Yes, You Can Eat Pasta on a Diet and Still Lose Weight

Is it possible to eat pasta while dieting and still maintain your results? According to some experts, the answer is yes. Personal trainer Nick Mitchell has sparked major online buzz with a claim that’s hard to digest: carbs are not entirely “out” when it comes to weight loss.

There is a way to include carbohydrates in your diet and continue losing weight, and Mitchell says it’s easier than you might think. “If you do it my way, you’ll see that you can keep shedding pounds, even if it sounds totally ridiculous at first,” he promises. The secret, he explains, lies not in the type of sauce you choose, but in how you eat these foods.

“If you eat pasta when it’s really cold, its glycemic index is lower, which means you can enjoy it even while dieting,” Mitchell says. While cold pasta may not sound especially appealing, some might be willing to try it knowing it could help curb cravings for sugar and other snacks. He also recommends applying the same approach to potatoes, for example, eating them as a cold salad with savory ingredients.

“Just don’t go overboard with honey in the salad,” he cautions. “The point is to rethink the idea that carbs are a ‘dirty’ word in dieting. When used correctly, they can actually—and even beneficially—be part of a weight-loss plan.”