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"Oh, guess what, my sister Li Fang, who is as thin as chopsticks, hasn't eaten a bite of rice in a year, don't you think it's strange?" Zhang Ting complained to her friend Xiao Zhou in the café.
She is of medium height, and her skin is well maintained, but she always feels that she is "slightly fat". After listening to a friend's weight loss success story at a party, she had a flash of inspiration and decided to try a weight loss method that skips staple foods. Gritting her teeth, 43-year-old Li Fang decided to embark on a year-long "staple food challenge".
At first, skipping staple foods was very difficult for Li Fang. Staple foods are the foundation of the Chinese diet, from millet porridge to steamed buns, to a variety of exquisite pastries, staple foods are everywhere and fragrant all the time. But Li Fang was full of confidence and only wanted to see the number on the scale drop. From then on, she only had meat, vegetables and fruits on her plate, and strictly avoided carbohydrates of any kind.
"Then do you know that Li Fang is actually quite persevering. Over the past year, she has lost a lot of weight, but guess what? I went to the hospital for a check-up, and the results were shocking!" Zhang Ting took a sip of milk tea and said mysteriously.
After persevering for a year, Li Fang went to the hospital for a check-up. The results were unexpected, and while weight did fall, some other indicators were not as good as they could have been. The doctor told her that although it seemed to work well in the short term, not consuming enough carbohydrates in the long term was actually harmful to her health.
First of all, the doctor pointed out that the most important thing for the human body is carbs. When the body is deficient in carbohydrates, it automatically consumes protein and fat for energy, and ketones are produced in the process. A low-carb diet can lead to increased levels of ketones in the body, which is a serious health problem.
Secondly, carbohydrate deficiencies can also affect gut health. The probiotics in the gut feed mainly on carbohydrates, especially those parts of the fiber that we can't digest. Skipping staple foods for a long time can reduce the supply of these fibers, which can lead to an imbalance in the intestinal flora, which in turn can cause a range of digestive problems, such as constipation and indigestion.
Also, carbohydrates are essential for brain function. The brain is mainly powered by sugars, and if there is a lack of enough carbohydrates, the brain may not be able to work effectively, leading to problems such as memory loss and poor concentration.
"Then what should Li Fang do now?" Xiao Zhou asked worriedly.
The doctor advised her to rebalance her diet and gradually increase foods that were high in carbohydrates. She began experimenting with whole grains and low GI (glycemic index) foods, such as brown rice and whole-grain bread, which release energy more smoothly and help keep blood sugar levels stable.
In addition, she was also advised to increase the amount of exercise, not only to lose weight, but more importantly to improve the body's ability to metabolize food and overall vitality.
But in other words, the change of diet is not static, especially for a working woman like Li Fang, who is busy with work and often works overtime, and her diet is not easy to control, which requires her to have more self-control and awareness of health.
In this process, Li Fang learned that weight loss is not simply to lose weight or change body shape, but more importantly, to pursue a long-term healthy lifestyle. Doctors emphasize that any extreme diet may bring side effects, and a reasonable diet and moderate physical activity are the right path to healthy weight loss.
After a few weeks, Li Fang's physical indicators gradually normalized. Doctors also noticed that Li Fang's mood and sleep quality also improved, which was not unrelated to the recovery of carbohydrates in her diet.
In the process, Li Fang gradually realized that excessive weight loss can cause harm to the body, and the effect is often not long-lasting. She began to focus more on how to balance her diet and how to plan the right food for her based on her physical condition.
One afternoon a year later, Li Fang was in the doctor's office, thinking about the bits and pieces along the way. She suddenly thought of a question, which was also something she had been a little confused about.
"Doctor, do you think I should continue to increase my carbohydrate intake now? I'm afraid I'll go back to what I used to be. ”
The doctor smiled and replied, "Li Fang, your current diet is more reasonable. In fact, the key is not how many carbohydrates you have, but what kind of carbohydrates you choose and how you mix them. Continue with your current eating habits, make appropriate adjustments, and make a variety of diets, and you're good to go. ”
What do you think about staple foods? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!