Tag: lose weight fast

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Best Protein Powder

Best Protein Powder

A quick overview of the best protein powder, the differences between them, and my recommendation on what I choose to buy.

Different Types of Protein Powder

Before we compare brands, it is important to distinguish the different kinds of protein powders. There are a few basic types, including: Whey, Casein, Egg, Pea, Hemp, and Plant. Here is a quick description of each.

Whey: A fast-absorbing, milk-based protein that boosts muscle growth and recovery. Also aids in fat loss. Provides all 9 essential amino acids. Also promotes satiety (fullness).

Casein: A protein found in milk that gradually builds muscle mass and aids in fat loss.

Egg: Made from egg whites. Provides all 9 essential amino acids.

Pea: A high-fiber protein made from yellow split peas that promotes satiety (fullness).

Hemp: Plant-based protein that is rich in healthy fats and several essential amino acids.

Plant: A Plant-based protein that is blended in order to increase the positive effects on muscle health.

Of these proteins, I have chosen to focus on what I believe is the most effective in most cases, and the one that I use on a daily basis, WHEY!

Why Whey?

Whey is a complete, high-quality protein that contains all of the 9 essential amino acids required for optimal health. In addition, it is very digestible, absorbed from your gut quickly compared with other forms of proteins.

  1. Whey is an excellent source of High Quality Protein.
  2. It promotes Muscle Growth.
  3. Whey may help to lower blood pressure.
  4. It may help treat Type 2 Diabetes.
  5. It may also help reduce inflammation in the body.
  6. Whey has been found to be beneficial for Irritable Bowl Disease (IBD)
  7. It is highly satiating (filling)
  8. Whey aids in fat loss along with a healthy, high protein diet.

Popular Brands of Whey Protein

There is an endless amount of brands of Whey protein on the market. Here we will be focusing on 7.

ON – Optimum Nutrition

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey contains 24g protein per serving. It however contains a patented digestive enzyme blend and ultra-filtered microfiltration process that results in a low lactose product, an addition that sets ON apart from others. You can buy ON in a variety of flavors, such as chocolate peanut butter and cookies and cream.

https://amzn.to/3Hd02k4

BSN Syntha – 6

BSN Syntha-6 Edge Whey Protein Isolate Protein Powder contains whey protein isolate, which is one of the purest forms of whey protein in the industry. It also contains zero carbohydrates and has great forms of the 9 essential amino acids. It’s also rich in BCAAs and glutamine peptides that can aid in recovery after intense workouts.

https://amzn.to/3IVZ9xj

Naked Whey

Naked Nutrition Whey contains 25g of whey protein per serving. It also contains high qualities of the 9 essential amino acids to aid in building lean muscle.

Naked Nutrition Whey Protein Powder is free of artificial flavors or sweeteners. It’s also rich in vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. The product contains zero cholesterol or sugar.

https://amzn.to/3XEsSze

Dymatize

It has a high protein content of 25g per serving. This protein product does not contain any lactose or cholesterol, helpful for those with allergies. It also contains high qualities of all 9 essential amino acids.

https://amzn.to/3WizmCH

GNC Amp

GNC Whey Pure Isolate is GNC’s protein powder. It has, as many brands, high quality amino acids and 25g of Protein per serving. This is high level of quality protein. It also contains zero sugars and 3g of carbohydrates.

https://amzn.to/3GPKlO6

BPN – Bare Performance Nutrition

Supports improved recovery and muscle protein synthesis necessary to build lean muscle. BPN contains 88% fast acting whey protein and 12% slow digesting casein protein. This allows for a slower release of protein, which the body breaks down into amino acids and makes for a thicker, more consistent and better tasting product. It also contains 25g of high quality whey protein with only 4g of net carbs.

https://amzn.to/3WhSZLg

Ghost

Ghost is the current whey protein that I have been using lately. I love the price point at $45 per 2 pound jug and think that the flavor is outstanding. I recently bought the Coffee Ice Cream and it tastes as such.

