Beautiful Chaos: Week 11 of the 12 Week Challenge!

Well folks, we are almost there. Week 11. I can't believe it! Just in time for summer! How have you been doing so far? Slacking on those workouts? Sneaking a soda? Me too. (Not the soda part) Well this challenge will kick you butt into gear! We are cutting DOWN the carbs. Notice I did not say cutting out the carbs. There is this widespread rumor that diets like Atkins and South Beach are bad for you. And Dr. Atkins died from it. Not true. He died from slipping on the ice and busting his head which caused a hematoma. That is not important though. What is important is understanding carbs and how they work. Then you can monitor your intake.

There are 2 kinds of carbs. Simple carb=bad carbs, and complex carbs=good carbs. The name is based on the the make up of the carb and how the body breaks it down. For example a complex carb like brown rice, it takes your body longer to break down the molecules thus creating an even amount of energy to be released over a longer period of time.

Simple carbs like candy, pastries, potatoes and white breads and pastas are composed of simple to digest sugars that have no value to your body. When choosing a carb look for high fiber and low sugar. A simple switch can make a big difference in your diet. Choose whole wheat or enriched pasta over white pasta. Swap white bread for wheat. You don't have to cut carbs completely out. In fact, that is not good for you. Carbs are your main source of energy. But make healthy choices. A piece of fruit, which is actually a simple carb, is better for you than a piece of cake, also a simple carb. The fruit is unprocessed and has more nutritional value.

Here is a cute little chart that shows you some more valuable information about how sneaky carbs can be: http://blog.massivehealth.com/infographics/Carbs_are_killing_you/ I found it via Pinterest.

So this week, make some healthy choices. Complex carbs over simple ones. Wheat, enriched, unprocessed. Here are some low carb recipes from my blog...Give em a try! :)

Roasted Veggies