Why Carbs Are NOT the Enemy

Why Carbs Are NOT the Enemy In a world fixated on the desire to be thin, young, and attractive, people tend to resort to quick fixes and fad diets to resolve the personal issues they have with weight. It’s been 45 years since Dr. Robert Atkins appeared on the Tonight Show and revealed his personal successes and research on a diet low in carbohydrates. The diet, widely known simply as the Atkins Diet, quickly became the most popular and infamous diet in the western world and still holds prominence in today’s thin-obsessed culture. Although it is clear that there have been successes on the Atkins diet, it is more apparent that the low carb food plan has ultimately failed to make the world healthier. In this brief article, we will look to understand why the low carb diet is a step towards failure. First, it is important to understand why we eat. This question should be simple enough for a child to answer – we eat to fuel our bodies with the energy to get through the day. We derive our energy from what we put into our bodies – it is that simple. Food gives us energy in the form of calories and it is widely recommended by doctors that adults should amass between 1600-2400 calories a day depending on their body type. So, the first point is that our bodies require energy, and we can get that energy from the food we eat. Next, let’s look at the food groups we have before us. If you are reading this, chances are that you live in a place where proteins, grains, fruits and vegetables are available to you. These food groups contribute to our general health and vitality, but they do so each in their own specific way! Broadly speaking, produce provides essential nutrients and vitamins while proteins help to restore and build muscle tissue and fats promote healthy cell function. This is the extent of the low carb food plan; you have the resources to restore muscle and absorb vitamins but you’re missing something essential. What is that something? It’s energy! The low-carb food plan neglects giving the body the energy it requires to function at its highest level. Carbs provide the energy that the Atkins diet lacks and therefore, carbs are essential to healthy living! The reason so many people fail with the low carb diet is because they feel so lethargic that they binge on too much of one thing. Feeling healthy and looking good are two things that should go hand in hand -people who stick to a minimal intake of carbohydrates may in fact lose weight at the beginning, but they inevitably lose their energy along with it. It’s important then to ask yourself if being thin is worth the cost of your vitality, hopefully the answer is ‘no.’ But there is hope for people who want to look great AND feel great. Take advantage of the various resources available to you when you’re ready to make a change in your eating habits and physical condition. It often helps to join a community of people who have seen dramatic results happen in their lives because they can keep you motivated and excited about looking and feeling a whole lot healthier. Remember, your body needs carbs just like it needs fruits and vegetables – healthy living should never be a question of quantity, but it should always be a matter of quality.