Time to find out if you’re a CARB-AHOLIC

Although the recipes in the Fast 800 programme are relatively low in carbohydrates, I’m not saying that all carbs are bad. Along with fats and proteins, carbs play an important role in our diet.

the problem occurs when you eat too much of the wrong sort, the easily digestible carbs.

these are the sort that are rapidly absorbed by your body and include the sugars found in chocolate, biscuits, cakes, fizzy drinks and many highly processed foods.

they cause your blood sugars to spike and result in the over-production of the hormone insulin, which leads to blood sugar crashes and a craving for more quickfix energy, ie more carb-heavy foods.

And that, of course, leads to weight gain. Starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes, and some sugary fruits (such as grapes and raisins), can also cause blood sugar spikes, particularly if you are sensitive to them (this seems to be partly down to genetics, partly down to your gut bacteria — or microbiome).

this doesn’t mean that they are to be avoided, but try to go ‘brown’, and certainly during the rapid weight-loss phase of the diet you shouldn’t pile your plate with them. think of them more as a side dish and substitute with non-starchy greens such as courgettes, broccoli or cauliflower.

once you are well into your weight-loss journey, we would encourage you to add in more complex, unrefined carbs such as lentils and wholegrain rice.

to test your dependency on ‘bad’ carbs, Clare and I have come up with this questionnaire. Add up the number of ‘Yes’ answers and see which group you are in below. She scores two on it, while I score eight.

■ Do you get an instant reward or ‘hit’ as soon as you eat sweet, starchy or refined foods? YES / NO

■ Do you often drink sweetened or flavoured drinks (including fruit juice and artificially sweetened drinks)? YES / NO

■ Do you often snack or graze between meals? YES / NO

■ Do you eat four or more portions of fruit a day? YES / NO

■ Do you often eat to make yourself feel better, for example when you are disappointed, under pressure or have had an argument? YES / NO

■ Are you eating large portions? YES / NO

■ Do you often feel unsatisfied, even soon after finishing a meal? YES / NO

■ Does the sight, smell or thought of food often stimulate you to eat, even if you have just finished a meal or are not hungry? YES / NO

■ Do you often lose control and eat much more than you meant to, particularly when eating snacks, junk food or sweets? (May involve eating until uncomfortable, feeling sick or actually being sick.) YES / NO

■ Do you often justify eating by thinking ‘just this time’, or ‘later I will eat better/start the diet/ burn it off’? YES / NO

■ Is food much on your mind? Do you often find yourself thinking about it during the day? YES / NO

■ Do you sometimes eat in secret? YES / NO

■ Do you sometimes snack very late or in the night? YES / NO

■ Do you often feel guilty or ashamed about what you are eating, yet find yourself eating it again soon after? YES / NO

■ Do you often crave sugary foods or feel shaky, irritable, anxious or sweaty without them? YES / NO

WHAT RESULTS SAY

0–3: You can take it or leave it when it comes to eating sweet treats and have a healthy attitude towards food. 4–7: You like your sugary carbs, but are probably managing to keep it in check. this may require a certain amount of selfcontrol. At times you probably find this a bit of a challenge. the problem with sugary carbs is that, for many people, the more you eat, the more you want. It is a slippery slope. 8–10: Moderately addicted. You are eating considerably more than you know is good for you and probably feel bad about it.

You are likely to be feeling hungry much of the time, preoccupied by food and at times struggling to control your cravings as a result of a degree of insulin resistance. You are probably at risk of diabetes if you don’t have it already. It is worth getting regular health checks. MORE THAN 10: unhealthily dependent. Avoiding unhealthy carbs is a challenge for you.

You are likely to be constantly hungry, preoccupied by food and feeling bad about your eating.

You are highly likely to have insulin resistance (where your cells are increasingly resistant to the effect of insulin — the hormone that mops up excess sugar from your blood) which can lead to type 2 diabetes.

given the amount of carbs you eat and your unhealthy relationship to them, you’re at significant risk of diabetes if you don’t have it already. It is definitely worth getting a health check.