This article is inspired by my ladies and gents from the #NTSummerEquinox who work hard in balancing wellness with going after their passions. You guys know who you are. <3
So, I was just beginning to wind down and was getting ready to call it a day when, for some reason, I went to check Facebook and Instagram.
Bad news: It triggered me to jump on my laptop and write this blog.
Good news: Well, I’m writing this blog.
For months, I have been waiting for the high-fat, you’d-have-to-kill-me-before-I-have-any-carb diet fad to wane. It seems that many still see it as a sustainable way to shed the excess weight and keep it off. Keyword: Sustainable.
There’s absolutely no doubt about the effectivity of it. I’ve seen many drop pounds fast on a diet that puts the body in a state of Ketosis all the time. But, AV Gawtee, a fellow vegan who is also a nutritionist said, “I’ve never seen the Ketogenic Diet applied outside a clinical setting…” And even in a clinical setting, this usually isn’t (well, it shouldn’t be) your primary route in losing fat. Remember the GM diet? I tried it back in college and lost 5 pounds in 3 days. It was designed for patients who were about to undergo heart surgery and needed to immediately lose weight. 7 days and the weight drops. In a similar manner, a Ketogenic Diet was originally designed to help patients suffering from epilepsy.
For those who like to dig, you can do your homework and research properly on this. You won’t find the nitty gritty here.
What I really got out of bed for is to voice out how we, as a society, have grown too used to the bandaid approach- plastering on temporary solutions to problems (particularly ones concerning our health) but not really getting to the roots of it and fixing that instead. You know, like, acquiring healthy habits?
Now, CARBS, STRESS AND EXCESS FAT. How do they stack up?
CARBS
One of my Nutrition teachers taught me not to stereotype carbs. Being vegan, I can’t help but eat a diet that’s high in carbohydrates. The good thing about it, though, is that I have no trouble getting all the necessary dietary fibre, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals just from the food I eat. I also easily drop excess fat and maintain optimum weight and muscle mass without any struggle on a vegan diet.
For a time, I also fell into the traps of a “low carb diet” cutting of whole grains, starchy food, bread and pasta. While I was still functioning well weeks after dropping the carby stuff, I also noticed a gradual decrease in my energy and vigour. My trainings felt like I had to put much more effort into them. I fixed that by reincorporating grains (but only the whole grains) into my diet and in less than a week, I was back hitting PRs.
The only real reasons why carbohydrates are making you fat:
- You’re eating processed, refined carbohydrates (White rice, pasta, bread, cakes, doughnuts, anything sugary- basically empty calories from carbs. In other words, CRAP.) This food group falls under the category “metabolically burdening” aka metabolic stressors.
- You’re eating too much. Most people who exercise fall victim to this. Being physically active is never an excuse to overeat.
Other than that, carbs are good. In fact, carbs are amazing. You’ll be surprised how “Carbs” can also be great sources of protein- then you’ll be feeding two birds with one seed, my IIFYM, friends. Your four best bets are: Quinoa, Millet, Amaranth and Buckwheat. If prepared properly, these grains (stop calling them just carbs, please) are some of the most nourishing food items you can keep in your pantry.
The general rule of thumb is to eat food with the least amount of human intervention- the ones closest to nature. For example, a sprouted Quinoa grain bowl with sprouted beans and vegetables vs that bag of Lentil Chips vs a stack of Quinoa pancakes (made with Quinoa flour). Which of these do you think is the smartest choice?
STRESS
We all know it. Stress happens every day, to every person. Your job, your relationships, financial problems, these are all causes of stress. BUT there are also milder forms of stress such as intense physical activity, which can be both beneficial and trouble-causing (you read that shit right). And then there’s starvation.
Elite athletes – those who train for hours on end, become more efficient in converting macronutrients into energy regardless of the source. Now, for the average Joe or Jane with little to moderate physical activity, the primary source of energy comes from Carbohydrates. When your body runs low on Carbohydrates, it turns to the secondary source of fuel: Fat. Now, before you go on rejoicing, I must make it clear that when your brain resorts to the secondary source of fuel, it thinks there is scarcity of food. It goes into emergency mode in order to survive. See how smart your body is? You also put it in a (milder) state of stress. This is why I personally think this type of diet isn’t sustainable. The harmful effects of it may not be apparent at first, but every drop of water eventually fills up a bucket until it overflows.
Think of it as a boy who constantly cries wolf while there really isn’t one. How would you respond in the long run when someone keeps telling you there is an emergency when there really isn’t?
And speaking of your body being a smartass, it knows when you’re trying to go against its natural processes. For example, metabolism eventually slows down when your calorie intake is significantly lowered. No amount of discipline or willpower can go against your body’s natural rhythm. Going against it, screws with more subtle things such as your hormones.
When Cortisol (your stress hormone) levels are raised, your body starts to think it needs more fuel to cope with what it assumes to be “work”. Hence, the whole trouble of stress-eating.
Quick tip: When stressed, go for a long walk or a quick light jog, yoga or Pilates before reaching for that bag of chips. Avoid intense physical activity and save it for when your stress levels have lowered. Also, get food out of your head. Learn to identify hunger vs cravings.
Oh, and did I mention stress can also affect your gut health, and therefore, your skin? *shakes head*
SO WHAT’S REALLY MAKING YOU FAT?
There are a lot of factors but the very bottom line of this blog post is STRESS. When you burden your body with the wrong types of food, with larger-than-necessary food portions, when you dwell on negativity and when you let things that are out of your control get to you, you are basically setting yourself up for disaster.
To make it clear: I am not, in any way, against a Ketogenic Diet. Okay, maybe just a bit. Yes, it works, just like any other diet that came out in the market (remember the Atkins and Southbeach Diets?). What I do not advocate, however, is the manipulation of the body’s internal and natural processes, going against its rhythm and draining life force or prana only for the sake of weight loss.
And honestly, it’s a pet peeve when people do not do their homework well enough and end up doing more harm to their bodies than good. What the hell happened to self-love?
A lesson to take with you before you go: There is no good or bad- only perspective. Use that to handle stress better.
As for food, there is still no good or bad. It boils down to management. Fat becomes bad when put over high heat, Carbs become bad when processed or refined, Protein becomes bad when you have way too much (seriously). Remember, least human intervention. <3
But the real moral of the story? Don’t even touch your phone when you’re preparing to hit the sack.
x, NT
