You don't have to hold back anymore. How beginners in strength training can turn white rice into an "indispensable ally"

When you start strength training or exercise,
isn't "dietary restriction" the first thing that crosses your mind?

In particular, I think many people sigh in front of their rice bowl, thinking,
"I have to give up my beloved white rice..."

To give you the conclusion first,
there is absolutely no need to force yourself to cut out white rice.

On the contrary, if you have the right knowledge and use it wisely,
white rice will become an "indispensable ally" that powerfully supports your strength training
.

In this article, I will organize the reasons why white rice is avoided, and share some simple rules so you can eat it deliciously and with peace of mind starting tomorrow.

Why is it said that "white rice is not good for dieting"?

First, why has white rice come to be avoided so much?

This is related to recent diet trends and the characteristics of white rice.
The main reasons are the following three.

1. The influence of the low-carb boom

Over the past few years, the "low-carb diet" of cutting carbohydrates as much as possible has become a huge boom.
Because many success stories like "I lost weight all at once when I cut out rice!" were shared in the media and on social media,

the image that "the shortest way to lose weight efficiently is to first cut out your staple food" has spread.

2. The characteristic of easily raising blood sugar levels (high GI value)

The index that shows how quickly food turns into sugar in the body and raises the sugar in your blood (blood sugar level) is called the "GI value."

Compared to brown rice or oatmeal, white rice has a higher GI value.
When blood sugar levels rise rapidly,
the body secretes a large amount of a hormone called "
insulin" to try to lower it.

This insulin
has the function of storing unused sugar as fat, which is why it is said that "eating white rice makes you gain weight easily."

3. The deliciousness that makes you "overeat"

The greatest appeal of white rice is its deliciousness that goes with any side dish, and its chewy texture
.

However, this can sometimes backfire.

When you eat it with meat coated in sauce or salty side dishes,
you just can't stop using your chopsticks, can you?

Rather than white rice itself being bad,
it is often the case that
without realizing it,you end up having seconds or thirds and go over your calorie limitwithout noticing.

In fact, here are the 3 major benefits of white rice as an excellent "energy source for strength training"

Looking at the reasons why it is avoided, you might think, "Isn't it bad after all?"
but from here on, I will share the wonderful charm that white rice possesses.

For those who are doing strength training or exercise,
white rice has wonderful benefits that more than make up for it!

Benefit 1: It becomes "high-quality gasoline" to support hard exercise

Just as a car cannot run without gasoline,
human muscles cannot move without energy.

The top-priority fuel for moving muscles is
the "carbohydrates" contained in white rice.

If you do strength training while completely cutting out white rice,
your body will become energy-deficient,
and it will actually try tobreak down your own musclesto turn them into energy.

This would make your hard-earned strength training counterproductive.

Because you eat rice properly and keep your fuel tank full,you can lift heavy things
and put a solid load on your body.

Benefit 2: A "body-friendly energy source" without unnecessary fat

Even among carbohydrates, bread and noodles (pasta and ramen) often contain
"fats" such as butter, margarine,
or vegetable oilsduring the manufacturing process.

Also, you tend to consume a lot of fat in sauces and soups.

On the other hand, white rice is cooked only with water.
It contains only about 0.3g of fat per 100g.

In other words,it is a food ingredient that allows you to pinpoint and replenish only pure energy sources (carbohydrates),
makes calorie control easy,and can be eaten with peace of mind.

Benefit 3: It is digested and absorbed quickly, putting less burden on the stomach and intestines

You often hear that "brown rice is good for dieting."

It is true that brown rice is excellent and rich in dietary fiber and vitamins, but on the other hand,
it has the disadvantage of taking time to digest and being easy to burden the stomach and intestines
.

Around the time of strength training, it is a
time when you want to quickly replenish and recover energy.

Since white rice is digested much more smoothly than brown rice, it won't weigh down your stomach and will

quickly provide nutrition to your muscles.

White rice is especially recommended for those who
do not have a strong stomach.

No more holding back! 3 gentle rules to make white rice your ally

Now that you know white rice is an excellent ally,
how should you eat it so you don't gain weight?

Here are three simple rules you can start practicing tomorrow.

Rule 1: Aim for the "timing" before or after exercise

The most recommended time is 1 to 2 hours before strength training, or immediately after
. White rice eaten at this time will not have time to turn into fat, but will be consumed as energy for your muscles or used as

nutrition to repair damaged muscles

.

Rule 2: Measure the "amount" you eat with your palm

It's tiring to measure things down to the gram, isn't it?
A good guideline is one fistful (about 150g) per meal. This amount is not too much for a typical adult's meal.

Rule 3: Do not let your blood sugar spike

Be conscious of the "order of eating." When eating,
start with soups like miso soup or vegetables (salad),
then move on to meat or fish (side dishes).

By eating the white rice last, one bite at a time,
the dietary fiber and protein act as a cushion, gently suppressing the "rapid rise in blood sugar" that is the weakness of white rice
.

If you turn "restraint" into "smart choices," your body will change more readily

Strength training or exercise that involves extremely avoiding the things you love by saying "no to this, no to that"
will inevitably wear you down and won't last long.
What's important is to

know the characteristics of food and get along with it well
.

Let's turn white rice into delicious energy and
shape our bodies comfortably and happily.

Now, if you know how to deal with white rice and carbohydrates,
the stress of eating will be greatly reduced, right?

Having said that,
"I understand the mechanism, but it's hard to cook perfect side dishes every day..."
"I can't try that hard on my way home from work"
I think there are days like that too.

Therefore, in the next article, I will introduce in detail
recommended ingredients you can choose without hesitation at convenience stores so that you can easily build your body even on busy days.
I will introduce recommended ingredients you can choose without hesitation at convenience stores.

I will deliver a practical guide (paid article) that will make your shopping from tomorrow much more enjoyable, telling you "what to buy for peace of mind" at the convenience store on your way home from work, so
if you are interested, please check that out as well💪