Welcome to Wellness Wednesday where in-house nutrition coach, Coach Diana Leigh, answers YOUR questions about health.
Got a question you want to see answered here? Submit it on the AMA form.
Let’s jump into it!
Q: Is a no carb diet actually healthy?
A: I remember my first ever “no carb diet”… it lasted a mere few hours until I realized that fruits were a carb.
The point is – there’s no such thing as a no carb diet. There is such a thing as a low carb diet, which usually requires you to restrict foods that are higher in carbs such as whole grains, pastas, legumes, potatoes, etc. while keeping lower carb count foods such as vegetables and fruits in their diet.
So is the low carb diet healthy? Most likely not.
First, carbs are ENERGY. They are digested and stored in the body for when you need energy. We need energy for everything – from getting out of bed in the morning to doing our daily chores and tasks to exercise. Carbs are the easiest form of energy for your body to convert and utilize. When you do not have carbs in your body for energy, your body will then move on to fats, which is also a valid source of energy. But if we then run out of fats, our body moves to our protein stores for energy, which can take protein away from areas we need it such as bone health and muscle recovery.
Second, WHY are you opting for a low carb diet? Most people are turning to it for weight loss, and before you turn to any diet I ask you to consider the following:
- Does it teach you long-term healthy habits?
- Is it sustainable?
- Is it restrictive?
So let’s walk through this together:
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- Does it teach you long-term healthy habits? No. Most people are resorting to low carb diets before considering more important aspects of their overall health. Are you eating whole foods or mostly processed foods? Are you eating well-balanced meals of carbs, fats, proteins, and vegetables? Do you get enough sleep? Are you managing your stress? Low carb diets teach you to restrict food, and that’s it.
- Is it sustainable? No. Ask yourself this – can you go the rest of your life restricting carbs? Most people will lose the weight on a low carb diet only to ultimately gain it back when they reintroduce carbs back in their diet, proving point number 1 that low carb doesn’t teach you long-term healthy habits.
- Is it restrictive? Very. When you restrict carbs you’re missing out on foods that do provide nutritional value all because you’re limiting your carbs. Plus, whenever you have to restrict a food you end up craving it more which can ultimately lead to a binge, leaving you feeling guilty and going back to restriction. It’s a really unhealthy cycle to be stuck in.
What should you do instead?
- Do a 3-day diet journal in which you write down everything you eat. Now assess – are you eating mostly whole real foods or processed foods? Where can you switch out processed foods for whole foods?
- Are you eating enough protein and vegetables? Most diets I see are high in fats and carbs and deficient in these areas. By boosting protein and vegetable intake, you’ll find yourself more satisfied at the end of each meal.
- What other areas of your life need improvement? Are you getting 7-8 hours of sleep? Are you incorporating recovery to accommodate your training? Are you managing your stress levels?
- Reach out to a coach for help if you’re unsure of how to proceed! If you’re interested in learning more about what it’s like to work with me, email me at coachdianaleigh@gmail.com.
Learn more about carbs in Episode 1 of my series, Healthy Living Made Simple.
Q: Vitamins and Supplements – worth it? not worth it? which ones? and then also how to know if they’re even doing your body any good!?
I did a pretty comprehensive post on vitamins and supplements here regarding which ones you should be taking.
Are they worth it? It depends. Are you actually supplementing for deficiencies or are you taking a wild guess as to what you need? Having a much more targeted approach with data to back your decisions will ensure you aren’t flushing your money down the toilet. Speak with your doctor or order a home testing kit to be sure.
Quality is so important, so make sure you do your research! As mentioned in my previous supplement post, you need to do your research on quality supplements to take. You can do so at https://labdoor.com/rankings.
Finally – how do you know if they’re even doing your body any good? You need to become the scientist in your own experiments. Before you begin taking a supplement, write down why you’re beginning your supplementation and what symptoms you feel that can possibly benefit from the chosen supplement. When you do begin supplementing, start tracking those symptoms to see if you’re getting any benefit. Here are just a couple of examples I’ve experienced with my clients:
- One client stated their knee pain lessened after using fish oil supplements. I’d recommended it to him because Omega-3s help reduce inflammation which can help with relief in joint pain.
- Two of my female clients experienced very painful periods so I recommended the usage of magnesium supplements. Both reported by their next cycle they had a noticeable decrease in their period pain.
It’s recommended that if you’re doing this, add one supplement at a time to your routine so you can tell which supplement is benefitting you. But not all supplements noticeably treat symptoms such as immune boosting supplements Vitamin C and Zinc. In these cases, reviewing the science behind the supplements is far more important. Make sure you’re doing your research!
Coach Diana Leigh is a Precision Nutrition certified coach who uses habit-based coaching to help her clients get stronger and feel amazing in their bodies without the restriction and overwhelm of dieting. For more helpful tips, follow her on Instagram @coachdianaleigh.