Taking the 'Sometimes Carb' challenge - are you game

Sometimes Carbohydrates

One of the biggest factors affecting our success in maintaining a healthy 'food intake' balance is a proper understanding of just how far out of balance our food intake actually is.

I thought I was eating reasonably well.  I was avoiding fruit (because it was sugar) and dairy (because it was fat) and unknowingly focusing a lot of my meal plan on high carb vegetables, grains, pasta cereals etc.

What I hadn't understood was that these carbohydrates break down to what is essentially sugar, and sugar if not burnt for energy, is converted for storage as fat (my simple understanding). Not only that, but the pancreas works hard to process those 'sugars' and if consistently overloaded it can eventually fail (Type 2 Diabetes).

This group which I affectionately call my 'sometimes carbs' is the group that previously featured so heavily in my eating plan and was, without a doubt, the food group that led to my obesity and also to my borderline Type 2 Diabetic diagnosis.  That is why I have developed this 'sometimes carb' challenge.

'Sometimes Carbohydrates'

I'm guessing I'm not alone in my confusion with regard to this group of foods. Firstly my confusion over just how 'healthy' they were, and then after input from the dietitian, the period during which I thought of them as 'bad carbs'.

Neither label really did this group justice. Good choices from this group can indeed be 'healthy'. Too many choices from this group can be quite definitely 'bad'.

This is why I began calling this group my 'sometimes carb' group. The 'bad' label was unfair to the many health benefits available from food in this group. But the benefits offered needed to be consumed in moderation (sometimes) to balance the positive and negative aspects of this group.

So my overindulgence in what should be 'sometimes carbs' … high carb vegetables, bread, grains, pastas, cereals etc along with cakes and biscuits… was essentially my dietary undoing. Something I was only able to fix once I understood how far off balance my food intake actually was.

I sincerely believe that a better understanding of just how this 'sometimes carbohydrate' group is dominating your food intake will be a key element to your success in transitioning to a healthy balanced eating plan.

Part 1 of the 'sometimes carb' challenge (suggested 1 week)

I have created the chart below for you to put on your fridge and track your 'sometimes carb' intake as Part 1 of the 'sometimes carb' challenge.  The chart is not comprehensive (feel free to add) but it should be enough to give you a general idea. Pencil and ruler can replicate it fairly simply if printing is not an option for you.

If printing this chart is not an option for you
pencil, paper and ruler is a quick fix

On this chart (for Part 1 of the challenge) we are more interested in tracking your general 'sometimes carb' intake rather than measuring or controlling it. So just eat as you normally would for the week but put a single stroke in the appropriate box every time one of these items features in your daily eating.

The main thing is to be as accurate as possible. There is no point in cheating. No one else will be judging you on this chart. The entire purpose of this exercise is for you to begin to get a picture of how heavily this group features in your current eating plan.

We are not worried about portion size for the purpose of this chart at this time, we will worry about that later.

After tracking 'sometimes carbs' for the week 

If you exercise regularly, eat well with a healthy variety of fruit and vegetables, and if you are not carrying an excess of unhealthy weight, particularly around your middle, then maybe your body is managing your intake well.

However if you are following this blog in an effort to bring some healthy balance into your eating plan either because you have weight issues, or just to improve your general health, then read on.

• Our aim is to limit foods from this group (as a general rule) to a maximum of three 'portion controlled' serves per day.
• We also aim to choose (as a general rule) healthy energy and repairs and maintenance foods from this group, which means limiting items such as pastry, cakes, biscuits, potato chips etc.
• Our portion control measure is 15 grams of carbohydrate per serve, and three serves per day.

If, in Stage 1, you found you came in at the optimum number of three serves per day, be very encouraged, but do read on with us in regard portion control. It was very illuminating for me.

If, in Stage 1, you found you came in above (or even well above) the optimum number of serves per day (like I did), don't be discouraged, you are where I was…. and I'm not there anymore. Remember back to (or revisit) my story in Making the change to healthier living - is it worth it? - see June 2014.

It was worth it, so please stay with me as I walk you through 'portion control' which is an important part of Stage 2 of the 'sometimes carb' challenge. 

An illuminating indication of appropriate serve sizes for the 'sometimes carb' group

Each of these portions listed below equals approximately one portion (15gram carbohydrate)
This list is not comprehensive by any means.

• ½ cup Weeties or Cornflakes 
• ⅓ cup Sustain, Fibre Plus or Just Right 
• 1½ Weetbix or Vita Brits 
• ¼ cup raw oats 

• 1 small potato or ½ cup mashed potato 
• ½ cup polenta 
• ½ cup green peas or sweet corn
• ½ cup cooked rice, or pasta, or cous cows, or lentils

• 1 normal slice of bread 
• ½ English Muffin (breakfast style) 

and last but not least, coming in at not one, but three portions

• 1 bread roll 

Now I don't know about you, but when I was freely eating these foods thinking they were part of my healthy eating plan, these portions where not what I was having.

I'm sure I was having at least 1½ cups of rice when I had rice (3 portions). I probably had at least 2 cups of pasta (4 portions). There is no way I was only having a ½ or ⅓ cup of cereal and I rarely ate less than 2 slices of toast, or had less than a sandwich (2 slices of bread) or a bread roll (3 portions).

So you see how easy it is for this 'sometimes carb' group to get completely out of balance in our eating plan.

Controlling your serving size

I'm not a big fan of the 'weigh and/or measure' and I can tell you weighing and measuring doesn't need to control your life. I rarely weigh and measure these days so please, please, please don't let this small step put you off continuing with the 'sometimes carb' challenge.

