Dear Amanda:
Carb’s have gotten a bad rap over the past decade. Several fad diets that preach high protein and low carbohydrates have become popular because they offer a quick fix to a difficult problem. Just check out any restaurant menu and you will see an entire section devoted to low carb options. False advertisement such as this has brainwashed the American public into believing that most carbohydrates are evil and must be banished form the grocery store shelves. The truth of the matter is that carbohydrates are an essential part of any diet because they contain vitamins, fiber and antioxidants that help fight disease. Carbohydrates can even help you loose weight. So please do not cut them out of your diet. You just need to make sure you are eating the right ones.

All carbohydrate sources are not considered equal. There are good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates. Bad carbohydrates are low in fiber and they will cause you to feel hungry by spiking your blood sugar levels. They include foods such as white breads, white potatoes, white rice and products that contain sugar. Good carb’s are loaded with fiber and will help to keep your blood sugar stable. They will also make you feel full so you don’t have to eat between meals. They include foods such as whole grain breads, whole wheat pastas, brown rice, sweat potatoes and natural oatmeal. You can also get good carb’s from fruits and vegetables. However I would suggest mixing it up a little. Try including several of the different good carb’s that I mentioned. Do not limit yourself to just fruits and vegetables because you will loose muscle mass and this will cause you to gain more weight in the long run. Your body needs complex carbohydrates to feed your muscles and fuel you through those tough work out’s.

You mentioned that you limit your carbohydrate sources to whole grains in cereals and bread. The problem with choosing these types of carbohydrates is that it is sometimes difficult to tell what’s really in them. Advertising geniuses have figured out all types of ways to make their products sound healthy. There’s multi grain, whole grain, seven grain, hearty grains and so on. Just because they are brown does not mean they are always healthy. A good rule of thumb is if it doesn’t say 100% whole wheat than it is probably a mixture of enriched white flour and whole wheat flour and wont be nearly as healthy as the makers of the product would have you believe. Choose wisely.

Try adding some sweat potatoes, oatmeal and brown rice to your diet. These carbohydrate sources are like filling up your tank with high test gasoline. They will give you the energy you need while keeping your blood sugar levels stable. You will not only feel better but you will look better too. Remember everyone has a different carbohydrate need depending on their activity levels so experiment to find out what works best for you.