PERFORMANCE VS. FAT LOSS

One important point to address is the necessary distinction between a dietary recommendation for athletic performance versus that for an ordinary person trying to lose fat.

Elite athletes and those training for endurance day after day need to replenish depleted carbohydrate stores (glycogen) constantly.  However, most average people have plenty of glycogen to sustain daily activity without having to eat large amounts of carbohydrates.

In fact, if glycogen becomes depleted through exercise, the body will begin to pull from fat stores to sustain the activity; hence, fat loss.  Unfortunately, most "healthy" dietary recommendations are more appropriate for endurance athlete types than for the average fat loss-seeking American.

Thus, there is indeed a difference between a healthy diet and a fat loss diet.  To successfully lose fat and optimize health, keep the starchy carbs in check, focusing on lean proteins and green leafy vegetables first, while eating more frequently throughout the day.