So it’s that time of year when lots of us are trying to shift a few pounds in time for bikini weather. And ‘out there’ is truck loads of sometimes conflicting advice about the correct way or the best way to lose weight. There are so many ‘options’ promoted for losing weight – cutting carbs, calorie restriction, calorie counting, low fat only, protein only, food combining, juicing, fasting … the list goes on!

As much as I don’t promote a lot of these ways to lose weight, they do all have their purpose, but unfortunately the majority of people understandably aren’t familiar with the science behind them. As such, people end up struggling with these ‘regimes’ – many don’t follow them correctly and often the regimes themselves aren’t realistic enough so people give up after a couple of days. Some people manage to follow the diet through but maintaining the weight loss can be very tough.  It always comes back to balance in my eyes – and to me that means following a clean eating diet which fits into your individual lifestyle. In other words maximising the amount of fresh, unprocessed, unrefined, organic produce as possible!

I have written a blog post talking about all the different types of carbs and how they are broken down in the past (which was sent out in a past newsletter) but I just wanted to remind you all of a few important things before you think about stripping them out of your diet completely!

So, the most popular question in relation to carbohydrates is ‘Do carbs make you fat?’ The answer: Too much of anything will make you fat! You have to remember that science here is the key. In a nutshell, you need to stick within calorie expenditure and macronutrient balance to prevent weight gain and to maintain weight.

Next question: ‘Can carbohydrates help you to become leaner?’ It is not just protein that builds muscle but also glycogen, which, you guessed it (!) is released from complex carbohydrates when they break down.

When you eat carbs, some of the glucose is converted into glycogen which is then stored in the liver and muscles. When you lift weights, you drain your muscles’ glycogen stores. Eat carbs around workout time to ensure the growth of your muscles, especially if you are looking to gain muscle mass. You just need to make sure you don’t go over-eating them because the excess will get stored. In actual fact, all women should be looking to gain muscle mass. There’s much fear associated with lifting weights and often ladies worry that lifting weights will make them look bulky and that the scales will make them seem heavier. Again, this is another blog post topic but I promise you ladies, don’t rely on spinning or running day in day out; mix up your exercise regime with a few weighted workouts and you will look leaner and trimmer before you know it. Of course every woman has a slightly different metabolism and build, resulting in different results from one person to another, but if you have an individual programme written for you by a professional trainer you will feel more confident while also gaining the physical benefits of strength training.

Additionally, the more muscle you have, the higher your basal metabolic rate.  This means that you can consume more calories on a daily basis to maintain a healthy body composition. And who wouldn’t want to be able to eat more calories throughout the day!?

‘Why do I love carbs so much?’ Carbohydrate does make you feel good and that is scientifically proven. There’s nothing more satisfying than indulging in a delicious dessert or bowl of pasta – at least until the guilt kicks in!! (Guilt is actually something else I don’t promote but that’s a huge topic for another time). You can thank the hormone serotonin for the feel good factor and enhanced mood after eating carbs. Interestingly, serotonin is actually proven to help reduce depression and to regulate anxiety.

Have you ever noticed that if you are on a low carb or no carb diet that you don’t sleep well at night? Eating carbs at night helps to promote better sleep. That’s because carbs stimulate serotonin and serotonin doesn’t just promote mood, it also promotes good quality sleep and appetite. Low carb diets can initiate a drop in tryptophan and serotonin causing you to have trouble sleeping. Eggs and nuts contain high levels of tryptophan so eat them daily to help ensure a good night’s sleep.

What about ‘Is it carbs making me feel sluggish?’ Personally I think this comes down to the individual as different metabolisms need different quantities, and if you eat too many of them in one go you can feel tired. Carbohydrates make tryptophan more available to the brain, which can then make you feel drowsy.

It is not uncommon for people to struggle digesting some complex carbs. Carbs contain fibre which is important for gut health, metabolism and detoxification. Fibrous veggies and fruits are important to eat daily as they contain vital vitamins and minerals. If you know you bloat after certain foods it’s possible you have an intolerance to them. Cut them out for a while before re-introducing them and seeing how your body reacts.

This blog only really scratches the surface, but I hope that the information it contains has helped you understand carbs in a bit more depth. Certainly, carbs have their place and can be our friend not our enemy when consumed sensibly.

Here’s to less of a ‘No carbs before Marbs approach’! Oh and if you are looking to clean up your diet, why not check out my ‘Clean Slate with Kate’ 4 week diet plan which is currently HALF PRICE. Improve your diet and feel great on the course.

Love Kate x

Clean Slate with Kate Course

Love Kate x