Dieting is indeed a tricky affair. Whoever said it was a breeze, well they lied. The pressure to look pleasing to the eye increases in the world of size zero models and Hollywood icons. Before starting this piece on Killer Carbs, lets do it for all the right reasons.
Let your motivation to begin this journey of dieting, not be narrowed down to the sole purpose of conforming to society’s expectations, rather to be healthy and to maintain an ideal weight, in accordance to your Body Mass Index (BMI).
We often hear how bad carbohydrate are when you’re dieting. It is a misconception however, for carbohydrates are vital in obtaining the necessary nutrients our body needs.
There are many benefits of maintaining a healthy dose of carbohydrate in our diet. Carbohydrates boosts the levels of serotonin in our blood, keeping us away from depression, anger and anxiety related issues. As opposed to the usual myth, carbohydrates actually do contribute in preventing weight gain, and helps with weight loss. Besides being good for your heart, it also reduces your total body fat, keeping your waistline trim. Simple studies also goes to show the importance of having a steady intake of carbohydrates to maintain memory power.
Feeling baffled at the importance of carbohydrates? Heard of the saying, “too much of anything is never good”? Here comes the fun facts. Just like everything else, we do have good carbs and bad carbs. Often we practice the wrong kind of diet, being ignorant to the simple facts.
Here is a list of killer carbs that you should avoid while on a diet:
[divider]1. Sugary Beverages[/divider]
We tend to do everything almost right, and then slip at this important factor. High on calories and carbs that are way past your body’s essential needs, this is nothing short of a no-no for you. Blend your own juices, or stick to teas and plain water.
[divider]2. Processed Fruits[/divider]
You must be wondering, fruits are good right? Of course they are, if you stick to the natural ones. One can never go wrong with au natural. Processed fruits such as dried fruits, canned fruits as well as canned and bottled fruit juices have high sugar content and preservatives, out weighing the benefits of the essential nutrients they contain.
[divider]3. Refined Grains[/divider]
Ah, the biggest debate, grains, good or bad? Refined grains are grains such as white bread, white rice, pasta and sugary cereals. Highly processed with little nutrients, substitute these with whole grains such as whole wheat bread, cereals and pasta, quinoa as well as brown rice. It will leave you full and satisfied with much lesser calories.
“Excess calories from any source, not just carbohydrates, will be stored as body fat, but, unrefined carbohydrates such as brown rice and wholemeal bread are actually highly nutritious and healthful. These whole grains are packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and provide bulk so you feel full faster. It’s a good idea to get at least half of your carbohydrates from whole grains.” – Health Promotion Board Singapore
[divider]4. Sweets[/divider]
A temptation it is, especially for the sweet tooth. Candies, cakes, chocolates and cookies are very hard to resist especially when you are dieting. The excessive sugar, calories and saturated fat content though, will do more damage than a moment of pleasure to satisfy that taste buds. Substitute it with healthy snacks instead, such as popcorn. Yes, you read it right, popcorn! It surely satisfies a snack craving and it is whole grain. One of the best snack hacks, hands down – uh, but hold of on the caramel.
[divider]5. Alcohol[/divider]
Yup, it falls into the carb category as well. Beer, sweet wine and drink mixers contain high levels of sugar and calories. Fret not though, you can still enjoy an occasional sip of healthy poison. There are hacks to these killer carbs as well. Replace your sweet wines with dry wines, and start sipping on hard liquor, without the mixers of course. These are acceptable good carbs that will help with your dieting.
No one said dieting has to be a total bore. These little hacks will help you diet the fun way, while staying away from those killer carbs. Keep your heart healthy, and your waistline trim, without sacrificing gastronomical pleasure. As always, add in a little exercise to your diet and you will not only look amazing, but feel amazing as well.
Eat healthy. Remember, you are what you eat.
References:
Health Promotion Board, Singapore
diet.lovetoknow.com
www.eatingwell.com
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com