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Good Carbohydrates: Foods For Fat Loss
Good Carbohydrates: Foods For Fat Loss
180g
135g
60g
GRAMS per meal
45g
33.8g
15g
CALORIES per day
720 cals
540 cals
540 cals
CALORIES per meal
180 cals
135 cals
135 cals
PROTEIN FAT
CARB
Some preach low carbs, others say only calories matter, and yet others say to
eat only slow carbs. What is the truth?
People have been successful, at least short-term, using all three. BUT, what
really matters is long-term.
A diet that utilizes a more balanced approach is better in the long run. This
type of diet fits into life more realistically and is more likely to become a
lifestyle.
Carbs within colorful vegetables and fruits are always better for your body
than carb-rich foods like breads, pastas, rice, and potatoes. Here’s a great
graphic that illustrates how to incorporate carbs into your diet.
Vegetables (all kinds)
Fruit
Oats and oatmeal
Brown Rice
Seeds
Nuts
Quinoa
Chia
Yams
Lentils
Whole Grain Breads
Whole Grain Pitas
Whole Grain Cereals
Potatoes
Whole grain pastas
Beans
White Pasta
White Rice
White Bread
Instant Oatmeal
Fruit Juices
Bagels
Donuts
Muffins
Sweets and Candies
Processed Breakfast Cereals
Processed corn products
Processed potato products
Processed rice products
Whole Grains
Modern agriculture and processing has lead to nutritionally poor grains.
However, with a bit of know-how in the cooking department, there are many
less known grains that are nutritionally rich. This list includes brown rice,
buckwheat, bulgur, popcorn, millet, wild rice, whole-grain barley, rye, and
oats.
See Also
Protein is considered the number one macronutrient for fat loss.
However, as with ANY food you can have too much of a good thing.
A more general rule of thumb suggests that people aim for 0.8g per pound
of body weight (as per meta-analysis of protein requirements). Excess
protein isn’t harmful for those with proper functioning kidneys, but the
notion that dieters benefit from massive quantities of protein is a myth
perpetuated by the supplement industry.
Most people can shoot for around 20-30 grams of protein per meal. If
this is something you wish to manage, use the macronutrient calculator.
Some foods are better protein sources than others (see bio-availability of
different meats). However, some higher-protein food sources may have
higher carbohydrate and fat content.
When it comes to dietary fat, there are essentially 3 main theories regarding
their inclusion in a diet designed for weight loss.
Basic Philosophy: Fats from almost all sources can be eaten and in fact, are
encouraged. Dieters should focus on eliminating carbs from the diet instead.
Dietary fat doesn’t turn into fat, excess carbs and sugar do.
Basic Philosophy: Dieters can eat fat, but they should only be healthy fats.
Healthy fats are those found in whole foods or ones that can be cold pressed.
Processed fats and oils are usually high in omega 6 fatty acid, which
promotes inflammation and fat retention.
The Truth?
Probably somewhere in the middle.
Fats are an important part of the diet, but they should be as natural as
possible just like every other part of a healthy weight loss diet that focuses on
whole food nutrition yet avoids processed foods.
Choose fats and foods that take the least amount of steps to get from the
source to your mouth.
Some foods contain fats that are more beneficial than others.
Learn to make good choices by using the list below.
Flax seed
Fish (especially Omega-3 sources like cod, salmon)
Nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts)
Avocados
Olive Oil
Fish Oil
Coconut Oil
The rush to eliminate saturated fats from our diet has lead to an increased
consumption in processed carbohydrates. It is THIS that is contributing to
increased cardiovascular disease risk (source).
As with all fats, realize that they are more calorie dense that carbohydrates or
protein. However they do satisfy hunger better than sugar!