Why I Eat Carbs

You want to know what I am tired of hearing??! People being afraid of carbs and being judged for eating a lot of carbs.  (TBH I think whoever judges someone else is just irritable from restricting their food. Not eating carbs makes you crabby. I don’t like being crabby….

Unfortunately, we have set up our world’s environment to have beliefs that food should be feared. And every food group takes some type of flack. In the 90s, it was fat. Now it’s carbs…..

I wanted to write this article to share that carbs aren’t anything to be afraid of.  High fat and low carb diets are the trend, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for you. Eating a moderate carb diet might be best for your body type! And there is NOTHING wrong with that! Don’t let other people make you feel guilty for eating HOW you want to eat.

It took me some time to admit that I was fearing carbs too.  Everyone is preaching lower carb diets as the one size fits all answer to a perfectly healthy body!!  It is buried in our society’s current belief system. Just like the belief that counting calories is the philosophy for losing weight when in reality that doesn’t work for a long-term lifestyle.

So from my own experience, I was inspired to share why carbs are important and why you might want to consider adding more to your diet. When I talk about carbs, I believe in focusing on gluten-free grains, legumes, starchy vegetables, non-starchy vegetables, and fruit. Personally, I believe that these the best sources of carbs to avoid bloat, digestive issues, and keep balanced hormones. (Real food FTW.)  But I do enjoy fresh bread and pasta if I want it as a treat from time to time.

5 Reasons Why I Eat Carbs Everyday:

1. Carbs give you energy. I ate lower carb for some time and I had NO energy. I was so exhausted that I could barely think. I was so tired that I just wanted to rest so I could get some energy back!  Try adding in some more carbs and see how your energy feels!
2. Carbs help me avoid high sugary foods. While eating lower carb, my sugar cravings got out of control and I would eat A LOT of protein bars because I was so hungry all the time. And when I was around cupcakes or cookies – I had zero control.  This added unnecessary sugar to my diet when I just needed some healthy carbs to fill up my stomach.  Carbs have been a big game changer to eliminate my sugar cravings!  Sugar cravings are really just your body craving FOOD.  Sugar (glucose) is the easiest form of energy, so take cravings as a sign that your body needs energy (more healthy food).  If you crave sugar ALL THE TIME, try eating bigger meals packed with healthy nutrient dense foods.
3. Carbs help me relax. I love eating carbs at night because it relaxes my body. It helps me to ease into a deep sleep.  I make sure to always eat carbs after an evening workout.  I have TONS of energy after an intense workout and it keeps me up super late if I don’t eat at least some carbs.
4. Carbs are great for healing your body.  Specifically in cases of low thyroid, hypothalamic amenorrhea, and adrenal fatigue, carbs are very healing. These are all things that my body has struggled as I look back at my own history with coming off the pill, not eating enough food, and living off coffee.  Carbs are extremely important to add in to boost your thyroid hormones and heal your body post-pill.
5. Carbs are great for fertility. Carbs are a sign that you have enough food to live and thrive. Women need carbs to show their body that there isn’t a famine and plenty of food is around. Our body is highly sensitive and skimping on carbs long-term is not a solution. Even high fat low carb diets, you need some carbs, the focus is just lower carb not no carb.  Once I added in carbs, my period came back after almost 2 years from being off the pill.  This in itself showed me that I needed time, but eating too low of carb (even though I didn’t realize it at the time )

This isn’t a post hating on lower carb diets, this is a great option for many people struggling with their health.  But it is NOT the magic solution either and it is important to listen to your body and do your own research.  Right now we live in a world that is fearful of carbs and I wanted to write this post to encourage you to research and figure out what works for you. Carbs are extremely healing and nourishing to the body and I have seen them heal my own body.

The last 7-8 months I have added A LOT more carbs back into my diet.  My intense sugar cravings have practically disappeared and I have loads more energy. My period came back after healing my body from post-pill hypothalamic amenorrhea.  I also feel more satisfied at meals so I stopped snacking all night long.

If you struggle with any of these issues, just keep it super simple  – Try adding in 1-2 servings of carbs a day and see what happens!

You are own best detective! No single health expert can 100% tell you the answer.

 

xoxo
Chelsea Jolene