One of the biggest problems most people have when trying to lose weight is that they eat way too many carbohydrates for their metabolic and genetic body type.  There is no way around this fact. As famous strength coach Charles Poliquin says: “you need to earn your carbs”. And if you’re currently struggling to gain muscle or are overweight, you do not deserve carbs (in most cases).

Specifically I have found in my coaching that whenever someone with blond hair and blue eyes walks in, they need to avoid carbs like the devil.  In fact, nearly all Caucasians will do well on a low carbohydrate diet. But people have all sorts of misconceptions and confusions when it comes to what to eat INSTEAD of loading up on carbs.

When I ask my clients what they eat for breakfast it typically goes something like this:

“Well I have a banana with some oatmeal and coffee, that’s healthy!”

And the answer is sort of but not really.  While that’s certainly better than binge eating ice cream for breakfast, metabolically it may not even be very different.  Eating pure carbohydrates in the morning for many people simply spikes their insulin, pushes down all of their fat burning hormones, and causes an energy crash in an hour or two.

This is why many people need multiple cups of coffee or more carbohydrates an hour or two later after eating their breakfast.

The problem with how most people are starting their day is that they typically include far to little (or none at all) protein and fats.  Your brain is 60% fat and cholesterol, without it you’ll be as dumb and dull. Protein gets broken down into essential amino acids for energy, brain fuel, and tissue repair and is an essential form of energy.

If I am lucky some people will eat an egg in the morning, but thats only 7grams of protein and 70 calories, this will not be enough for many to run on.  The problem also is that this egg is usually eaten with so many carbohydrates, like a bagel, cereal, oatmeal, that it spikes insulin and negates any potential fat loss for the rest of the day.

A much better alternative for breakfast for lets say a 130lbs female would be: 2-3 eggs cooked in butter, spinach, and half an avocado.  This is roughly 280-350 calories, and essentially contains zero carbohydrates. This keeps your insulin sensitivity high, and prevents you from spiking your blood sugar first thing in the morning.  Which means you burn fat instead and get a great hormonal boost for the rest of the day. For many this will mean clearer thinking, less brain fog, and less cravings for sugars and stimulants throughout the day.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve recommended a client eat what they feel is MORE food and MORE regularly, and just by changing the ratio to include less carbohydrates, they lose weight and pack on muscle.  This rings especially true for certain genetic types.

A rule of thumb is the farther your genetics are from the equator, or closer to the poles of the earth, the less carbohydrates and more fats you’ll need.  This is because there is far less access to plants during the long winters in these regions. Someone from Iceland for instance would not do well on a heavy fruit and carb based diet.

An equator type, someone from Ecuador lets say, may thrive on eating more carbohydrates and do poorly on a higher fat diet.  They may need a much higher percentage of their daily calories from carbs. Genetically they may have more enzymes that help them break down carbs.

So I want to make that very clear, everyone is different.  Some genetic populations will require more carbohydrates and less fats, while others will need a higher fat diet to thrive and function.  Do not take anything I say as a given for yourself or everyone, but as a general guideline. And as a general rule of thumb, most of us, Caucasians in particular, are killing our fat-loss and muscle gains with carbs.

Breakfast test.

Option 1, Carb heavy.  Wake up one morning and eat a bunch of fruit, some quinoa, vegetables, and maybe an egg or two.  See how you feel in a couple of hours.

Option 2 Fat heavy.  Wake up the next morning and eat some smoked salmon, 2-3 eggs, some grass-fed butter, and some leafy greens.

If you feel significantly better mentally eating the first option you may require more carbohydrates, chances are you have lower body fat, more muscle and are of a genetic variance that can handle this.

If you feel significantly better with option 2, you may need to start consuming significantly more protein and fat.

Keep in mind that option 1 is carb dominant and is STILL much healthier than how most people eat.  For many trying to lose weight their morning is a sugary cereal, bar, bagel, toast etc. These processed grains and carbohydrates are crap foods no matter what macronutrient ratio you need for optimal health.

