Quote:
Originally Posted by louielouie2000
Since I know you're a bit of a health guru, what are your thoughts on a carb limiting diet? Living in Austin, I have a very active lifestyle... I hike/jog and/or swim more days a week than not. I don't think I eat horribly... I don't really eat any fast food, or drink many sugary beverages. Yet I have been mildly doughy my entire life. I'm thinking my addiction to carbs is the root cause. I absolutely live for pasta, rice, bread, etc. I almost always exclude non-starch veggies as side items & go for high-carb options instead. So what should I do? Should I cut out carbs altogether? Or should I just try and reduce them? Or am I barking up the wrong tree altogether?  |
Carbs, carbs, carbs... one of the great enigmas of modern life. Unfortunately, this is a very individual thing. There are those who can enjoy mashed potatoes with their fettucine alfredo and still maintain washboard abs. Then there are those who will spill out of their skinny jeans just from eating a bagel. A large part of this is presumably due to the body's insulin tolerance. But there are myriad other intrinsic factors- genetics, thyroid, adrenal cortex, resting metabolic rate, etc. that are, short of medical intervention, beyond the control of the individual. The key to successfully achieving a physical goal is experimentation and learning what works for you.
Indeed, if you are like the majority of people, a drastic reduction in ones intake of simple carbs will effect some degree of weight loss, and perhaps even a reduction in body fat. However, whenever one embarks on any kind of drastic dietary/lifestyle alteration, one must ask the questions: Is this sustainable? Are there potential adverse long-term consequences? How do I feel? Is this compatible with my lifestyle? I am personally not a fan of any kind of "temporary" dietary intervention, i.e., low-carb diet, liquid diet, fasting, etc. If it is not sustainable or healthy for the long haul, it's probably not good for the short term either. If you are really committed to changing something about your health, your physique, or your wellbeing, then you should make only the changes that you are willing to adopt permanently, whether it's an exercise regimen, a diet regimen, a sleeping regimen, etc. Once you have
actively committed to making permanent lifestyle changes (hopefully for the better!), your body/mind will find its own level. If, say, after a month, nothing positive is happening, it's time to re-evaluate and recalibrate. Experiment, experiment, experiment!