For decades, we were told that the heart-healthy diet was one that was low in fat and high in carbohydrates. At the same time, we were faced with a food industry that marketed foods that were increasingly loaded with sugar and processed grains. We thought we were “eating healthy” when we replaced the highly-processed “white” grains with “high-fiber” grains. Still we were eating more and more breads and cereals—and fewer fruits and vegetables. We ate for convenience, which meant that breakfast, for example, became a “healthy” high-carb meal (a bowl of high-fiber cereal with skim milk and a glass of orange juice) and the “most important meal of the day.”
To the food industry, breakfast is the “most important meal of the day” because all those highly processed carbs are going to digest quickly, enter the blood stream, create a spike in insulin, and quickly leave us hungry for more. This causes us to crave a mid-morning snack—also likely to be processed and sugary—and to over-eat. As a result, the average American was eating calories far in excess of what was required (while at the same time sitting longer). Americans got fatter—and heart disease numbers did not dramatically improve.
Now, we are seeing a shift. Carbohydrates are being labeled as “evil” and fats are now “good”. The diet pendulum has swung. It seems that everyone is on some form of the “ketogenic” diet. (I use the term “ketogenic” loosely, because the most who claim to be “keto” are more likely to be eating a high fat and restricted carb diet rather than a truly strict ketogenic diet of nearly zero carbs. Going full-keto can be exceptionally hard.) There is some merit in this shift, but there are some cautions, as well.
I have written before that one will lose fat on a “ketogenic” diet—provided the diet is hypocaloric. This fat loss will come at the expense of (some) performance. While probably less apparent for the recreational endurance, such a low carbohydrate diet will invariably affect performance of any high-intensity exercise (e.g., weight lifting). Thus, it is much more difficult to add muscle and increase performance intensity (i.e., overload a system) when the glycolytic and ATP-PC energy systems are poorly fueled. So, carbohydrates are important!
For most of us, who are not athletes and are trying to lose fat or prevent fat gain while trying to gain or maintain lean muscle tissue, a moderate amount of carbohydrates in the diet is the best approach. By “moderate”, I would suggest a goal of 0.5 g per pound of body weight on non-training and sedentary days and 1.0 g per pound of body weight on training days. (The recommendations go up with the intensity and duration of the exercise, but few recreationally trained individuals would likely require more than the 1 g/lb recommendation.)
I gave recommendations the other day (see “Plating your food”) for managing portions and the choice between “premium” carbs, vegetables, and fruit. With these recommendations in mind and a target of 0.5-1.0 g of carbs per pound of body weight. The challenge now becomes one of making the best available choices. This takes a bit of adjustment and rethinking of the meal plan.
We have growing, active kids. The have higher carb needs than do my wife or I. Within a household, there are also likely to be differing training plans and goals. So, the right options need to be available. I think that some of my struggles with body fat stem from eating my kids’ diets rather than my own.
We manage by simple creativity. The kids love spaghetti (I do to, but the pasta—even whole grain—seems to go right to my fat cells). So, they get the healthy whole grain spaghetti and my wife and I go with spaghetti squash—which does take some adjustment and feels like a bit of a sacrifice. Last night was “taco night”. For me, it was taco salad. Burgers are one of the toughest changes. Letting go of the bun is hard. That is, after all, what make it a burger. I am learning to just plate the patty and reserve the burger-on-a-bun for “special occasions”.
Eating out need not be the challenge we make it to be. First, we don’t have to eat everything on our plate. For what it costs now to eat in a restaurant, we might be best to make it a two-meal investment. In this case, if you want the pasta dish? Get it. Just eat half or split the order. Want the burger? Skip the bun. (I have a hard time eating a “lettuce wrapped” burger, so I only get the burger when I prepared by controlling what I eat throughout the day.) Choose you salad wisely. Not all salads are “low calorie”—and many come with poor quality added breads and carbs. (Do croutons really add any value to a salad? And how good is that garlic bread?) Then, of course, there is the beverage choice. “Opportunity costs”. The burger bun might mean sacrificing the beer.
“Eating our cake and having it, too” means we just need to be careful and make wise choices. We can have carbs. We just need to choose the best carbs. Fill first with nutrient-rich vegetables. Include a serving or two of whole fruits—especially on training days—but choose wisely. If there is room in the day’s macros for more carbs, then make careful choices with your “premium” carbs. Pasta, for example, may fit your macros, but count the cost. You might need to go with a smaller portion. Consider alternatives. My wife recently made a “keto-friendly” lasagna that used an almond flour and mozzarella dough instead of pasta. It was delicious. There are great recipes that replace the pasta with zucchini or other vegetables. Okay, it is not as good has the pasta that my Italian friends grew up with, but we have to make sacrifices. Of course, the alternative is to train hard enough to need these coveted carbs. (Please, don’t take this to imply “train to eat”. Exercise is not punishment for bad eating habits. We want to eat to fuel performance. If, on occasion, we want to enjoy grandma’s lasagna, it is okay to do a little extra cardio, but we also need to consider what else we eat during that day.)
I like to eat. Fortunately, I “like” to exercise. I “like” exercise more when I hit my performance goals. Do hit my goals and to see progression. I need some carbs. I am learning to adjust to more creative carb alternatives that allow me to enjoy eating while managing my body composition. It has become a fun challenge to “clean up” my eating habits and find what works for me.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!
