CARBOHYDRATES

I've been hearing alot of people talking about carbs over the last week or so and how you should 'load up' on carbs before you do any endurance exercise. That may work for some people but if I did that I'd be flagging virtually immediately.

My body needs dense protein, it's taken me a while to work it out. I couldn't understand for years why when I eat pasta for lunch I feel dreadful an hour or so later -sluggish, sleepy, lethargic, definitely not up for doing anything energetic. The pasta party the night before the Great North Run would definitely have to be an invitation I'd decline.

However, I have a friend who is a vegetarian and she is also a marathon runner. She copes very well on a bowl of pasta for a meal, it'll last her for hours.She's a carb type through and through and she's worked out what foods do it for her.

So carbs are right for some people, but it's not a rule that they MUST be eaten before endurance sport. We are all different; we look different on the outside and so we are just as different on the inside which is why some ways of eating work well for some people and not for others. Put me on the Atkins diet and I'd do really well, but my friend definitely would not.

Most people are a bit confused as to which foods 'work' for them because when you put processed foods into the mix it messes things up. They confuse the body, they stimulate it with chemicals, they raise blood sugar levels and then drop them from a great height, they help to dehydrate, they alter moods - all of this prevents us from being in tune with what our body's really need.

One thing's for sure though, we don't need the amount of refined carbohydrates that we consume as a nation. Crisps, white bread, white rice, white pasta, cakes, muffins, buns, confectionary, alcohol, chocolate, the majority of breakfast cereals etc. = refined carbs.

And these are the foods that are making us fat, in the main. Our body's process them like sugar,so ultimately we can become insulin resistant and diabetic (apart from all the other health issues they raise). The rise in the number of people who have diabetes and those that are going to get it in the near future is scary, and alot of these statistics will be children.

This can be prevented by eating a diet of Low Glycaemic Index foods ie. slow release energy foods, such as oats, brown rice, wholewheat, spelt, buckwheat pasta, wholegrain/rye/spelt breads. Basically denser, heavier, more fibrous foods that take more time to be digested and therefore offer more sustenance to the body keeping it fuller for longer.

I know that when my children eat crisps they will be hungry shortly afterwards; the same goes for a piece of cake or a white bread bun. If they eat oatcakes with cheese they will not. Adults are exactly the same.

Processed foods send messages to the body that say " ok, well I've got some food but it's not the food I need so I'm assuming something better is coming along". If we continue to eat processed foods, the body continues to think this way, which is why people have the capacity to eat ENORMOUS amounts of C.R.A.P. foods which make them fat but don't satisfy them.

How about cutting out processed foods for a week, all of them, just as an experiment to see how your body reacts. You'll get very clear meassages then telling you which unprocessed foods are working for you, which ones you need to keep your blood sugar levels on an even keel and which ones make you feel below par.

This is where Metabolic Typing can help. Bet you were wondering when I was going to mention it!

I know I harp on about it alot but it really is such a tried and tested method of eating. No calorie counting, no gimmicks, no bars, no shakes, no points, no traffic light systems, no humiliating jump on the scales each week in front of a load of strangers. Just a list of foods that are right for your body, gained from answering some questions on your psychological, dietary and physical traits. Very straight forward, it really is.

If you've been struggling with your weight, with bloating, with abdominal discomfort, with food cravings, with mood swings, with low energy levels,lethargy, insomnia and many other symptoms METABOLIC TYPING could be just the thing for you.

Call or text or email me to discuss. It can be done remotely, as well as face to face.

Today's Tip : Take charge of your eating - starting today. I guarantee you'll feel better for it, ultimately.