One of the fundamental equations of life, similar to the law of gravity, is that if you consume more calories than what is required to maintain your basic metabolism you will gain weight. Conversely, if you take in fewer calories than you need for basic metabolism then you will lose weight. Unfortunately, it’s a bit more complex than this simple formula would imply.
Our bodies have an amazing sub-system called the endocrine system, which is a network of glands that secrete various hormones to regulate various processes in our bodies. A very important hormone that typically gets overlooked when it comes to weight control and body composition is insulin. We typically associate insulin with diabetes. Of course diabetes is a very serious disease and with more and more adults becoming afflicted with Type II diabetes it certainly is a grave concern. However, many people are not aware of the connection between high glycemic index carbs and the insulin spike that trigger. Insulin’s purpose is to regulate the amount of blood sugar (glucose) that’s coursing through our veins. If we can not immediately burn the available glucose for energy needs then insulin makes sure that it is laid down as fat for later energy needs.
A diet that is high in high glycemic carbs such as bread, rice, cereal, pasta, and sugar produces a fair share of insulin spikes. In many cases the result is an unsightly bulge around the mid-section. This is a very convenient site to lay down nice slabs of yellow gooey fat. It’s also putting us at increased risk of heart disease.
So instead of counting grams of fat and total calories, I simply count grams of carbohydrate. This becomes very easy since on my weight loss plan I’ve completely eliminated refined sugar in the form of pastries and candy and starches such as rice, pasta, and potatoes. I do allow myself a slice of low carb bread with breakfast. Beyond that, it’s very easy to know that I’m keeping my total carb intake low and that the carbs I am consuming are coming from low-glycemic index sources such as green leafy veggies, low GI fruits, and nuts. Who said that a low-carb diet was all red meat and sausage?
So when it comes to eating, I eat as much as my body tells me it wants without caring about total calories. I’m still aware of portion control, but if I find myself hungry later in the evening, I’ll have some nuts or slice up some cheese and not worry that I’ve gone over my calorie allotment for the day. It’s definitely a much saner way of “dieting!”