Cutting Carbs

When following most diet plans you will notice that carbs are often the first thing eliminated. It is not that carbs are "bad" for you but rather that they are easily identifiable, often over eaten, and usually calorie dense. If I were to write you a diet, it would be easier for you to eat 1 less slice of bread at lunch rather than say reduce your turkey intake by 1-2 ounces. In the end, it comes down to reducing your portion size thus reducing your overall caloric intake.
Carbs are extremely important to your health...they provide essential nutrients, fiber, and energy for your body and brain. It is important to include carbs in a healthy, balanced diet. Just pay attention to the portion sizes, types of carbs, and your daily energy output.
Here are some basic rules of thumb for incorporating carbs while dieting:

• Eat starchy carbs like cereals and breads as part of your breakfast, mid-morning snack, or lunch. For example: Oatmeal for breakfast, 1 slice of whole wheat toast with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter for a snack, or 1 cup of cooked pasta with chicken and veggies added to it for lunch.
• After lunch, choose fruits and non-starchy veggies (like spinach, broccoli, carrots) as your source of carbohydrates. As the day winds down you will have less energy output and will not need as many calories as earlier on in the day.

Remember, if you are doing endurance sports or high intensity exercise, you may feel low in energy if you are not getting adequate amounts of carbohydrates. If this is the case you may want to add a small portion of starchy carbs (i.e. a 1/2 cup of brown rice) to your afternoon snack or your dinner. However, if you have a sedentary lifestyle you will most likely feel fine eliminating the starchy carbs from your late day meals...although, you may not like it....afterall, they do refer to carbs as comfort food for a reason. Trust me, it is worth the discipline, you will be more comforted by the fact that you have a healthier body than you will ever be from momentarey mashed potatoes! Eat Smart...Live Well!