Sport CARBS trouble for the Asian (Rice Eater).

[lvaragov]

I'm 23 yo 5'9, 180lbs and I recently enrolled in a gym. I currently have a lot of body fat (25%). Completely out of shape. I plan to have a lower fat percentage, and have more definition in my body. My instructor told me that diet would be a huge part of my transformation.

As an Asian living with fellow Asians, I eat a lot of rice. I have since I was a kid. We have a common notion that if you want to lose weight, you eat less rice. In fairness, that technique does work as I have seen it work with a lot of people. So I decided to eat less rice and go to the gym everyday.

I noticed on the third day since going to the gym, when I was doing curls when I couldn't finish my set. It didn't feel like muscle burn, more like muscle weakness. It was as if my muscles died on me. I couldn't lift the barbel anymore. I asked my instructor why this happened and he asked me if I went on a restrictive diet. I told him I ate less rice as I wanted to lose weight. He told me that that was wrong because I needed carbohydrates "to burn fat". I was confused!

Can anyone explain how this is possible? How can I lose weight If i continued feasting on rice everyday?

 

[Trek]

Find a new instructor, eating carbs has no relationship to burning fat except that carbs have calories and you have to consume less calories than you burn to loose fat. Focus on balancing carbs, protein & fat in every meal, shoot for 30% fat, 20% protein & 50% carbs. Also, you have to have proper nutrition to fuel your workout. If you don't eat and workout then you will feel sluggish. Eat a banana, peanut butter sandwich or have a protein shake before your workout.

 

[BenoitT]

Carbs are good for you but you can definitivly eat less carbs and more protein, but not too much. Try to find where you feel great, you don't starve and you are feeling full of energy.

 

[Nokia23T]

Go to Japan or China or any other Asian country and you are not going to see a lot of fat people. Rice is not your enemy. You don't need carbs to burn fat, but you do need to restrict your caloric intake and increase your cardio, if you want to get lean.