Good Choices

We went over foods that are high volume and good choices for you to make to keep yourself from getting too hungry or too full. Now here are some foods that may confuse you – Carbohydrates! We have all heard about carb diets or the lack thereof, and protein diets or diets with way too much protein.  We see and hear many different articles or TV shows debating who is right and what you should do to reach your goals. It can become a bit confusing. 

So let’s clear up some things. About a month ago I was talking to a boot camper and I asked if she liked bananas, trying to figure out what could be a quick snack that could work for her. The response I thought was interesting: “Bananas are bad for you, aren’t they?” How can something grown and not processed be bad for you? Yes, it is on the high end of the glycemic index, so I normally say to eat it in the morning, not right before bed.  Carbohydrates in the diet are fine; the question is which ones?

Carbs can cause us to eat more and too much. Highly refined carbs causes blood sugar to go up and down suddenly, which makes your appetite go up and down like a roller coaster too.

Eating has a huge impact on weight loss and changing your body, so you need to figure out what your goals are, what you are willing to commit to. Eating a high protein diet with little or no carbs is great if you are building muscle, but you need carbs if you’re trying to build endurance. Body builders stick to that type of diet when “bulking up” and they don’t normally have much cardio in their workouts.  

Here are some GREAT choices when looking for good carbs:

Poor Choice                                              Great Choice

White Bread               Whole Wheat

Dehydrated Potato Flakes   ½ baked sweet potato 

Croutons                        Garbanzo Beans

White Rice                          Brown Rice 

Pastry                                  Whole Wheat Pancakes  

Apple Juice                         Apple with skin

White Pasta                      Whole Wheat Pasta 

Soda                                      Water