People typically think that eating a diet high in carbohydrates is better than a diet high in fats. This may not be the case always. Many articles and reports speak of the benefits that carbohydrates provide in our diets and encourage us to eat more. Even in college I can remember the professors promoting the use eating of more carbohydrates because they are the main energy source of the body and that if you are an athlete or into exercise that the body needs a lot of carbs to meet the activity demand.
However, this is not necessarily the case for the majority of the population. Its probably a good thing for athletes or others whose lifestyle is demanding physically to consume a good deal of carbs. But for the rest of us who are generally stuck at a desk for the majority of the day, or, even worse, stuck in front of the television...eating a diet high in carbohydrates, sugars and starches may be the worst thing that we could be doing to ourselves.
Before I get into the meat and potatoes of this article, I should make a distinction between the 2 main types of carbohydrates that are usually consumed. These two are called simple and complex. The simple carbs are the ones that most people like and that most probably eat too many of. Simple carbohydrates are contained in sodas, refined sugar products, doughnuts, candy, and most processed foods. And, to top it off, some of the foods that have high degrees of simple sugars in them are not necessarily sweet. Take for instance powdered pancakes without the syrup. These have a higher percentage of simple sugars that are due to the refining and packaging process.
Then there are the complex carbs or sugars. Basically when a sugar is complex, this means that its in it's natural state. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and such are all filled with complexed carbohydrates or sugars. It is the refining process that breaks these naturally occurring sugars down into more simpler molecules and there by makes them less healthful.
Most people don't know that if the diet is high in carbohydrates, then there is a greater chance that that person will have a little more fat than someone whose diet actually has more protein and fat in it. And, if the diet is filled with simple sugars and carbs, like those found in breads, cereals, and pastas, then you may be well on your way to obesity and all the fun health complications that result from being overweight.
The reason for this is being explored and reported on more and more. It seems that when your diet is high in sugars and carbs, your body produces more insulin. Insulin is the hormone that helps your body use sugar for energy. However, if your diet has a lot of sugar in it, your body will have a lot of insulin in it. If there is a lot of insulin floating around the body this may contribute to our being fat.
Insulin, is the regulator of the levels of sugar in the blood. If its pumped out into the body in excessive amounts the body gets resistant to it and so is not able to use up all the extra carbs that are floating around. If this happens, the body then converts all that extra carbohydrate into fat and puts it into storage. This is one way that people actually become fat and one of the contributing factors to people developing diabetes.
Eating fatty foods does not make you fat per se. The body's response to all the excess carbohydrates and sugars in the diet makes you fat. The reason for this is that your body only has a limited capacity to store excess sugars in the form of carbohydrates. But, the body has a higher capacity to store fat. It just converts all those candy bars, mochas, sodas,and candies into a substance that it can store more easily, namely, fat.
Many people have tried to address this issue by dieting. But, it's hard to lose weight by simply cutting the amount of calories you eat. Just because you eat less doesn't automatically translate into losing body fat. Your body is pretty smart. When you stop eating, your body actually slows down its metabolism in an effort to conserve fuel. If you starve yourself, you may lose some weight, but it be long before you hit a plateau and stop losing weight. Plus, in many cases, the weight that is lost is muscle mass which actually decreases your ability to burn fat calories!!
The best (not the only) ways to lose weight are based on scientific principles and not gimmicks. They are not based on starvation or buying overly priced special foods. A healthy diet along with a moderate exercise or activity program over time will produce positive results. It can be no other way.
If you are one of those that are interested in healthy weight loss don't be disheartened. There are many solid programs that will walk you through the process step by step. You can find many of them by doing a simple Google search. One that comes to mind is "the Primal Diet". Another is called "Eat, Stop, Eat" and another is called "Fat Loss 4 Idiots". Each of these approaches shows you how eating the right types of foods in the right combinations will help you avoid overloading your body with carbs and potentially developing insulin resistance and excess fat storage.
In closing, just remember this: You can do anything you put your mind to. It really is as simple as that.
Bryan Williams has 15 years practicing the physical therapy profession. He has provided health, fitness, and wellness advice to physicians, nurses, chiropractors, not to mention the many patients that have benefited from his unique approach to physical therapy and rehabilitation. His preferred area of research and study is on the topic of Efficiency in Human Movement. He enjoys sharing his experiences with everyone and maintains an entertaining blog specifically developed to address fitness in the workplace.
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