I used to think that eating carbs was the devil when it came to getting fit or losing weight. You couldn't lose weight or get super fit if you ate carbs. I thought all those super muscular fit people must be insanely dedicated and never touch a single gram of carbs... but... what I've learned is the exact opposite. Some of the fittest people I know are the ones eating allll the carbs while the rest of us are over here eating salads with chicken 24/7. That kinda diet doesn't work for me (or any of us weak people lol) because I'm a creature of habit, I like eating those comfort foods every once and awhile. I knew there had to be a way to incorporate these foods and still get the results I wanted to.
Here's what I've found...
Carbs are NOT bad for you IF you eat them in the right amounts, at the right times for the right reasons. Not all carbs are created equal.
During this time of year its typical to eat more carbs than usual. What I teach my clients is a flexible nutrition system that allows them to eat carbs without the guilt and still allows them to get awesome results on their journey.
Here's my tips on how to Still Eat Carbs and burn fat effectively:
1. Eat the right macros to build lean muscle
Macros are the nutrients that make up everything you eat - your carbs, fats and proteins. When you know how much of each you should be eating you’ll be surprised at how many carbs you are actually allowed to eat to get results. Most of my clients are surprised at how many calories and carbs they should be eating to maintain lean muscle mass. The key is to know exactly how much of each macronutrient you should consume. If you over-consume, you will gain weight. If you under-consume you will cause issues like hypothyroidism or again, weight gain. You can use apps like My Fitness Pal, an online macro calculator or get a coach to help you determine your macronutrient ratios for your goals.
2. Eat 90% of the right carbs!
There are good carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, fruits/veggies and then there are “bad” carbs like donuts, cookies and pastas or your mom's famous mac n cheese. But when you know what you’re eating and how much you should be eating you can still eat those discretionary carbs and swap out good for bad. This eliminates guilt and making you feel like you have to start over every week when you eat a doughnut or have pasta!
3. Do the right kind of exercise!
By combining HIIT Workouts + heavy resistance training you can burn fat effectively. I've found this is the best combo to shed unwanted fat and still be able to eat the stuff you love in moderation. In my signature program we do 2 HIIT workouts + 3 strength training workouts per week. The lifting portion helps you to build lean calorie burning muscles and the carbs you eat (which are 90% healthy carbs/10% bad carbs) are going to help you to fuel those workouts. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism will be, which will help your body shed the unwanted fat that covers up your abs! On our hardest training days are when you typically want to eat those discretionary carbs. The HIIT workouts will increase your metabolic rate and burn fat long after your workout is over. This will help you look lean and toned and use your carbs for fuel!
If you want to learn more about this topic and how you can burn fat efficiently and effectively without the guilt of eliminating your favorite foods my 4 week fitness + nutrition program, Body Back Bootcamp, is a great fit for you!
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