OK so it was only for a week. And I also ate things like pearled barley in soup and sweet potato in a roast vegetable salad. But I did change my daily beloved porridge for an omelette and I ensured I didn't eat any bread, rice, potatoes or pasta. Maybe I ate one piece of brown sourdough. And maybe 6 fries off my husbands plate when we went out. FIRST I'd like to clarify this: I am NOT a fan nor do I endorse fad diets.
Nor of any extreme/sudden changes to your eating habits or excluding a particular food group entirely. I haven't even ever done a bloody juice cleanse in my life! Mostly 'cos I just love food. I believe that each individual digests and responds differently to food - so what might work for me, may not work for you! Prime example - my super tiny, hot Italian girlfriend who can inhale pasta by the barrel and "never get full". (bitch!). We all have to find what sits right in our tummy and what makes us feel happy and energetic!
CARBS in a nutshell, this is what they do: Carbs are the main source of energy for our body, we need them. When carbs enter the bloodstream they are converted into sugar - which raises blood sugar levels. As blood sugar levels rise the pancreas produces insulin; a hormone that prompts cells to absorb blood sugar for energy or storage. Energy - that's cool, we need energy to sweat, dance and play! Storage - not cool, they get transported into the liver and stored as fat. Dammit! What carbs do we need: The fibrous, complex ones - grains; brown rice, pearled barley, bulgur wheat and quinoa. Lentils, legumes, beans, chickpeas, oats and vege. Seriously so many yum carbs that are slowly released into the blood stream giving us a more beneficial impact on our body. Rant over. So what am I referring to when I say 'cut the carbs'? I mean the white stuff - breads, rice, pasta and potatoes. Simple. (carbs).... bad joke.
So what happened when I cut the carbs for a week? I felt happy, energetic, it was (slightly) easier to get up in the morning and bingo - I lost almost 2kgs! I was also reminded that I was perhaps sinking a few too many fries, or sausages rolls from the local deli (weakness!) into my diet. I was reminded that an omelette keeps me just as full as a bowl of porridge (win) and that I can't stop drinking wine (who cares)! Moral of the story? Listen to your body and what it responds well to! But if you feel your diet, mood, lifestyle or weight isn't at it's optimum and you are stuck with what to do - try cutting the carbs (the white crap - which BTW obviously includes cakes, sugary crap, crisps and junk, duh). But just cut them for a week and see what happens, I imagine you might find it good like I did. Anyone can do anything for a week! Shani x