Title: Carbohydrates & Fat Explained

Why are carbohydrates important? 

Fuel 
Our body has a few different sources of fuel for exercise. Most exercise inside the gym (CrossFit, Tread & Shred, Rumble & Spin) all rely on carbohydrates as the main source of fuel. This is one of the main reasons. I have set relatively high carbohydrate targets for everyone. Our brain also relies on carbohydrates for fuel. On average, our brain uses about 130g of carbohydrates daily! 

Health 
Carbohydrates are also vital for our health. Carbohydrates are a source of fibre, which is important for a healthy digestive system. We should aim to consume about 15g of fibre per 1000 calories. This does not need to be tracked as once you include fibre-rich carbohydrates in your diet this will be covered. Examples of fibre-rich carbohydrates are: fruit, vegetables, oats, wholegrains such as brown pasta & rice, beans, quinoa and lentils. Carbohydrate foods are also a source of vitamins such as B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin A. 

Why is fat important? 

Fat it vital for our hormonal health. Dietary fat has a direct impact on your endocrine system and the production of sex hormones such as testosterone and oestrogen which are extremely important for both male and female health. Dietary fat is also a source of fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. Aim mostly for poly and monounsaturated sources of fat. Oily fish, nuts, avocado and seeds are all great sources Omega 3 fatty acids found in oily fish such as salmon and mackerel. 

Carbohydrate and Fat Ratios 

The ratio of the two macronutrients can be manipulated to suit personal preference. When it comes to fat loss, strictly speaking, the ratio of carbohydrates and fat will not impact fat loss. However, as mentioned above, carbohydrates are your main source of fuel during exercise. Therefore, keeping carbohydrate intake high will benefit exercise performance which then in turn will aid fat loss as you can expend more energy during the exercise as well as recover better after, allowing you to perform each session at your best.  

Due to fat's important role in our health and hormones, I will always be reluctant to reduce dietary fat levels below 20% of total calories but this can be something that can be manipulated for short periods of time. 1 gram of fat is 9 calories and 1 gram of carbohydrate is 4 calories. Protein is also 4 calories per gram. This means that if a food had 10g of protein, 5g of fat and 10g of carbs (10 x 4) + (5 x 9) + (10 x 4) = 126 calories