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These days, with an estimated 60% of the US population being overweight, it seems as if everyone is trying to lose weight. When I ask my friends about strategies for shedding pounds and healthy living, most of them say, “I don’t eat bread, sugar, rice, or pasta. I’m cutting back on the carbs.”   

Weight loss occurs when you consume fewer calories than what you burn off during the day. So should you cut out carbs to lose weight? Hmmm…It depends on which dietary sources of carbohydrates you eat. Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy so trying to cut them out completely is unhealthy. Carbohydrates are found in grains, fruit, vegetables, most dairy products, and sugary desserts. Most foods that are good for you contain carbohydrates and are fundamental to a healthy diet.  

So what carbohydrates should you take out of your diet? Cut carbohydrates that add extra calories with little or no nutritional value.  These include candy, soda, sugary desserts, and fruit drinks. Drinks that contain 100% juice have some nutritive value. Fruit drinks that are made with mostly sugar and water, such as Kool-Aid or Hawaiian Punch contain little nutritional value and add empty calories that should be avoided if you’re trying to lose weight.  

So go ahead, eat your whole grain bread, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta without guilt! Most foods that contain carbohydrates are important sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Carbohydrates do not make you gain weight. Overeating and lack of exercise does.

Carla Hardy MS, CSCS
Fitness and Exercise Instructor
Ashworth University

This entry was posted on Monday, July 7th, 2008 at 6:58 am and is filed under Heart, Weight Loss, Disease, Studies, Nutrition, Data, Exercise, Food, Diet, Motivation, Doctors, Family, Fitness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.