What Are The Bad Carbs – Which Ones Should You Stay Away From?

Let me first start by saying that not all carbohydrates are bad, and I actually eat many of them. There are good Carbohydrates and bad Carbohydrates you can consume. So what Are the bad Carbs, you may be wondering?

I eat a lot of Carbohydrates, but I’m very strict on eating good Carbs and the timing of when I eat them. I will give you the Good Carbs Vs. Bad Carbs List and when the best times to consume them.

I’m sure you have had plenty of advice and read many articles on how you should avoid Carbs when trying to lose weight.

The real truth is it depends on the kind of Carbs and the number of Carbs, not the Carbs themselves. If you are eating healthy Carbs but are consuming way more calories than burning off, this is not good.

If you are eating bad Carbs but consuming less than you’re burning off per day, this is also not good.

The key is to consume only good Carbs and less than you’re burning off per day when you calculate your total calories in all your meals. When I got the most well-recognized personal training certification, the most important phrase was, “Eat less and move more.”

.

WHAT ARE CARBOHYDRATES AND WHAT KINDS ARE THERE?

Carbohydrates are basically the source of food your body uses for energy.

There are two different kinds of Carbohydrates.

The first is Simple Carbs, which include table sugar, honey, and corn syrup. The second and most important are Complex Carbs, including Oatmeal, Quinoa, Brown Rice, and Sweet Potatoes.

• SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES: They break down very fast in your system into sugar. They are like very quick-burning fuels. You want to eat less of these, and you may be thinking, why even eat them after seeing what they are?

Although there are some healthy ones, for example, Fruit, they have fiber in them, so it actually helps slow down the breakdown of sugar. Fruits can have high Vitamin C and potassium.

You have to watch what you drink when it comes to simple Carbs. If you drink soda, one soda can have 40 grams of carbs, but they are all sugar. Soda is something I stay far away from, and you should too.

• COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES: This kind of Carbohydrate takes longer for your body to break down and use. This means your energy levels will be more consistent, unlike Simple Carbohydrates. I usually some complex carbohydrates about 2 hours before my workout.

They are lower on the glycemic index, which basically means they digest more slowly and don’t cause a quick spike in blood sugar levels. It would help if you were eating a good source of Complex Carbs before your workout for energy.

I personally can barely work out on no Carbs.

Timing, however, is critical. I used to eat right before I lifted and was always tired. So after a bunch of research, I found it was because I was still digesting my food.

I recommend eating a Complex Carb for 1-3 hours before you hit the gym.

That way, it hasn’t been too long, you haven’t used up all your calories, and you’re not still digesting.

 

STAY AWAY FROM THESE KINDS OF CARBOHYDRATES

You will want to avoid REFINED Carbs.

This means the manufacturing alters these Carbs during processing from how they originally were.

Some highly refined Carbs you should avoid are White Bread, White Pasta, Muffins, Pizza Crust, and some Bagels. These are the foods that will digest extremely quickly and raise your blood sugar right away.

They also don’t leave you feeling full like complex Carbs. This is a straightforward way to gain weight.

I always make sure I’m getting WHOLE GRAINS and not refined ones. Whole grains are an excellent source of nutrients and have been linked to numerous health benefits. Some examples of good whole grains to eat include oats, brown rice, quinoa, and barley.

These whole grains are packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals and can help you feel full and satisfied after eating. They can also help to regulate blood sugar levels, promote gut health, and reduce the risk of conditions like heart disease and diabetes. So if you’re looking for healthy whole grains to add to your diet, be sure to give these a try.

When choosing whole grain foods, it is important to read labels to make sure that the food is made with 100% whole grain flour. Whole grain foods can be part of a healthy diet for people of all ages.

The same goes for when it comes to WHOLE WHEAT; it can be tricky. Even though the bread says wheat doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

Sweeteners are also ones you want to stay from. The highest amount comes from Sodas and other soft drinks. If I could make soda disappear off this planet, I would because children and adults don’t really understand how bad soda is for you.

Instead of using the common sweeteners, you should ONLY be using STEVIA.

Stevia has NO calories due to the way your body uses it, unlike sugar. Every time I recommend this to clients or family, the usual response is, ” but I don’t like the taste.”

