Carbohydrates & Fat Loss: Clearing Up The Confusion – Part 1

November 24th, 2008 • Related • Filed Under

| Print this Post | 2,475 views |

www.AtoZfitness.com
Your Internet Fitness Resource Site

AtoZfitness Blog Post
—————————–
Carbohydrates & Fat Loss: Clearing Up
The Confusion – Part 1

By Sean Nalewanyj
Fat Loss Expert & Best-Selling Fitness Author
www.HowToBurnFat.com

No other nutrient out there is surrounded by more confusion, hype and contradiction than the all-too-famous carbohydrate.

Over the last decade a virtually endless amount of advice, fad diets and hard-fast rules have been put into place regarding proper carbohydrate consumption. As a result, most average beginners have been left clueless and without any rational guidance on the topic.

In this 2-part article I will attempt to provide a very basic and straightforward framework to help you choose which sources of carbohydrates to include in your fat burning diet. This will simply be a broad, overall examination of the topic in order to keep things as easy to understand for you as possible.

So… what exactly IS a carbohydrate?

Sugar.

Whether you consume a plate of spaghetti noodles, a bowl of grapes or a chocolate bar, carbohydrates will always eventually be broken down into their simplest form: glucose.

The main function of glucose is to provide fuel for your muscles and brain in order to carry out your daily tasks.

While the end product of all carbohydrates is the same, it is the manner in which they reach that final end product that is important to us in terms of burning fat.

When you eat foods containing carbohydrates, the body will digest and break them down into glucose, which is then released into the bloodstream to be used as a source of fuel. The main difference amongst different carbohydrate sources is the speed at which the sugars are broken down for use.

Some carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels quickly and sharply, while others are broken down and released at a slow, gradual pace.

As a person looking to burn body fat and maintain high levels of energy for your workouts, your primary goal when consuming carbohydrates is simple: keep blood sugar levels consistent and balanced.

Why?

It’s all related to insulin, which is a hormone that controls the amount of sugar in the bloodstream by moving it into the cells of the body.

When you consume carbohydrates that are broken down quickly, the body must release a large amount of insulin in order to compensate. The insulin will remove the sugar from the bloodstream very quickly, which will then result in lower-than-normal blood sugar levels.

Low blood sugar levels will result in feelings of tiredness and fatigue, and will also produce hunger pangs which can then lead to binge eating.

In addition, high levels of insulin increase the body’s rate of fat storage. When insulin is present in large amounts, fat cannot be used as an energy source by the body due to a rise in enzymes that prevent fat mobilization.

To put it simply…

When you consume carbohydrates that raise blood sugar levels quickly, you end up in a constant cycle of sharp rises in blood sugar followed by dramatic falls. This inhibits your ability to burn fat and throws your energy levels, appetite and mood completely out of order.

Because of the above-mentioned facts, the ultimate goal of proper carbohydrate consumption is to stick to meals that keep blood sugar levels balanced. This is accomplished by focusing on food sources that are broken down and released gradually in the bloodstream.

By always maintaining steady blood sugar levels, your body will remain in a continual fat burning state, your energy levels will remain peaked, and your appetite will be kept under control.

We have now established what the GOAL of proper carbohydrate consumption is, and in Part 2 we will discuss which specific sources can help you achieve that goal…

To view part 2 click-here !

About The Author

Once an awkward, out-of-shape "social outcast", Sean Nalewanyj is now a renowned fat loss and muscle building expert, best-selling fitness author, and creator of the wildly popular online fat loss program: "The Real Deal Body Transformation System". Learn how to burn fat and lose weight quickly, safely and permanently by visiting: www.HowToBurnFat.com.

Note to the reader: You are free to reprint and redistribute this article as long as the content is not altered in any way, the links remain live and the author resource box (including this message) is left intact.

Sincerely,
Lewis
Publisher – AtoZfitness.com

Main blog page : http://articles.atozfitness.com

If you have any questions, you can contact me by clicking here.

If you like this post check out these related topics......

