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Fred Hahn answers the questions most often
raised by his clients
1. Do your clients ask certain types of questions or raise concerns when you
introduce them to low carb? They often do. But most clients don’t realize that
fruits and vegetables are carbs. Once you educate them on this and explain that
non starchy veggies may be eaten to their hearts content along with some fruit,
they see the low carb diet very differently. Clients also worry about eating too
much meat and express heart health concerns. Again, it is a matter of educating
clients that humans have eaten meat since, well, forever - - and that there is a
big difference between a grass fed steak and Parker’s brown and serve sausages.
2. What about Fiber? How will I get enough fiber without eating cereals &
breads? If you believe that fiber is necessary – and the jury is out on this
issue – all the fiber you need will be derived from eating vegetables and fruit.
In fact, these carb sources provide more fiber than grain based products by a
long shot. Not only do veggies and fruits along with meats, eggs and fish
provide you with adequate fiber, eating in this manner provides you with every
vitamin and mineral you need. Grains are simply not necessary for any reason.
I’ve asked many registered dieticians this question and not one has ever been
able to name a single micro or macro nutrient in grains that are not available
from the aforementioned foods. Not a one.
3. If carbs are "bad", why do I always
hear about marathoners & other athletes "carb loading" before an event? Well,
carbs are NOT bad per se. Certain types of carbs are bad – just like certain
types of fats are bad. Here’s the reason - athletes have been taught for years
that the main source of fuel or the preferential source of fuel for endurance
events is glucose which the body creates from carbohydrates. But this isn’t
true. The bodies preferred source of fuel is fat. But if you alter this message
by eating a lot of carbs, you send a different message to the body. The message
is ‘please use primarily carbs (sugar) for fuel.’ Now, the body can do this but
the energy from carbs are short lived. So if you don’t replenish them swiftly
enough you run out. I believe this is what marathon runners call ‘hitting the
wall.’
4. I have to be out 3-5 nights a week entertaining clients. How can I eat
low carb? What about wine? Here’s an example of how you can do this. Appetizer:
Caesar salad or shrimp scampi or carpaccio with cheese, etc. Main course: Steak,
chicken, sea food, with vegetables. Dessert: Berries and cream or flan or crème
brulee or cheese. Wine is low in carbs but 3 glasses of wine adds up.
5. Don't I
need carbs for energy when training? The simple answer is no as adequate fat and
protein intake will provide all the energy you need and much more. In fact, you
won’t believe how energetic you feel. Your body manufactures all the ‘carbs’ you
need if you eat a diet that is mainly fat and protein. The process is called
gluconogenesis and is the way our bodies are genetically designed to operate.
Most of what you hear today with respect to carbs for energy is non-scientific
mumbo jumbo generated by companies that would like you to buy their products.
The RDA has also bought this nonsense hook line and sinker. And it’s too bad
because if top athletes adopted a low carb regimen who knows what kinds of
records could be shattered!
Youth Strength Training Why and How
Wayne L Westcott, PhD |
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