Ghost contains 25g of protein and only 2g of net carbohydrates. It contains high quality essential amino acids and is soy and gluten free. This protein is also great used in mixes for ice cream, pancakes, cookies, and other baked goodies. Give it a try!

https://amzn.to/3ZJWZqv

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Best YouTube Channels for Weight Loss

Here is a list of the best YouTube Channels for weight loss that have helped me along in my journey to lose 50 pounds. In no particular order:

Thomas DeLauer – https://www.youtube.com/@ThomasDeLauerOfficial

The information that DeLauer provides is absolutely top notch. He not only gives great insight into the diet and fitness world, but also provides detailed and scientific explanations on what is going on in your body when you are making all the changes.

I have found much of my scientific studies from him mainly, with the supplementation of a few others. His story was a great motivator for beginning and sustaining my weight loss journey. Check out his sight above if you are interested in learning in detail about the ins and outs of weight loss and fitness.

Miss Fit and Nerdy – https://www.youtube.com/@MissFitAndNerdy

MissFitandNerdy is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and Functional Movement Specialist. Her information is similar to Thomas DeLauer in that she gives great scientific explanations behind weight loss. She also describes and documents her struggles and successes to further motivate you to stay on track.

I have found her sight to be highly informative and inspirational. I hope that you will check her out from the link above.

Sean Nalewanyj – https://www.youtube.com/@Sean_Nalewanyj

Sean has a knack for helping you sift through the muck of the fitness industry and narrow it down to the most effective workouts and nutrition. He speaks plainly to the myths in the industry and how to apply effective techniques to see lasting results.

If you would like to check out Sean’s YouTube channel, check out the link above.

Will Tennyson – https://www.youtube.com/@WillTennyson

If you like a little humor with great information then Will is your guy. He gives great explanations for nutrition and fitness while applying a great deal of sarcasm and humor. I find myself laughing and learning at the same time.

Will also promotes top effective supplements that have helped many athletes around the world (BPN Supplements).

Check out Will’s YouTube channel above to be highly entertained and to learn.

Fit Father Project – https://www.youtube.com/@Fitfatherproject

Being a father of 4, I found great motivation from this YouTube channel. The Fit Father Project is just that, a channel to help motivate and educate fathers on how to lose weight and get fit while navigating the life of fatherhood. I learned so much about myself and how to set goals in nutrition and fitness. I would recommend this channel to any dad who wants to learn and be motivated to lose weight and get in great shape.

Ben Greenfield Life – https://www.youtube.com/@bengreenfieldlife

I have been following Ben Greenfield for many years, listening to his podcast and watching his videos on YouTube. His ability to connect content on a personal and inspirational level is second to none. Ben’s content contains fitness advice, spirituality, fatherhood, and biohacking. All of his biohacking advice is absolutely spot on. I listen to his content every day and would recommend you give his channel a try.

Joe Duff the Diet Chef – https://www.youtube.com/@TheDietChef

Joe’s channel is amazing! I have used so many recipes from his YouTube channel and every single one is simple and delicious. If it wasn’t for Joe, I wouldn’t have been able to eat the foods I love, while cutting out the unnecessary sugars and carbs. His channel is chocked full of great recipes with full descriptions of each. Go check him out and try out his recipes today.

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A Comparison of Different Diets

Different Diets

There are literally hundreds of diet choices if you searched different diets on google. Below is a quick Comparison of Different Diets, specifically 5.

The Ketogenic Diet

The basics of the Ketogenic Diet (also called Keto) is eating high fat, moderate protein and very low carbohydrates. The plan focuses on keeping your body in a state of fat burning known as “ketosis”, where your ketones are high and your insulin is low.

The ketogenic diet eliminates processed simple carbs like white bread, white rice and sugary sodas and juices. Many snacks and foods today are labeled as Keto Friendly at local grocery stores and markets. This basically means that the food you are purchasing is very low in carbohydrates and, therefore, fits into the ketogenic diet.

While Keto has been very popular over the last few years, there are also concerns with following this diet. Eating high amounts of protein and fat can also affect your health negatively if too high. Fatty liver disease is often a side effect of people that experience negative side effects of keto. Keto also cuts out higher carbohydrates fruits and vegetables, which are vital to a healthy lifestyle.

Done properly and with caution, the Ketogenic Diet can be very beneficial for weight loss!

