When the Atkins craze finally bit the dust, you couldn’t have found a happier girl than me. However, all too often I still hear my friends, family members, and fellow bloggers voice a fear of:
The Big, Bad Carbohydrates
Dun dun dun.
(Click for more on the Alfredo Pasta meal above)
Pick up any health magazine, and you have a good chance of seeing a celebrity interview where said celebrity credits her slim physique to:
1. An absolutely-no-bread diet
2. Eschewing all carbs after 7pm
3. Steering clear of pasta at any cost… after all, pasta is Satan in noodle form, right??
This is ridiculous! I would argue that these celebrities are thin thanks to regimented workout routines (hello, personal trainers!), low-calorie diets that do not include very many Mexican-restaurant gorges or Dunkin Doughnut runs (meal delivery service, anyone?), hectic, on-the-go schedules, and industry pressures that motivate and remind them to keep up these practices. It’s not the carbs! I feel sad every time one of my friends admits to a fear of carbs—pasta in particular.
You deserve to eat pasta! Real pasta. There’s a reason carbohydrates exist: protein repairs and rebuilds cells, fats provide hormonal functions for cells, and it’s the job of the carbohydrates to energize cells. Cut out carbs, and you cut out energy. You’re doing your body a major disservice, especially if you’re highly active. We live in a society that deems any weight loss a good thing. But on low-carb diets, the major source of weight loss is muscle loss (which, in term, slows one’s metabolism) and water loss/dehydration (which presents a problem for one’s kidneys and can cause one’s body to go into a very dangerous state called “ketosis”). So yes, one may initially lose water weight and muscle weight on a low-carb diet; but in the long run, it means a sacrifice of one’s metabolism and muscles.
And a lack of carbs in one’s diet has also been associated with inferior athletic performance and brain function. Glucose (from carbohydrates) is the favored fuel for one’s muscles, brain, and central nervous system, so a breakdown of glycogen (the storage form of glucose) causes fatigue and confusion, thus inhibiting the desire and ability to exercise. Part of the reason carbs get a bad rap is that people fill up on highly-refined grains—cookies, white flour, etc. But restrict whole-grain carbohydrates and you’ll be missing out on fiber, B vitamins, thiamin, niacin, and even protein (surprisingly enough, grains offer quite a bit of protein).
Most of you are probably rolling your eyes at me right now, because how can one little blog post successfully counter a message that’s been drummed into Americans’ minds for years and years and years? But consider the source. While I’m not going to get into specific numbers (the subject of this post is not my weight; if you’re interested in that, please see my FAQ page), I’m nowhere near overweight. I adore carbs. You know this. Carbs fuel my super-active runner lifestyle, fill my body with essential nutrients, and—most importantly—taste delicious.
And yes, pasta too.
CCK Pasta Love:
Pasta Substitutions
One of my friends told me the reason she stays away from pasta is that it’s such a small serving and, for the same amount of calories, she can eat a much bigger serving of say, spaghetti squash.
True, a big bowl of something like my favorite voluminous oatmeal recipe can be much more filling than a small bowl of pasta. But sometimes you don’t want to feel bloated after eating (such as if you have a date that night!). Also, I’d argue that if one tries to fake oneself out with a pasta substitute, he or she subconsciously won’t feel as satisfied after eating because his or her brain knows it’s a substitute and therefore doesn’t register that the food craving was met. This can thus lead to bingeing as the brain attempts to satisfy the craving for the desired food, so, in the long run, a person can end up taking in way more calories than if he or she had simply indulged in a small amount of the real stuff to begin with. It’s like those studies that have shown people who use artificial sweeteners actually end up consuming more calories than those who don’t.
This isn’t to say spaghetti squash is not satisfying in its own right; it’s only when such foods become replacements for others that a problem can arise. Although spaghetti squash, zucchini spirals, mushroom pasta, and those Asian shirataki noodles can be super-fun to eat it’s sad when they completely replace pasta in one’s diet.
This doesn’t mean one should quaff down a quadruple serving of Fettuccine Alfredo every day because “CCK said it’s ok” (especially since the sauce, not the pasta, is filled with unhealthy saturated fat and cholesterol). Everything in moderation. But it’s recommended that the average person take in 6-11 servings of whole grains per day (depending on activity level; athletes obviously need more carbohydrates than sedentary people).
