The Missing Piece

Okay I know I said there is no "secret" to weight loss or health, and there isn't. But this is the closest thing to a secret mostly because dietitians know about it and most other people don't - its the missing piece that 90% of people don't understand.

• Its why Ive seen people cut their calories dangerously low and workout like crazy and still not lose weight.
• If you don't do it, your risk of Type 2 Diabetes increases.
• Its the reason some people are starving throughout the day even though they eat and eat and eat.
• Its the cause of mood swings, irritability and even nausea.

Ready?

Being healthy encompasses 2 parts.

1) Calories in, Calories out.
Everybody knows this one. Eat less, move more. Makes sense.

2) Balance and Pattern.
Nobody knows this one. What to eat and when to eat it. This is "the secret".

Throw out all the information in your brain that you've read about random food-pairing, not eating after a certain time, snacking is bad, etc, etc. Because all that's going to do is confuse you.

In the simplest way I can think of to say it: "Don't Eat Carbohydrates Alone."
That can be taken 2 ways, either don't eat just carbohydrates (which applies since you need variety in your diet) and also the way in which I meant it "never eat a carbohydrate food by itself, it needs a pal - Protein or Fat - to go with it."

Why?
Because carbohydrates are the one food group responsible for spiking your blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates are also the preferred source of fuel for your brain and your organs - meaning they are IMPORTANT and you NEED them! Don't cut out carbs, you'll just end up grumpy and dumb. First of all carbs are just anything that contains sugar (basically) whether its natural sugar, refined sugar, starchy sugar. Its a carb. (hint: anything that ends in "-ose" is a sugar. Lactose, Fructose, Maltose, Dextrose, Glucose...) Which makes carbs a confusing food group. Because that puts cupcakes and apples in the same group.

So when you eat a carb, your blood sugar levels (glucose) goes up. Your organs (Liver and Pancreas) are responsible for keeping your glucose levels within a nice little stable window. But high intakes of carbohydrates all at once (huge portion sizes or a very concentrated source of simple carbohydrate like desserts/candies, fruits, honey) can spike your glucose levels very fast and very high, making your organs work double-time to try and stabilize them. Too much of this and your organs will grow tired and burn out - causing a little disease we like to call Type 2 Diabetes - thats right, its not just about overweight anymore. Now its not the carbs that cause the disease, its because you're eating too many and eating them all alone.

Riddle me this... "What goes up, must come _________?"

When your glucose level spikes that high, that fast its going to come crashing down. The rate at which it falls and how low it falls causes your body to panic. So the body signals you to do what? Bring it back up again. And what brings your blood sugar up again? Carbs. Welcome to the vicious cycle of sugar and carb cravings, all day hunger and eventual Pre or Type 2 Diabetes.

Adding the protein or fat with the carb causes the blood sugar to come down nice and slow so that you dont get the fast crash or the low dip.

How?
Easy fix! Always eat a carbohydrate with a protein or a healthy fat.

Good Ideas:

• Fruit (C) + Nuts (F)
• Fruit (C) + Cheese (P)
• Rice (C) + Salmon or Chicken (P)
• Pasta (C) + Meat Sauce (P)

Bad Ideas:

• Cereal (C) + Milk (C)
• A piece of fruit alone for a snack
• Pasta (C) + Marinara (C)
• Toast (C) + Jam (C)
• Yogurt (C) + Fruit (C) + Granola (C)

For more specifics see my post on "The Plate Model" which outlines this concept in more depth with a visual...http://crave-health.blogspot.com/2009/02/portion-sizes-vs-serving-sizes.html

Eating with this balance and making sure you don't go more than 4 hours without eating will dramatically change your life and will also improve the way your body digests and metabolizes. Pretty soon you'll be a fine tuned machine :)

Some hidden gems to try: (and no I don't get paid for promoting brands these are just ones I happen to like that I'm sharing with you as a friend!)

Great balanced snack all in one: Flavored Greek Yogurt

Good fast breakfast protein: MorningStar Veggie Sausage Patties

I swear they don't taste like soy/beans/vegetarian products.

Awesome with some peanut butter on them: Lundberg Brown Rice Cakes

Now get out there and conquer your day!

Blessings, Ashley