Hello,
I do not understand why carbohydrates should be responsible for weight gain, and why they should be limited in the evening? Shouldn't it be about the overall energy balance, which is independent of whether or not there is a carbohydrate meal for dinner?
Thank you for the clarification.
Carbohydrates are a quick source of energy. If you consume more than you currently burn, they are stored in fat reserves through the action of insulin, regardless of whether you may be in a negative energy balance. For the same reason, it is beneficial to limit (but not completely eliminate) their quantity (including monitoring their quality - simple vs. complex) in the evening - if you do not plan to engage in significant physical activity after dinner, the body will tend to store the excess in energy reserves. A living organism is a set of complex systems where simple mathematics does not apply - that is, setting a negative balance is not a hundred percent guarantee that the body will shed fat reserves.
Themes: Carbohydrates Energy balance
Questions answered by
Mgr. Martin Jelinek
Lecturer and author of the educational system
Nutrition educator, lecturer, and author of the educational system and the ZOF learning application.
Mgr. Martin Jelínek has been systematically involved in nutrition education since 1999. He is the founder of ATAC, the educational company behind NutriCourses, and the author of an educational system focused on nutrition, healthy lifestyle, and the practical application of nutrition knowledge.
He graduated from the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University in Brno. Throughout his professional career, he has combined nutrition, education, and the practical application of acquired knowledge. His educational system also includes the ZOF (Zone of Optimal Functioning) learning application, where students turn theory into practical work with meal plans.
In 2007, he launched the first intake of a six-month course focused on the education of nutrition advisors. Over time, this course became the foundation for the further development of the educational system and a range of specialised courses.