Unfortunately, eating healthy doesn’t always taste amazing, but things like this shouldn’t matter if you’re really serious about your health. Let me give you a great example of what Stevia can do.

My mother drinks a ton of coffee with loads of sugar. I sent her a 10lb bag of Stevia a few years ago. She ended up losing 10lbs just from substituting Stevia.

.

CARBOHYDRATES YOU WANT TO BE EATING

I basically stick to the same basic Four, but you can switch it up.

I found these can be the cheapest and easiest to make: oatmeal, Brown Rice, Quinoa, and Sweet Potatoes.

For sweet Potatoes, you should boil them. Baking them raises the Glycemic index while boiling keeps it low. Yes, I know, they taste amazing baked, and they are still generally healthy that way too.

As you can see with my usual Four, they can be quite cheap. People always say eating healthy is expensive.

You can spend $5.00 on oatmeal that will last you two weeks; is that expensive? The same goes for Brown Rice and Quinoa. I bought a 10lb bag on amazon for very cheap. You must ensure they are pre-washed, or you wash Quinoa thoroughly yourself.

Trust me on this because I was getting SHARP stomach pains after a while, and it was because of this.

 

WHEN SHOULD YOU BE EATING CARBS

I explained above when you should be eating Complex Carbs, so you might be wondering if there is a time to eat Simple Carbs.

Yes, and that time is immediately after your workout. The main reason being is you burn your muscle Glycogen levels during your workout. Glycogen is a form of Carbs stored in your muscles and liver and the main source of energy.

You can google” High Glycemic foods” to get an idea, but Dextrose is the highest.

I mix this in with my Whey Protein Isolate Powder post-workout. This means your body doesn’t need to digest it.

Dextrose goes to your muscles as quickly as possible, replenishing your Glycogen.

So mixing it in a blender with the Protein powder is a great way to feed those muscles quickly. You can also find some fruits that are very high on the glycemic index level.

I sometimes throw pineapple in because some research says too much Dextrose may not be good for your pancreas.

So I personally use it every other day or two.

A low-carb diet is an essential part of managing blood sugar levels. When blood sugar rises, it triggers a release of insulin, which can lead to blood sugar crashing later on. This can leave you feeling tired, irritable, and hungry. A low-carb diet helps to keep blood sugar stable by limiting the number of carbohydrates you eat.

This, in turn, helps to regulate insulin levels and prevent blood sugar crashes. In addition, a low-carb diet can help to control hunger by making you feel fuller for longer. As a result, a low-carb diet is an important tool for managing blood sugar levels and preventing hunger.

.

CAN CARBOHYDRATES HELP WITH WEIGHT LOSS

When it comes to weight loss, carbohydrates often get a bad rap. But the truth is that carbs can actually help you lose weight. Here’s how:

Carbohydrates are essential for energy. You may feel tired and sluggish when you cut carbs from your diet. This can make it difficult to stick to your weight loss plan.

Carbohydrates also help to regulate blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels drop, you may feel hungry and be tempted to reach for unhealthy snacks. By including healthy carbs in your diet, you can help to keep your blood sugar levels stable and avoid cravings.

Finally, carbohydrates help you maintain a healthy weight. When you consume too many calories, your body stores the excess fat. But when you eat carbs, your body burns them for fuel instead of storing them as fat. So if you’re looking to lose weight, including healthy carbs in your diet can actually help you achieve your weight loss goals.

THE BOTTOM LINE WITH GOOD CARBS AND BAD CARBS

Carbohydrates are not all bad.

Especially if taken at the right time and the right amount. Complex Carbs 1-3 hours before your workout and Simple Carbs immediately after is the best way to maximize their benefits.

The amount you should be taking really depends on your goal and body type.

Three-body types are Ectomorph, Endomorph, and Mesomorph. You can always find online pie charts with recommended % of Carbs for each type. I will be writing an article on Body types soon.

You should go with about 20-60 grams of high glycemic Carbs after your workout.

This can depend on your workout and body weight, but it’s a good starting point.

I hope this helped and gave you a good idea of what kind and when to eat Carbs. Also that they are not all bad; please leave me a comment if you have any questions.

.
“Nothing taste as good as being fit feels.”