When it comes to losing weight, the most common thing people do is to stop eating starch. But is this really the right thing to do?

When it comes to losing weight, the most common thing people do is to stop eating starch, but is this really the right thing to do? In fact, the right amount of starch and carbohydrates can help us preserve muscles during fat and weight loss, and are also relatively helpful for burning fat. But if you eat too much, it is indeed very easy to gain weight. Today, nutritionist Xiao Taoqi will teach you how to eat good starch.

Will eating starch make you fat?

This is a wrong idea! But it is true that sugars stored in the body have a water-retaining effect, so if you eat less starch for a few days, your weight will drop significantly, but it will increase again if you start eating more. This is not actually making you fat, but rather an increase in water content in your body. So eating starch does not necessarily make you fat, but not eating starch does not necessarily make you thin. Low calorie intake, incorrect dietary proportions, and excessive dieting may all lead to failure to lose weight. So stop blaming the starch! The real reason you gain weight is that what you eat does not meet your body's needs, causing fat accumulation. In addition, eating too much protein will also cause fat to accumulate in the body!

How to eat starch without getting fat?

At this time, it can be explained in the following three points: what to eat, how much to eat, and how to eat

What to eat

If you want good starches, raw, unrefined foods are better than refined ones. For example, the concept that brown rice is better than white rice, and white rice is better than toast. This is a relative choice, so replacing some of the refined starch with rough, original whole grains is one way to do it. For example, replacing rice, noodles, toast, and bread with potatoes, pumpkin, chestnuts, and corn is a change. But even rough whole grains can have the opposite effect if eaten too much!

How much to eat

During the fat-loss period for girls, the amount of starch in each meal can be controlled to half to one fist size. For boys, the limit is relaxed to a maximum of 1.5 fists. Whether it's refined or rough, it's all the same! If you eat too much at one meal, remember to reduce starch intake at other meals and control the total amount for the whole day. Or, refer to the concept of #211 plate and grasp the proportion principle of vegetables, meat and rice in each meal. It is also a very simple concept.

How to eat

Even if it is carbohydrates with a low GI value, eating too much at one time will cause blood sugar to rise and fat to accumulate. Therefore, each meal should include vegetables, meat, and rice, and should be cooked with appropriate amount of oil. The last meal should be no later than 3-4 hours before going to bed, and it is best to go to bed before 12 o'clock. Grasp these principles, and you don’t have to worry about gaining weight immediately after eating starch! If you are really worried about overeating at night, try having less starch or no starch for dinner. But if you have exercise plans, moderate starch can help the body have enough energy to cope with the needs of exercise, so you can re-match this diet arrangement with exercise!

Be careful when eating out and eat high in carbohydrates

Be careful, there are many landmines. Many meals have vegetables and meat and seem healthy, but they actually contain a lot of starch! For example: pasta, rice bowl, curry rice, or healthy bento with pumpkin and corn as side dishes, etc. The easiest way to lose weight is to follow the 211 plate principle. The amount of starch in each meal should not exceed 1/4 of the whole meal, and vegetables should be more than half of the meal. This way, even if you don’t have dessert or afternoon tea, your body weight and body fat will still be high!

(Photo source: Nutritional Peach Qi-Yiting Nutritionist)