Wednesday, November 16, 2022

I Maintain a Fit Body Eating Lots of Carbs

I am genetically lean like my father and could eat just as much food as my brothers growing up. My body type falls between an ectomorph and a mesomorph with a raging metabolism. So, in order for me to maintain my lean mass and body weight, I need to consume lots of carbs each day. Honestly, eating can feel like an emergency if I wait too long between meals. 

I also discovered how to build curves with resistance training. That said, weight training has been great for my leaner female form. And because I am a hard lean mass gainer, the majority of my food intake includes nutrients to promote muscle development. That means I am consuming a wide variety of healthy carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats.

Nutrition is the primary way to good health, and this includes lean mass gains and even weight loss. There is a difference between eating nutrients and eating crap, even if the calories are the same. And if my body says to eat, I never deny my hunger cues. The human body is an amazing machine that knows what it needs and will let you know.  In my case, I eat intuitively and consume whole foods that nourish my body and brain.

I turn to healthy carbs to fuel my body and feel good throughout the day. I can feel lightheaded if I go too long without eating, especially carbs.

Carbs I eat routinely:

  • oats
  • quinoa
  • seeded whole grain bread
  • whole-grain tortillas
  • sweet and white potatoes
  • brown rice
  • veggies 
  • fruits
  • bran cereal

Metabolism and Gains

My metabolism seems to work faster than I can fuel my body. Some people say they can just look at food and gain 5lbs whereas the opposite happens to me.

I will not exercise if I feel hungry and prefer to down a healthy meal before hitting the weights. I'm definitely not a candidate for intermittent fasting to improve athletic performance or to reduce body fat.

I just so happen to be one of those people on the other side of the spectrum that works hard to gain weight. This doesn't mean I want to gain by eating lots of crap to achieve skinny fat. My goal is to maintain or increase lean muscle mass by eating healthy carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Genetics and Goals

Genetics do play a small role in your physical appearance, but you absolutely have the power to change things by what you eat and how you challenge your body. I work hard and eat to support my goals. I don't believe in diets nor do I teach that in my personal training practice.

Genetics may predispose some of us to become lean or overweight. However, regardless of your genetics, it remains important to strive for good health for all body types.

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4 comments:

  1. I do know a few 'skinny' people who are just like you. Although, I am the other way (I tend to bulk easily and look like a line backer, not good on a woman of 40+) I did get some good info from you. Thank you. I got here by checking out the 'metabolism meltdown' article. That one was very good. Thank you.

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    1. Thanks for your share and the fabulous thing about fitness is finding what works best for our body type. Glad you enjoyed my article and I will continue to supply fresh content here and my about.com sports nutrition page. Be well and Stay Healthy!

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  2. Hi Darla! This is an amazing post that really resonates with me! This afternoon I just deleted MyFitnessPal app because I realized how important it is for me to listen to my body and nourish it with the proper nutrients it needs. While the app may tell me that I've had my carb maximum for the day, my body screams out to me that it needs more carbs. I'm slowly recovering as well as building a positive body image. I may be the "skinny" person or the "curvy" one, but I've told myself that I'll love myself and the genetics I was given, but I know that it is ME that changes and determines everything. Thanks once again for the post.

    xoxo, Stephanie

    https://avoliciousblog.wordpress.com/

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    1. Thanks Stephanie for your personal share and feedback.The thing about our fitness journey is that it is individual and not general and thankfully so. Love your positive attitude. Be well and Stay Healthy!

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