Low-carb diets have been hugely popular for a number of decades now,
with many people believing that a certain Dr Atkins, to be responsible for our
understanding of how and why these diets are so effective when it comes to
burning fat. Losing weight, or rather, losing fat, is most certainly not an
easy task, and it is definitely not something that happens overnight. If we’re
truly serious about losing fat and getting into shape, we need to find a diet
plan that not only works, but one that is also sustainable so that it allows us
to stick with it for the foreseeable future, and to possibly even incorporate
it as part of a healthy lifestyle. This is why low carbohydrate diets are
considered so beneficial.
But, low carb diets are bad, aren’t they? - In the past, before we truly understood how they worked, we were
quick to point out that, surely any diet that allowed you to eat foods like
sausage, egg, bacon, and cheese, as frequently as you liked, couldn’t possibly
allow you to lose weight. Some people ignored these sceptics and tried the diet
anyways, only to find the fat literally melting off of their frames. Up next,
the sceptics admitted that, although the diet did appear to burn fat, that it
would instead come at a price, as surely those moderate/high fat foods, and
protein rich foods couldn’t possibly be good for us and would lead to
conditions such as: hypertension, high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and
possibly even heart disease and heart attacks. Low and behold however,
individuals following these diets, had their bloods and other vitals tested
before and after the diet, only to find that blood pressure and LDL cholesterol
levels had actually reduced, whereas HDL healthy cholesterol, had increased.
Here’s a look at everything you need to know about low-carb diets.
What are carbohydrates, and are they all the same? – Carbohydrates are one of three macronutrients, with the other two being
fat and protein, that the human body relies on ordinarily for its energy
production. They are made up of starches, fibres, and sugars, and are commonly
found in fruits, some vegetables, milk-based products, as well as cereals and
grains. Just to make matters a little more complicated, not all carbohydrates
are the same. You’ve probably heard people talking about complex carbs, in the
past, as well as, simple carbs. The main difference between these carbs, is
nothing more than their chemical structures. Their chemical structures
basically influence how quickly the body is able to break them down and absorb
them. Simple carbs contain one or two sugar molecules, where as complex carbs
contain three or more.
How do carbohydrates function within the body – Ordinarily, when carbs are consumed, the body utilizes a certain
amount of them as energy, converting them into glucose molecules, whilst the
remaining carbs are stored as body fat, to be used as an emergency energy
source for a later date. Once these carbohydrates make their way into our
bloodstreams however, our blood sugar levels increase, which then requires a
hormone known as insulin, to be secreted via the pancreas. Insulin is basically
there to help shuttle energy, sugar, and nutrients out of our bloodstreams and
into our cells, as quickly as possible. Simple carbs are absorbed much quicker
than complex carbs, which means that the insulin secreted will often not have
chance to do its job correctly, which can result in insulin sensitivity, or
even diabetes. The body uses carbohydrates as energy, due to the fact that carb
molecules are much easier to break down and convert into glucose energy sources
for the body. If we look at things from an evolutionary standpoint however, fat
is actually the body’s preferred energy source, which is why low carb diets are
so effective.
How do low carb diets work? – Low
carb diets require individuals to greatly restrict their daily carbohydrate
consumption, with the main objective being fat loss. On average, we need around
250 – 350 grams of carbohydrates a day for our bodies to function correctly. By
following a low carb diet however, we restrict our daily carb consumption to
around 20 – 50 grams per day, which is obviously considerably less than the
body is used to. By removing the body’s preferred energy source however, the
body panics and thinks that it is starving. For the first two or three days,
you will feel awful – your head will hurt, you will feel tired, you will feel
sluggish, and you will crave carbs like there is no tomorrow. If you get
through this period however, something miraculous happens to you. Your body
enters what is known as a ketogenic state, and falls into a state of ketosis.
Special enzymes are secreted by the liver, which are known as ketones. These
ketones then allow the body to use its body fat as a natural energy supply
instead, just as nature intended. Once you enter ketosis, as long as you keep
your carb consumption low, aiming for around 20 – 40 grams per day, you will
remain in ketosis, which means that every second, your body will be burning fat
for energy, instead of carbohydrates from foods and drinks that you consume.
What are the main benefits of low-carb diets? – There are many, many benefits associated with low carb diets,
including, but not limited to, the following:
·
Increased fat loss
·
Increased visceral fat loss
·
Enhanced muscle growth and
repair
·
More energy
·
Less hungry
·
Increased satiety
·
Reduced harmful LDL cholesterol
levels
·
Improved healthy HDL
cholesterol levels
·
Stable blood sugar levels
·
Reduced blood pressure
·
Improved major organ health and
function
·
Increased metabolism
·
And more...http://www.highproteinlowcarbdiet.org
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