Is a low-carb diet really effective? I guess it depends on your definition of cash. Yes, a low carb diet will help you lose weight fast, perhaps faster than anything other than a full diet. However, there are a few things you should know about carbohydrates that will help clarify why a low-carb diet isn’t a permanent weight-loss solution, how it will affect you, and why it’s not particularly safe.
The truth about carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are a fundamental source of energy for your body. Even if you don’t know why (and why isn’t particularly important for the scope of this article), you do know that if you eat a lot of sugar, which is a carbohydrate that your body digests very quickly, you get a sudden burst of energy. It follows, then, that if you eat fewer carbohydrates, you will have less energy; So if you choose to follow a low-carb diet, be prepared to feel a little slower than usual. Also, as I’m sure you know, exercise is an essential aspect of any weight loss program, but if you’re not eating enough carbohydrates, you’ll find it more difficult to complete your workout. Mental toughness will only get you so far; at some point, your body will need fuel.
The truth about low carb diets
When you eat, your body can essentially store excess carbohydrates for later. These carbohydrates are stored as fat, which is why a low-carb diet can help you lose weight so quickly. When you stop eating enough carbohydrates, your body will use its reserves (fat) to give you the extra fuel you need. Sounds great, right? You can simply let your body rely on fat to get you through the day. After losing all the unsightly fat, you can simply start eating carbs again to provide your body with the energy it needs and, as if by magic, you’ll be slim!
Unfortunately, there is one problem that anyone advertising a low-carb diet conveniently ignores. Having an excessive amount of food to eat (at least in some parts of the world) is a very new problem that our bodies have not yet learned to deal with. Our metabolism is much better at keeping us from starving than it is at allowing us to lose weight, so if you try a low-carb diet or even a crash diet, your metabolism will slow down and your fat will become even more stubborn. You will lose less weight that second week than you did the first, and even less during the third week. When you finally start eating carbs again, your body will convert even more of them to fat than it normally would in preparation for another fast. This is why a low carb diet is not a permanent weight loss solution; in fact, many people will end up weighing even more than they did before the diet because it will take a while for their bodies to realize that another fast is not imminent.
Finally, carbohydrates should be part of any balanced diet that also includes protein and fat. If you’re missing any of these elements, you’re likely to feel hungry even after eating a high-calorie meal because your body isn’t meeting its nutritional needs. This is true even if you are eating the same number of calories as before.
How many carbohydrates should I eat?
With all of that said, there are a few things you can do to make sure your body isn’t constantly converting all of your carbs into fat. First, you may very well be able to eat fewer carbohydrates without eating too few. For a 2,000 calorie diet, you should eat about 300 grams of carbs, which equals 1,200 calories (you’ll need to adjust this if you’re taller than average and/or exercise a lot, but 300 grams should be plenty) . minimum). It may seem tedious, but one day you should take the time to measure your food and use the nutrition facts on labels to figure out how many carbs you’re eating in a typical day (you can also search online for foods that don’t have a label, like fruit). fresh). If you’re eating more than 300 grams, then you can cut back without risking low energy levels or your body going into starvation mode (just make the switch gradually over time if you’ve gone too far).
Improve your carbohydrates!
When you eat around 300 grams of carbohydrates a day, you can focus on improving the carbohydrates you eat. Fruits and vegetables are the highest quality carbohydrate sources you can find: they are complex carbohydrates, meaning they will provide you with sustained energy over a period of time (unlike most sugars which break down quickly and cause a slump). and they’re easy for your body to digest (they’re also very nutrient-dense). When you eat grains (and it’s hard to get to 300 grams without eating grains), go for 100% whole grain options. Whole grains contain a good dose of fiber that will help keep you full longer and take some of the pressure off your digestive system. Whole grains are becoming more and more popular, and most breads in the bread aisle say something like 100% whole wheat or 100% multigrain. You can also choose whole-wheat pasta, brown rice instead of white, and whole-wheat pizza crusts, tortillas, and crackers. Make these updates a part of your daily diet and you can watch your body permanently transform safely without sacrificing your energy levels.