So, what is the difference between “good” and “bad” carbs?

Let’s deal with the bad guys first. “Bad” carbs are simple carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion, give us a spike in blood sugar and then leave us feeling hungrier than before. These carbs are used for instant energy, but any excess that is not burned off as energy immediately is deposited as body fat. They are mainly “empty” calories that don’t add much, if any, nutrition to the body.

Bad carbs include highly processed foods like white bread and processed breakfast cereals; foods with added sugar like most pre-prepared food, cakes, pastries etc; fast food, fatty and fried food.

Now for the good guys – “good” carbs are the complex carbohydrates that are harder for the body to digest so they break down slowly and keep us feeling fuller for longer. The best low carb weight loss diets will focus on these types of carbs. Good carbs include whole grain bread, less processed cereals like oats and bran, pulses such as dried beans and lentils, fruit and vegetables. These foods contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals – nutrients that the body needs to survive and thrive. Complex carbs also contain dietary fiber, an important food for the digestive system that can prevent some cancers.

No weight loss program is complete without some form of physical activity. The reason exercise is always mentioned in any effective weight loss program is its importance in burning the extra calories necessary for sustained loss of weight. To lose weight and keep it off, you need to burn more calories than you eat.

So that is the low carb weight loss formula – limit those bad carbs and use the good carbs to curb your appetite. Watch the pounds melt away.