Is Low Carb Eating Good For Weight Loss?
Millions of people are following the low-carb
(ie Atkins, South Beach and other high protein diets) diet in order to cut down their
weight drastically. Its very common to find someone eating just meat and vegetables, with
no rice, potatoes or breads to go along. Before you jump onto the low-carbs bandwagon, it
might be useful to educate yourself:
Are carbs really the enemy to keeping weight
down?
Ans: Carbohydrates are not fattening. Neither
is protein, nor even fat when eaten in proportions according to your needs.
Consumption of excess calories (total amount of the nutrients: carbs, protein and
fat) more than you expand is the main cause of weight gain. In fact it is the excess fat
calories that makes the body store more fat more readily. Fact: It takes the
body about 3 kcal to convert 100 kcal of fat from food into stored body fat,
while it takes about 23 kcal to convert 100 kcal of carbohydrate into stored body fat.
Which is the bigger enemy? You decide.
Does it really help to lose weight?
Ans: Yes. Low carb diets DO work but NOT for
long. The ways these diets help in weight loss is through:
- Loss of water weight: water binds with glycogen (stored
carbohydrates) in the muscles. When you consume little carbs, you lose a lot of water, so
you lose a significant amount of weight in a short time (within days).
- Decreased appetite
- Reduction of overall calories since cutting carbs represents
a significant amount of food we eat on daily basis.
Are there side effects?
Dizzy spells, irritable, cravings, weak, sluggishness,
poor performance at work and at play are some of the commonly reported side effects.
Proponents of low carbs diets might argue this is only temporary, but I would like to
counter challenge: are you better off (in health, physically and mentally) in the longer
run compared to those to eat normal healthy diet?
Is it a recommended approach to weight loss?
Ans: The effects of low carb diet on long-term physical and
mental health are not studied adequately, and rarely can anyone sustain that kind of diet.
Most people regain back their weight after the initial weight loss, just like many other
types of diet (eg low calories, low fat).
Further, would you want to live your life with little or no
carbs like rice, breads, noodles, cakes, bagels etc? These are the energy food
and eating them will keep you energised and satsifed. Imagine running a car without
fuel.
We don't recommend it at least not for long term, we are
certain it will not work. Those who are able to keep their weight down for long periods,
have great bodies and very energetic, all follow a similar pattern of eating a normal diet
of a good mix of carbs, protein and fat and exercise regularly.
Having said all these, we are not out to condemn the whole
low carbs idea. It does warrant some attention and reminds us one thing: do we
also want to eat the huge amount of carbs we are told to by the health authorities when we
are sitting most of the time, unlike our grandparents and parents who are much
more active than us?
We are never shortage of miracle diet. All have
their merits and all have their limitations as well. We at Fitness Tutor strive
to stay to be in the middle ground, by giving you only our unbiased opinions.
