High Carbs helped me lose weight by eating more of them.
High Carb ,That’s right, you read that correctly. This one simple alteration resulted in a 15-pound weight loss for me.
2018 was a busy year. During this time, I had seven weddings to go to, two of which I was in. This meant bachelorette parties, bridal shower parties, and more. My husband and I also got a puppy, and I was in two of them. It was very exciting and very busy. When I had a lot to do, I was sick. As a result of stress, I didn’t exercise, sleep well, or make healthy food choices. I had a lot of opportunities to eat and drink just a little more than I needed. With that, 15 extra pounds, a little more stress, and a bad attitude came along with it.
To be honest, I was so angry at myself for not taking better care of myself and putting everything else ahead of my health that I couldn’t think of a way to fix it. (That sounds familiar.) But as the year came to an end, I did get back into some healthy habits. To be clear, I was spending more time in the kitchen. I tried out new dinner ideas and did some simple meal prep for work lunches. As the meal planner, this is both my job and also something I love doing.
At some point, I noticed that my pants were not as tight as they used to be. I went to the scale and I was down more than just a few pounds. I lost 15 pounds. What about this?
It looked like a lot of work for not doing very much, but it was not. I didn’t exercise, keep a record of calories, change what I ate, or give up my nightly glass of red wine. I didn’t do any of these things.
But, still, I’d lost some weight. When I looked back on the last few months, the only thing that had changed was that I was eating more carbs, especially high-fiber whole grains.
Because I ate more High carb, I lost weight.
All whole grains, such as brown rice and whole-wheat pasta, have a lot of carbs and fibre in them.
I’m glad I ate fibre because it made it easier to lose weight. Fiber boosts the good bacteria in your gut, reduces diabetes risk, and helps you lose weight. Filling fiber-rich carbs, like whole grains as well as fruits and vegetables as well as beans and lentils, help you eat less and stay full for a longer time. They also help you stay slim. Fiber is hard for your body to break down, so it takes a long time for your body to move it through your digestive system, which helps keep you feeling full. Fiber can also bind with some of the glucose and fat in food, which means you pass the calories out with the fibre, rather than taking them in. This means you don’t take them in.
High Carb What I Eat to Burn Fat
I was preparing this one recipe a lot, the Rainbow Veggie Spring Roll Bowl—primarily for the oh-so-delicious peanut sauce drizzled on top—and substituting brown rice for rice noodles to improve the fibre content of the meal. I was frequently eating a variation of this chopped salad bowl for lunch or dinner, combining the vegetables and dressing and finally substituting bulgur for brown rice (as in the recipe illustrated above), which also provided more protein. I got as far as making a large pot of bulgur to toss in whatever I was bringing for lunch or serving accompanying dinner some weeks. And at some point, for no reason other than it tasted wonderful, I began adding granola to my morning yoghurt, which I discovered increased my enjoyment of breakfast while also helping me make it until lunch.
I wasn’t shunning whole grains (or any form of food, for that matter) prior to this (or any type of carb, for that matter), but I certainly wasn’t eating as much.This two changes—consistently eating granola and another type of whole grain—increased my daily fibre intake by about 12 grammes (less than half of the recommended 30 grammes), which aided in my weight loss.This is not new information.
Research has shown us time and time again how effective fibre can be for weight loss and overall health, and in order to get more fibre, you need to be consuming more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils—all the more reason to ignore low-carb diets like keto and Whole30 that call for excluding those otherwise healthy options.
How I Lost Even More Weight – High Carb
If I’m being completely candid, the 15 pounds I acquired that summer were on top of a couple extra pounds I had accumulated gradually since college. Thus, following that initial 15-pound weight loss that felt easy, I was inspired to maintain the momentum and was able to lose even more weight in the months that followed—about further 15 pounds, which I have since maintained. And, while increasing my intake of high-fiber whole grains was undoubtedly beneficial, my life also became more tranquil, and with it, my stress levels decreased. As a result? Increased energy for cooking and exercising (particularly, walking around my neighbourhood with my puppy by my side), as well as significantly improved sleep!
High Carb Diet The Conclusion
Apart from dropping weight, I felt better in general. I was more regular and experienced fewer days of bloating and discomfort, I had more energy throughout the day (particularly after lunch), and I was in a much better mood. I’m aware that life will always have its ups and downs, and I’m certain that the years ahead will be even more difficult. However, knowing that I can rely on eating more fiber-rich carbs as a strategy for staying healthy—in addition to reducing stress and staying active whenever possible—makes it all seem lot less daunting.
If you’re wanting to lose weight, rather than relying on difficult-to-follow and restricted regimens like keto or whole30, I strongly advise you to increase your intake of high-fiber whole grains and other high-fiber foods. And keep in mind that a healthy weight loss goal is one to two pounds every week. If you lose too much weight too rapidly, you’re likely to regain it.
