Carbs
 

Carbohydrates



One common problem when people are aiming to lose body fat and maintain lean mass is that they tend to over consume carbohydrates and also fall short when it comes to nutrient timing. Considering one of most important indicators of nutritional status is insulin, getting this right is vital for anyone looking to reduce body fat and get lean.

Carbohydrate and fat contend for dominance as fuel within the body. The use of these two fuels is reciprocal to a degree, with each metabolic pathway inhibiting the functions of the other. In the fed state, the presence of carbohydrate can reduce the propensity of circulating fat to become the body’s predominant fuel. The main objective when wanting to reduce body fat, is to increase fat being utilised as an energy source, below are a few tips to help increase fat loss through carbohydrate intake.

– Ditch refined carbs and calorie dense foods – these are going to give an insulin response followed by a rapid storage of blood glucose to glycogen.

– Stop unnecessary carbohydrate feeding in the day, and base these meals around foods that are high in protein and fat.

– Low-med GI foods will give a sustained energy release and therefore reduce respiratory exchange ratio (RER; rate at which fat and carbohydrates are utilised). This will also increase feeling of satiety and therefore reduce total energy intake

– Choose an alternative selection of carbohydrates that are nutrient dense as opposed to calorie dense e.g. Quinoa, sweet potato, leafy greens (spinach, kale, broccoli), fruit and vegetables.