How to eat carbohydrates and not gain weight

While protein diets and carbohydrate-free diets are all the rage, we all forget one simple thing. The statement that carbohydrates are bad crumbles to dust after just one argument: all vegetables and fruits, as well as any greens and dairy products, consist of them. The most natural and healthy plant foods can be harmful? Unlikely. So what's wrong with these weird carbs?

The point is, there is a huge difference between "good" and "bad" carbohydrate foods. "Good" will saturate you with vitamins and microelements, give you long-term satiety and a boost of energy for a long time. And "bad" with excessive consumption will settle with extra pounds on the stomach and hips.

Already look at the ruddy bun with the thoughts that it is certainly good? Be patient for a couple of minutes. First, let's deal with those who can really spoil their health with carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate intolerance: myth or reality

For some people, carbohydrate foods can cause very tangible inconveniences, from an unpleasant stomach upset to a serious allergic reaction. This threatens those who suffer from intolerance to certain sugars: lactose, galactose and others.

But even if there are no such ailments, you can still notice that after consuming high-carb foods, your body seems to swell and fill with heaviness, especially after sweets or cakes. This can be a consequence of not only overeating, but also long-term adherence to low-carb diets.

How it usually happens

Step 1. After researching many sources, you come to the conclusion that carbohydrates are bad. And you try to use them as little as possible: first you deprive yourself of the side dish in the evening, and then you are afraid to look even at a plate of buckwheat after dinner.

Step 2. You eliminate carbohydrates from your diet as much as possible, leaving only vegetables (you do not eat fruits, because they are high in sugar).

Step 3 … The first two to three weeks of such a diet, you successfully lose weight (even if the swelling just goes away).

Step 4. You are haunted by growing hunger and fatigue, every day more and more. The level of activity decreases, and each time in the store, the confectionery department beckons more. Whatever your willpower, the body will take its toll, and you will return to eating carbohydrates.

After the breakdown, you will feel swollen and sick, and the number on the scale will jump up sharply. You will skip the diet for a while.

Step 5. Memories of the consequences of the last diet will eventually be forgotten, and you will repeat it all over again. So that the cycle does not continue indefinitely, it is time to change your views on proper nutrition.

When you start eating carbohydrates again after a long protein diet, a number of changes take place in your body. The body replenishes depleted stores and gains weight through water retention.

You see the weight gain on the scales and think: "This is all because of the terrible and bad carbohydrates!". An incessant struggle begins in you: you desperately want to eat what you yourself have forbidden.

Lean people can eat more carbs without harming their figure

The amount of carbohydrates that you can eat without harming your figure depends on the specific characteristics of your body. Alas, this is genetically inherent. So don't blame high-carb diets if they're not right for you. Do not blame and.

Different food systems suit different people. This or that diet will not help if it does not suit you personally - physiologically or psychologically (yes, if you eat chicken breast through force, every time dreaming of chocolates, stress will slow down the process of losing weight).

In general, the lower the percentage of body fat, the better insulin is produced, which allows us to eat high-carb foods without fear of gaining extra pounds. The more fat there is, the more aggressive the body's reaction to a sharp increase in blood sugar, therefore, even more fat will be deposited.

To determine the level of insulin in the blood, you can either take a test at the hospital, or do a little experiment on yourself.

Try eating a high-carb meal shortly after strenuous exercise (such as a serving of boiled cereal). Do you feel rejuvenated and renewed energy? Or did you have a feeling of discomfort and a bloated abdomen? If the second option works best for you, then either you have low insulin sensitivity or you are overeating.

Adjust the amount of carbohydrates in your diet according to your health.

A hands-on approach to eating carbohydrates

eating carbohydrates: vegetables and a hamburger

Nobody is encouraging you to start a diet of buns, lemonade, and cookies. Instead, look for balance in your carbohydrate intake. You can eat dishes that will nourish you and give you satiety (vegetables, pasta, cereals), and dishes that will give you pleasure and a quick flow of energy (fruits, honey, sweets).

Instead of blindly following trendy carbohydrate-free diets, hunger and obsessive thoughts about bread (and this is not because you lack willpower, but from natural physical carbohydrate starvation), eat wisely.

Eliminating one particular unhealthy food from consumption is a good approach to a healthier diet. But if you deny yourself everything that you love, it will have a very depressing effect on your psychological state.

Dessert after a healthy, full meal will not hurt to lose weight. And constantly thinking about food that you cannot afford, regularly avoiding certain foods will lead to obsessive thoughts about them. This will provoke stress and depressive mood. And in this state, the body will not lose weight.

Don't look for a one-size-fits-all diet. Look for a long-term nutritional system that's right for you. Respect your needs and dietary habits based on your level of physical activity. This approach will give you a perfect figure and good health.

Finding the perfect nutritional system can take some work, but remember that it must include carbohydrates. And not only vegetables, herbs or fruits, but also cereals, legumes, bread and even desserts and sweets, if they give you pleasure.

The secret is to ensure that healthy and natural foods make up 80-90% of your diet, and leave the rest for unhealthy but delicious foods.