In part 1 we learned the importance of 6 – 8 small meals per day and how it can help keep your metabolism in overdrive, meaning it’s easier to lose fat AND build muscle. In part 2 we looked at how exactly it is that your metabolism works, and WHY eating 6 – 8 small meals per today is as beneficial as it is. In today’s part 3, we’ll be looking at energy, and how the food we eat plays such a large role in us either feeling sluggish or feeling energized.

A lot of people equate energy with things like caffeine and sugar; you get all pumped up and ready to rip the whole world a new one, only to come crashing down hours later.

Man I need some energy or I’m never gonna survive this meeting… Bob, pour me another cup of coffee!

The thing is, getting our energy from these sources is like trying to get your vitamins from candy bars. Using it here and there can be fine, but in the long haul it’s not a practice you want to fall into. Even worse, many people eventually become a victim of caffeine addiction, meaning that they don’t just want, but they NEED that jolt of coffee or other caffeine laden drink to keep them moving throughout the day. Not only does this contribute to poor health, but a crash is inevitable. (And the bigger the “energy” burst you receive, the bigger the crash as well!)

The real energy comes from CARBOYHYDRATES. Not proteins, not fats, not all that sugary junk food. Those things can all provide energy, sure, but carbs are what keep us sustained throughout the day. They keep us energized and feeling our best, meaning we can do what we need to do without having to worry about a crash later on.

That’s right, carbs provide energy WITHOUT the crash. Why do you think runners always “carb load” the night before a big event and stuff down bowls of pasta? Or why things such as oatmeal, toast, cereal, and juice are such popular breakfast items?

Carbohydrates are the real workhorses behind our energy stores, capable of keeping us more than energized throughout the day without ever having to crash.

So why do carbs get such a bad rep then? You’ll never hear somebody say “I’m watching my protein,” and yet there are plenty of people who say “I’m watching my carbs,” along with plenty of foods that claim to be “low in carbs.” Even popular fad diets these days (which should never be followed) all seem to stress this low carb way of eating, which aside from being stupid, is often unhealthy. Of course, nobody can deny the value of carbohydrates, from whole grains and vegetables to fresh fruits and oatmeal. So why the bad rep?

Because most people eat junk food carbs, or “bad” carbs. Potato chips, cookies, white breads, and foods that are deep fried and / or processed. What people don’t realize is that these foods are nearly as high in fat as they are in carbohydrates, and so while you’re getting SOME carbs, not only are they carbs severely lacking in the nutrition department, but you’re getting an equally high dose of fat. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the nutritional facts of something next time you’re about to eat it. You’ll notice the “calories” section and then the “calories from fat” section. If something has 70 calories per serving, and 35 of those are from fat, then that means half the product is fat! While you’re inevitably consuming some carbs, you’re consuming a near equal portion of fat, and so for that reason many people have developed this fear of carbohydrates.

We have simple carbohydrates, and then we have complex carbohydrates, but what’s the big difference?

Most simple carbohydrates can be found in fruits and most vegetables, as they’re carbs that our body can easily break down and provide an instant (though short lived) release of energy. These are good carbohydrates to consume because of their nutritional value, but they’re often not the best for sustained energy; that comes from complex carbohydrates.

Complex carbs take longer to be broken down, and so for that reason they provide a slow, steady stream of energy instead of a short burst. This is why so many athletes load up on pasta before a big event. Good sources of complex carbohydrates are things like whole grains and oatmeal, beans, and many root vegetables.

Again, many people look at foods that are high in carbohydrates as being high in calories, jumping to the assumption that this is going to make them “fat.” The truth is, just like protein, 1 carbohydrate gram only contains 4 calories, and so eating something like a serving of oatmeal in the morning really isn’t going to cause any issues in regards to gaining weight. The oatmeal I eat contains 190 calories per serving, and being that it’s a good source of complex carbs, keeps me running smoothly all morning long. Of course, my breakfast consists of 2 servings of oatmeal, a heaping glass of orange juice, and a nice scoop of protein powder. (Yes, my breakfast of champions contains 750 calories.)

I’m not going to go into all the scientific details here, but a trip back to Bio 101 tells us that carbohydrates are broken down into ATP, or in other words, our bodies own personal fuel source. Vitamins and minerals GREATLY increase the efficiency of such a process, which means eating GOOD clean carbohydrates is important as opposed to eating a bunch of processed, refined carbohydrates.

For those of you worried about fat, this is another reason why eating whole grain over white is so important, or why eating foods that aren’t packed full of preservatives is such a wise decision. Whole grains and organic foods are much higher in their vitamin and mineral content, meaning that our body will do a much better job of breaking down those carbs into ENERGY instead of storing them as fat. Eating high-carbohydrate foods shouldn’t mean we start gaining a bunch of weight, rather it should mean we’re feeling energized and ready to take on the world. Unfortunately, eating foods that are high in fats as well as high in processed carbs, means our body is going to consume a bunch of fat it doesn’t need, as well as consume a bunch of carbs that

Consume good, clean sources of carbohydrates, and you don’t have to stress about whether or not those carbs are going to be put towards energy or fat (when I say ‘clean’ I’m simply referring to anything that isn’t processed or loaded with chemicals.) it’s no wonder there’ so much fuss over carbohydrates when the only ones people are consuming are high preservatives and other chemicals, low in vitamins and minerals, and mixed in with all kinds of fat! Eating that kind of junk would make ANYBODY gain weight, however it really doesn’t have to be that way. Don’t shy away from carbs, enjoy them for energy and nutrients they provide your body. After all, if you respect your body, you may find it just returns the favor…