Will Eating Starchy Carbs Hurt My Weight Loss Efforts?

I’m trying to lose about 30 pounds and want to know how many carbs I should eat everyday. Should I be eating carbs like cereal, bread and pasta for the best results?

A good rule of thumb is to start eating 2 grams of carbs per pound of body weight, every day. So, if you weigh 185 pounds, start by eating 370 grams of carbs a day (1,480 calories from carbs). Divide this number between 6 meals per day and you will eat about 62 grams of carbs per meal.

After a few weeks, so how you look and feel. If you’re still holding onto fat and have not lost any weight, then decrease your carb intake to 1 gram per pound of body weight per day (185 grams per day). Divide this number between 6 meals per day and you will eat about 31 grams of carbs per meal.

Some people are very carbohydrate sensitive and their body has a hard time releasing any fat when too many carbs are consumed. Insulin sensitivity is an issue with some people and the number of carbs eaten every day needs to be strictly monitored. So, if you’re the type of person who blows up after just looking at a bowl of rice, then you may want to start on the lower end and see how you do (1 gram of carbs per pound of body weight, per day).

If you want to lose 30 pounds, you should really try to limit starchy carbs (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes) and stick with fibrous carbs like veggies. Starchy carbs pack a lot of calories and also raise insulin levels which makes it tough to burn fat. A little healthy carbs in the morning is fine (oatmeal, yams) but after 3pm, really focus on sticking to lean protein and veggies for your main source of nutrients. Eating this way will maximize fat burning and help you lose those extra 30 pounds.

List of Fibrous Carbs To Include In Your Diet:

• Green Leafy Lettuce
• Spinach
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini
• Bell Peppers
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Asparagus
• Brussels Sprouts
• Red Onions
• String Beans
• Celery

A great dieting trick is to use “Carb Tapering” during the day to maximize fat burning. What this means is that you will taper your carbohydrate intake later in the day to avoid eating high starchy carbs and sticking to fibrous carbs. A great rule of thumb is to cut out all starchy carbs (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.) from your diet at about 3-4 pm and stick to only fibrous carbs for the rest of the day. It’s best to consume the bulk majority of your carbs in the morning and early afternoon since your insulin levels are less sensitive at night which means the carbs you eat later in the day will not be utilized optimally and they will have a much higher chance of being converted to body fat. So, after about 3-4 pm you should stick with lean proteins and fibrous carbs if your overall goal is to get lose body fat and get lean. Some healthy meals to make later in the day are salads, stir frys and omelets. Try out carb tapering for 6-8 weeks and see how your body responds. I bet you will start noticing higher levels of fat loss and much more definition in your physique!

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