bathing suit season is coming soon. To find out if ditching carbs will help you get there, read more.

I'm so glad you asked me about this because the answer is a huge no. Do not stop eating carbs altogether, because your body needs them for fuel. Refined carbs like cookies, pasta, white bread, pretzels, and anything made with white flour or sugar can and should be avoided, but do not get rid of the good carbs like fruit, whole grain breads, and whole wheat pasta. Those are full of fiber and nutrients that your body needs for energy and for promoting regularity. They'll also help you lose weight because their high fiber content will keep you feeling full longer, so you won't find yourself needing to eat as much.

Also keep in mind that it's not so much the type of food you're eating that matters, but how much. Calories are the thing to watch here, so keep track of your portion sizes, and don't dip below 1,200 calories a day. In order to lose a pound a week, you'll need to omit 3,500 calories a week. So if you cut 250 calories from your diet a day and burn 250 calories a day through exercise, you'll be well on your way to losing a few pounds before your big trip. It'll take hard work and dedication, but you'll lose the weight and keep it off. If you just ditch all carbs to slim down quickly, you may drop pounds, but it's not a healthy way to go about it. As soon as you start introducing carbs back into your diet, you'll probably end up gaining the weight back. So remember that when it comes to weight loss, slow and steady wins the race.

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Winter and Carb Cravings

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:02:50 -0800

If you crave carbs during the short days of Winter, you are not alone. There seem to be a couple of physiological factors involved. Since there is less sunlight, due to shorter days, our bodies make less vitamin D (aka the sunshine vitamin). It helps keep your mood nice and sunny since it naturally boosts serotonin levels. Serotonin is the feel-good brain chemical that modulates mood, emotion, and sleep. Carbs provide a serotonin rush, so eating all that bread and pasta is a means of self-medicating with food sources. Exercise also creates serotonin, so don't skimp out on your workouts. You need them during these long nights of Winter to keep your spirits up!

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Are You Addicted to Refined Carbs?

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:00:00 -0800

New research out of New Zealand found that refined carbs, essentially white flour and white sugar, are as addictive as cigarettes. They found that heavily processed foods with a high amount of refined carbohydrates, like sugary cereals and sweet baked goods, quickly raise the amount of sugar in the blood, and that this "sugar rush" activates the same areas of the brain stimulated by nicotine and other addictive drugs. Like other addictions, the refined carbs loses its effectiveness in creating the desired rush forcing folks to eat more refined carbs to capture the high. They eat more sweets despite the negative consequences, a defining element of addiction. These findings support the research out of Princeton that sugar has addictive qualities. That Cinnabon might not be as innocent as it seems.

I have been avoiding refined carbs for a long time now. Sticking with whole grains and keeping refined sugar in check leaves me feeling more even emotionally. But what about you . . .

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No-Carb Diets Could Crash Your Brain's Memory

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:30:00 -0800

As far as fad diets go, the low-carbohydrate train has enjoyed a prolonged ride when compared to its more trendy counterparts. Some dieters shun carbs because their bodies respond by shedding pounds, but new research shows they could also be sacrificing some very important brain power.

The brain converts carbohydrates to glucose for proper functionality, and severely restricting carb intake can limit our ability to remember. Nineteen women were put on either a very low-carb diet or the low-calorie diet recommended by the American Dietetic Association, and after just one week the low-carb dieters performed worse on memory-based tasks than the women following the ADA diet.

While low-carb participants consumed almost no carbohydrates during the first week, limited carbs were introduced during the second week and their memories showed improvement with the revised diet. The study's co-author Holly A. Taylor, PhD commented on the bottom line, saying, "Although this study only tracked dieting participants for three weeks, the data suggest that diets can affect more than just weight."

Have you noticed that some diets affect your brain's ability to function properly?

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Nutrition Quiz: Carbs

FitSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Still reeling from the post-Atkins diet demonization, carbs are making their way back into our hearts and bellies. However, not all carbs are created equally.

How much do you really know about this macronutrient? Take this quiz and see how clever you are about carbs.

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