I was totally mistaken... Have you had this happen to you too?

Have you heard this at some point too? And been equally as confused as I was.

I remember the food pyramid and it said that carbohydrates are the grains like breads and pastas.

But when my dog got cancer the vet cautioned me from feeding him vegetables because they have carbohydrates in them and cancer feeds off of carbohydrates.

Then I hear cancer feeds off of sugar because sugar is a carbohydrate. What?!??!

It left me thinking, "What in the hell is a carbohydrate?"

Early on in my Integrative and Functional Nutrition masters degree program I realized that most of my classmates were already nutritional professionals. Many having their bachelors in nutrition.

Meaning they knew all of this stuff, and I had a huge knowledge gap. So I went on Saybrook's website and found their Nutrition Basics course. I realized I needed to learn what was in that class. Since they post the syllabus for every class I was able to review the material and the text books.

I quickly ordered all the textbooks and have been working on teaching myself these basics between my other classes and life commitments.

I'm so glad I did because it has helped clear up so much confusion for me. And I hope I can share this info. with you to help clear up any confusion you may be feeling.

Because if I know one thing its this. Confusion sabotages any health journey. Clarity is what gets you results.

So we need to be ultra clear on what constitutes a carbohydrate so we can know if we are getting enough, just the right amount, or too much.

What I found out is, if it is not a protein or a fat, it's a carbohydrate.

Woah!

Carbohydrates are sugar structures found in fruits, vegetables, sugar sweetened treats and beverages, sugars in milk, fiber found in vegetable skins, starch found in potatoes, pectins, rice, crackers, cookies, chips, etc. Not just breads and pastas like I was thinking!

This really helped me as I became more aware of what I was eating throughout the day. Many times I was in a hurry so I grabbed whatever was quick to eat from the cupboards....typically falling into the carbohydrate category.

Once I started to monitor my carbohydrate intake and understand why I was reaching for those quick snacks beyond just that they were ready to eat, I started to notice a shift in my weight.

I also worked to increase my protein to help me feel full throughout the day. This little pro tip makes achieving a healthy weight so much more sustainable and enjoyable when you are not hangry all the time. :)

Next time you find yourself reaching for food ask yourself...is this a carbohydrate? How am I feeling in this moment? Am I truly hungry?

You may be surprised at what you learn about yourself as well as the shift in how your clothes are fitting.

Ready to explore this further and get a tailored eating plan just for you? Click here to book a complimentary call with me to find out how!