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Low
Carb Diets
The
sense behind the low carb diet craze
Low
Carb Diets are
probably the most
popular weight loss diets today. Yet the low carb diets are
also some of the most controversial and highly debated. They
come in
all versions from Atkins Diet
to Cabbage Soup Diet. Some are even backed by nutritional experts or
dieticians e.g. Master Cleanse Diet.
Low Carb Diets are weight loss
diets
that highly restricts
carbohydrate consumption.
"Go Beyond Calories" (And Lose Belly Fat Permanetly)
cites Low
Carbing as a viable dieting techniques.
Usually the
common argument aganist these diets is that "
. . . promotion of any particular foods or food groups has the inherent
intention to introduce a calorie deficiency necessary for losing
weight.
It
is usually coupled with the belief that it is that
particular food that results to weight gain. As much is there is some
truth to their argument, usually the position taken by most of these
diets are extreme and out of balance."
The widely accepted recommendation of calories from your meal is
Carbohydrates 55%, Fats 30% evenly spread among saturated, mono and
polysaturated Fats and the reminder 15% from Proteins.
This is the
general status of the USDA Food Pyramid and other health agencies
around the world.
Contrary,
Low Carbs do away with the carbs to as
low as 5-10% of total calorie intake and replace it with Proteins and
in some cases Fats.
And
this is what the hullabaloo concerning Low
Carbohydrate Diet is all about.
First
let’s set this Low Carb
drama.
Most
health agencies sometime back recommended the balanced
diet, which has now evolved into the USDA Food Pyramid.
In
between the
Food Pyramid and the balanced diet there was a low fat diet
recommendation. This resulted to the Fat Free and Low Fat products that
hit the market.
It
was thought then that increased dietary fats
increased your chances of heart disease. We now know better, it is more
to do with types of fats.
A
Low Carb Diet often compares itself to a
low fat weight loss
diet. Infact alot of Low Carb Diet research is based on this
comparison, and capitalized on this previous mis-information.
Also to
the dislike of many experts, they are now demonizing carbohydrates,
though to a lesser extent. Some low carb diets nearly avoid carbs all
together, while others reintroduce them e.g. South
Beach Diet
calling them smart carbs.
Do Low Carbohydrates Diets Work
Yes,
in the short term, they do. Research shows that in the short term, they
are more effective than low fat diets. Furthermore, low carb diets have
shown benefits of lowered triglyceride levels giving evidence that a
high fat diet may be beneficial for a healthy heart.
In terms of weight
loss, subjects have lost up to 3 times more than those in a low fat
diet and to a lesser extent, those on a low calorie diets. Note however
that this difference was only significant in the short term. Subjects
on high fat, low carb diet regained weight at equally amazing speeds.
In 12 to 18 months the difference would be insignificant.
It will
interest you to know that some low carbing is designed with the
intentions of bringing down risky insulin and cholesterol levels which
they do quite effectively.
Low Carbohydrate Diets vindicated?
Mmmmh, Yes and No.
The comparison between low fat and low carb diet is
actually a comparison done mostly by low carb proponents. But really
the main contention among experts is whether weight loss is an issue
more to do with carbohydrates or simply calories, where the calories
come from is no issue.
The tug of war as you can see is on principally
the dynamics of how the body uses it's macronutrients. And how the
changes from a mainly carb to a high protein or fat diet affects your
physiology and health.
How do Low Carb Diets work?
The
physiology dynamics of how you use each of the macro nutrients i.e.
carbohydrates, fats and proteins, is well explained in
"Go Beyond Calories" (And Lose Belly Fat Permanetly)
. Below is an overview.
Generally in the absence of carbs for a period more than 24 hrs,
glycogen, the immediate form of energy formed from carbohydrates and
stored in muscle tissue and liver, is depleted. Consequently muscle
tissue (Proteins) catabolism/breakdown begins for purposes of providing
the body with energy. This process involves proteins providing source
of Carbon for glucose production as glucose is the preferred source of
energy of the body.
At the same time there is an initiation of ketone
body production by the liver. Ketones are by products of body fat that
the body can use for energy.
Proponents of low carb diet argue that such a diet forces the body into
fat metabolism. In essence it turns your body into a fat burning
machine.
Critics on the other hand point to the fact that the body will
use some body tissue for glucose production even in the presence of
ketones. So they argue that substantial weight loss will be attributed
to loss of proteins. This weight is quickly regained after you stop
dieting as the body reconstructs itself.
The Low Carb Diet supporters
say No!, this will not happen as the high protein in diet largely or
even fully substitutes for muscle proteins in this protein metabolism.
Clearly more research is required to determine how the body uses its
macro-nutrients.
What we currently know is as follows, body fat is the
primary fuel of choice of the body during slow aerobic exercises, in
the absence of sufficient carbohydrates. These are exercises that are
not rapid in movement and require consistent breathing as you perform
them, e.g. some form of strength training. Evidently a little body fat
is necessary for optimal health.
Glucose, mainly from carbohydrates, is
used for fast aerobics eg dancing, as well as anaerobic exercises;
where you hold your breath for a while to perform it.
Pros and Cons of Low Carbohydrate Diets
Having
been proven to be effective in the short term, low carb dieting can be
used to get motivating results. And in cases of moderate obesity a low
carb eating plan may be used in a similar way a weight loss
drug is used in morbid obesity, to reduce immediate risks of
being overweight. Since its effect is not long-term it should be used
to set stage for a more sustainable weight management diet as attempted
in the South Beach Diet.
A great concern for a low carb dieter would be
lack and resulting deficiency in micro-nutrients namely Vitamins,
Phytonutrients and to a lesser extent some Minerals. Carbohydrates do
carry a lot of these nutrients.
On the practical level, some would find
a low carb diets too restrictive. Once they reach their desired weight
they would prefer to change this diet. This change may result to weight
regain. Weight regaining on low carb diets is a truth that is not often
told.
On the question, is losing weight dependent on carbohydrate watch
as in low carb diet or calorie watch as in low calorie diet, we find
though calorie watching in the short term is effective, carb watching
in the long term is the winner and is also seemingly more sustainable.
Successes of diets like Glycemic Index
Diets points to this.
So Low Carb Diets are not as bad as we have been made to think . . .
. . . but since weight loss
management can be a lifelong endeavor, after you have done
all the carb
watching you choose to, watch your calories.
To effectively watch your
calories, you need to approach them from two aspects. First you need to
reduce calorie intake. And two you need to encourage you body to burn
the already stored calories. See
"Go Beyond Calories" (And Lose Belly Fat Permanetly)
to learn more.
However as the program details - many times you are not able
to lose weight permanently by only taking care of you physiology. You
need to adopt a permanent eating and active lifestyle that is
consistent with your ideal weight. The program calls this
weight loss psychology.
But when
it comes to losing belly fat, you will need to Go Beyond Calories. If you want to lose belly fat and get a
flat stomach or even a six pack
you will need to do two things, just two things. These two are....
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