Carbohydrates, often referred to as “carbs,” are your body’s primary energy source, and they’re a crucial part of any healthy diet. Carbs should never be avoided, but it is important to understand that not all carbs are alike.

When I think of the people out there still to this day who write and say, My diet is good, I cut all my carbs, I shake my head thinking look what these fad diets have done in educating people, you are only going to get fatter with that approach long term.  When you cut carbs out 100% Yes you will lose scale weight initially, but you can also lose a ton of muscle which in turns slows your body down.  The minute you introduce carbs back into your daily life you will gain weight back sometimes gaining more then with what you started with.  People this is what I call a quick fix.  Quick fix always leads with failure in the end.  If you eat right and work hard you will look and feel great forvever

There seems to big a ton of misleading information out there about carbs.  They are getting a bad rep and I want to clear everything up so you realize that you CAN eat carbs its just you have to eat the right ones at the right times in the right amounts.  Carbohydrates play an important part in a healthy diet.  Instead of looking at carbs like they are evil, look at them like fuel.   The minute you think of food as fuel you will no longer have issues with it. 

There is much discussion about good and bad carbs.  The answer comes down to 2 words  Simple and Complex, Bad and Evil, Right and Wrong

Carbohydrates can be either simple (nicknamed “bad”) or complex (nicknamed “good”) based on their chemical makeup and what your body does with them. Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains and legumes, contain longer chains of sugar molecules; these usually take more time for the body to break down and use. This, in turn, provides you with a more even amount of energy.   

The Bad Carbs

Simple carbohydrates are composed of simple-to-digest, basic sugars with little real value for your body. The higher in sugar and lower in fiber, the worse the carbohydrate is for you — remember those leading indicators when trying to figure out if a carbohydrate is good or bad.  Lets think like your body is like your car.  Your not going to pump sugar in the gas tank of your car, it will not run right and eventually shut down.  Your body is identical.  If you fill it full of simple and pointless carbs you will shut down.

Fruits and vegetables are actually simple carbohydrates — still composed of basic sugars, although they are drastically different from other foods in the category, like cookies and cakes. The fiber in fruits and vegetables changes the way that the body processes their sugars and slows down their digestion, making them a bit more like complex carbohydrates, now even fruit during transformation stages needed to be avoided for the most part.  Very rarely do guys/girls who are getting on stage or getting prepped for a photoshoot still have fruit in their diet.  Fruit is very healthy for you full of nutrients but if your seeking a visual type of goal i would keep fruit to a miniumum in your diet 

The carbs you MUST eliminate from your diet. 

As many of you read this list you may think some of these things are your “quick fix” or “comfort foods”  they are also the reason you feel unenergized, unhappy and have gained weight.  Its simple.  Cut the simple ones out

Soda
Candy
Artificial syrups
Sugar
White rice, white bread, and white pasta
White Potatoes (which are technically a complex carb, but act more like simple carbs in the body)
Pastries and desserts
The Good Carbs

Complex carbohydrates are considered “good” because of the longer series of sugars that make them up and take the body more time to break down. They generally have a lower glycemic load, which means that you will get lower amounts of sugars released at a more consistent rate — instead of peaks and valleys —to keep you going throughout the day.

To know if a packaged food is made of simple or complex carbohydrates, look at the label. Read the box so you know what exactly you’re getting. If the first ingredient is whole-wheat flour or whole-oat flower, it’s likely going to be a complex carbohydrate, And if there’s fiber there, it’s probably more complex in nature.

Complex carbs are going to be apart of every meal other then your very last one.  You want to use them as energy sources, your last meal is prepping for the food you need while you sleep, Protein.  Lets look at your day.  You wake up after 6-8 hours of fasting while you were sleeping.  Its crucial that you start your day off right with a good source of protein and a good carbohydrate like oatmeal.  For your lunch meal you are setting yourself up for a killer workout by having that brown rice, veggies and fish.  Pre workout you take in a small amount of complex carbs and get prepared for your workout at 5pm.  You have put the right amount of fuel in your system to allow your body to work hard and get you to your goals quicker.  

Complex Carb or Fuel Foods

Oatmeal,

Brown Rice,

Wheat Pasta,

Sweet Potato,

Whole Wheat Cereals

 Bran

The bottom line: Unless you are prepping for a Compitition or a photoshoot eat balanced and fuel your body with carbs.  Just be sensible about the carbs you choose. Skip low-nutrient dessert, consider the levels of sugar and fiber in carbs, and focus on healthy whole grains, fruits, and veggies to get the energy your body needs every day. 

Take control of what you are putting in your mouth and in your childrens mouth.  There are many way to eat inexpensive and healthy while still enjoying what you are eating.  The quick fixes of the world will only get you short term enjoyment.  I want to see you happy, healthy and fit for a LIFETIME