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You may have never realized that you were filling your body with simple carbs. But now that you do, you may notice that you’re always tired, you’re always hungry, and that your snacks always come with a short burst of energy followed by a much longer crash.
So what will happen if you do cut back on your simple carbs?
- You’ll stop craving junk. Your cravings for carbs are, believe it or not, caused by how many carbs you eat. If all of your midday snacks are carbs, then you’re just going to make your blood sugar spike and lower constantly. Those lows are what make you reach for foods you crave, and it’s not even really because you’re hungry. If you decide to instead fill your diet with meals rich in protein and healthy fats, you’ll fill up faster and stay full for longer. This will balance your blood sugar, too, meaning you’re less likely to get those cravings.
- You’ll digest your food better. Simple carbs are things like sugars and refined flours, but complex carbs contain things like fiber, which is one of the most important nutrients for weight loss. Beans, oats, and nuts are great sources of fiber. Fiber encourages regularity and is much more filling than its simple carb cousins.
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- You’ll lose weight. Most reasonable diets recommend that you cut back on some of your carb intake in order to lose weight, and here's why. When you stop taking in so many carbs, you automatically aren’t taking in as many calories. This means that since your body doesn’t have as many sugary calories to burn, it’ll burn more fat.
- You may feel more tired. If you cut carbs out completely, you’re going to also experience some bad things. Too few carbs means your body lacks enough fuel, and is forced to burn calories slower. This slows down your metabolism and lowers your energy levels, as well as your brain and muscle function. You do need carbs, just not the simple ones, and not as many as you think. Make sure you’re getting at least 50 grams of healthy carbs per day to keep yourself at tip top energy levels.