Is Counting Carbs Necessary?

Many of the latest diets today are based on counting carbs but is this really effective?

I believe dieting in itself is not healthy because you are mentally set yourself up for failure. But I do believe a change in diet is necessary for success and limiting your carbs will help you reach your goal much quicker.

Carbohydrates make up the largest part of the Standard American Diet. They are the breads, pastas, rice, sugars, cakes, crackers and cookies. You will also find carbohydrates in fruits and some vegetables such as carrots, potatoes and corn.

All Carbs are not created equal. For the greatest success in weight loss you will want to work toward eliminating most processed carbs from your diet. This includes bread, pasta, refined sugar products, bakery items, chips and crackers. Stick to whole food carbohydrates such as whole grain rice and other whole grains, potatoes, corn, carrots and fruits.

For best results you will want to build your diet around fresh fruits and vegetables (mostly raw) with minimal amounts of carbs and proteins. This means you may want to stick to a fruit or fruit juice breakfast, a primarily vegetable based lunch such as a large salad and eat a carbohydrate rich dinner with a raw salad and a lightly steamed vegetable.

To be successful at any change in diet you need to listen to your own body. You may feel you need a carb or protein based breakfast but can eat a lighter lunch and dinner. You may be fine with a fruit breakfast but need a heavy protein based lunch. Or you may want your protein at dinner and a carb for lunch. For best results don’t mix your starches and proteins. Eat rice or fish as the main dish in a meal but don’t combine the two. Eat meat or potatoes but not both. Eat bread or cheese but don’t have them together.

Proper food combining will help you see results much quicker.

All in all you don’t need to worry about counting carbs, just be aware of them and choose healthy ones. Eliminating processed foods is half the battle. Each day try to do a little better than the last. If you slip up, get right back on track. Don’t use your errors as an excuse to stop moving forward. Commit to keep moving forward no matter what gets in your way. Before you know it you will be noticing the results.

Back To Health Related Articles