Low Carb Rules: Lose Weight and Burn Fat

All of my clients have their diets assessed because most people have no idea how badly they're eating. They think they're being healthy and yet they're always hungry and still overweight.

I can tell you that I am almost NEVER hungry, I eat all day, I mostly eat what I want and I am always my perfect weight (which for me is 108lbs).

Most people cannot tolerate carbs. Unless you are EXTREMELY active- your carb intake should be limited to a TOTAL of around 50g per day. (Everyone is different though- I have some clients who can only have 20 and others who benefit from 100). For the most part, if you want to lose a significant amount of weight quickly- cut down to 20g per day for a couple of weeks.

If your goal is to get lean and mean

 Follow my list of do's and don'ts:

1. Cut out the "white" stuff:
White grains or anything that can be bleached white- this means your "100% whole wheat" bread you bought from whole foods so it must be healthy. Wheat, barley, malt, rye and oats cause a spike in insulin that causes lipolysis (fat break down) to stop. Excess calories are stored as fat and constant spikes in insulin confuse your body about regulating its own hormonal processes- leading to overweight, obesity and diabetes.

Additionally, most people are at least sensitive to wheat and gluten if not completely allergic. I personally suffer from celiac, which is an autoimmune disorder that causes very serious allergic reactions when I eat gluten. Mild intolerances can cause bloating, psoriasis and digestive discomfort as well as cortisol spikes (the stress hormone).

2. Any carbs you eat should come from fiber:
Again, I don't mean the "added fiber" in the whole wheat bread you eat. I mean vegetables- particularly green veggies that have leaves: celery, kale, broccoli, spinach, etc. Other good sources are cucumbers, mushrooms, peppers, fennel, onions etc. Limit potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc.

3. If you are going to have carbs from a different source- tread lightly and brightly:
Think small amounts of fruits with purple or red colors: berries are best, followed by grapes and grapefruit if you want to have a minimum impact on insulin. Additionally, these foods can slow down the spike in insulin caused by higher carb foods.
So if you must have something sweet- reach for berries- not bananas, pineapple and other high sugar/low fiber fruit. (Fruits where you eat the skin are usually a good sign of high fiber content).
Just be sure not to go overboard- too much fructose (the sugar that naturally occurs in fruits) wreaks havoc on your body composition. Having too much (over 20g) means that insulin cannot get absorbed by your muscles, so instead it floats around your body not being utilized and leading to abdominal fat, stomach bloating and elevated cholesterol and insulin.
Any fructose you eat should come from fruit: never packaged foods, drinks, dressings, condiments etc.

4. Timing is everything:
The first ten minutes after a workout is the prime time to get carbs to your muscles. Typically I tell my clients they have to earn their carbs (there's a formula I use to determine how many carbs you can enjoy after a workout). Typically- if you want to decrease your body fat- you should be doing AT LEAST 50 reps per workout and adding only 50 carbs post workout. The ratio is somewhat more calculated than that, but you get the idea.
Adding amino acids to this meal helps glucose and insulin to be metabolized properly and trigger protein synthesis. I like to make my whey protein pancakes post workout with a little butter, sometimes whipped cream and chocolate chips if I feel really depleted.

So go out there and earn your carbs today!

Chef and I did not earn our carbs yesterday. It was over 60 degrees and sunny and we had a relaxing hike at great falls and then I went for a slow and easy 7 mile jog:

Great Falls Park is only 15 miles or so outside of DC. It was so nice to have a relaxing long walk and catch up after such a stressful week with midterms and the like. It was a little crowded but chef never gets to spend time outdoors so I'm glad he got some vitamin D.




I'm really thankful we both had the day off and that the weather was so nice. It's been a while since I've gone hiking- though the terrain is really different from Charlottesville, it was still a splendid day :)