The importance of carbs
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008Yesterday, I decided that breakfast should be eggs, instead of my normal bowl of cereal. Just eggs– no toast, no bread, no grits, no bacon. Eggs.
By noon, I was ready for some carbs, but lo and behold! I had none ready to go. I completely forgot about the potatoes sitting in the fridge waiting to be eaten, so lunch was a cup of yogurt and some fruit.
I was so draggled by the lack of carbohydrates, in fact, that I took a 45 minute nap in the middle of the afternoon. I was beat, worn out– my day job requires me to use my brain, and I just couldn’t muster the energy!
Dinner was chili, with milk and sweet popcorn (sweetened with cinnamon) for dessert. By the end of the night, I was feeling “up” enough to solve puzzles and make jokes.
Carbs are brain food. They’re necessary for brain functioning and problem solving, and they’re crucial fuel for the long haul. By shortchanging my carbs in the morning and at lunch, I hindered my own ability to work my job and be a productive individual.
In the Weight Watchers Core plan, carbs are severely limited, and with good reason. Carbs are very high in fast, easy calories, and they’re often combined with other fattening things (like butter on popcorn). This combination makes it hard to keep your body from getting as much fuel (calories) from the carbs and, because they’re an easy food to metabolize, storing it in fat.
Carbohydrates are probably the best example of my need for moderation. I’m what I like to call a “carb eater.” If I don’t eat some carbohydrates, I am miserable. My diet regimen is never so pitiful as it is when I’m not allowed any bread or pasta. What’s more, if I don’t have some carbs in my diet, I will find them outside my plan– either by sneaking or cheating!
I think yesterday’s example shows, to me at least, that skipping a carb in the morning is a bad idea if I don’t have a plan to include them in lunch.
