Carbs are the enemy? Some say, and according to many scientific studies it is true when it comes to weight gain/ weight loss.
Carbohydrates (CHO) are a macronutrient which we consume in our diet.
These types of food include fruit, vegetables, legumes, bread and pasta. These types of food are required for the majority of energy production in our body associated with what we ingest (eat). In a traditional North American diet, the majority of our calories consumed come from these types of food.
Overconsumption of Simple (bad) Carbohydrates is associated with weight gain and type 2 Diabetes. This is due to your body’s insulin response after ingesting these types of foods and making your insulin receptors less effective, essentially wearing them out.
Weight gain related to overconsumption of Carbohydrates comes from your body turning your food into blood sugar. Once your body has turned this food into blood sugar, it will either use it as energy to move your body OR get stored in your body as a) Muscle Glycogen or b) Adipose Tissue (Fat). Your body can only store so much Muscle Glycogen at once, and after that your body will turn to fat cells to store the rest.
Of course for MMA you need tons of Carbs in your diet to keep your energy levels high when in training. The key is to eat the right types of carbohydrates which will prevent insulin spikes and provide you with quality prolonged energy. There has been an Index created which rates the impact of certain carbohydrate rich foods on your insulin levels.
This is called the Glycemic Index. Choose foods that are lower on the Glycemic Index to prevent excess weight gain and the negative effects of having large insulin spikes and high blood sugar. If you make the right choices you will find yourself to have more energy, less fatigue, becoming more regular (due to the increased fiber), and loosing fat (assuming portions are not more than needed).
Here are some types of Carbohydrate Rich Foods that are Low (Good), Medium (OK), and High (Bad) on the Glycemic Index.
So remember eat as many green vegetables as you can and when eating carbs, stay to the column on the left.
Stay Healthy!
Any questions feel free to contact me through Twitter or my email.
Paulharding@vendettafighter.com
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