Fats & carbs at same meal?

[Bethany Lannon]

A few years ago, I did a carb-cycling diet. One of the things I learned from it was that you shouldn't pair fat with carbs in one meal. So, my question is, when I have carbs like fruit or sweet potato with a meal, should I still have a fat with it? Also, should starchy carbs, such as sweet potatoes, be saved only for post-workout meals?

Trying to sort out everything I've learned from carb-cycling and figure out what's still relevant to Whole30.

Thanks!

[Jinkse21]

Forget about carb-cycling here...follow the meal planning template (http://whole9life.com/book/ISWF-Meal-Planning-Template.pdf) and you will be fine!

[Tom Denham]

You should eat as many starchy carbs as you need to support your activity level. For some people that might be starchy carbs a few times per week, while a very active person might need them once or twice per day. And we want you to include fat with every meal except post-workout meals. There is no problem with combining fat and carbs, but there is a problem with going no or low fat.

[CaseyD]

Did the carb-cycling diet work for you? Was it sustainable? My guess, at least to the second question, would be no otherwise you wouldn't be here.

Follow the Whole30 rules and forget about your old diets. See what works best and is actually sustainable.

[Renee Lee]

Carb cycling is a valid method, and Whole9 actually subscribes to some of the theory, but they apply it a little differently.

What you followed is effective and appropriate for a few kinds of goals, but it's way more tracking than is allowed during a w30. Follow the meal template, don't be scared of fats with carbs. Just eat.

Whole9's application of the carb cycling theory is by eating seasonally. They recommended during their AHS poster presentation that you should cycle your carb intakes, activity level and sleep quantities with the seasons. More carbs, more cardio and less sleep in the summers, fewer carbs, more strength and more sleep in the winter. Adjust as necessary in Spring and Fall.

[Guest]

Wow, I need to learn about the other 8 parts of Whole9. Thanks, Renée.

[Renee Lee]

Eh. Take your time with it Nico. Whole30 = Food 101, and riding your own bike = Food 102, then eating seasonally and cycling stuff is like Food 202. Don't stress it!

[Bethany Lannon]

Did the carb-cycling diet work for you? Was it sustainable? My guess, at least to the second question, would be no otherwise you wouldn't be here.

Follow the Whole30 rules and forget about your old diets. See what works best and is actually sustainable.

The carb-cycling diet definitely worked for me, I lost all my baby weight plus another 5 pounds. It was semi-sustainable, although I didn't completely stay with it after I stopped the services with the guy who led me through the diet. The biggest thing it did was teach me how to clean up my diet... lean proteins, healthy carbs (although he also included complex carbs like brown rice, I stuck mostly to sweet potatoes as my complex carb and an occasional brown rice/tilapia meal), veggies, healthy fats, etc. There was not near the emphasis on healthy fats as there are with W30. It worked but I have said that it jaded me with carbs. I became over-conscious of how many carbs I was taking in, I ultimately tried to make every day a low-to-no-carb day, wouldn't cycle in high carb days, analyzed every bite of food I put into my mouth, etc. His premise was that on high carb days, you keep fat as low as possible. On low carb days, you can have more healthy fat in the form of a tbsp peanut butter, an ounce of almonds, and/or fish oil pills at any given point through the day.

Carb cycling is a valid method, and Whole9 actually subscribes to some of the theory, but they apply it a little differently.

What you followed is effective and appropriate for a few kinds of goals, but it's way more tracking than is allowed during a w30. Follow the meal template, don't be scared of fats with carbs. Just eat.

Whole9's application of the carb cycling theory is by eating seasonally. They recommended during their AHS poster presentation that you should cycle your carb intakes, activity level and sleep quantities with the seasons. More carbs, more cardio and less sleep in the summers, fewer carbs, more strength and more sleep in the winter. Adjust as necessary in Spring and Fall.

Renee - You're totally right about the tracking with the carb cycling. I would practically drive myself nuts trying to figure out what to eat and in what quantities... Plus, it was 5 meals per day, which had me constantly thinking about food. I'm only on day 2 of W30 and I'm already noticing how much more I enjoy it because of only 3 meals (I will pack a snack if needed, of a HB egg and cashews or package of wholly guacamole, only because I'm breastfeeding, and I'll eat it if I'm feeling like I won't make it to dinner without feeling overly snacky), which means less packing/preparing on work days, and I'm not thinking about food as much (unless I'm thinking about how much longer til lunch ). Its a refreshing change to not have to scrutinize every calorie, carb/protein/fat gram, not have to plan 5 meals, etc.

[Jinkse21]

...which means less packing/preparing on work days, and I'm not thinking about food as much (unless I'm thinking about how much longer til lunch ). Its a refreshing change to not have to scrutinize every calorie, carb/protein/fat gram, not have to plan 5 meals, etc.

Isn't it great to not worry about packing meals AND snacks on work days?? When I started, I was amazed that I only needed two containers in my big lunch cooler - one for breakfast and one for lunch! Before, I would've had 2 containers plus 4-5 baggies of foods for snacks throughout the day! Going from obsessing about what you are eating and when to 3 meals following a simple template is definitely freeing!!