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting (IF) is exactly what it sounds like, fasting intermittently. More specifically, you choose a fasting window time and an eating window time. The three most popular IF times are known as 14:10, 16:8, and 18:6. The first number is hours fasting and the second number is the eating window hours.

While doing Intermittent Fasting, I choose 16:8 (not more or less effective).

During the fasting window, your insulin levels are at their lowest levels, therefore optimizing fat loss. Some even believe that exercising during a fasted state can increase fat burning, although that is debatable.

The amount of calories do not change, just the time that you consume them.

Low Carb (Different Low Carb Diets)

There are different variations of this one, but basically they all share the same idea of eating very low carb. You may have heard formal low carb diets such as Atkins, Whole 30, and Paleo.

These diets consist of lowering your carbohydrate intake significantly in order to achieve weight loss. By restricting carbohydrates you are, in turn, restricting calories, therefore, losing weight. The major drawbacks of all of these diets are that since they are so restrictive, the ability to maintain this diet style is very difficult. Many people find this so difficult that they gain most of their weight back after reintroducing carbs.

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers basis their weight loss plan on a number system. The main effectiveness of this diet is on the accountability and coaching system. They offer a community with coaching and partners to help keep you on track.

Weight watchers also offers personalized meal plans for your to follow step by step. This diet also does not restrict specific types of foods.

The downside to this diet is that you have to pay for it. If you want the coaching and workshops you have to pay for a higher tier within their program.

Macros

While Macros isn’t a specific diet plan, it is a system of calculating how much protein, fat, and carbs you should consume throughout the day.

Macros can fit into some other diets, such as Intermittent Fasting, by simply counting macros within your eating window.

An easy way to calculate macros is to take your body weight at multiply by .8 (range of .8 to 1.5). This will give you approximately how much protein you should be consuming in a day. For fats, multiply your body weight by .3. For carbs, just fill in the remaining calories with that carbohydrates. As a reference, Carbohydrates account for 4 calories per gram, proteins account for 4 calories per gram, and fat accounts for 9 calories per gram.

In Conclusion…Different Diets

What all of these different diets, and all diets for that matter have in common is the concept of Calories In, Calories Out (or CICO). Whether tracked or not, you cannot lose weight if you are eating more than you are burning. At the end of the day, you have to burn more calories than you eat.

Your body does some of this for you, known as your Resting Metabolic Rate. The other, and more important number is what you do in the kitchen, at the restaurant, or in the drive-through. That is why you need to put in the work to know how much you eat and how much you burn. This will get you SO far in your weight loss journey. Keep pushing yourself to do better!

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Weight Loss Myths

There are many myths about weight loss. Here are just a few.

Myth #1: Healthier Food is more expensive

The top of the list of weight loss myths is that food is more expensive the healthier it is. While eating from higher end organic sources may cost you more, there are many more options to eating healthy that can even be purchased at Walmart.

The idea is that you replace what you are eating with healthier alternatives. There are many healthy alternatives that cost the same and even sometimes cheaper than their unhealthy counterparts.

Yes, eating the dollar menu at McDonald’s is way cheaper than eating a healthy meal from Chipotle, but that’s an extreme. Plus, McDonald’s is a near guaranteed “heart attack in a box”.

Besides, eating out is the most expensive form of food consumption. When you eat healthier, many times you are choosing to cook meals at home. This leads to healthier eating because you can choose the ingredients you put in your food and know exactly how many calories, fat, carbs, and protein you are eating. This is also the cheaper option. That is why this is Myth #1.

Myth #2: Carbs Make You Fat

If I could write a book about this being one of the big weight loss myths, it would be this one. For one, which carbs are we talking about? Complex or simple? Second, fiber is a carb and is vitally important to our health.

Starchy fried foods are obviously detrimental to your health and can cause many health issues, like fatty liver disease, obesity, and high blood pressure. Yes starchy fried foods are loaded with carbs. However, there are other kinds of healthy and, indeed necessary carbohydrates.

Complex carbohydrates play a very important role in many of our necessary biological functions like digestion, metabolism, blood sugar regulation, hormone health, and even sleep patterns. Complex carbs also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease when properly balanced in our diets.

