Yes, you read that right. Carbs are AWESOME, oh so tasty and I love them!  With the rise of diets like Paleo, the misunderstood carbohydrate has become a dirty word in our society. There is a silly widespread view that carbs will make you fat.  But what exactly is a carbohydrate? Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches and fibers found in fruits, grains, vegetables and milk products.  They are a macronutrient, which means they provide ENERGY for the body.   Carbs are the macro that we need in the largest amounts as they are the body's main source of FUEL. 

If you maintain a low carb diet for an overly extended period of time, the body will eventually start to target muscle protein to burn which leads to a breakdown of lean muscle tissue.  We definitely don't want THAT. It doesn't make sense to train hard if you're just going to lose your gains through an insufficient diet that you don't even enjoy! If you experience fatigue after training, suffer from low motivation or have an energy crash in the afternoon, it's time to add some carbs to your diet especially post-workout. Now, before you run to order an extra thick crust pizza with a side of bread sticks and chocolate cake with sprinkles for dessert, you must know that all carbs are not created equal.  It's time to redefine the carb so you can add awesome carbs back in and not feel guilty about it.

Let’s break this macronutrient group into two sub-groups: produce and starches. Think of produce as non-starchy vegetables and fruits. Starches are a little larger group and contain both healthy and unhealthy options by definition. Healthy options include: brown rice, white rice (post-workout), whole grain breads, quinoa and sweet potatoes.  Unhealthy options include: refined grains, sugar and just about
all processed foods.

So what carbs should you be eating?  Here are some great options:

• Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, green apples
• Bananas - especially post-workout
• Dark colored veggies like broccoli, asparagus, purple cabbage, green beans and spinach
• Sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash
• Brown rice, quinoa, whole grain breads (Try Ezekiel bread, tortillas and waffles!)
• Oatmeal

​If you're training hard and also running on a low carb diet, add some of these foods and see if you experience a spike in intensity, energy and lean muscle. Moderate-to-high carbohydrate diets provide better energy levels, support muscle growth, prevent muscle break down, and promote faster recovery after training.  

Here's an easy and yummy recipe to get you started!
​
Roasted Acorn Squash with Quinoa, Kale and Feta
serves two

• 1 medium acorn squash
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 bunch/bag kale
• 1/4 cup feta crumbles
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• salt and pepper to taste
• garnish with fresh herbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.  Brush the insides of the squash with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lay the squash face down.  Roast 30 - 45 minutes or until the bottom is caramelized around the edges, and you can easily poke a fork or knife all the way through the flesh.​  

While squash is roasting, cook 1 cup quinoa according to the instructions on the package.  Once cooked, fluff with a fork, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  

Remove the thick stems from the kale and thinly chop the greens.  You can either sauté the kale in a pan with olive oil or coconut oil or just toss into the hot quinoa to wilt.  Spoon the quinoa and kale mixture into the squash halves and top with crumbled feta, toasted pine nuts and fresh herbs.  

This is a great side paired with grilled chicken or baked fish as your lean protein source!

Protein is something I'm constantly craving, eating, reading about and figuring out ways to get more in my daily diet. Why?? Because there is POWER in protein, people!

Protein is an important component in every cell in your body. Did you know your hair and nails are made of protein? So if you want glowing skin and long, flowing locks, eat yo protein! Protein is also an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage and blood.

According to WebMD, clinical studies consistently prove that high-protein diets  increase satiety,  decrease hunger and induce great fat loss.  Sold!

So...how do we get enough protein in our diets without eating meat all day long? I'll tell you one way: These protein-packed, sweet as sugar (but contain less than 2g sugar per ball!) No-Bake Protein Balls of mine! They are little bites of healthy heaven and I dare you not to eat the whole batch in one day.

Here's the recipe and step-by-step directions for you to make these oh-so-yummy No-Bake Protein Balls!

Ingredients:

• 1 heaping scoop protein powder (here I used creamy vanilla IsoPure 100% whey protein isolate)
• 1 cup organic crunchy peanut butter
• 1T organic raw honey
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon - It's a natural metabolism booster!
• 2T low-sugar dried cranberries (I prefer dried blueberries, but Sprouts was all out)
• 2T sunflower seeds
• 3/4 cup instant oats (roughly ground in your blender - the pulse setting works perfectly)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (optional for rolling the balls in once made)

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix protein powder, peanut butter, honey and cinnamon very well. Then stir in dried fruit and sunflower seeds. Then pour in the ground instant oats and use a fork to  mix very well. Pull up your sleeves and get your hands ready to form 10-12 balls out of the mixture. If you're a coconut lover and want to add more healthy fat to these,  roll each ball in coconut flakes. Store in refrigerator.  

Enjoy!