It is a little known fact that there is no baseline need for carbohydrates for the human body. Our bodies need protein, and fat - but NOT carbs.
Think about it. Vegetables and natural plant-source foods have but trace amounts of carbohydrates. Fruits, while containing more carbs, are just little sources of energy as well. Humans gathered, but they also hunted. While we ate some of those fruits of the earth, we also hunted and ate those that walked among it. Some cultures didn't even have the luxury of picking fruit off a vine and relied solely on animal muscle & fat for sustenance.
I have implemented Carb Back-Loading principles into my lifestyle for over 2 months now, and I'm going on 3. I really don't plan on going back. This is the simplest, yet most complex (thus most interesting), most EFFECTIVE diet change I've ever come across.
Trying To Lose FAT (NOT Just "Weight")
My current goal is to decrease my total body fat percentage, so I'm not currently having as many "carb nites" or carb back-load nights as I would have otherwise. I am going as ultra-low carb for as many days as possible, in order for my body to begin breaking down my own fat stores for energy. I'd only have carb "nites"every other 7 days or so to reset the body, and to keep my metabolism from plummeting. Eating carbs at wrong times, especially during high periods of insulin sensitivity, will only make my body switch from using my own fat to using the carbs as an external energy source - and storing the unused parts as fat.
I am currently 117lbs, at approximately 22% body fat. This is pretty healthy for me, but I want to take it to the next level. I do plan on competing, after all - so I would like to get to around 12-15% body fat for that. This really requires my body to use what fat it has instead of carbs for fuel. So, for 7-10 days straight, I maximize fat loss as much as possible, and keep it undisturbed for as long as possible - by means of coconut oil, eliminating breakfast, having coffee, grazing on fatty meats and cheeses and such.
There ARE Benefits
These are some of the good changes I've undergone since restricting carbs in my diet to <30g/day (on regular days):
- I have ENERGY. I used to think that I was just doing too much, exhausting myself far too quickly before the days were even over. Maybe I'm still doing that, but I've stopped crashing at 2pm, and hell - even 10am. Last night, I worked all day, ran around the earth, did my second 2:1 HIIT training for the week, followed by a heavy full-body resistance workout, followed by some plyometrics (jump squats?!)... THEN I went home and cooked dinner, cleaned the apartment, and still had time to watch a movie. WTF, I didn't die?! Tell me I need carbs in my body again! Tell me I'll die without them!!
- I'm leaning down - slowly, but leaning down nonetheless. When I began the journey, I was 130, with over 30% body fat. For a small person like me, that is BAD. Since last month alone, I've gone from 121 to 117, 23.8% to 22% body fat. That's about approximately a 3-lb FAT loss. I don't really care about the number in the scale as much as how I look in the mirror, but the number changes do tell me that changes are occurring anyway.
Dont' mind the Instagram tags (OR the bare belly) - but in the BEFORE shot, it was actually 2012 (apologies) and I was "eating clean" with tons of whole grains, CONSTANTLY - and look how my body looked, compared to today. Still have a long way to go, but I've got muscle, shape, and the "belly" has shrunk,
Not A Lot of Gains, Though
The only downside to all these ultra-low carb days is, it's not optimal for muscle gain. I'm getting stronger, yes, but I'm not making anything bigger. And for the sake of aesthetics (and the competition - hell, and for my own twisted desires) I would really like my glute and leg muscles to acquire mass. Having an unfortunate, genetically apple-shaped body (most noticeable when I gain unwanted weight), the fat accumulates on me in all the wrong places for a woman - back, arms, midsection (as opposed to the butt & hips). And I would like to balance out my body and build some strong curves as well. No one ever bitches about seeing a good pair of glutes on the beach, okay.
There's An Upside!
The lower in body fat I begin to have, the more carb nights I must incorporate into the week to keep the body from slowing down. So basically, the eating model (HATE the word "diet" as it's been established in our society) teeters from Carb Nite to Carb Back-Loading. The more I lean down, the more I need to eat carbs to maintain my metabolism. Those Krispy Kreme donuts are starting to really look like gold, instead of a cheat. And, it'll all literally go to my butt - which, believe it or not, is the point. And when I have those carb nites, you can bet your ass (no pun intended, seriously) that I will be stuffing my face silly, and eventually - hopefully - my body starts to resemble more of a Brazilian model than an upside-down blubber triangle. With stick-thin legs.
I like to think this is going to help me get a nice body.
I Still Love You All, Though...
I will admit this is all much easier said than done. Friends and family are TERRIBLE influences and will try to sabotage your ultra-low carb goals. It's not their fault, and they're not doing it on purpose. Really! They don't understand why you're not having any banana cake... Why you're passing up on the fried rice or the tiramisu... That eating anything above 30g of carbs in the day raises insulin and kicks the body out of the fat-burning phase that you're constantly trying to preserve. They only mean well, and they want you to feel happy when you put the pizza or apple pie in your mouth. They mean well. Don't forget that.
But you still gotta say NO.
And that's fine. Because the leaner you get, eventually you won't HAVE to say no to those delicious carbs - because you're going to need them to sustain your metabolism. As long as you're eating them post-workout, in the evenings, that's totally fine. Unfortunately, brunch doesn't count in this. :-(
Soon enough, you'll be getting to have some wine at a wedding reception, or cupcakes with your girlfriends on baking night.. or that succulent piccata pasta on your fancy date - hell, even that juicy burger and FRIES, or a hotdog at a ball game, and some wings and pizza and chips with your buddies during the big game. Not only will you be able to do this, but it'll benefit you when get to that point, strength and gain-wise. The best part is, you won't feel like you're missing out on life this way. You still get to have fun.
No Deprivation
Even in ultra-low carb days, I don't feel like I'm missing out at all. I eat all the things that would be frowned upon in a traditional cutting diet phase - sausages instead of lean chicken breast, and all the dairy in the world. Heavy whipping cream, cheese, you name it. And oh goodness, cottage cheese. F THE LOW FAT STUFF.
[SN: I think skim milk is one of the worst abominations that humankind has come up with.]
I couldn't live without my delicious meats and cheeses. And believe me, I've tried. I felt more deprived having to give up full-flavored chicken, pork chops, and smoked sausages and cheese than I ever felt just restricting the carbohydrates out of my diet. Now, without the carbs, my favorite foods are just working in my favor, at all the right times. Besides, I'm eating all the veggies I like - pre-workout mostly, so it's not like I'm eating poorly. Stir fry, anyone? (I'm a stir-fry cooking goddess, if you must know.. so more WIN for me.)
And what's the point of dieting, exercising, and working super hard to look and feel good, only to miss out on those great moments in life?
Get healthy, eat right, exercise, and be happy. Have fun. Live life. Enjoy your loved ones. And for God's sake, have a slice of cake every now and again!
EXTERNAL LINKS:
http://inspiredbyfamilymag.com/2013/02/12/chocolate-nutella-strawberry-pastries-with-almond-glaze/
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