We all have a "Carb Bucket!" In order to avoid storing our carbohydrates as fat, we need to make sure we keep our carb intake under a certain amount at each meal/snack. Let me explain why: When we eat carbohydrates, our bodies break the carbohydrates down into little sugar molecules and break them down into our bloodstream. As we increase the amount of carbohydrates we eat at "one sitting," our blood sugar levels increase for the next few hours. If a blood vessel becomes crowded with sugar molecules, the blood vessel wall will be damaged. As a "protective defense" against this "overcrowding," our bodies release a hormone that "packs up" the blood sugar and carries it away from the blood vessels. This hormone is called Insulin. Insulin is a fat-producing hormone, so eating too many carbs at one time will produce fat by triggering insulin. Yikes! I like to think of insulin like our body's "ambulance." It "comes to the rescue" if you overcrowd your blood vessels with sugar molecules (from eating too many carbs - I'll define "too many" below). However, it's also a "double-edged sword;" although it rescues your blood vessels, it also produces fat! Insulin is what lowers your blood sugar, but if you eat at least 10 grams of protein with your carbs, your body will release less insulin because the protein slows down the carbohydrate break down! So follow the "30:10 Rule!" That means, whenever you have a meal or snack, keep your carbohydrate intake to less than 30 grams, and and be sure your protein intake is at least 10 grams. The result will be maximum fat-burning power, and it will allow your metabolism to stay fired up so you don't produce or store fat!
