LGfit on Good v Bad......it's all about context!

We're probably all guilty of labelling food as good or bad. Good carbs, bad carbs, good fats bad fats, junk food, clean eating.......I think the only unscrutinised macro nutrient is protein which is allowed to sit unscrutinised with its' halo shining brightly. What does it all actually mean? If you don't know this then then how can you say your diet is aligned with your long term goals?

Let's keep it simple. Food is fuel. Food provides energy and nutrients to the cells of the body to keep you alive. The more nutrient dense your food choices are the better your body will function (in a perfect world). Food is pleasure and should be enjoyed. The variety of food available these days is endless yet it's become more complicated, misunderstood, even more demonised then ever before.

Lets take smug brown rice and compare it to the devil that is white bread. They have the same end destination in the body yet they're labeled differently. That's where context comes into play. If it's not a post workout meal and you're trying to maintain steady blood glucose levels then yes the brown rice may be the better choice. On the other hand a white bread peanut butter and jam sandwich is an excellent post workout snack as refined carbs are digested and transported to replenish glycogen stores faster. However if you hate brown rice or white bread, or your body simply doesn't tolerate them then don't bloody eat them!!! That's where the enjoyment factor comes into play. Just because something is crowned a 'super food' or your fitness idol/body crush eats it post workout or for breakfast it doesn't mean that you have to. You can get results AND enjoy food.

I love fat! Yes that's right, I eat lots of it every day and guess what, I don't have heart disease or high cholesterol. It tastes good, it makes me feel full and keeps sugar cravings at bay. However I'm not eating 3 times my maintenance calorie intake and I exercise regularly. The fat I eat is used by my body every day and I know this because my weight is stable. It's fuel! Just like carbs. Being a Type 1 Diabetic I CHOOSE to keep fats on the higher side and carbs on the lower side of the scale. I do this because personally, I feel better eating this way. I do still have more than enough carbs and I time them around training because that works best for me. My point here is I'm not you and you're not me. My body does what it does and I try my best to work with and fuel it appropriately. On the other hand my other half is a carb monster and functions optimally on a high carb diet. He enjoys carbs, performs well and feels good on them. We've both spent time learning how our body responds to different food types and try to do what makes us feel good 90% of the time. However, in-between goals and training is a wonderful thing that is called living, and it's there to be enjoyed.

Learn what works for you. Ignore the jargon and stop labelling food good or bad. Don't complicate a simple situation and........keep it in context.