You are not stupid so I am not going to try to treat you as if you are. I am not going to oversimplify things the way so many internet and magazine articles do when it comes to your most important food source, carbohydrates.

Most writers approach this as if there is a one size fits all and every time approach to carbs.

Let’s back track a bit and discuss the food group known as carbohydrates.

How they got a bad rap. Starting in the post WWII era, the food industry in this country began to shift towards highly refined sweet food using cheap ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, which is actually sweeter than sugar.

Why?

Because they were cheap to make, easy to mark up and they sold well, e.g. the public wanted them. The ramifications of this kind of diet did not really become all that apparent until the 1970’s when more and more jobs shifted towards "desk" and information-based work and away from physical labor and manufacturing.

The continuing change away from physical activity and towards cheaper, sweeter foods and sedentary lifestyles led to the current obesity epidemic we have today.

While that all makes sense, one might ask why earlier generations that were more active escaped some of the fatness problem.

The answer is insulin.

When you are active physically your insulin levels are lower and you do not store as much fat. Simply put, insulin is THE fat storage hormone.

Keep this in mind when we talk about the different carbs.

Ok so now we’ve covered what most people’s definition of carbs is, even today in modern times. It’s time to remind you that fruits and vegetables are also carbs as are whole grain, breads and pastas.

These kinds of carbs require more work for your body to get at the calories, tend to have less sugar and release it more slowly resulting in lower insulin levels and less fat storage.

Other than whole grain breads, which are very calorie dense, you can pretty much eat these kinds of carbs with impunity.

At the end of this article I will give you a simple list of how to manage your insulin levels by the carbs you eat but let me add in something about "go" carbs.

Every once in a while I run a very long training run or an even longer race.

My body is literally running off of my blood sugar as there is really no way to eat enough to actually make up for a calorie deficit.

Case in point: in early October I ran a 31 mile race over the course of several hours. My total calorie expenditure was over 5,000 calories, which is pretty much 2 days of eating for me.

While I could not keep up with that kind of calorie usage I didn’t try to. All I needed to do was make sure my blood sugar did not crash. To do that I ate almost pure sugar in the form of "goo".

Why did I not care?

Again, insulin. The activity and the intensity of that activity was keeping my insulin low and my body would simply scarf up the sugar as needed at a rate that approximated its needs. I can tell you my blood sugar never rose and I certainly did not put on any fat.

So is there any time you can get away with some simple sugar in YOUR diet?

There are two times.

First, at breakfast. If you are going to eat sugar this is the time. Remember that orange juice qualifies as plenty of sugar for your morning meal. And remember I said "some" sugar not all sugar. Since your blood sugar is low it’s ok to get some fast "go" sugars at the morning meal but keep it moderate and keep it to breakfast.

Second, after a big "holiday" type meal. Face it, you already blew it calorie wise and the fat and protein of this kind of meal will slow down your sugar and insulin response making it less damaging.

If you really want to fight this off, gobble a handful of fish oil and at least balance out those bad fats!

Also if you have trouble with sugar cravings, you then must realize that all that sugar is demanding an insulin rise. When that happens you store fat.

My Fabulous Fat Furnace and Ultra Strength Fat Furnace are specifically designed to help you avoid sugar foods and crush your cravings for sweet stuff as well as reduce your overall calorie intake and increase your metabolism.

Thus you get a 3-way attack on fat that no other supplement can give you!

I can help.

Fish oil – Fabulous Fat Furnace – Ultra Strength Fat Furnace