Carbohydrates and Low Energy
The over-consumption of carbohydrates in modern day society is at an all-time high. I could list all of the convenience foods infiltrated with carbs which your likely consuming but I’d like to keep my quality of life high. On top of that, on the whole, most people can benefit from using carbohydrates, so keeping them in your diet can prove very beneficial.
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Why do carbohydrates get such a bad wrap?
Chronic OVER CONSUMPTION of carbohydrates is the leading cause of insulin resistance and thus type 2 diabetes. Those suffering from type 2 diabetes typically also suffer from obesity and other obesity-related conditions.
With this in mind many jump to the conclusion that carbohydrates cause you to become overweight – this is completely untrue. An over consumption of calories causes you to become overweight.
Many of the foods which make us feel happy and energised are high in carbohydrates in one form or another. This can be perceived as a good or bad thing depending on how much body fat you are carrying and your health status.
What does that mean …
Well if you are carrying higher amounts of body fat it’s likely that your body isn’t functioning as optimally as it could be, especially when it comes to providing a stream of energy to keep you going throughout the working day. This can lead to feeling lethargic and often following on to the over-consumption of foods which are high in carbohydrates. Why? Well, these foods are typically easy to digest, readily available and provide energy quickly (rapid rise in blood sugar) – tiredness sorted – followed by a blood sugar crash and the cycle repeats.
“Many jump to the conclusion that carbohydrates cause you to become overweight – this is completely untrue. An over consumption of calories causes you to become overweight.”
With this, you can see the circle that someone suffering from a poor health status may find themselves in.
If the above paragraphs are resonating with you and you’d like to have more energy throughout the day without needing to rely on the contents of the office vending machine try low carb approach calculated via your body weight for two weeks:
Total body weight in lbs x 10 = caloric intake for the day | Maximum of 30g carbohydrate/day | Protein = 1g/1lb of body weight | Remaining calories from fat sources
Example – 170lbs = 1700 calories
Protein = 170g (680kcal)
Carbohydrates = 30g (120kcal)
Fats = 100g (900kcal)
Want to know the approach we use with our clients during their initial phases of training at Pioneer Performance? Grab it free here.