Carbohydrates & Fat Loss: Clearing Up The Confusion – Part 2 - By:Sean Nalewanyj - Posted on: November 25, 2008
In Part 1, we established that the ultimate goal of effective fat burning carbohydrate consumption is to keep blood sugar levels consistent and balanced. In doing so, insulin levels will remain under control, the fat burning metabolism will be maximized and the body’s energy levels and mood will remain elevated. The only issue now is ...
Natural Appetite Suppressants - By:Karen Sessions - Posted on: December 29, 2006
Granted, in order to lose weight you must eat, but the choice of food, what you group it with, as well as when and how much you eat are all important factors. There are ways to naturally suppress your appetite, which I will share with you. Water – Water is one of the most important ...
Carbohydrates and Fat Loss: What’s the Deal? - By:Mike Roussell - Posted on: March 9, 2009
Carbohydrates play an important role in any fat loss diet. You need them to help you recover from your workouts but you need to limit them so that they don’t inhibit your fat loss. So what is the right balance of carbohydrates in your diet? When you eat carbs and what kind of carbs you ...
When is it OK to eat Sugar? - By:Isabel De Los Rios - Posted on: May 6, 2009
One of two things happens when you even mention the word Sugar…people either jump up for joy, salivating for their next sugar fix or they go running in the opposite direction and avoid it like the plague (Hmm Lewis, which one are you?) The sugar lovers, well, they just love their sugar and would probably ...
1 unique spice that beats abdominal fat: - By:Mike Geary - Posted on: February 10, 2010
I have a great article for you today from one of my trusted colleagues, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Mike Geary. It’s about a specific spice that could help you to burn body fat and get leaner, in an indirect way… Enjoy! 1 Unique Spice That Beats Abdominal Fat: Ok, this spice that I’m going to mention is one of ...
A Double Dose of Metabolism Protection: Strategic Carbohydrate Cycling - By:Joel Marion - Posted on: May 4, 2009
In last weeks update I talked to you about the most important hormone you probably never heard of – leptin. If you missed that update, do NOT pass go, do NOT collect $200 until you have read that article. It really is that important and I guarantee you’ll walk away from that article having learned ...
1 Weird Belly Flab Buster - By:Featured Prograde - Posted on: January 12, 2012
Ok, I don’t mean to get too scientific, but this is super important. You see, while busting the belly flab does take effort, it’s not nearly as hard as people make it out to be. Share this:DiggShare Related posts Carbohydrates and Fat Loss: What’s the Deal? (0) Three Stunning Weight Loss Mistakes You Can Easily Fix (0) The MOST important ...
Sugars Mind Games - By:Karen Sessions - Posted on: January 12, 2007
These days, carbohydrates are considered evil and responsible for the weight gain that has plagued western society. This is a two-fold argument. While carbohydrates can lead to weight gain, it’s usually due to overeating them, wrong carbohydrate choices, and/or lack of protein and essential fats for balance. Have you ever eaten a good spaghetti dinner ...
The Secret to Burning Fat Up To 300% Faster - By:Tom Venuto - Posted on: December 17, 2006
By Tom Venuto.When is the best time of day to do your aerobic exercise? The answer is any time! The most important thing is that you just do it. Continuous cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, jogging, stairclimbing, or cycling, sustained for at least 30 minutes, will burn body fat no matter when you do it. ...
The Truth About Cholesterol - By:Isabel De Los Rios - Posted on: October 3, 2008
The Truth About Cholesterol I am going to let you in on something shocking. Cholesterol is not the major culprit in heart disease. I know this may be hard to believe after all we have heard about the dangers of high cholesterol from our doctors, and the media. But the truth is, it is not the ...
The RIGHT Carbs . . . At The RIGHT Time! - By:Jeff Anderson - Posted on: July 9, 2007
By The "Muscle Nerd" Jeff Anderson If a Carbohydrate and a Protein were playing a part in the next blockbuster action flick, you can be sure that the average bodybuilder in the audience would ...
Why A Low-Fat Diet Will Make You FATTER + F.ree 6 pack truth video . - By:Sean Nalewanyj - Posted on: August 5, 2008
As an individual who desires a lean, attractive and “fat-free” appearance, you most likely have the idea that your ultimate dietary goal is to limit your consumption of fat as much as possible. And who could blame you for thinking that? For years we’ve been told that low-fat diets are the only healthy solution and that ...
How to Go Below 10% Bodyfat Without Eliminating Carbs From Your Fat Loss Bodybuilding Diet - By:Hugo Rivera - Posted on: October 29, 2009
Typically, when a bodybuilder reaches 10% body fat, in order to keep the process of fat loss going in the right direction, we need to use some metabolic trickery. While at this point, the instinct of many bodybuilders is to eliminate carbs from their bodybuilding diet and go on a ketogenic diet, this is ...
Dietary Recommendations for a Lean Summer Body - By:Hugo Rivera - Posted on: April 21, 2007
By Hugo Rivera, CFT, BSCE Summer is just around the corner. Along with it comes the time to get in your bathing suits and go to the beach. But, wait a minute! Do I hear that can’t do because some of the flab gained over the holidays is still on your waist? If that is ...
Help! Help! I Just Ate A CARBOHYDRATE! - By:Jeff Anderson - Posted on: May 25, 2006
ByThe "Muscle Nerd"Jeff Anderson I think I finally realized that the low carb craze spreading across the globe has ultimately reached a level of obsession when I was standing next to my car at a local convenient store, pumping gas. While listening to the canned music coming from the speakers overhead, the music was suddenly interrupted to ...
Boozing Harms Losing Belly Fat - By:David Grisaffi - Posted on: September 19, 2007
Boozing Harms Losing Belly Fat By David Grisaffi, Author, Firm And Flatten Your Abs www.FlattenYourAbs.net ...
5 “Under Utilized” Fat Burning Foods - By:Vince DelMonte - Posted on: August 1, 2011
Not all calories are created equal. Consuming certain foods will actually help you burn fat while others can cause you to store fat. Yes, it’s true that energy management is related to the amount of calories you to do and don’t stick in your pie hole. But that’s not the whole story. Share this:DiggShare Related posts Carbohydrates and Fat Loss: What’s ...
Nutrition Strategies to Turbo Charge Your Metabolism - By:Scott Tousignant - Posted on: February 17, 2008
Nutrition Strategies to Turbo Charge Your Metabolism By Scott Tousignant, BHK, CFC Creator of Unstoppable Fat Loss Author of “The Fit Chic” and “The Fit Bastard” Co-Author of “101 Great Ways To Improve Your Health” First of all this is not about a new miracle pill that melts the fat off your body. The best strategy of fat loss is ...
Top 5 Fat Loss Tips From A Men’s Fitness Trainer - By:Craig Ballantyne - Posted on: October 23, 2009
Since most times the magazines just don’t have enough space to run my full tips, I thought I’d give you a more detailed explanation of my secrets here (plus a few extra bonus tips that I didn’t send to the magazine). Secret #1 – Focus on burning carbohydrate, not fat, during your fat-loss workouts. Sounds backwards, right? ...
Nutrition Strategies to Turbo Charge Your Metabolism - By:Scott Tousignant - Posted on: October 24, 2008
www.AtoZfitness.com Your Internet Fitness Resource Site ...