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Feb 16
2007

Ask Kimmer: Carbs, Protein, Energy -- What To Eat?

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ASK KIMMER

I want to gain muscle mass and lose some fat but I am confused about all the terminology and how it relates to losing fat and gaining muscle.

For example I am told that carbs will give you energy to help you exercise and lose fat but at the same time, when exercising you will burn off the carbs first and the fat will remain untouched, so should I eat carbs or not?

Food contains calories but is that necessarily a bad thing?

I'm told that to build muscle you should eat a lot of protein, but people on diets have protein days to lose weight. Yet I am told if the protein isn't converted to energy or muscle it stores as fat. It just contradicts itself.

Also natural sugars which are found in fruit and vegetables good or bad? On one hand I need them but won't sugar clog up my system?

The only thing that makes sense to me is to drink heaps of water because muscles are about 70% water and only about 20% of water is stored as fat.
ANSWER

Isn't it confusing? I help people lose weight for a living and even I'm boggled by the information (good and bad) floating around out there.

Carbs don't give you "energy" per se. All foods contain calories and the scientific term for calories is "energy". Slim Fast had to stop their commercials that claimed their shakes provided "energy" because people assumed artificial energy.

There's no need to eat extra protein because it doesn't automatically turn into muscle. First you have to work out hard with weights, rip the existing muscle and then NEED more protein than you're already eating. That's unlikely because most Americans easily eat 200% or more of the 60 grams a day that the RDA suggests for a "typical" person who works out 2-3 times a week.

Eating extra protein that you don't need merely feeds extra calories and that can contribute to extra body fat.

Water is 0 calorie and none is stored as fat. No need to over drink water, it doesn't "cause" weight loss, although sometimes thirst is mistaken for hunger.

If you're on a low calorie high carb diet (think Weight Watchers), then fruit is fine as a snack. It is very high carbs so don't overdo it.

If you're on a low carb diet (think Atkins or South Beach), fruit is allowed at certain stages so pay attention to their rules.

If you're on a low calorie low carb diet (think Kimkins), save that fruit for when you're close to goal -- you won't get fast weight loss if you're eating it.

People on low carb diets like Kimkins don't eat extra protein, they limit their carb intake to get fast weight loss. Â

Your best bet is to find a diet that you like that will give you the results you want and follow the guidelines. This removes much of the guess work. As a Kimkins diet member you'll have direct access to me, the diet creator, to ask any questions -- which can be a nice benefit!