Like I said above, most people are horribly deficient in healthy fats and protein anyway.  If you’re white chances are you can just take my advice and go low-carbs for 6 weeks and see how you feel.  If you are not losing weight, building muscle, and performing MUCH better, than you may need to re-adjust and include more carbohydrates.  I’d say nearly all the time people experience significant gains in energy and fat-loss potential.

Your meals should be real food that is unprocessed, requires (some) preparation and is from a quality source.

Common crappy breakfasts:

1. A bowl of cereal with milk and coffee.

2. A banana or some fruits and oats.

3. An egg on some toast with black coffee.

4. High sugar, low-fat yogurt with fruit.

5. Nothing.

Unfortunately, nutrient wise, this is a good representation of how most people eat the first half of their day. Essentially nothing but breads or carbs If your eggs have a giant bagel surrounding it – you will be inflamed and gain weight! That all turns directly into sugar!

 

A bowl of cereal or oats in the absence of protein and fats for MANY people is NOT healthy or ideal!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see this is primarily carbs, crappy carbs, and more crappy carbs.  Minimal protein, processed dairy, and little healthy fat. This is how you eat if you want to spike your blood sugar, feel sluggish, and get fat.

 

Healthy breakfasts

1. Salmon cooked in coconut oil with avocado and greens.

2. Oats with coconut oil, hemp seeds, eggs.

3. Grass-fed Beef with Nuts (A Charles Poliquin staple)

4. A large salad with nuts, eggs, and healthy oils such as avocado or olive oil.

5. A large smoothie with collagen protein, coconut oil, some fruit, and almond butter.

6. Bullet Proof Coffee – Dave Aspreys awesome contribution to the health community, this consists of putting coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and protein powder in your coffee and is amazing for nearly everyone for fat-loss.

Eat more meals that look like this, balanced with protein and fats, the carbohydrates can be mainly vegetables. The bulletproof coffee recipe is a phenomenal way for most people to start their day optimized for fat-loss. A very healthy meal option for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

 

 

 

As you can see this is a good balance of protein, vegetables, and plenty of healthy fats that would include a high amount of anti-inflammatory omega 3s. Not many people would describe this list as being “Restrictive” and these meals are delicious, filling, and will allow you to eat without starving yourself and shred fat.

The fact of the matter is that you will never lose weight by starving yourself, or spiking your blood sugar on a regular basis.  A good blood test to get is Hemoglobin A1C that gives you a 3 month snapshot of your blood sugar management.

 

If this number is bordering high or in a high range it is a major sign that your diet needs some fine-tuning.  Not taking care of your blood sugar is not only terrible for weight loss and muscle growth, but can also lead to you eventually becoming diabetic.  Diabetics are generally highly inflamed and will often suffer from many other health complications as well.

 

Carbohydrates are killing you slowly in other words.  Protein and healthy fats (specifically omega 3s) could be the answer to the physique and body of your dreams.

 

AGAIN, let me stress that your needs for carbohydrates can change.  If you begin lifting heavily and putting on more muscle you may need to tweak the ratio and include more HEALTHY carbs, such as sweet potatoes, vegetables, quinoa, rice, etc.  This does not give you an excuse to binge-eat pasta and drink wine regularly just because you like it. And it does not mean that you do still not need to get enough protein and fat, it just means you may need to add some more carbs in.  Also there is the rare case that a Caucasian needs more carbohydrates, or a different genetic type will do very poorly on a higher fat diet. We are all different, and this article is just meant to serve as a general rule of thumb or guideline, not a commandment that is set in stone.  Fruit will not kill you, some rice will not kill you either, it is just not optimal to RELY on these foods in the absence of proteins and fats for MOST people.

The one thing that I CAN guarantee though, is that if you eat processed carbohydrates, such as white sugar, and grains like white flour, you will be sick, inflamed, and fat.  This is a scientific fact that is well documented. So you need to decide how important your health is to you and work to eliminate these foods, because in my experience I have never seen someone succeed with their health and fitness goals without at the very least eliminating these foods that trigger inflammation and disease.

 

Resources:

https://blog.bulletproof.com/how-to-make-your-coffee-bulletproof-and-your-morning-too/