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1. Earn Your Starches!

2. Earn Your Starches!

3. Carbohydrates are not the enemy…
Last time, we discussed the two types of carbohydrates:
Simple and Complex
What do you remember about Complex carbohydrates?

4. Review: Complex Carbohydrates
Act like “time-released” breakdown of nutrients
Provides increased satiety (feeling of fullness)
Stabilizes blood sugar
Promotes healthy body composition
The longer it takes for the body to process and use the carbohydrate,
the better it is.

5. Examples: Complex Carbohydrates
Vegetables
Legumes
Whole grains (unprocessed or unrefined) such as:
◦ Wild Rice
◦ Quinoa
◦ Buckwheat
◦ Bulgur
◦ Couscous

6. Review: Simple Carbohydrates
In contrast, “simple” carbohydrates are the exact opposite:
Their breakdown is fast and short-lived
They do not provide the same nutritional benefit to the body
Will “spike” blood sugar
Cause elevated LDL cholesterol levels
Increase insulin resistance
Often include added sugars

7. Examples: Simple Carbohydrates
Store-bought bread
Pasta
White Rice
Packaged Oats
Cereals
Crackers
Not only are these examples of simple carbs, but they are also STARCHY carbohydrates.

8. Other “Starchy” carbohydrates…
Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Corn
Squashes

9. What do they do?
Starchy carbohydrates are very QUICK to enter the digestive system and be
broken down into sugar (glucose) in the body.
If weight loss is your goal, you do NOT want to eat a lot of starchy carbohydrates
throughout the day!
Your focus should be on VEGETABLES;
however….

10. Starches are yummy!
The good news:
Weight loss does not have to be about complete deprivation of favorite foods.

11. You gotta earn them…
In order to have some starchy carbohydrates, you need to EARN them through exercise FIRST!
If you want bread, pasta, rice, or sugary foods…you can eat some, however:
- focus more on whole grain varieties
- save them until the 1-2 hours AFTER exercising

12. Controlled carbohydrates
MOST of your carbohydrates come from vegetables and some fruits
PLUS, a small amount of additional carbs from STARCHY sources only POST-EXERCISE
When it comes to changing the way your body looks, this carbohydrate timing strategy is
the single most effective strategy to use to kick-start fat loss in people with stubborn and
hard-to-remove body fat stores.

13. Why does this strategy work so well?
It’s called “carbohydrate tolerance.”
Your body is much more tolerant – i.e. able to use the carbohydrates
immediately, rather than store them as fat – around the exercise window.
Plain and simple.
The very best time to eat your starchy carbohydrates is after your workout.
Period.

14. Carbohydrates for Fat Loss!
Whoever heard of such a thing??  Yes…you can have your carbs and still lose weight!
The TRICK:
Know WHAT to eat
And
WHEN to eat it!

15. Food type: Simple Sugars
WHEN: RARELY! For weight loss, these foods are STILL NOT RECOMMENDED.
EXAMPLES:
Breakfast cereals
Fruit juice
Table sugar
Sugary desserts
Ice cream
Muffins
Crackers
Carb-heavy ‘snack foods’

16. Food type: Starchy Foods
When: WITHIN 1-2 HOURS FOLLOWING EXERCISE
Examples:
Whole grain bread or pasta
Wild or whole grain rice
Sweet potatoes/yams
Rolled oats/steel cut oats

17. Starchy Foods: Portion Sizes
Don’t go overboard just because you exercised!
Stay within your guidelines for portions of starches:
Men: 1 serving = 1-2 cupped handfuls
Women: 1 serving = size of 1 cupped handful

18. Food type: Vegetables
WHEN: With every meal
Examples:
Spinach
Carrots
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Kale
Green beans

19. What do you choose?
Identify one or two of your favorite foods that you would like to continue to enjoy.
Bread? Muffins? Cereal? Potatoes? Oats?
Remember: Success comes with preparation and consistency!
FIRST: Use the calendar to map out your exercise plan for the upcoming week.
SECOND: Write down which of your favorite starchy carbs you want to enjoy after
your workout on each day you exercise.

20. It doesn’t matter if you like oatmeal and you exercise in the evenings…you can still have
your oatmeal with dinner.
There is no such thing as “breakfast” foods or “dinner” foods…you can have fish and
green beans for breakfast and eggs for dinner if you want. The same goes for oatmeal,
or sweet potatoes, or muffins….
The ONLY rule to follow is to
limit your starchy carbs
to AFTER a workout.

21. Simplicity
Good lifestyle nutrition is all about matching your foods to your goals.
If you want to lose fat, eat starchy carbs only when you “earn” them.
No exercise = No starchy carbohydrates
=
And always eat lots of vegetables with every meal.

22. Strategies for Success
Focus on your vegetables and lean proteins for most meals.
Your plate should look like this
for most of your meals:

23. And like this for your meal after exercising:

24. What about…
…Days you don’t exercise?
• Stick with meals of lean proteins, lots of vegetables, a little fruit, and a little
healthy fat.

25. What about…
…Going out to dinner with friends or special occasions?
• Try to get a full workout in before your dinner or event. This puts your body
into the more “carb tolerant” state before your dinner out, so you can have a
starchy carbohydrate treat while you’re out!
• If you cannot get to a class before your event, then create your own workout
at home before you go!

26. Bottom line for weight loss and health:
Stick with vegetables and fruits as your primary source of healthy, complex carbohydrates.
If you want to keep some starchy carbohydrates in your nutrition plan,
remember you need to EARN them by EXERCISING FIRST!
Exercising first gives your body the ability to USE those starchy carbs best
in the 1-2 hours following your workout.