The takeaway is that we need to be more specific when talking about carbohydrate intake. Eat carbs, don’t go crazy with them, and make sure they are complex.

Myth #3: Exercising like a crazy person is the only way to lose weight fast

The rule of thumb is that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. You can exercise like the top athlete in the world and not lose one pound of fat if your diet is not on point. Let me explain with an example…

If you go to www.calculator.net/calories-burned-calculator.html, you can find out roughly how many calories you burn per activity you do. If you eat a cheeseburger from McDonalds, you have consumed 313 calories (according to their website). To burn 313 calories, you would have to run vigorously for approximately 1 hour (depending on your weight and level of difficulty).

I don’t know about you, but I think it would be much easier to swap something for the cheeseburger than run an hour.

I actually only run 1 to 2 times a week, and no more than 2 miles on average. I run very slow when I do and I hate it. Most of my exercise comes from walking 10,000 plus steps each day. I lost and continue to lose most of my weight due to changing my eating habits. Eating healthy is the most important key to losing weight. It has the greatest effect on weight loss.

Myth #4: Sit-ups are the best exercise for losing belly fat

While sit-ups are a great exercise, no one exercise is going to target fat loss to a specific body area. When you are in a burning state, and while exercising, your body loses fat on an overall scale. Wherever your fat has accumulated the most you will see the biggest changes.

Anaerobic exercises like weight lifting and sit-ups/crunches build muscle. Muscle burns fat, and there you have it. So, sit-ups are a great addition to your exercise routine, but they do not target fat loss in your belly alone.

Myth #5: “Low Fat” or “Reduced Fat” is the healthier choice.

Fat, like carbohydrates is another important component of a healthy diet and weight loss. Consuming too little fat it not healthy for our bodies. The USDA recommends getting up to 35% of your daily calories from fat. That is somewhere around 90-100 grams.

If you are eating “low fat” or “reduced fat” foods you can have one of too scenarios. Either it is still too high in fat (funny right?!) or it contains a higher amount of sugar in the ingredients. Either way, you need to learn to read the labels on food boxes to see what you actually consuming before buying a “low fat” or “reduced fat” product.

Still, the best way to control what you eat is to cook at home. That way you know exactly what you are putting in your body each meal.

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Best Multivitamin

A quick comparison, and what I think is the best Multivitamin for overall health.

Best Multivitamin: Rainbow Light Men’s One Multivitamin

IngredientAmount per Serving
Vitamin A5,000 IU
Vitamin C120 mg
Vitamin D800 IU
Vitamin E30 IU
Vitamin K100 mcg
Thiamin25 mg
Riboflavin25 mg
Niacin25 mg
Vitamin B625 mg
Folic Acid800 mcg
Vitamin B1225 mcg
Biotin150 mcg
Vitamin B525 mg
Calcium50 mg
Magnesium25 mg
Zinc20 mg
Also Contains:
  • Men’s Strengthening Blend – 100 mg
    Saw Palmetto 2:1 Extract, Organic Spirulina, Lycopene 1,000 mcg
  • Vegetable Juice Complex – 10 mg
    4:1 extract, Kale, Spinach, Dandelion Greens, Beet
  • Complete Digestive Support – 34 mg
    Protease, Amylase, Lipase, Cellulase, ProbioActive (Bacillus coagulans 25 million CFU), Betaine HCI 10 mg

Comparison with other Top Brands

Why Rainbow Light is my choice for Best Multivitamin

I have been taking Rainbow Light Men’s One for 5 years. I have noticed a great improvement in my mood, my digestion, and my performance day in and day out. It contains Folic Acid for proper cell function and restoration at a level higher than other leading Multivitamins. Rainbow Light Men’s One also contains high levels of Vitamin K and Zinc, for proper immune system function (much needed since 2020!!).

I especially love the addition of the 34mg of Digestive Support in the form of Protease, Amylase, Lipase, Cellulase, ProbioActive (Bacillus coagulans 25 million CFU), and Betaine HCI (10 mg). My digestion has not been the same since adding this Multivitamin to my regimen.

