If that doesn't deserve a Stupid Award I don't know what does.
Speaking of crazy diets, did anyone else think the Atkins no-carb diet was a little off? Here's a link to
the chemical formula of sugar. Why do I post the link you ask? Carbohydrate is just a different way of saying sugar. Carbo = carbon, hydrate = water.
The most common sugar is Glucose. I'm sure you've all heard of it. It's formula is C
6H
12O
6. For most people, sugar is the fastest way to provide energy to our cells. The obvious exception would be diabetics who don't release the correct amount of insulin to store/use that sugar before it becomes toxic. At any rate, there's a reason the FDA recommends 12 servings of bread and starches per day. Whole grains provide fiber and other nutrients. They also contain carbohydates to give that lasting energy boost throughout the day. Carbohydrates are broken apart inside our cells for energy. Would anyone really want to deprive themselves of energy? This is why fad diets are so dangerous. People need to do a little more research before jumping on the bandwagon.
Most carbs we eat are complex; it will take the body a little longer to break it down into simple glucose therefore providing a much more lasting amount of energy than eating a candy bar for example. For that good energy rush try munching some fruit. Apples and pears contain the simplest sugars. Blue-, straw-, and other berries also contain simple sugars. Oranges, limes, and lemons are also very good. You can get some quick energy and a healthy dose of vitamin C while you're at it.
Try this. For breakfast have a bowl of cereal or oatmeal, maybe some nice hashbrowns/homefries, or two slices of toast in addition to the normal eggs and bacon. Then walk briskly for 30 minutes. At a good pace of 2-4 miles per hour you can easily walk one or two miles in that 30 minutes. And, you'll have burned enough energy to force your body into breaking down breakfast for the extra sugar it needs. If you do this every day for a week your body will become accustomed to the routine and will metabolize sugars much quicker. That means it won't store sugar as fat, instead choosing to burn it off. You won't loose a lot of weight doing this because you'll be building the muscles in your legs (and somewhat in the abs) at the same time. However you will notice a few inches disappear around the waist and thighs, and let's face it: we could all do with a little extra energy.
Oh and if you hear someone refer to the starch in potatoes, pasta, rice, and bread, they actually mean carbohydrate. It's just easier to say starch.
Some sugar do's and don'ts.
*Do eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Did you know carrots and tomatoes contain a good amount of simple sugar?
*Do not go overboard on sweets. Go ahead, lick that Hershey bar. One lick gave you enough sugar to count as a whole apple. You're going to be mighty hungry today.
*Do remember: everything in moderation. It's okay to snack on that Snickers or consume that cake now and then. Just don't substitued them for a meal or have them at every snack.
*Do eat whole grain breads, wild rice, pasta (spaghetti with red sauce is yummy!), Cheerios, etc. The complex carbs will take a little longer for your body to break down. This means a lasting energy throughout the day.
*Do not eat bleached starches like white bread and bleached rice. It's hard to avoid them sometimes, but honestly they have the nutritional value of Elmer's glue. Plus that's all they do really is gum up your insides.
*Do try to switch to whole grains as much as possible. The carbs (and other nutrients) haven't been destroyed by a bleaching process so they'll provide actual vitamins and minerals. Try some nice Honey Wheat if regular wheat bread is too bitter. Pumpernickle and Rye are also very good choices. Use wild or long grain rice as much as possible, and try enriched pastas too. They taste better than the bleached version.
(This theft of Sassie's thread is now ended. Just my 2 cents).
