Connor O’Brien offered some advice to those who are struggling

A Liverpool personal trainer has revealed his ‘truth’ about carbs. Found in a wide range of foods, carbohydrates are an essential part of your diet.

Their main function is to generate energy, providing the body with glucose which is converted into support. bodily functions and physical activity. Just like calories, many people look down on carbs, but they are a key part of nutrition and help you reach your goal when used correctly and not overused.

Connor O’Brien, founder of Absolute Body Solutions in Castle Street, explained that “the type of carbohydrates you choose to eat plays an important role in the success of your plan”.

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The fitness fanatic told ECHO: “Carbohydrates make you fat? Basically, no. However, any macronutrient (protein, fats or carbohydrates) consumed in excess will cause you to gain weight. It’s helpful to know that one gram of glucose from carbohydrates contains about three grams of water, so if you eat pizza on Friday night and weigh yourself on Saturday morning, you’ll be heavier. It’s not because you added F, you just retained more water. “

Connor’s Guide to Carbs

How Many Carbs Should You Eat?

Your overall goal will influence the amount of carbohydrates you should consume per day. To gain muscle, try to eat between 0.5 grams and 1 gram of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day on non-training days.

On days when you workout, try to eat 2 grams of carbs per pound of body weight, as you’ll need a little more energy. If you are following a fat loss program, reduce your carbohydrate intake to 50 to 100 grams per day, depending on your body type, for optimal results.

When should you eat carbohydrates?

It all depends on your goal, but it’s generally best to eat carbs after training. When you exercise, you deplete your body of things like glucose and glycogen, which are found in carbohydrates, so they are best consumed immediately after long-term training.

If you are training to lose fat and want to increase your energy levels before a workout, a few rice cakes or something small would work, followed by the bulk of your carbs after the session is over . Try to get 50% off your total daily carbs consumed post-workout.

Carbohydrates adapted to your diet

Overall, weight loss programs favor low-carb diets because it is a very easy macronutrient to extract. Fats and proteins play an important role in your body, so you cannot limit them too much, while carbohydrates can be removed from your diet and your body will adapt to a lower intake.

Sticking to low amounts of carbs can be difficult, so I recommend starting with the carb cycling diet to help improve your results. Generally, the leaner you are, the more carbs you can eat. If you’re slim and want to lose weight, carbs will help you stick to your diet and overcome sticking points.

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The more complex the carbohydrate, the better

Not all carbs are made the same, so it’s good to know the difference between complex and simple carbs. The faster a carbohydrate is broken down in your system, the more it increases your blood sugar levels.

While this may be beneficial for some, more often than not, most people want to keep their blood sugar levels stable, as high peaks and low troughs in blood sugar levels can lead to diabetes and poor blood sugar management overall.

This is why you should limit the amount of carbohydrates that break down quickly, i.e. simple carbohydrates, and eat more complex, starchy carbohydrates like potatoes or rice, because they are broken down and transform into energy more slowly.

Carbohydrates to limit:

• Pastries/bakeries
• Sweet cereals
• White bread/pasta
• Processed snacks
• Sweet drinks

Try these healthy carbs instead:

• Brown/white rice
• Gluten-free oats
• Sweet potato
• Fruits (dark, thin skin, e.g. berries)
• Vegetables
• Lenses