I would highly recommend this Multivitamin to anyone that is looking to maintain optimal health and/or get healthy. I put this multivitamin as my “must have” and as the foundation in my supplement routine.

Below you will find the links to Rainbow Light’s Men’s One, Women’s One, Prenatal One (excellent for expecting mothers), Kid’s One, and Active Adult 50+. I hope that this information is helpful and that you find the addition of these multivitamins to be as life changing as they were for me.

Men’s One

https://amzn.to/3X1IMDf

Women’s One

https://amzn.to/3Z71nzK

Prenatal One

https://amzn.to/3WHIl1h

Kid’s One

https://amzn.to/3Z7enFu

Active Adult 50+

https://amzn.to/3ii4oMS

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Weight Loss Apps

A comparison of different weight loss apps (free and paid)

Below you will find a quick comparison of different weight loss apps and the pros/cons of each. There is also an easy-to-follow chart at the bottom comparing each one.

Cronometer (Free; premium $8.99/mo or $49.99/yr)

Pros: Tracks more nutrients than other apps, access to blog and Question and Answers from other users, Syncs with popular accessories like Fitbit and Garmin

Cons: Subscription required for pro tools

Lose It! (Free; optional $9.99/mo or 39.99/yr)

Pros: Contains a large food and restaurant database, User-friendly database containing helpful articles and recipes, includes macronutrient tracking with percentages and charts of each (protein, fats, carbohydrates)

Cons: Doesn’t track vitamins and minerals (not absolutely necessary)

My Fitness Pal (Free; optional $9.99/mo or $49.99/yr)

Pros: User friendly, Macronutrient Tracking (with subscription), Large food and restaurant database from popular places and grocery stores

Cons: Pro features only offered with a subscription

Noom ($59/mo or $199/year)

Pros: One-on-One Coaching, Uses psychology to train you in behavior modification, Daily Articles with quizzes and challenges, reminders to track meals, Food and Exercise Log, a smart color-coded system based on caloric density

Cons: Price and no free option available

Use this chart as a quick reference guide:

Free versionMonthly subscriptionProsCons
Cronometeryes$8.99/mo or $49.99/yr (optional)Tracks more nutrients than others
Access to blog plus Q&A
Syncs with Fitbit & Garmin		Subscription required for pro tools
Lose It!yes$9.99/mo or $39.99/yr (optional)Large Food/restaurant database
User-Friendly Database of helpful Articles Macronutrient Tracking		Doesn’t track vitamins and minerals
MyFitnessPalyes$9.99/mo or $39.99/yr (optional)User-Friendly Macronutrient Tracking
Large food/restaurant database
Database of helpful articles and recipes		Pro features only with subscription
Noomno$59/mo or $199/yr1-on-1 coaching
Behavior Modification
Library of Educational ResourcesFood and Exercise Log
Color-coded system based on caloric density		Price
No free version
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Weight Loss Plan: My Daily Routine

Every day, I use roughly the same routine to continue to lose weight. Having a plan is known to create a 30% greater chance of success. A weight loss plan is not a difficult math equation, and it is simple to follow.

Here is the daily routine of my weight loss plan.

My Daily Routine: Morning

As soon as you wake up in the morning, before you do anything else, go to the bathroom. Empty your body and then weigh yourself. This will give you an accurate account of what you truly weigh.

After weighing yourself, drink a full glass of water. It is vitally important to hydrate yourself with a full glass of water as soon as you get up. This allows your cells to function at their peak.

[I also take my vitamins in the morning when I drink my water to save on time]

Breakfast: How to begin the weight loss plan

I do not eat breakfast on most days. I use a diet plan called Intermittent Fasting, which will be covered in another post. 

If you do eat breakfast, try to eat protein, lean meats, and low sugary foods. Stay away from the sweets (pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls, cereal) that are loaded with sugar. This will spike your insulin and immediately halt your body’s ability to burn fat.

Lunch: Weight Loss Plan Continued

For lunch, it is super important to eat lean protein, carbs, and fats. The easiest way to calculate this is to take your weight and attempt to eat that number in grams of protein per day. It is sometimes difficult to reach, especially if you are significantly overweight, but it’s important to try your best to reach that number. 

