Hey Reader ,

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On the 'gram lately we've been talking a bit about blood sugar. Mainly, because it impacts so much and can really throw you off your game if it's not managed.

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We all know sleep is important and we kinda know about blood sugar and I'm sure we're just SO confused about carbs right now; are they good? are they bad? will I gain weight if I eat them? etc.

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So, let's dive into that a bit shall we...

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1. Carbs are our friends - these sugars keep us alive... literally. Our cells thrive on glucose (sugar) which is what carbs get broken down into. Low carb long term is not beneficial... we don't want to starve our cells 🙅🏼‍♀️

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2. Poor sleep can cause our body to crave sugars because it's looking for a quick energy source and sugar is the fastest way to get energy. However, what goes up must come down and if your blood sugar is drastically spiked (like after eating a donut by itself) it will drastically fall too which is when you turn into a grumpy puss and feel sluggish and irritable

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3. Poor sleep & simple carbs spike our blood sugar which leads to mood swings, fatigue and cravings

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Okay, so it sounds like carbs don't do us many favors... I hear you.

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BUT, you'd be wrong (just like I was when I was dabbling in keto 3 years ago)...

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It's not that carbs are the problem, it's the type of carbs we're consuming and how we're eating them that's causing us some problems

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Problems being:

Feeling exhausted and useless after lunch (afternoon slump, anyone?)

Feeling irritable and annoyed

Craving sweets or comfort foods all the dang time

Shit sleep and waking up super tired

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There's ways to eat carbs though that won't spike your blood sugar and have you feeling like a big ole' tired biotchhhh after lunch...

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1. Choosing complex carbs - these are totally different than simple carbs like; white flour, sugar and processed foods. These are things like vegetables, fruits and whole grains. They're packed with vitamins, minerals and most importantly fiber which helps slow down the sugar spike v important (this is also why fruits aren't "bad" for you like some ketotarians will have you believe - eat them!!)

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2. Pairing your carbs with fats or proteins. Pairing your simple carb-ed crackers with some peanut butter will also help slow the spike and you can still enjoy your simple carbs without all the cravings and fatigue. Or if you notice that eating fruit in the morning makes you feel a little light headed or 'not full' pair it with a fat or protein as well i.e. banana and peanut butter or apples and almond butter (makes a huge difference!)

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3. Getting good sleep. Ever notice that after a poor night of sleep your extra cravey for sweets? Your body is smart and it's not going to wait around for a slower more sustainable energy source it wants a quick hit of the good stuff (sugar) so you can get crack-a-lackin' but what it doesn't know is that later it will be fighting a sugar hangover and you'll feel even more tired and lethargic because your blood sugar just plummeted which means it'll be looking for more energy again (craving cycle begins). After getting poor sleep you'll want to go for a more protein, fat and fiber rich breakfast so balance out your blood sugar.

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We don't need to give up carbs we just adjust how we eat them & make sure the foundations are in check so we can still enjoy simple carbs from time to time - that's how we roll over here. No restrictions.

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Happy Sunday my lovebug!

Enjoy some carbs today 🙃

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xx,

Ashleen

P.S. Do you avoid carbs? I think we've all gone through a keto phase at one point or another *hit reply* and tell me about your experience! I'd love to know what your thoughts are on carbs!

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