Author: Jonathan Wong, Singapore Personal Trainer And Fitness Expert
Carbohydrates
Good news:
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Carbohydrates are great source of energy for muscles and brain
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Fiber rich (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) carbs help to control appetite
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Fiber rich carbs also tend to have antioxidant properties
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Good nutrient to replenish muscles immediately after training
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Does not store as body-fat when eaten immediately after intense physical activity.
Bad news:
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When carbs are refined they have about the same effect on your body as white sugar. That means it is digested really quickly and because of the body’s hormonal (insulin) response, gets stored fat.
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Refined carbs tend to taste really good and we are very used to eating them so that habit will take determination to change.
Where to get good carbs?
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Fruits – Almost all fruits are good. I would go for the majority of fruits from the lower Glycimic index range. But really, its hard to find a bad fruit. However don’t confuse fruts with fruit juice, fruit cake or fruit *anything*. Eat fruit in the way it came out from the ground or from a tree. Singapore is a great place for fruits so many varieties and all year is fruit season.
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Vegetables – like fruits, they are all good. Eat a variety and eat many different colored vegetables. They tend to have different micro nutrients. In Singapore both Asian and western vegetables are available so there should be no shortage in your diet.
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Whole grains – whether its bread, rice or cereal, eat only those where the grains are clearly visible. That means that they haven’t been ground into teeny, easily digestible bits that cause your body to react by storing fat.
How Much?
As a Singapore personal trainer, I recommend 30-40% of your diet
from carbohydrates. The key to take note of in a carb food laden country like
Singapore is WHAT KIND of carbohydrates you are eating not
just how much.
Vegetables and fruits are ok just about any time (with a preference for vegetables). But starchy and sugary carbs must be limited to after physical activity.
More about carbs?
Just like the other nutrients, the closer the carbohydrate is to its natural
form the better it is for you. Yams are good, yam pies are a no no. Brown rice
is way better than noodles which are rice, ground into flour and made into
noodles. That’s many steps away from nature.
Written For www.CoachJon.com Singapore Personal Trainer & Fitness Expert
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