Most of the foods in this group are measurable by the cup or portion of a cup. A set of measuring cups are helpful, but simply using a 'cup' (not the biggest mug you can find in your kitchen) and judging for your self - full, half, third etc is sufficient guide.

You will soon get an idea of what ½ cup mashed potato or rice looks like on your plate. Once you have the general idea you can largely dispense with the measuring cup except maybe to check here and there that you are on track.

This familiarity of serve size is also true of those foods that require a weight measure. A compact set of kitchen scales that measure grams rather than kilograms is best. If cost is an issue borrowing a set off a friend for a couple of weeks should be sufficient to get you familiar with the look of your serve sizes.

Crackers, potato chips, and other foods for which I haven't listed serving sizes, will (in Australia) have 'serving size' listed on the pack (a legal requirement for packaged food and drink in Australia), along with 'total carbohydrate per serve'. This will vary from item to item. Remember that you are looking for 15 grams of carbohydrate per serve, so if their serve size has 32grams of carbohydrate modify your portion accordingly.

Yes, some effort is required, but in the scheme of things I'm telling you it's worth it.

Stage 2 of the 'sometimes carb' challenge (suggested 1 week)

So now that you understand a little more how this group of foods is impacting your food intake and a little more understanding of appropriate portions. I encourage you to try a further exercise using the same chart we used for Stage 1 of the challenge.

For stage 2 of the challenge I want you to try replacing your Part 1 challenge  'serves' with 'portion controlled' serves (i.e. your 15 gram carbohydrate serves).

Our aim is to reduce your portion sizes rather than reduce your number of serves.

Example. If you consumed around 6 serves per day in Stage 1, try to manage on 6 portion controlled serves per day in Stage 2. If you consumed around 11 serves per day in Stage 1, try to manage on 11 portion controlled serves per day in Stage 2.

Three helpful tips to encourage you along your way.

• if you are hungry and feel you need to eat more try adding fruit (up to three pieces per day) or unlimited salad and vegetables from our 'anytime food' group ( see - starting an 'anytime food' revolution in your life - June 2014) 
• try eating extra portions between meals rather than doubling up at meal times. It helps to have breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, tea/dinner, and supper even if its not a full portion (½ portions are recordable)
• if you still feel the need for a larger serve of our 'sometimes carbs' then eat what you need, but record it as extra 'portion controlled' serves. This way you are improving your understanding of what your body feels it needs which is largely what this challenge is about. We can work with that information.

See if you can manage not to exceed your Stage 1 serves for your Stage 2 week. If not, simply record your extra 'portion controlled' serves. Either way, at the end of the week proceed to Stage 3. Do not be discouraged.

Stage 3 of the 'sometimes carb' challenge (1 week if needed - less if it works for you)

In stage 3 of the 'sometimes carb' challenge try to reduce one more 'portion controlled' daily serve over the week.

Again, if you struggle, try the 'helpful tips' from Stage 2 and just make sure you record your portions for your future reference.

As a guide (for your encouragement) this may mean, for stage 1 you had 11 serves, for Stage 2 you tried 11 portion controlled serves but recorded 17 portion controlled serves, so for Stage 3 you would be aiming to come in at 16 portion controlled serves.

Final Stage of the 'sometimes carb' challenge (either weekly or as appropriate for you)

This stage is simply a progression of the previous stage. The aim being to eliminate one more daily portion from our 'sometimes carbs' group till you attain the recommended three serves per day.

This should get easier each week as you get familiar with portion sizes and become more aware each week of your eating habits. You can continue to use the chart for as long as you feel you need the encouragement.

I say 'should get easier' but I also know we are all different in how we process these issues, so if this exercise hasn't been a magic formulae to solve all your overeating problems, again, don't be discouraged. Read on.

An appropriate measure of your 'sometimes carb' challenge success

If the 'sometimes carb' challenge helps you to conquer (or largely conquer) your over dependence of 'sometimes carbs' whether it takes you days, weeks or months then I will be so very pleased for you. So very pleased indeed.

If you only get to Stage 1 and record a weeks 'serves of sometimes carbs' you will have gained a better understanding of just how this 'sometimes carb' group is dominating your food intake. You will also have become more familiar with the foods included in this group and have some idea what your weaknesses in this area actually are.

If you only get to Stage 2 and actually record a weeks worth of portioned serves from the 'sometimes carbs' groups then not only will you have an excellent baseline for further progress, but you will have gained an excellent introductory understanding of what is included in the 'sometimes carbs' group and portion control, as well as a fuller understanding of your weaknesses in this area.

So you can see that the success of this exercise is not only in the completion of its ultimate aim, but can be measured in lots of important milestones along the way.

If all you achieve from taking the 'sometimes carb' challenge is a better understanding of just how this 'sometimes carbohydrate' group is dominating your food intake then that is also a very important milestone in transitioning to a healthy balanced eating plan.

You can always come back to our 'sometimes carb' challenge another time when you feel you might be ready for more.

A little encouragement to brighten your day.

I hope you have found this exercise useful in gaining a better understanding of the significance 'sometimes carbs' play in your current eating plan. Please don't be discouraged if the dominance of 'sometimes carbs' in your lifestyle is considerable.

Instead, be encouraged. Now that you understand better where your weakness are you have achieved a very important milestone along your health and fitness journey.

What is important now is not where you have been, but where you are going, and if for now you are coming along with me then that's a pretty good place to start.

News Flash: the 'sometimes carb' challenge will appear in weekly 'bite sized' stages starting Friday 5th September for those who like the idea but found this a bit much to take in all at once.