We hear it more and more often: carbohydrates, it is better not to take them as an athlete, they make you fat. Trust us, this is a myth. In principle, it does not matter much what you eat to lose weight, as long as your energy balance is – slightly – negative. In this blog, Rémon Koetje, Lifestyle coach and trainer at Happy Bodies in Alkmaar, tells you how it is.
Old, sick and fat from carbohydrates
Knock "low carb" into Google and you'll get nearly three million results. So you can at least say that it's keeping people busy. It makes you old faster, it causes diabetes and if you want to lose weight, carbohydrates are completely out of the question. The truth is a bit more nuanced. It has never been proven that carbohydrates make you age faster. You don't get diabetes from carbs either. Little is known about the causes of type 1 diabetes, but the development is probably related to predisposition. The causes of diabetes 2 can be found in the corner of overweight, smoking, unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. On the dedicated pages about type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes from the Diabetes Fund, the word 'carbohydrates' does not even appear.
Quality more important than quantity
The Health Council, the independent scientific advisory body for government and parliament, recommends that we get at least 20 percent of our energy from fat, at least ten percent from protein and 40 to 70 percent from carbohydrates. There is of course a caveat: it is advisable to eat foods that have been shown to contain nutritious ingredients. It will come as no surprise to anyone that foods such as whole grain cereals, legumes, vegetables and fruit are better for your health than products such as sugar, crisps, white rice, biscuits and sweets. That is exactly the advice of the Diabetes Fund: the quality of carbohydrates is more important than the quantity.
Healthy weight loss is about the right balance
Even if you want to lose weight, everything is about balance. Carbohydrates are fine, but eat 'good' carbs and make sure you take in just a little less calories than you consume. Strength and endurance athletes need slightly more protein than non-athletes, but according to the Nutrition Center you get enough protein if you eat a healthy and varied diet. So feel free to leave out all those expensive shakes and bars. At Happy Bodies we work with the smart nutrition app from VYTAL. This is how we help you to eat healthy, conscious and nutritious. In addition to balance in your diet, losing weight is also about the right balance between effort and relaxation. You don't have to start training for a marathon right away. Moderately intensive exercise is fine. With the Milon circle you train your entire body in two times 35 minutes every ten days, even if you are a bit older or have ailments. That's manageable for everyone, isn't it?
Knowing more?
Curious how you can achieve quick and effective results with a personalized nutrition plan, under the guidance of your own personal lifestyle coach? Then do the free one membership test and sign up for a free personal introductory meeting and tour of the club. Want to bet that you are immediately sold?
Sign up for our newsletter and receive a notification as soon as we put a new blog post online. In addition, you will receive free useful tips & tricks to achieve your health goals.