For example, if we take a 200 pound person, they would need to try and consume 200g of protein a day. That’s somewhere around 65 grams of protein per meal. Then split up the remaining calories with carbs and fats. I would recommend eating less carbs than fats, but the protein is the most important part of fat loss.

Remember, you need to be in a caloric deficit of 3500 (1 lb of fat) or 7000 (2 lbs a fat) per week to lose weight. This is a non-negotiable.

Dinner

It is a good idea to try and limit carbs for this meal.

Eat lean protein (fish, chicken, steak, etc) and vegetables. Avoid sugary drinks and desserts as often as possible. Remember, we are trying to keep our insulin as low as possible so as to remain in a fat burning state.

If you would like to know more about how I diet (Intermittent Fast) follow my blog and review my other posts. Also, you can go to my youtube channel and view my videos for more information.

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Weight Loss is Not That Complicated

Regardless of the vast amount of information and misinformation out there about diet and exercise, weight loss is not that complicated.

Having gone through the ups and downs of weight gain and loss for the past 6 years has taught me a lot. Mainly is the fact that the process of losing weight isn’t as difficult as some would make it out to be. It’s fairly simple when you look at the broader picture, in fact.

What Makes it Simple

The simple fact is, if you eat less than you burn, you WILL lose weight. That’s a scientific fact! Calories in, versus calories out is the only way you can lose weight. That seems like common sense, but it is also the part that everyone seems to struggle with the most.

Why is the struggle so real?

If weight loss is not that complicated, then why do so many people struggle to make is a sustainable lifestyle? In 2017, 42.4% of Americans were obese. That’s up from 30.9% in 1999. The average American consumes between 2500 to 3500 calories a day. To lose weight, one should eat in ranges from 1500 to 2000 calories a day.

The Math Behind Weight Loss

1 pound of body fat is equivalent to 3500 calories. Therefore, to lose 1 pound of body fat, a person would have to be a caloric deficit of 3500 calories. That is the simple and honest truth behind the math of weight loss.

While technically it doesn’t matter what you consume to lose weight, your health heavily depends on the type of calories you eat. You CAN lose weight eating 2000 calories of cheesecake every day, but your body will hate you. 2000 calories of a balanced diet would do your body much better, while also losing weight.

My goal is to provide you with the resources to lose weight and be healthy at the same time. In fact, if you can combine CICO (Calories In Calories Out) with healthy food and exercise, you can lose a lot of weight fast and have a healthy body, inside and out.

If you follow my blog and click on the “join list” button below, you will receive a FREE INTRODUCTORY VIDEO and a FREE PDF of the basics of losing weight fast. This will get you started on the journey of becoming a better, healthier, fitter YOU! Will you join me?

Join List

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Do Hard Things

I decided to go on a run today in my neighborhood park, and I hate running! But I also have made a decision to Do Hard Things! However, when I run and listen to my podcasts, ideas start flowing in my mind. After around 1.5 miles I decided to stop running, walk, and record a video of the thoughts I had in my head.

Let Me Set the Scene…

It was raining outside today in Arlington, Texas and the temperature was around 65 degrees. I sat in my living room recliner for about 10 minutes staring out the window at the weather. After about 10 minutes, I laced up my shoes and ran out the door. I ran down the street, on the wooded trail by the playground, and through the wooded trail that runs near my house. I observed many animals, including Peacocks (we have about 50 in our neighborhood). It wasn’t raining hard, but just enough to be annoying.

That’s when my mind started racing. I stopped and began recording a video about the thoughts in my head.

We can’t change our circumstances, or the weather, or how people around us react. We don’t have control over the economy or the government, on a large scale. What we DO have control is our choices! We can choose to Do Hard Things! Here is the link to an amazing book that talks about the science of doing hard things:

Do Hard Things Every Day, Now…

I didn’t always make the decision to take the “road less traveled” (Thank you Robert Frost). I would often do the easiest, cheapest, least time-consuming things. What this got me was laziness, tiredness, and depression. I ate poorly-made fast food, watched hours-on-end of TV, and stared at my phone while lounging on the couch most afternoons. Trust me, the easier thing is just that, easier! Also, it is not in any way better for you and your health, both physical and mental.

