Carbs We Eat For Effective Weight Minding?
In the past, I have been eating out and feeling guilty myself because I ate dessert or pasta. That was not a cool period in my life.
Were They Wrong All Along About Carbs?
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
When The Scale Weight Doesn’t Change! And You Feel You’ve Tried Really Hard
It can make you feel so despondent. There you are congratulating yourself at being so good, step on the scales and bam!! The scale weight hasn’t budged, or worse, may have even gone up!
Your plans ruined, because you have now decided you are fat and not good enough and you won’t ever be. If you do go out (reluctantly), you’ll be comparing yourself to everyone else and they’ll all be “thinner” than you.
No photos taken.
THOSE PESKY SCALES
Scales are not the best indicators of total weight per se, especially fat distribution, but I get it. If you struggle with weight fluctuations, I know it feels good to look down and see yourself as “lighter.”
Stepping on those scales for a bit of security can be a big draw. A powerful magnate. Especially for events. It takes a while to change a habit and behaviour such as daily or weekly weighing. You have to build confidence first.
For example, during the summer months, what with holidays at home and away, being lighter for the holidays has always been a thing. So many people are on horrendously named diets like “no carbs before Marbs,” ridiculous I know, but this is what we are up against. This type of behaviour is what will always keep your weight yo-yo ing back and forth.
ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO TRACK YOUR WEIGHT
Most of the time (90%) I use my own bio individuality to mind my weight.
Sleep
Hunger
Mood
Energy
Cravings
I know that these markers are the main indicators of how my metabolism is adapting to life as it is happening at any moment in time. When I am tuned in here and something feels out of kilter, I can adapt my nutrition, exercise and recovery to mindfully tweak my own metabolism.
We all have very different personalities, psychology, physiology, personal and practical circumstances. That is why cookie cutter approaches like big diet brands provide have terrible track records. Especially in keep the weight off for good.
I have had to practice moderation. All food overindulgences start because of deprivation. I’ve been there. Starve yourself all day for a meal out at night and you end up stuffed and uncomfortable. The waistline of your clothing undone!
PRACTICING MODERATION
At the start I was not very trusting of myself and still overdid the cardio and had the scales out. My energy was low, and I did not have the drive for all the other stuff I wanted to do with my life. I was not listening to my body telling me it was exhausted.
Before you start changing your habits, building confidence in your own ability to mind your weight, here is some reasons why those scales have not moved:
What Influences Weight Change?
One of the most effective ways to reduce the fear or apprehension toward weight change is to highlight the factors, outside of actual fat loss/gain that can influence it.
Water & Waste Retention
This is definitely one of the main culprits. You will weigh yourself on Monday morning after a busy and indulgent weekend, only to find you’ve have added 1-2 lbs. (or more) of weight. However, if you did not adequately hydrate, consumed a little more salt than usual, these can both lead to the retention of water. You may be constipated. This will increase weight, but it is not permanent weight.
Let’s look at some additional progress markers!
How are you feeling?
Energy and fatigue reduction are a common sign that your nutrition is improving. How do you feel in the morning getting out of bed? Do you have energy throughout the day? How do you feel at work?
How are your fitness levels?
Cardiorespiratory fitness is a very common indicator of an effective nutrition regimen. Is that five-kilometre run/walk getting easier? Are you squeezing out a couple more repetitions with the same weight you struggled with last month?
Do you feel more recovered after a day of working out?
How do your clothes fit?
If you do feel that you’ve lost weight, but the scales aren’t reflecting this, this might be due to the reasons mentioned above. If you have gained muscle, then you’ll notice it in the mirror. But, if you’ve had a difficult week and your weight has increased, skip the mirror view, relax and remember tomorrow is a new opportunity!
Why You Should Start Listening In To Your Own Internal Bio Feedback
Your metabolism is your chief operating officer (COO) let it take the place of your EGO and do its magic.
Paying attention to your own internal COO!
I’ve been thinking about the best ways I can share a message about your unique metabolism. And yes, it is totally unique to you, like mine is to me.
Naturally you’ll eat to whatever “moderation” looks like for you, based on your:
- PHYSIOLOGY (e.g. reproductive years or post)
- PYSCOLOGY ( e.g. identical twins who have the same DNA don’t come out identical. You have your own randomness.
- PERSONALITY (e.g. your openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness)
- PREFERNCE (e.g. carnivore, vegetarian, vegan)
- PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES (e.g. single, in a relationship, kids, no kids)
At this point, I could ramble on about the science of metabolism and the family of hormones that control hunger, appetite, cravings and satisfaction but it’s not really the point of this item.
See, for years I never paid attention to those 5 key P’s above. My favourite P was PERFECTIONISM! If my weight was stuck, I would max out the burn and diet until the weight was back down to ‘ideal thin” (not my unique physiology but that of an advertisers ideal).
There is no room for this P in the above weight minders list.
INTERNAL METABOLIC COO METAPHOR
I want to present a metaphor to describe an aspect of metabolism. Think of it a bit like the Chief Operating Officer of a company, a majority shareholder, who is a wise leader. Like all good leaders this COO can help you progress and understand yourself better. Therefore, living as fabulous as you are. If you ignore it, you will lose. That’s because it will do anything just so as you can survive long enough to reproduce. Even beyond those years!
When you are paying attention to this internal COO, you will be acting on internal unique bio feedback and adjusting as a result of the feedback.
Here’s a couple of tips for you:
.
PRO TIP 1
Hungry? – Eat until you are 80% full. What does this feel like? What is your COO messaging to you?
It feels like you are getting full but not until the point you are undoing the top button of your trousers and pulling down your zip 4 inches. Yes, you could eat more but you are not going to.
PRO TIP 2
No Energy? – You’ve got a foggy brain, you cannot recover from one workout to the next, instead you come back and do mind numbing things and put other projects on hold. Your COO is forcing you to sit down because you are not recovering. You are most likely not eating enough for your energy expenditure aka classic diet deprivation mentality. The COO will force feed you by increasing your hunger and cravings.
Just think of the times you have done a lot of crazy exercise! Then you might fight back by going on yet another fruitless diet without any due consideration and respect to what the COO is alerting you to.
Think about how you are working out and the energy you have to do other activities in your life.
Is it balanced?
Let’s say you start listening in to your own bio feedback, you ate moderately yesterday. You were able to feel satisfied and not stuffed (ate to 80% fullness), if you were able to take bites of things and not beat yourself up, amazing. Congrats, you’re on the journey to getting to know your intelligent boss a bit better.
The elementary version, listening to the “gurus” is a 1.0 version can be an okay place to start, but learning to work alongside your own metabolic COO is real self trust. Simple but never easy. Easy has to be earned.
I practice listening to my metabolism and really diving in these past years. I have not turned out like a marshmallow, and I am full of energy these days. It is truly quite remarkable what can come up for you when you get to know your body’s metabolic COO.
TDEE
I say the majority shareholder because 70% of your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure is BMR (basal metabolic rate) is purely down to every reaction needed to keep you alive day to day. The rest is made up of NEAT, non exercise activity thermogenesis 15% thermic effect of food 10% exercise activity thermogenesis 5%.