For the Love of Carbs

With so many deceiving and misleading nutrition messages nowadays, I wanted to write a post specifically about carbohydrates because there are so many controversial messages surrounding this. It is a popular and common belief that carbs are fattening and, often, I find that the first thing most people (who are attempting to lose weight) tend to do is cut out carbs almost, if not, completely, out of their diet. By carbs, I am referring mainly to breads, rice, pasta and cereals as these are the main food sources which we receive our carbohydrates from. However, what most people DON'T know is that carbs is actually present in a LOT of plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains with the exception of dairy being animal-based.

So is carbs good or bad for you?

Well, that depends on the TYPE of carbohydrate you are having. Having a diet which consist of carbs does NOT necessarily cause weight gain, but, eating too much of the wrong type can. There are two different types: simple and complex, and this is based on their chemical structure.

Simple Carbs

Simple carbohydrates are made up of smaller molecules of sugar which is broken down and digested quickly and easily in our body. So our body does not have to work hard to break these down and they can cause a rapid increase in our blood sugar levels. This is usually in a lot of JUNK foods like confectionery, chips and soft drinks.

Fruits are an exception in regards to the simple carbs, because although they contain fructose (which is a simple sugar), it is GOOD for you and worthy to eat because they contain many vitamins, minerals and fibre. Whereas processed foods are basically empty calories that do not have much nutritional value. However, as with everything, moderation is key hence the Australian Dietary Guidelines have recommended that Australians should eat 2 serves of fruit a day.

Source: Australian Dietary Guidelines

Complex Carbs

On the other hand, complex carbs are made up of many simple sugars joined together and because of their more complex structure, they take longer to digest and our body has to work harder to break these down. Foods that contain complex carbs include wholegrain bread, pasta, oats, green leafy vegetables, corn and legumes. Basically, these foods have undergone less processing so they still contain most of their natural nutrient contents which is why they are 'good' carbs and should be included as part of our everyday diet.

WHITE bread and NON-wholegrain cereals also fit under the complex carbs category. BUT, these carbs have undergone processing which removes the bran and germ - which is where all the healthy fats and most of the vitamins and minerals are stored (refer to diagram on the right). After processing, we are left with the endosperm which lacks those great nutrients. So it is best to avoid or at least minimise your intake of processed white breads and sugary cereals because they are like empty calories and have less nutritional value.


Overall, carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our body and thus, cutting it out of our diet completely can lead to a lack of energy and fatigue. Our body can derive some energy from fats and protein as a back-up source, but carbs is the preferred source of energy especially for the brain. Our brain receives its energy only from carbohydrates which is why it is important to include carbs in our diet in order for our brain to function properly. The Australian Dietary Guidelines suggests that men and women between the ages 19-50 should have 5 servings of breads and cereals per day and most of this should be mainly from wholegrain sources.

Source: Australian Dietary Guidelines

I know this is a LOT of information to take in, but, my main point is that not all carbs are bad. Don't believe everything you hear and read on the internet and jump on the carb-hating bandwagon. Because, in the end, the key is to eat the right type in the right amounts! And, as I've mentioned before, balance and moderation is everything.


If there is anything unclear or if you have any questions, feel free to comment :)
Until next time..
- Fitria

80% Diet 20% exercise

I would like to proudly announce that my lovely friend Fitria Sari and I Sarah Sevidal decided to combine forces! in tackling the importance of healthy & active living for everyone.

As you can read from the title 80%diet 20%  exercise is a very common general statistic on how you will be able to achieve that healthy goal, whether it is to get lean or to just improve your overall health, this is the way to go! 

Now, me being the fitness student & Fitria being Miss Nutritionist , we would like to start and write blogs that combine the two , so you can benefit more from these weekly blogs , she will cover all you need to know about what foods to stay away from and what foods you should stock up on!

I'll be here to share some extra tips and additional exercise moves to add to your daily routine & much more!

Let's talk about this quote 80/20... what does it mean? 

You may have heard the term ''Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym'' , well that is basically a short description of the 80/20 concept! you just can't crunch your way to a six pack! you will need to go back to basics! your eating habits,drinking habits!,and daily habits.

I will briefly go over the (diet) part of it:

Not necessarily start counting your calories, or mls of juice or water you drink, nothing complicated like that! not unless you are a diabetic or have a medical issue that needs to follow a strict diet.

Keep your meals clean!

Eating clean is based on the fundamental principles of eating healthy and nutritious whole foods that have been unprocessed, unrefined & contain none of the artificial chemicals that slow down our bodies’ natural functions,remember the longer the shelf life the more preservatives,additives and all those nasty unhealthy chemicals that won't do any good for your body at all! 

I'll add a couple of useful tips:

• Aim to drink 3L of water per day, no less. Add one more litres on top of that for every hour you exercise. If you struggle to drink plain water, try adding freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice to add flavour. This will keep you hydrated, aid in clear beautiful skin and help to gush out toxins and nasties in our bodies.

• Eating is GOOD for you, it just has to be the right foods (clean whole foods) and the right amount of foods.

• Breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day. Stay right away from cereals as they are almost all full of processed sugar, despite clever marketing slogans such as “full of protein” trying to convince us otherwise. Read the label on the back and you will see the truth about their ingredients. Oats are your best

option otherwise I encourage you to refer back to Fitria's breakfast options for further ideas.

• Make sure you eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism going throughout the day. If you do not eat, your body will go into starvation mode & will store fat. Ensure you are sticking to clean, healthy selections throughout the week.

• Before a high intensity workout you should always have something in your tummy. I suggest a banana or scoop of protein.

Hopefully you understand the concept of the 80% diet ... now to talk about the more exciting part! exercise!

So, how long should you workout for? how many times a week? what types of workouts should you do? WHY should I EVEN get out of my cozy bed at 6:00am in the morning!?

I know these questions are most likely popping into your mind , i'm here to hopefully help you with my opinions from personal experience and from what I've studied within my course.

Once you've began eating clean you should notice yourself feeling more energized! and this is a great ''side-effect'' of eating healthy your body is getting so many nutrients that it has helped it gain energy! so don't waste it! GET moving!

Lets get this clear being active doesn't have to be ONLY when you are at the gym or on your treadmill, for example when you pick something up squat! yes you may look ridiculous but its a great booty work-out! and believe me, if you start squatting every time you need to pick something up, in a couple of weeks, you should see your lower body tone up!

 Speaking of,  squats work practically every single muscle in your body.  Okay that’s an exaggeration, but it’s not far from the truth.  If you’re looking to burn fat, you want to do exercises that trigger as much of your body as possible so it’s all getting worked and exercised.  On the other side of the coin, if you’re looking to build muscle, your legs and back can put on the most muscle in the shortest amount of time.

If you are serious about getting in shape and losing weight, or if you’re a beanpole and looking to gain muscle, you absolutely need to include squats in your routine.

''Pee-squats?'' well, yes funny name but, very effective so after every trip to the loo, do 10-20 squats! make it a habit and you will surely see changes! anyway, back to the point... apart from squatting , walk to wherever you need to go instead of driving or stand when you're waiting. See? being active can be done anywhere and everywhere you don't need a gym membership to get fit!

This will conclude my blog for tonight, I will answer those fitness questions soon in depth in my next blog so keep on following! hopefully this blog has motivated you to change some unhealthy habits and start squatting! 

Please refer to the following link to learn how to squat properly! form is everything!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6ZE3O6svwc