The REAL Secret to Breaking Carb Cravings Once and For All

Nutrition & Weight LossMarch 6, 2018

Most people would love to shed a few extra pounds to look their best by the time summer approaches but the idea of giving up the most beloved carbs like pasta and bread can seem like an unfair punishment just to drop a dress size or two.

Carbs are demonized by most modern diets which tend to send the message that weight loss can only be achieved by cutting out this food group completely from your life. The truth is, carbohydrates are more important for overall health than we think. Not only do they provide us with the energy we need to perform various tasks throughout the day but they also keep the blood glucose level in check.

Without carbs, our body would rely on protein for energy and break down muscle tissues to sustain important internal functions

It’s About Eating the Good and Avoiding the Bad Ones

Doctors say that people who live the healthiest lives with little to no risk of various diseases and cancers are those who incorporate healthy carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, and legumes into their diet and steer clear of the processed carbs. People think that carbs are the problem when its actually the type of carbs we consume which can impact our waistlines. Diabetes and obesity are becoming increasingly dangerous since most Americans eat the wrong kinds of carbohydrates – and that too in large quantities.

Processed carbs, which are abundant in pasta, bread, cereal, rice, and other baked goods, can significantly contribute to weight gain by spiking the blood sugar level after the meal and causing a metabolic syndrome over time which leads to an increased risk of diabetes and various cardiovascular diseases. Dr. David Ludwig, a nutrition professor at Harvard says that among the biggest triggers for obesity and diabetes, processed carbs are at the top of the list which makes it all the more important for people to eliminate them from their diets.

The problem is that not only are processed carbs bad for health, but they’re also addictive, which means that the more we eat, the more we crave. Dr. Ludwig explains that processed carbs are no different than plain sugar in a way that both of them are instant sources of energy and spike up the blood glucose by the same rate.

Complex carbs found in unprocessed foods digest slowly and contain far more fiber which means that they won’t make your body crash after a rapid rise in blood glucose level

Breaking Carb Cravings for Good

Now that you’ve understood the difference between good and bad carbs, you probably know which one of them is the real culprit behind weight gain and needs to stay out from your diet forever. Here’s an effective plan that can help you cut back on your processed carb consumption and chase away the cravings once and for all.

Banish all starchy carbs from your diet for at least one week. This means that you may have to give up on bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, pizza, cakes, cookies and chips. Once you’re taken these processed foods out of your diet, replace them with a high protein diet, fresh fruits, and vegetables which don’t spike your blood sugar levels and help you control your cravings over time.

Add More Fat to Your Diet. Good fats like nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocados, and fish don’t just maintain your blood sugar levels but also keep you full for longer so you don’t miss the processed carbs at all.

Add Some of the Starchy Carbs Back to Your Diet After One Week. Once a week has gone by without any starchy carbs, you can slowly start reintroducing them back into your diet, starting with breakfast first. Studies have shown that people who eat carbs for breakfast tend to steer clear from them during lunchtime and have a lower risk of overeating throughout the day.

Don’t Eat Starchy Carbs for Dinner. After a couple of weeks of eating starchy carbs for breakfast, you can gradually add them to your lunch as well. High-quality carbs such as a beans, lentils, quinoa, chickpeas and whole-grain bread are all great foods that you can introduce to your lunch plate next to a source of protein and some vegetables. However, steer clear of starchy carbs after lunch since the excess sugar in your body is often converted to fat instead of energy when you’re resting during the night.