Benefits of Healthy Carbs to Promote an Active Lifestyle
by Anna Stein

Benefits of Healthy Carbs to Promote an Active Lifestyle

It's amazing the number of diets out there today, no wonder we are completely overwhelmed when it comes to making healthy choices. From the all-protein diet, to the raw-vegan diets, it seems to be always one extreme or the other.

The key, however, to a healthy, nutritious diet is balance. Take carbs for example. We often hear that carbs are bad. That is because the carbs most of us eat such as white bread or sugar have all the nutrients processed out of them.

Healthy Carbs

Just because the carbs we are used to eating are not good for us, that doesn’t mean we should get rid of carbs. Next time you are in the store, compare a box of regular, white pasta to a box of whole wheat pasta. The whole wheat pasta has an amazingly higher amount of nutrients including fiber, protein and vitamins.

You might notice that the whole wheat pasta is also a little bit more expensive than the white pasta, but it is so filling that you will not need to eat as much of it.

On the other hand, the white pasta or bread takes more to fill us up and yet pretty much all of it adds to our waist line without giving us any nutrients.

More examples of healthy carbs are whole wheat bread, brown rice, beans and sweet potatoes.

Why Whole Carbs are Important for an Active Lifestyle

Carbs (carbohydrates) give us energy, something we especially need if we live an active lifestyle. The problem with processed carbs like white bread and sugar is that the energy they give us lasts for a very short amount of time and then leaves us feeling more exhausted than before. But a healthy carb provides us with long-lasting energy.

As a running mom, I can certainly vouch for the importance of lasting energy. When I'm out running a 26.2 mile marathon, I need lasting energy, not some quick fix that will give me a short bout of energy and then leave me ready to crash after only a couple of miles.

I've noticed that when I'm preparing for a big race or a long run, if I start eating healthy carbs a few days before the event, I perform much better. So I can't imagine how good I would feel if I ate like this all the time! ;-)

Some healthy carbs I enjoy when I am getting ready for a race are whole wheat pasta (that's my favorite thing to eat the night before) and banana bread - a great breakfast because not only does it provide me with a healthy carb, but the potassium in the bananas also provide fuel for my runs.

So next time you are preparing for a big activity or just need some energy to get you through the day, try eating some whole, healthy carbs. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how much better your feel.

To your health and fitness!

This article on healthy carbs was provided by Anna Stein. To read more about tips and motivation for an active, fit lifestyle, check out www.running-mom.com.