Why I Stopped Eating Bread, Rice And Pasta

Disclaimer, before the chicken-littles start clucking, I do eat carbs, lots and lots of carbs. I just don't eat any wheat based carbs or high glycemic index carbs (potatoes, rice, etc). The only exception to this rule is within 1 hour of a resistance based workout of at least 30 mins. There are other ways to get good carbs, vegetables and legumes are excellent sources of low glycemic index carbs. To understand the importance of where foods fall on the glycemic index, read my article on the Low Glycemic Index Diet (Just right click the link and choose open in new tab).

I stopped eating these foods as an experiment, I wanted to reduce my body fat % quite low and a few fitness competitors I'm friends with recommended I try leaving them out of my diet. The results were really amazing, I can keep my body fat % quite a bit lower, with a lot less exercise.

The Reasons:

• Bread, rice, pasta and potatoes will make you fat: The chain of events these foods cause give your body one option to deal with them, store them as fat. These foods are processed so quickly that your body gets overloaded and deals with it the best way it knows, send the nutrients directly to the fat reserves!
• Also, the roller coaster effect they have on your blood sugar and insulin levels will make you feel hungry more often. This happens because of the insulin surge, which drastically lowers your blood sugar to levels where your brain sends your body signals to eat again!
• It may cause acne, while the scientists haven't explained this 100% there seems to be a lot of compelling evidence behind their claims.
• You will feel full for longer if you start eating more high fiber legumes (Chickpeas, black beans and lentils are examples), instead of their grain and starchy counterparts. This happens because fibrous food expands in your stomach.
• Types of fiber found in beans can help lower your cholesterol levels.

Try it out, make a little experiment out of it. Switch out as many of the bad carbs (rice, bread, pasta, potatoes) in your meals to good carbs (black beans, chickpeas, lentils). I'm sure there are very few people that wouldn't enjoy at least one or two of the benefits of making the switch from bad carbs to good carbs!

Ciao,

- Gregg

If you have a weight loss goal, say weight loss before wedding day - ditching white carbs can be a very powerful tool to achieve this goal.   So, if you do have a weight loss goal and you haven't tried ditching white carbs - you should!

Try it out and see for yourself!