Did you know that the end result of all carbohydrates broken down by the body is glucose, also called blood sugar.



So whether it's a spoon of sugar, a piece of bread, or some broccoli, the body breaks each down to use at its main fuel source, blood sugar. So there is no question that the body needs carbs to operate.

But where should those carbs come from?

There are simple carbohydrates like fruit, syrup, and sugar and there are complex carbohydrates like bread, pasta, potatoes, and oatmeal.

The difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is the speed at which the body breaks them down to utilize as glucose.

Simple carbohydrates like table sugar and fruit are converted more rapidly for a quick energy boost. They create a quick boost of energy followed by a rapid

decline, almost like a "crash".

Complex carbohydrates take longer to break down and offer a more sustained supply of energy for the body. So complex carbohydrates should be your main choice for energy for that precise reason.

Which foods should you consume for your complex carbs?

Well, if you want a quick way to drop fat weight, switch from starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and rice to more fibrous, leafy ones like vegetables.

When I was getting ready for my bodybuilding show in which I lost almost 40 pounds in 9 weeks, I replaced my starchy

carbohydrates with more vegetables and fibrous carbohydrates.

The reason being, starchy carbohydrates like bread and pasta are more calorie dense than are vegetables like broccoli or green beans.

Weight (fat) loss comes from getting rid of excess calories, to create a deficit in calories so that your body must dip into stored body fat for energy.

When you begin to continuously create a calorie deficit, your body continuously will attack fat stores for needed energy and this is how weight loss (fat loss) occurs.

So what we want to do is cut out calories anywhere we can to increase the chances of creating a deficit of calories.

For effective fat loss, I feel it is important to choose those foods that offer high volume but low calories. This way you do not feel deprived, you're still eating a lot of food, you're just not getting a lot of calories in return.

Vegetables offer this luxury.

You can eat a lot in volume, but do not get a lot of calories in return, unless you deep fry them or drown them in butter, which I do not recommend.

This high volume, low calorie luxury is not true with starchy carbohydrates. A small serving of starchy carbs is still high in calories.

For example, a 1/4-cup of rice has approximately 150 calories. A 1/2-cup of oatmeal has about the same amount of calories, 150.

However, you can eat an entire box package of broccoli and have fewer calories than that. Or almost an entire bag of raw baby carrots.

Also, eating fibrous vegetables causes your body to work harder at breaking down these foods and metabolizing them.

What that means is, you almost burn off more calories digesting them than what you're taking in by eating them!

Now, I know what you are thinking, I love my bread and I'm not getting rid of it. I absolutely agree, do not get rid of your breads, pasta, rice, and oatmeal.

But do moderate it, reduce the amount of each serving and

instead, replace the smaller serving with more vegetables.

It all points back to what causes weight gain. Excess calories.

Starchy carbohydrates will give you more calories than

vegetables.

So from a fat loss perspective, choose the carbohydrate that offers the lower calorie amount and larger volume--veggies.