Hello everyone!
I was brought up on pasta and all things carbohydrate. My mother was Italian, and carbs are the way of the Italians. My brother and I had them daily. Back in the 60’s and 70’s you were out all day long and very active, perfect macro for me.
I have also been a meat eater my whole life. Heck I even married a butcher back in 1987 after being wooed and seduced by his amazing pies that always came with a love heart in the pastry ha!
The best cuts of meat were brought home to the Allison household. Perks of the job ha ha. We would always have potatoes and vegetables alongside, maybe a rich creamy peppercorn sauce thrown in too. Satisfying stuff!
Never even gave a second thought to what, or the amounts I was eating (seriously) until the birth of my 3rd child in 1995 then the weight just stuck around. I was 31.
That was the first time I ever found myself on a Scottish Slimmer’s diet to lose the final stone from my pregnancy.
I had definitely eaten for two. Every pregnancy I put on at least 3 stone. Even me breast feeding was not enough to shift the stubborn weight that was left.
Buuuut…
I really wanted to lose the weight in time for a family wedding I was attending in September of 1995. I wanted back down to my size 10.
So, I embarked on the “Scottish Slimmer’s” diet. It was a calorie restricted, lower carbohydrate program. In fact, I remember I liked this one best because there were snacks like biscuits lol. This diet was successful, and I was back at my target weight of 9 stone 12lbs in time for the wedding.
Over the following years my weight would fluctuate between this “target” weight and being “over my set point weight” by around 14lbs. I owned different sizes of clothes by then lol.
Knowing what I know now about my metabolism, I was just eating far. too. much. It wasn’t carbohydrate per se but the amount and mixture of high fat, high carb.
Then I’d be on another diet argghhh!
I wasn’t overweight but I always felt like I was. I learned later that early conditioning in my teenage years, meant that if I did not try to be as skinny as Sandy in the movie “Grease” then I just was not good enough.
I fell into the overtraining undereating camp. I did “earn my meals” for a long time. Once I started instructing fitness classes (which I adore) well, the sky was the limit. I could just eat what I wanted if I was doing loads of classes.
You know what? It works.
To a degree.
Until you want to get off the overtraining undereating roundabout.
THE METABOLISM
In order for you to continue to keep on burning the same large amount of calories you need to keep on going at full rate. Sometimes you must do even more exercise to stay where you are. The metabolism is described by Dr. Jade Teta as a bit like a stress barometer.
The two things required for fat loss and its maintenance are a calorie deficit and metabolic hormonal balance. You need your metabolism to be stable. By this, stable hunger, energy, cravings, sleep and mood.
Eating carbs is part of that process in keeping metabolic hormonal balance.
I was classic dieters’ deprivation, over training, swinging back and forth AND continued on in this fashion over many years. Eating loads at the weekend only to be perfect again Monday to Friday.
Do you get me?
Are you still terrified or convinced that carbs make you fat?
hint, hint, they don’t ?
Greg Nucklos (amazing researcher) states that “for starters, ladies, do not be afraid of carbs. Not only are they delicious and awesome, but you have better insulin sensitivity, and the more of them you eat, the more of them you burn”.
Caveat – the right kind of carbs
Good news eh? Could not agree more!
This is part of the research he refers to in this study
He also goes on to say that you do not have a harder time losing weight because you’re a female.
Yes, you’ll probably have to eat fewer calories than a male who weighs the same amount you do, but the primary factors in determining your calorie needs are
1. Body Size.
2. Body Composition and activity level, with your sex playing little to no role.
‘If you’re more jacked and/or more active than a guy who weighs the same as you, then you can eat more than him. If not, you can’t.’
AKA (below)
Eating moderately for your bio individual needs whatever sex you are! Whatever age you are, (up until 60 years old). Things can take a downturn after this age.
Higher-carb is no worse for you than a low-carb diet.
You do not need to cut carbs to the bare minimum to lose weight:
- Intentionally avoiding carbs moves you away from many healthy foods, including plants like fruit, legumes, and grains. I have had clients purposely avoid fruit because they believe carbs or all sugars are bad.
- The right types of carbs stop uncontrollable hunger, cravings and subsequently weight gain. This happens because eating plants sets off messages to allow hormones to work in the way they were supposed to.
- I did not need to follow diets that completely restricted certain foods. I was in this trap for years!!!!
- Avoidance of carbs creates that vicious cycle of stress and yo-yo dieting. It’s not just that people avoid carbs; they internalise guilt, shame, and actual fear when they consume them. I remember deciding to eat carbs, something like bread, flour, or grain, I would assume I did something wrong, made a mistake, and set myself right down on the wrong path.
- In reality, carbs aren’t the problem. Some research even suggests they are a better option for long-term compliance.
- Eating too much of anything is an issue. And, while certain foods make you more prone to overeating (highly processed), many carb-based foods actually do the opposite and keep you fuller for longer.
- If you eat more “hyperpalatable” foods — those with salt, fat, and sugar — it can turn you into a munching mindless machine.
I have been cooking up a storm on my Instagram account so head over and have a look at my carby “food diary” lol https://www.instagram.com/allisol
Here is another inspirational article about getting the right fuel and even although this is about female championship rowers, this is an amazing story about having the right energy available at the right time – something we can all take from eating great food. Eating for strength.
These rowers had never won a medal ever because they fuelled for leanness. Read about their amazing results when they got the help and advice, they needed to win silver at the Tokyo Olympics.
Their best results ever!!
Read about it right here.
And as always, if you have any questions, please reply back, send me a message. I love to hear from you.
Lots of Love
Linda xoxox
