Elate - Nutrition and Fitness

50 - 100 grams of carbohydrates for effortless weight loss

2/10/2014

 

50 - 100 grams per day

We don't ask our clients to weigh and measure their food as that's just annoying. Instead, we advise clients as to what foods are high in sugar and what foods are low in sugar. It may seem obvious, but it's actually not so straightforward. Understanding that the term "carbohydrate" refers to sugars in food is important. Something is only called a carbohydrate because of the sugars that are in the food. When you see "carbohydrate" on a food label, it means it contains various types of sugars (except for fibre, which is listed separately in Europe). The "added sugar" section on the label specifically indicates the sugar that was added during the food's production.

By reducing sugar intake, you can minimise insulin production and accelerate fat metabolism. If you have read the previous article you will know that carbohydrates drive insulin and insulin drives fat storage. 
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How to manage carbohydrates

Most vegetables and fruits are carbohydrates so when creating a meal plan it's important to choose low glycemic options (see list below). Some people prefer to initially cut out many high glycemic foods, while others prefer to leave some in. This decision often depends on how quickly they want to lose weight. We speak to each client about this when creating food plans in the initial weeks. Once you're satisfied with the rate at which you're losing weight, you can gradually add more carbohydrates (up until a point where you stop losing weight). 
 
Following this approach, you can expect to see a significant drop in inches (2 - 5) each week for several weeks. If you have less to lose, it may be closer to 2 inches, whereas if you have more to lose, it could be closer to 5 inches. That means within 60 days, you could lose 1-2 dress sizes, and within 90 days, 2-3 dress sizes. In the beginning, you might even lose 10-20 inches in just 14 days, which is equivalent to a full dress size.
Starchy carbohydrates such as grains (bread, wheat, pasta, corn) and tubers/roots (potato, parsnip, cooked carrots) as well as sugary carbohydrates (honey, jam, table sugar, fruit juice) would ideally be limited or avoided since they are high glycemic which means that they will raise your blood sugar quickly. 

Fats and proteins should be eaten with carbohydrates 

  • Fats and proteins are not only delicious and filling but also packed with essential nutrients. When you consume them, you naturally eat fewer carbohydrates.
  • This is because fats and proteins take longer to digest, slowing down the digestion of your entire meal. As a result, carbohydrates don't convert into glucose as quickly, which means your blood sugar won't spike rapidly. Remember, when your blood sugar rises quickly, your body tends to store more fat.

How much fats and protein? 

By including a healthy amount of fats and proteins in your diet, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds, you'll feel satisfied while enjoying tasty and nutritious foods. We pay special attention to your fat intake right from the start and make sure to create a food plan that includes fats, proteins, and carbohydrates according to your needs.
 
It's worth mentioning that you don't have to limit yourself to lean cuts of protein. However, if someone prefers lean cuts then they can add fats from other sources such as cheese, olive oil, and all the others listed later in this blog. This is not a low-fat diet, nor is it a high-protein diet. It can be described as a moderate to low carbohydrate approach. When you reduce your carbohydrate intake, your body will start burning both the fats from your diet and the stored fat for energy.
15 Comments
Charlene O Brien
19/4/2016 09:21:06

Why are cooked carrots in the bad food list and carrots are in the good food list?

Reply
Daniel Meany link
21/4/2016 21:09:45

Hi Charlene, thanks for your comment and good question!

In general, the easier a food is to digest, the higher the glycemic index.

Hydration and heat raise food’s Glycemic Indexes. Carrots have a 20 GI when raw. The moment they are boiled, their GI rises to 50 as a result of the gelatinization of it starch content.

If you have any more questions please let me know!

Reply
Lisa O Connor
2/5/2016 21:32:23

Shocked... what I would have thought were some of my heathy choices are in High GI list .

Reply
Ann Grogan
28/5/2016 22:04:33

What type of milk can be used. At the moment I use skimmed milk

Reply
Daniel
31/5/2016 13:32:49

Hi Ann, a drop of milk in tea or coffee is fine.

Reply
Lorna
8/6/2016 20:27:22

Hi Daniel what about raspberries?

Reply
Daniel
9/6/2016 10:47:15

Hi Lorna,

If weight loss is your goal and you want to play it safe then stick to a handful of berries a day, including raspberries. Some people can have more and some less so there is a bit of trial and error.

Reply
Eileen Ahern
12/7/2016 22:43:30

What about Herbs and spices?

Reply
Daniel
13/7/2016 14:33:32

Herbs and spices are great and can be added to every meal. Make sure to check out the shopping list blog post too!

Reply
Sharon
21/5/2018 21:48:17

Hi daniel,just going through this list and feel even more lost, is there a recipe programme to help kick this healthy change , just till I get use to this new food list and counting cars. Thanks

Reply
Daniel
22/5/2018 10:26:21

Hi Sharon, yes there is a whole weight loss coaching programme which includes lots of recipes. Everyone has different tastes and preferences so making meal plans is something we do with each client one to one.

That also means that people won't have to count carbs as we do all that on our side for them!

I see you've been in touch this morning so will chat with you shortly!

Reply
Vivienne Merritt
24/10/2018 21:29:10

Very interesting and a lot to take but even reading the emails is making me think

Reply
Trudy
24/3/2019 12:42:10

Thank you Daniel, it's a lot to take in

Reply
Breda O Gorman
20/5/2019 20:42:33

Can't open cárb contents in the above article

Reply
Daniel
23/5/2019 18:41:23

Thanks so much Breda, I'll amend that :)

Reply

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