So go ahead and eat those carbs (especially if they’re served to you by a cute boy)! 😉
Hi Liz!
My only advice would be to start off slow. Maybe add a banana in as a snack, or just cook as much pasta as you’re going to eat in one sitting (no left overs) so you cant binge.
Good luck, I’m so glad that sharing the carb love has made you want to join in!
ABB
Hey Liz!
I have been in your exact position 🙂 I would suggest going very, very slow, or else you might freak out….since it is fall and more root veggies are coming into season, why not take advantage? Make a stir-fry or a soup and add some yams (not a lot, just some dices), for example. I just had an amazing vegan split-pea-spinach-yam soup that 4 years ago I would have been terrified of. The key is to make sure you know what you are taking in is going to be recognized by your body, only going to fuel you, and that there are no “bad” ingredients (unneccessary oils, tons of butter, heavy cream). Add some banana slices to your fruit salads. Eat even just half a high-fiber, whole-grain bar like Gnu (which will clean OUT your system, not stick TO your system!).
I still do not eat many bread-y carbs, but I am not afraid of them, nor have they been completely cut from my life…I found the ones which worked for ME. It’s all about finding your personal balance 🙂 good luck!!!
Marissa – I completely agree with you. (And I love Dr. Fuhrman – after reading Eat to Live, I immediately became a vegan). I think it’s much better to get your carbs from nutrient-dense sources (i.e., fruits and veggies). And I do not think you should ever restrict your fruit and veggie intake due to their carb count or the amount of sugar they have in them. Grains are very addicting – just look at people’s comments on here. I think, generally speaking, people crave carbs much more than say spinach or carrots or other vegetables. Now I know some people are going to jump all over this comment and say, “I crave spinach, carrots, etc”. So please don’t get defensive; this is just my opinion. Another way to look at it, which shows that carbs have an addicting potential, is would you ever overeat a plate of red bell peppers or mushrooms? No. But do people have problems overeating breads, pastas, chips, cake, etc? Yes. I try to avoid any food which could cause me to overeat and then feel guilty and bloated afterward, because in my mind that tells me that those foods have control over me. So basically that leaves me with fruits and veggies and beans, which I believe are the best choices, any ways!
Katie – you have a very nice blog, but sometimes I think you forget that all your readers cannot eat like you do and stay as thin as you are. You have made comments before about how you don’t have to count calories and how you think counting calories is a “big, fat (excuse the bad pun) waste of time”. Now it’s easy for you to say that, because you are thin even if you consume 2,000+ calories. But to someone who needs to count their calories (or avoid carbs, as in response to this post), it may seem a bit offensive… as if you are rubbing in their faces how you stay thin and can eat “x” amount of calories or carbs. Now, I really don’t think that is your intention… but you may want to consider that when you post some of the things you post. But this is your blog, and you can post whatever you want… of course, that goes without saying. But it’s just a thought. Because, again before everyone jumps on my case, aren’t this comments supposed to stimulate thought and sometimes be the opposite of what the original poster thinks? I think it would be quite boring if every comment was, “Yes, Katie, I totally agree with you !!!”. Unless that is what you are shooting for when you write your posts…
Hey Scarlatina,
I actually just addressed this in my most current post:
https://lett-trim.today/2009/10/04/raisins-on-steroids/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I definitely do NOT want everyone to always agree with me 100%. Debates are much more fun. So thanks for taking the time to leave your honest thoughts.
I have to disagree with Marissa and Scarletina.
Maybe WHITE, REFINED carbs cause people to overeat more than something like a plate of red peppers would. But would you seriously want to live a life just eating veggies and beans all day without ever allowing yourself a slice of cake or piece of bread? I mean isn’t the whole point of life to LIVE it?
Yeah, you might die three years later, and you might weigh five pounds less if all you eat are “safe” foods all day, but at what cost?
Liz –
I’ve been there. Very recently, actually. Before this summer, I restricted my intake – not too low, but I always ended up cutting carbs along with fat because I was trying to maintain my weight without exercise (<- *alarms going off*). Then this summer, I reintroduced carbs into my diet, and I did exactly what you fear. Every time I ate a snack bar or handful of graham crackers…BINGE. I did that all summer, and I gained a good 8 pounds.
I'm telling you this first of all because I think it's very, very good that you're being realistic, and reaching out for help. You really need to give yourself credit for that.
