Are You Carb Intolerant?

Carbs, Carbs, Carbs.   They are everywhere.  And if you listen to most people they are the reason you can't lose weight.  I have always been one to defend carbohydrates.  They are an amazing source of energy and provide many nutrients that our body needs.  I don't disagree that most people over-consume them though.  Personally I eat a lot of carbs.  At least 50% of my diet is made up of different types of carbs.  Why can I eat more carbs that you?  Well, there are probably a lot of reasons for this.  I may have more lean body mass and a higher metabolism, I may exercise more frequently and more intensely than you, or maybe I just eat them at a more appropriate time than you do.

There are probably many more reasons why some people eat carbs and have no problem maintaining a good weight and others just look at them and blow up.  Could it be a genetic issue?  Obviously genetics will always play an important role when looking at any diet.  The simple truth is that some nutritional plans would great for some and terrible for others.

A few recent studies have linked a gene that may result in a carb intolerance.  They are finding that those that are obese have less of an enzyme in your saliva that starts the digestion and breakdown of starch.  Those that have high amounts of this enzyme or gene that causes this tend to have a lower glycemic index for all carbs, tolerate glucose better, and tend to eat less.  Those that have a higher amount will have more issue with carbs.

If you think that you may be doomed with genes that cause obesity all is not lost though.   First you can see a doctor to find out if this is a problem.  Or you can just follow these simple rules when consuming carbs to be safe:

1. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly
2. Take a daily probiotic
3. Keep eating carbs but stick with fiber rich, nutrient dense ones like beans, legumes, unprocessed whole grains, and lots of fruits and veggies.

The bottom line is most people are looking for something to blame their weight gain or stalled weight loss on.  It is easy to just say that your genetics are screwing you.   There may be some truth to it.  But first look at the type and amount of carbs you eat throughout the day.  If that is not dialed in then it won't really matter what your genetics are.  Just follow the simple rules listed above if you think you may be carb intolerant.

Reference:  http://www.precisionnutrition.com/carbohydrate-tolerance-genes

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training

Simple Breathing Trick

We rarely think about it and most likely ignore it completely, but breathing is one of the most important parts of our exercise routine.  There are lots of techniques and theories on how to breath properly using your diaphragm and other deep core muscles.  While this is a discussion for another time, I wanted to share a simple trick to help improve your workouts.

How someone breathes tells you a lot about their situation.  Often in sports an athlete will look for his competitor to increase mouth and heavy chest breathing.  This is a sign of fatigue and the perfect time to strike.  Fast heavy breathing increases our sympathetic nervous system response (fight or flight response).  This is how we react to stress in our life, whether it be exercise or stress at work.  While at times it is important to increase this activity, other times we need to rest and recover.  If we are increasing respiration too often it can lead to reduced oxygen delivery, over training and excessive fatigue.

The trick is to control your breathing.  You can do this during your next cardio workout with cadence breathing.  Essentially just develop a rhythm in your breath.  For example, think about the last time you went on a run.  Most likely you can't even remember how you were breathing.  If you do, it was probably very quickly, via mouth breathing.  Next time you go on a run (or any cardio workout) try and time your breathing with your steps.  While everyone's stride is different try something like this.  If it doesn't work perfectly you can change the numbers to fit your style.  Try and take a deep inhale, through your nose only, for 3-4 foot contacts on the ground.  Then exhale through your mouth slowly for another 2-3 foot contacts.  Continue practicing this method.  You will notice you have better energy and more efficient running.   This will help you run further and faster.  All by just controlling your breathing.

It make takes some time to get use to it but be consistent.  I have been currently using this method to get ready for our Spartan run this weekend.  I am not a big fan of running but it is amazing how much easier it is when you have something to think about and distract you.  Give it a try and let me know how it works.

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training