How Carbs Can Help You Lose Weight

Let's face it, carbs are delicious. Whether you're thinking of a glorious bowl of fresh pasta or a grilled ear of corn, carbs are in more foods than you would think. The key is eating the carbs that are actually good for you and figuring out how to maintain a healthy diet that keeps you feeling good and enjoying good food.

But we all know this (or at least you do now). What many of us might not know is how carbs can actually help us lose weight. Sounds crazy and too good to be true, doesn't it? Luckily for all of the carb lovers out there, it's more than just real, it's tried and true.

After a successful first book, the editors of Health magazine created The CarbLovers Diet Cookbook to help people eat well and lose weight. As Ellen Kunes, editor-in-chief of the magazine says, the book came together to provide readers with more "suggestions for entertaining, and most of all more recipes." Plus, celebrity chefs contributed recipes to help people enjoy more of the "incredible food they got to eat on the diet."

Based on creating well-balanced meals that include plenty of resistant starch to help you lose weight and keep it off, the book explains the science behind the diet and the focus on having people enjoy eating without sacrificing the foods that they love.

We were lucky enough to have Kunes explain how the diet actually works, as well as share day one of a weeklong plan that can help readers lose up to 6 pounds, all while eating delicious food. Read what she has to say below and try out day one of the plan if you don't believe this food can actually taste good.

How It Works

It's a science-based, proven weight loss plan delivered through delicious recipes and an easy-to-follow daily meal plan.  You get three meals a day — maybe French toast or a homemade muffin or a three-minute smoothie for breakfast, a club sandwich or pizza for lunch, and lasagna or pot pie for dinner — and one or two yummy snacks. You feel full and you can't believe you are dieting. But the weight falls off naturally, because all CarbLovers recipes have been created to pack the perfect ratio of nutrients that research shows help to melt fat, curb hunger, rev your metabolism, promote good health, and get you a much flatter belly.

For Those of You Who Think It's Impossible to Stay Slim While Eating Carbs...

I'd say that it's a myth that you have to give up your favorite foods to get and stay slim, and I can prove it. Because what people don't realize is that cutting carbs hardly ever leads to permanent weight loss; most people end up gaining more weight on a low-carb plan. Scientific research cited in the book supports this. That's why I wrote The CarbLovers Diet Cookbook. I wanted to share the evidence that a yummy, satisfying, carb-rich diet is the best way to get and stay slim for good!

 Resistant Starch: Where It's Found and What It Does

Resistant starch is similar to fiber; it's 100 percent safe and natural, and it's found in lots of foods you have in your kitchen, like bananas, whole grains, and beans. We have a list of resistant starch foods on pages 18 and 19 in the book.

Hundreds of studies have shown resistant starch to be a natural appetite suppressant, metabolism booster, and overall health promoter. It produces fatty acids that trigger weight loss by turning on enzymes that melt fat, especially in the abdominal area, encouraging your liver to switch to a fat-burning state and boosting satiety hormones that make you get and stay full longer.

The Benefits of Resistant Starch

The more resistant starch you consume, the better for your health and weight. The problem is most people get too little. CarbLovers solves that problem for you. If you follow our plan, you'll automatically be getting three times the average intake of this important fat-burning nutrient, served up in delicious recipes like our Cornflake-Crusted Chicken Tenders and Triple-Cheese Mac.

How Do Carbs Help You Lose Weight?

The carbs featured in The CarbLovers Diet Cookbook actually promote weight loss. They are loaded with nutrients, fiber, and of course resistant starch, which has been proven in hundreds of studies to curb your appetite, boost your metabolism, and help you get healthier and slimmer. But it's important to point out that certain types of carbs will make you gain weight, especially if you overdo them. This is not a plan that lets you start your day with a doughnut and then munch on chips and cookies all day!

The Lay Out of the Book

This is a real cookbook, so recipes are the cornerstone, but you can't help but lose weight mixing and matching them in any order you like. In other words, if you are someone who likes mac and cheese for breakfast and eggs Benedict for dinner, CarbLovers is for you. For those who need a little more structure, we also included a 7-Day Kickstart Meal Plan, which will allow you to lose up to 6 pounds fast, without feeling hungry, and a 21-Day Immersion Plan, which adds more food — and more indulgent treats. The cool trick about the Immersion Plan is that once you will lose all the weight you want, you stay on it for good, so you never have to worry about regaining the weight you lost.

For Those First Starting Out...

If you are serious about weight loss and have a fair amount to lose, the Diet Plan on page 303 is the place to begin. If you are a food lover who simply wants to be healthier, I would pick the recipe that appeals to you the most and make it. I think once you try our Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce on page 130 or our Coconut Cake with 7-Minute Frosting on page 244, you'll be hooked.

The First Day of the "CarbLovers Kicktstart Meal Plan" — Diet Basics

Well, it's not like any diet you've ever tried. You are going to enjoy delicious meals like Cappellini with Bacon and Breadcrumbs for dinner and a Tex-Mex style chicken wrap for lunch. The portions are generous; you may not be able to finish. Some dieters tell us by the end of the first day they feel more energized and less stressed (that's intentional; studies show carbs help with both). I hope the experience makes you want to go on to day two! 

Click here to see the Carbs That Are Actually Good For You story.

Day One of The Seven Day CarbLovers Kickstart Plan: Monday

Breakfast: Broiled Banana on Toast

Lunch: Black Bean, Avocado, Brown Rice, and Chicken Wrap

Dinner: Capellini with Bacon and Breadcrumbs

Snack: Rosemary and Garlic White Bean Dip + 1/2 cup raw vegetables