What do you do when you're starving?

I'd tried to get my hair cut from my barber yesterday, but he was just unavailable.  I said...no problem, I'll just try again tomorrow (today, Thursday, May 20).  So I called my barber and let him know that I was on the way.  I'm skipping down the hall of my job, and then singing to all the songs in my car after I get on the road.  This is my ritual, because I'm going to get dat fresh cut!  Getting my hair cut makes me feel great.

So...I get to the barber, he cuts my hair, I get in my car and I'm on my way back to work.  Simple right?  Haha...right...NOT.  I got stuck in traffic.  Not only was I stuck in traffic, but I was hungry as hell!  Hungry People!  All my friends know how I get when I get hungry....I basically shut down and become dysfunctional, so I try to never let it happen.  I was not just hungry though, I was pissed, because I had an opportunity to eat before I left.  I didn't eat because I had just a protein shake about 30 minutes before I left, and I didn't want to load my body up with too much protein in one sitting.  But honestly, I had no real way of knowing this traffic was going to happen. 

This is why I come to you today to ask you, What do you do when you're starving?   If you're human, you'll find the quickest and easiest place to buy some grub, and scarf it down.  Usually at that point, you're probably just wanting carbs.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) states "the greater the consumption of foods containing large amounts of added sugars, the more difficult it is to consume enough nutrients without gaining weight. Consumption of added sugars provides calories while providing little, if any, of the essential nutrients."  (http://www.health.gov/DietaryGuidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter7.htm)  If you have time, read up on this.

But basically, not all carbs are bad.  Generally, the carbs you get from vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and prepared foods with little added sugars are the key recommendations of the USDA.  But they say a person on a 2,000 calorie diet should only consume about 300 of those calories as carbs.  Since there are 4 calories in every carb gram, that's about 1200 calories.  So out of your 2,000 calorie diet, only 1200 calories can consist of carbs.  Did you get that?

Lets look at a menu that I was able to eat when I was 21 years old, and burning calories like a mad dude when I was in the Marines:

Breakfast
1 Banana - 15 carb grams
2 Tbsps of peanut butter - 28 carb grams
3 Whole eggs - 3 carb grams
1 Cup of milk - 13 carb grams

Lunch
McDonald's Big N Tasty - 38 carb grams
Large Soda 32oz - 86 carb grams (Damn that's a lot - You see that???  86!!!)

Dinner
2 slices of pepperoni pizza - 58 carb grams
Large Soda 32oz - 86 car grams

Total carb grams = 327 or 1308 Calories of Carbs

Guess what happens to carbs you don't use as energy?  How much energy does it take to sit in your car and drive?  How much energy does it take to sit on the couch and watch T.V.?  How much energy are you using to burn off excess carbs?  Or are you burning them off?

The simple solution to the problem is watch your carb source and participate in physical activity, which will cause you to use (burn) energy.  We want you to burn all that extra stuff your body doesn't use.

Here's something extra for you.  So you know that when your body gets enough of whatever you are putting in it, the other stuff gets stored as fat.  Okay...so let's say you're not eating right; you don't eat breakfast, you only eat twice a day (that's a whole new topic) and you're not getting enough calories and/or nutrients.  Because your body needs energy to function, it will burn what ever it can, including that precious muscle.  Guess what...precious muscle is what makes you look lean, mean..and super hot (yes..you too ladies).  You don't want to do that!  I'll cover this more in detail in another blog.

So here are my tips:
1.  Only store and buy quality good food with low amounts of carbs.  If you keep low carb food around, then you'll have no reason to over indulge in carbs.
2.  Take a bag of apples, oranges, grapes, or whatever else you can think of to the office.  Keep them there throughout the week if you can.  You can grab them when you have hunger pains.  Instead of going to the snack bar, grab an apple.
3.  If you are out and about and you're starving, for heaven's sake, don't buy soda or that candy bar.  Before you leave your house or job, take some apples or other low carb items with you.  You can grab and eat them for the energy you need to tie you over until you can get to your healthy meals.

Watch these clips!  I was in traffic, starving, and had nothing to eat.  I thought I was going to have to eat my hand for a minute there.