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Is
Low-Carb Really The Way To Go?
by
Jesse Cannone, CFT, CPRS, CSPN
The latest trend in
the area of weight loss is low-carb diets such as the Atkins Diet. With
so much conflicting information out there on nutrition and weight loss,
it’s difficult for the average person to not only find out what works,
but also understand how to apply it.
In order to help
clear the air, I’m going to dispel some of the myths that are floating
around and give you some facts backed up with real science on how the
human body actually metabolizes food.
First, let’s
talk about why the low-carb approach is so popular.
There are a few reasons, but the most common is that people are
finally realizing that the low-fat/high carb approach that ha
s b
een promoted for decades now just doesn’t work!
Not only is it making us fatter, it’s also responsible for
dozens of diseases and illnesses.
It’s
true…..most Am
eric
ans eat too many carbs and are deficient in the healthy dietary fats.
However, it seems that it has to be one extreme or the other with
people in this country. So
now many people are cutting carbs and avoiding them like the plague,
which is just a
s b
ad.
But
wait…..you say that it works? Maybe
you or someone you know has tried the low-carb approach and noticed
significant weight loss. Yes,
cutting carbs will cause you to lose weight, but not much actual body
fat, if any at all. So, why
do most people lose weight so quickly?
It’
s b
ecause the human body holds 2.4g of water for every 1 gram of
carbohydrate consumed. Cut
the carbs and all you do is hold less water!
This artificial weight loss is the main reason so many people are
going low-carb.
So, not only does
following a low-carb diet cause you to lose water, it also depletes
muscle glycogen which leaves you feeling sluggish when trying to be
active or workout. Remember,
carbs are stored as glycogen in the muscles and glycogen is what’s
used to fuel your muscles.
Another problem with
severely limiting carbs is that the brain uses carbs for energy and
without enough carbs, you won’t be 100% mentally. While I agree that
people are different and that some people do better on lower amounts of
carbs, most people will feel like crap after a week or two with no or
low carbs.
But all the
fitness and nutrition ‘gurus’ say that carbs are stored as fat,
right? WRO
NG
! Any excess energy (food or
beverage) can be stored as fat – it doesn’t matter if it’s french
fries or salad! Extra is
extra is extra!
To my knowledge,
there has not been but one study that actually measured body fat of
individuals following a low-carb both before and after to see exactly
how much body fat was lost. Plus, this study was funded by a grant from
Dr. Atkins!
Also, there is quite
a bit more research that shows that carbs are not only ok to eat, but
that they also contain vital nutrients that can’t be found in other
foods.
A recent study done
by French and Canadian researchers found that consuming carbohydrates in
small amounts did NOT inhibit fat burning and only approximately 4% of
it was stored as fat. This
was in individuals who were not exercising.
They also assessed
the effect of carbohydrates in individuals who performed light to
moderate intensity exercise and found that the small carbohydrate meal
resulted in no fat being stored and did NOT inhibit fat burning.
Plus, even the large carbohydrate meal had NO effect on fat
burning and all of it went directly to the muscles to replenish glycogen
and repair tissue.
Just imagine what
happens when you do a hard workout!
So what does this
mean in plain English? Basically,
carbs are fine in small to moderate amounts (even if you don’t
exercise) and on days you do exercise, the carbs are going to be stored
in the muscles and not as fat.
So to all those
people out there who think that eating carbs will result in them being
stored as fat and it ‘shutting off; the fat burning, I’ve got good
news for you…..
You can finally have
that big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs you’ve been craving!
So how can you apply
this to your eating and fitness program?
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
-
You
need carbs – just the right amount and the right type
So what are the right
types? Focus on eating carbs that are high in fiber such as vegetables,
beans, fruits, and whole grains.
-
Vary
the amount of carbs you have based on how active you are
For example – on days you don’t exercise, eat less carbs and maybe
vary the types.
-
The
one time you can go carb crazy is right after you exercise
For
example – if you want to cheat and have ice cream the best time would
be right after a hard workout.
Focus on eating
balanced – carbs, proteins and fats; and again, adjust the amount of
each based on how active you are and plan to be.
I also recommend you
do so research yourself and learn as much as you can about human
metabolism and sound nutrition. Here are some great resources:
I hope you found this
article informative and I wish you the best. Remember, the more you know
the better off you’ll be.
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