After a mental breakdown 5 years ago I sought after help. I went to a counselor and explored many tools that would eventually allow me to rewire my brain. Scientists call this Neuroplasticity. It is the ability for our brains to create new connections and default to the things that used to be hard. The only thing we have to do is choose to do the hard thing day after day. Eventually, it becomes the norm for our bodies and minds.

I hope that you will make the choice today to Do Hard Things every day. Join me on my journey and CHOOSE to lose weight starting today!

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Carbs Do Not Make You Fat

Carbs don't make you fat

I was reading an article yesterday about the important role that carbohydrates play in our daily lives. Carbs often get the bad reputation of being a catalyst for weight gain. Carbs do not make you fat, as we have been led to believe. In fact, carbohydrates are so vital to your body that you literally can’t live without them.

So Why the Hype?

There are many diets based on the concept of cutting the number of carbohydrates that you consume in order to lose weight. Many of these diets are highly effective, especially in the first weeks of weight loss. What, then, is the issue with these types of diets. The answer: It Depends!

I know, right? But let me explain! Carbohydrates account for a higher caloric density than many other foods. Therefore, if we eat a high amount of carbohydrates, then we consume more calories. In the typical American diet, people eat an excessive amount of carbohydrates, and, therefore, an excessive amount of calories. Sounds like a simple story of direct cause and effect, right?

Not so fast…

I am not one to jump to conclusions, especially when my health depends on the information being factual. So, I began to look at data from around the world as to what the healthiest countries in the world ate on average. An article by Huff Post showed that Japan was one of the healthiest countries in the world, yet they consumed a high amount of carbs on a daily basis. They ate noodles, and rice when many of their meals.

Likewise, Italy, the number 2 healthiest country in the world, consumes a high amount of carbohydrates as well. The Italians eat pastas and bread in many of their meals (think Spaghetti).

So what gives?

The problem is that these countries, while eating a high amount of carbs, eat “real” food in moderation. The American diet consists of many processed foods. Our pastas and breads are often loaded with added sugars and seed oils (both very bad for you). We eat deep fried foods and fast foods at a higher rate than many countries around the world. So much so that the Unites States is the 43rd healthiest country and we have a 30 percent obesity rate. For comparison, the Japanese have a 3.5 percent obesity rate.

Cutting out carbs makes sense…

It would make logical sense to cut out the thing that we conclude is causing a big issue. It makes sense that many diets include this strategy. Cutting carbs does work to lose weight, so where am I going with this?

The problem is that carbohydrates are a vital part to our bodily functions. In fact, many of our vitamins and minerals come from healthy carbohydrates. When we cut carbs too low, we risk losing out on important nutrients that our body needs to function at an optimal level. Carbs contain minerals like glucose, magnesium, and fiber.

Glucose is the body’s main source of energy. Without it, we can’t live. Carbs contain glucose, which converts to energy in the body. Magnesium is vital for muscle and nerve function as well as energy production. Low levels can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. Fiber lowers Type-2 Diabetes risk, Lowers the chances of Heart Disease, reduces the risk of some cancers, and keeps our gut healthy. Fiber-rich foods keep you feeling fuller longer and are associated with greater weight loss.

You see, carbs don’t make you fat…

I like to say, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.” What I mean is, don’t throw out the carbs with the calories. The best diets are those that cut calories, while maintaining a healthy balance between Fats, Carbs, and Proteins.

So what does that balance look like?

To lose weight, you need to keep in mind that each pound of fat is equivalent to a 3500 calorie deficit. This means you have to eat 3500 less calories than you burn. If you need a refresher on how to find out what you burn and what you are eating daily, go back to my 2nd blog and take notes. So, for example, if you were going to decide that 2000 calories is the right number for your body daily, then you need to decide how many Fats, Carbs, and Proteins fit into that 2000 calories healthily.

Here is a calculator to find out what your balance (Macros) should be:

https://www.calculator.net/macro-calculator.html

I would also recommend reading this article in Men’s Health to get a better understanding of Macros. https://www.menshealth.com/uk/nutrition/a36092326/macro-calculator/.