carbs

My philosophy on carbs can be explained by two sentences, which might seem somewhat contradictory at first: There are no essential carbohydrates. Carbs are a tool to create specific physiological responses in the body. In nutrition, "essential" means that you must ingest something in your...

THE MENTAL ASPECT AND THE MUSCLE MATH Eating carbs for many of us is a mental barrier, especially those of us who had a hard time getting lean and then finally got very lean by cutting carbs. But it doesn't have to be that way. As long as your muscle glycogen stores are not close to full, the...

"CALORIES DON'T MATTER ON KETO!" Wrong. Caloric intake above maintenance will still cause fat gain. One of the most misleading statements about keto diets is that calories don't matter as long as you're not consuming carbs. This stems from the insulin-to-obesity theory. It goes something like...

While conventional diets may be fine for the average person, they definitely don't work for bodybuilders. It takes an extraordinary nutrition plan to build an extraordinary physique. After lots of reading, research, and speculation (followed by more screwing up than you'd want to know about) I...

To get to the next level with your physique, you've got to amp up the training and tighten up the diet more than you've already been. Shocker, huh? More specifically, add just enough cardio to boost the weekly expenditure without interrupting recovery, and drop carbs enough to reignite fat loss...

Fat has the most calories per gram, which may be why people get so confused about how much to eat. My advice? Establish your go-to healthy fat sources and know which ones to avoid completely. Your favorites will differ from mine, but generally, my main sources are olive oil, avocado, and...

What training method or diet strategy did you once think was good, but now you don't anymore? Christian Thibaudeau – Strength Coach and Performance Expert I CHANGED A LOT OF MY VIEWS OVER THE YEARS, BUT THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS RELATED TO CARB INTAKE. When I first started out in the strength...

As a board-certified gastroenterologist, dozens of patients visit me weekly with bloating and GI distress concerns. Sometimes these patients have underlying medical conditions or food sensitivities, but more times than not, the reason they are bloated, gassy, or feel general discomfort or...

by Lauren Del Turco, CPT Whey protein, the most popular kind of protein powder, is naturally rich in branched chain amino acids (BCAAs). Your body needs these molecules to build proteins and support everything from your skin to your muscles. While there are plenty of great plant-based and vegan...

by Kristin Granero If you love carbs, you’re certainly not alone—after all, who doesn’t crave a slice or three of pizza after a long day? However, many trendy diet programs and nutritionists attest to the benefits of limiting your carb intake, especially when it comes to the refined stuff, like...

by Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N. Poor potatoes—they’re so misunderstood. People think that because taters are white in color and contain carbs that they’re an unhealthy food. But that just ain’t true! First, let’s talk about this ‘avoiding white foods’ myth that seems to be everywhere. We always hear...

by Gabrielle Kassel, CF-L1 We’ve all experienced one (or both) of the following workout struggles. The first: Feeling totally wiped halfway into your routine after skipping out on a pre-workout snack. The second: Fighting off stomach gurgles and cramps while you sweat because you ate something...

by Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N. As much as we may love them, carbs get a bad rap. And that’s probably because they’re a little confusing. Carbs are our body’s primary energy source, and whole-food sources of carbs (like whole grains, fruit, veggies, yogurt, and legumes) also provide a variety of...

by Maggie Ethridge Carbs sometimes—ok, almost always—get a bad rap. With more and more people trying low- and no-carb diets (hello, keto), it’s no wonder dieters get a little mixed up about this mighty macro. But here’s the thing: Carbs aren’t the enemy! In fact, eliminating them altogether...

by Ellie Hartleb Carbohydrates have been the enemy of the diet world for pretty much forever. They’ve been long accused of making us gain weight, and it seems like every trendy diet out there recommends we slash them from our daily eats. But if you’ve ever tried a low-carb diet, you probably...

by Isadora Baum If your go-to grub includes oatmeal for breakfast and sushi rolls for dinner, you’re certainly not alone. Carbs are a beloved (and important!) part of our daily meals, but if we don’t eat the right carbs, we can load up on calories without getting the filling fiber and nutrients...

by K. Aleisha Fetters, C.S.C.S. Most of us are painfully familiar with the flu—the nausea, headaches, brain fog, and distinct urge to hide under the covers are not anyone’s idea of a good time. And while flu season is thankfully over, the threat of these symptoms still looms for people who are...

by Christina Heiser Eating low-carb has been popular since the Atkins Diet blew up back in 1972—and the current buzz about the benefits of the super low-carb ketogenic diet proves the low-carb trend isn’t going anywhere. The question on many people’s minds: Would we all be better off without any...

by Isadora Baum When you think breakfast, you probably picture carbs (mmm, pancakes). If you’re following a high-fat, virtually carb-free keto diet, though, you’ve got to reevaluate your morning meal. What A Healthy Keto Breakfast Looks Like “When following the keto diet, you want to kick start...

by Isadora Baum Unlike many of your standard diets, the high-fat, carb-free keto diet leaves little room for beloved cheat days. But what are you supposed to do when your cousin gets married, your best friend hosts a birthday brunch, or you just need a slice of pizza? We asked the experts about...