Carb Curfew: Cut the Carbs after 5pm and Lose Fat Fast!

the 4–6 p.m. time zone – the quick sugar-fix craving increases intake of these simple sugars

PROTEIN

Dairy Products

Typical examples: milk, cheese, eggs, yoghurt

Calories per gram: 4

Function in body: repairs vital cells in the body, source of calcium

When/how much do we need?: try to have a serving of protein at each meal

BE AWARE:

don’t eat too much. Be wary of high fat content

Meat, Fish, Pulses

Typical examples: chicken, salmon, cod, beans, nuts

Calories per gram: 4

Function in body: repairs vital cells in the body

When/how much do we need?: try to have a serving at each meal

BE AWARE:

eating protein at lunchtime with an equal amount of starch will boost afternoon concentration powers and leave you feeling more satisfied

FATS

ESSENTIAL FATS

Typical examples: polyunsaturated fat found in vegetable oils and fish oils (in cold water oily fish); monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, rapeseed oil etc.

Calories per gram: 9

Function in body: helps decrease blood cholesterol levels and prevent heart disease

When/how much do we need?: this should form the majority of your fat sources

BE AWARE:

keep visible fats to a minimum and eat 3 servings of oily fish a week

NON-ESSENTIAL FATS

Typical examples: saturated fats such as cheese, cream, lard; trans fats found in margarine, processed foods etc.

Calories per gram: 9

Function in body: potentially increases furring of blood vessels

When/how much do we need?: keep to a minimum

BE AWARE:

found in a lot of processed foods, especially snacks

WATER

Typical examples: tap, mineral water (either still or sparkling)

Calories per gram: 0

Function in body: vital for all metabolic responses in the body

When/how much do we need?: minimum of 2 litres a day

BE AWARE:

this is one of the most important health investments you can make – it is best to spread your intake throughout the day

ALCOHOL

Typical examples: all wine, liquor, beer

Calories per gram: 7

Function in body: 1–2 units of alcohol per day is thought to have protective effect on the heart

When/how much do we need?: spread consumption of 10 units throughout week

BE AWARE:

if you do overindulge, try to stay up for half an hour before going to bed – it is easier for the liver to work when sitting upright compared to lying down

The Low-Down on Body Fat

So why do we have body fat and how can cutting the carbs help us get rid of it? Whether we like it or not we all have fat in our bodies. Each one of us is born with about 23 billion fat cells and each of these fat cells has the ability to get bigger and bigger, as well as smaller and smaller. A certain amount of fat is important for our bodies as it gives us shape, warmth and insulation – the problem comes when we start to store too much fat in the body from overeating and under activity.

It is inevitable as we get older we are going to lay down more body fat as our body’s metabolism changes. To combat this we need to establish a nutritional strategy to minimize body fat gain and improve our overall health. Fat cells do not disappear but the actual amount of fat in the cells can decrease and increase dependent upon how well we eat and how much exercise we take.

How Can We Decrease the Size of our Fat Cells?

Unfortunately, if we are consuming more calories than we are expending our fat cells will get bigger and bigger. Although fat cells do not generally divide and increase in numbers, if we eat excessively and gain a significant amount of weight (40–50 pounds) then our fat cells will get bigger and divide and it is likely that the body fat gained at this time will pose more of a problem to shift. While this may seem depressing it helps explain why sometimes we look at friends and they appear to have dropped the weight effortlessly, while our own efforts seem to require a lot more persistence. Appreciating this will allow you to approach your diet plan with a realistic picture of what you can achieve long-term.