And second of all, I'm saying this because readjusting your diet is a *process*. God, I hated that thought, because that meant *time*…that I didn't want to spend.
So it's not summer anymore, obviously, and now I'm 3 pounds away from my normal weight again. But most importantly, I can eat carbs until I'm comfortably satisfied, and then STOP.
So what happened in-between?
Time. Trial-and-error. Frustration, too, but always optimism. It's so important to know that this is a process whereby you'll learn a lot about yourself. For instance, I had previously assumed that I'd just always have my mom's extreme sweet tooth and it would always be something I'd have to deal with, but now I see that I don't even *like* extremely sweet things very much – which seems so crazy to me still! I know what foods I can't put down, I know how far pre-portioning foods will go in terms of helping my self-control, I know that I prefer crunchy carbs when I'm snacky but when I balance it out with smooth/chewy foods I can better control myself…
So in the end, what you learn is SO important, and that's what you have to keep in mind. I don't even really care about those last few pounds, because now that I know so much about myself, I know that they will come off without my worrying. *WITHOUT my worrying* (I had to say it twice…it's so freeing). What you learn about yourself, as long as you consciously make smart decisions, is priceless, and will last you much longer than any pitfalls you might encounter. I know this isn't providing you with any solutions, but I hope it helps, and I wish you luck with your own process!
– Jenna
Dear Katie,
I know I am SO late in posting this comment, but THANK YOU FOR THIS POST. its about time someone said this. My friend, who is constantly dieting, always tells me that it isn’t fair that I can eat carbs and be thin. I feel so bad for her that she fears whole grain good carbs. pasta is one of the best meals. ever. Carbs allow for our bodies to function. We need them. End of story.
Love,
Peanut Butter Bliss
I have never seen a reason to not eat carbs. Any diet that tells me I “shouldn’t eat something because it will make me fat” screams big ol’ lie. Eatint food x doesn’t make you fat. Eating too much of ANY food will make you fat – if your calories in are greater than your calories exerted, you will gain weight. Plain & simple. Whole grain products offer so many beneficial nutrient/vitamins, as do fruits, veggies, legumes, dairy, meats, etc. Any real food should never be excluded from your diet if you enjoy it. It’s all about balance. And you know, it’s even okay to enjoy a piece of fluffy white bread from time to time too – it’s not going to kill you.
As for carbs being addictive – I don’t buy it. You like what you like, and you are going to crave those foods you really enjoy regardless of their nutrient make up. I think alot of the “addictions” we hear about stem from other issues, not the food itself. But it’s alot easier to blame the food that face what’s the true cause.
And let’s not forget – you cannot survivie without adequate carb intake. Certain cells in your brain cannot function without carbohydrate intake. I believe the minimum carb intake is 120g, but I I’m only remembering that off the top of my head, and I could be wrong.
Liz –
It may help you to add in carbs alongside your regular meals, starting small and gradually adding them into your diet:
– Adding a handful of barley, rice, or small pasta to soups
– Adding some granola or toast to your breakfast
– stuff half a pita (or a mini pita) with salad, if you’re eating plain salad
– fill a tortilla with tofu scramble or stir fry to make a burrito
– serve stir fry over a little bit of noodles or brown rice – not much to start, just 1/4 cup or so.
– Mix 1/4 cup oats with chopped medjool dates, chopped nuts, and dried fruit, cover it with almond milk and let it sit in the fridge overnight – it makes a great tasting (and filling) addition to any breakfast.
If you add just a little bit, but keep eating what you normally do, you should feel full already. That way, you won’t have to worry about the carbs making you feel empty. On the other hand, a toasted sandwich with peanut butter and banana or an oatmeal carrot muffin will always fill me up.
Your meal or snack doesn’t have to centre around grains to incorporate them into your diet. Adding them in small amounts to things you are already eating should help prevent the binge. Avoid processed carbs like cookies, white flour, etc. since those have empty calories and leave you empty -> and that leads to binge – avoid it.
And, Jenna (above) has some very good points in her post too.
I’m not saying it will be easy for you, but if you make the grains available at every meal, they shouldn’t be so scary after a while. Best of luck!
Thanks so much to everyone who left me advice! And thanks Katie, for mentioning it. It really helped me a lot.
Love,
Liz