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When asked in a recent “survey” that Leash Your Fitness had on facebook: What was one “addiction” that would be hard to give up, the majority of women listed some form of carbohydrate. So what is it about carbs that people find so appealing? We are going to attempt to put a little light on the matter. There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. The complex carbs would be: brown rice, oatmeal, crackers, whole wheat, etc. Most people “crave” the simple carbs: candy, chips, chocolate, soda and anything with white sugar. The reason for this is that simple carbs are like the little sticks on the fire. They burn really fast, light you up but then they sizzle out and then you need more. It is a revolving cycle that is sometimes hard to break. Eating too many simple carbs can lead to weight gain, lethargy, depression, mood swings, depleted energy as well as many diseases including type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. Complex carbohydrates have fiber and nutrients in them that simple sugars do not, therefore if the majority of your diet is simple carbs, you will be depleted of many key nutrients.
Your body breaks down carbohydrates of all kinds into simple sugars through a hormone called insulin. The faster they are broken down, the faster you will feel hungry and/or have cravings again. Simple sugars break down very fast while the fiber in the complex carbohydrates, slows down this process so that you feel full longer.
So what about chocolate? What it is that makes us crazy if we don’t have it? Believe it or not, many women crave chocolate during their menstrual cycle because of a magnesium and chromium deficiency. Chocolate is high in both of these minerals BUT it is also high in calories. Many women have reported having less cravings when they started taking a good mineral supplement. Many people also crave chocolate in times of stress, anxiety, pain, and fatigue. Chocolate is known to release endorphins in our bodies that relieve these symptoms–temporarily. And what about chocolate and dogs? Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine which is toxic to dogs. It takes a sufficient quantity to cause a toxic reaction. Bakers chocolate has the highest amount.
So what is the answer to these food “addictions”. Eating anything in moderation is fine. If the majority of your calories are from carbohydrates, it has become an obsession and/or is affecting your health, then it is time to take action. The following are some tips that may help:
1/ You many want to start by evaluating the mood you are in when eating. Are you hungry or is it an emotional craving. Maybe taking your dog for a walk will take care of this problem instead of reaching for the snickers bar.
2/ Do not allow your blood sugar to drop too low. This happens when you wait too long between meals, skip breakfast or wait to long to eat after a heavy workout.
3/ Try eating a protein or a fat with every meal, this will help you to feel full longer
4/ Take a multi-vitamin AND a calcium/ magnesium tablet every day
5/ The easiest way to solution is to not by the food in the first place, stock up on healthy snacks instead!
Yogurt is sweet but contains valuable nutrients
