Carbohydrate 101:

There are two different types of carbohydrates; complex, and simple.  Simple carbohydrates include sugars that are found naturally in foods (example- fruits) or are added to foods.  Complex carbohydrates include starchy vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are the three major components of your food.  Your body converts carbohydrates into glucose which is moved to cells through your blood stream. Your cells burn glucose for energy.  Eating carbohydrates will cause your blood glucose to increase.*

Three facts about carbohydrates are:

1. Convert sugars quickly to glucose.
2. Starches (complex carbohydrates), take longer for your body to break down into glucose.
3. Fiber, which is present in a lot of plant-based foods, whole grains and certain fruits,  doesn’t break down the same way that simple and complex carbohydrates do.

Most of your carbohydrates should come from whole grains, beans, lentils and starchy vegetables like peas, corn or potatoes.  Quinoa is one of my favorites for a side dish or sprinkled over salads.

Try to tract carbohydrates by reading nutrition labels.  Pay attention to ‘serving size’ in reference to the nutritional information.  Many people who are trying to lose weight find that managing their carbohydrate intake helps them loose weight more quickly.  I don’t believe that you should eliminate carbs in your diet completely during weight loss, because healthy carbs do provide an important function, and the minute you re-enter them into your diet, then you pound the weight back on.  It’s ALL ABOUT BALANCE!  A bit of healthy carbs in a clean eating diet, with exercise will show you results.

* http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/carbohydrates.html

Thursday 10/28/10 Workout Diary:

Recumbent Bike - 30 minutes

Strength Train- shoulders/abs

shoulder press- seated- 20 lb barbells

straight arm shoulder raise-8 lb barbell

pilaties bicycle (25 rotations)

kettleball should swings- floor to above shoulders then switch hands- 10 lb kettleball

reverse ab raises on flat bench

bent arm shoulder raise with a squat- 8lb barbells

ab forward bends at waist- 2 tubes stuck in door frame

Thursday 10/28/10 Food Diary:

Breakfast-

Whole wheat toast, dry with salmon mix from appetizer the other night- (160 cal)

1/2 cup egg whites with 1 cup spinach (140 cal)

A.M. Snack-

1/2 raisin bread/banana/ peanut butter sandwich ( 210 cal)

Lunch-

4 3/4 oz. Shrimp/scallops (130 cal)

Salad- 2 cups spinach, 1/4 cup beets, 1 small tomato, sliver of fat free feta, fat free Caesar dressing (60cal)

 P.M. Snack-

4 almonds (40 cal)

Protein shake (151 cal)

Dinner-

4 1/2 Tuna steak, pan seared (250 cal)

1 acorn squash, seasoned with cinnamon and butter flavor spray(140 cal)

1/2 cup green beans( 22 cal)

1/2 cup wheat berry salad (75 cal)

TOTAL CALORIES- 1378