Search Weight Loss Topics:

Home » Lose Weight Quickly » Are carbohydrates really the enemy?

Are carbohydrates really the enemy? 08 Mar 2012

Sharon Hultzer

THE dieting world is certainly an ever-growing one with variations of extreme fads and diet methods repeating and reinventing themselves through the decades. Many self-professed lifetime dieters have developed strong views on what works and what doesnt work, what foods are friends versus which ones are foes. The ultimate aim of most weight-loss diets is to lose weight as quickly and painlessly as possible, often with little regard for long-term success and health. Options range from starving, to eating only fruit, to drinking only soups, to surviving on salads and water. Lately, the most spoken-about diet in the media is the high protein and fat, very low (or no) carbohydrate strategy.

What is the truth behind these weight-loss methods, and is there a one-size-fits-all option that guarantees success to everybody prepared to put in the effort?

Simply stated, weight loss requires that we put less fuel into our body than what we use. In other words, expending more energy than we eat will place us in a negative calorie balance forcing the body to use up its stored fuel sources. The frequently asked question is: Does it matter what fuel source we give the body? Should we eliminate certain sources completely and eat specific food groups to encourage speedier results?

As we have discussed before, people dont all respond the same way to the same dietary changes. Some people lose weight relatively easily when reducing fat in their diet, and others seem to lose weight best when reducing starchy foods. Our genetic make-up certainly plays a role, but the basics still remain. Our body needs a balance of all the main macronutrients to survive healthily. Completely eliminating any of these groups has serious health implications.

We need protein to build and repair muscles and cells on a daily basis. Carbohydrates are the essential source of glucose that our brain in particular needs to function, as well as an essential source of glycogen for powering our muscles. Fats are also needed to keep our cell walls healthy and to allow for adequate hormone production. All these macronutrients are used for a plethora of other functions this is simply a brief overview.

The most famous very low-carbohydrate diet is the Atkins diet. It allows eating as much protein and fat as required, while severely limiting all carbohydrate-containing foods, including starchy vegetables (such as butternut), potatoes, breads, crackers and even fruit. In the absence of adequate carbohydrate, the body burns up fat as a fuel source which is, of course, the attractive draw card. However, the fat is not broken down completely (as it would be in the presence of carbohydrate) and yields ketones and a state called ketosis. Prolonged ketosis causes the body to metabolise muscles, tissues and organs to find additional fuel. This can be damaging to the body, not to mention the associated feelings of weakness and tiredness. In the state of ketosis, the body loses a lot of water. This leads dieters to believe they are achieving weight loss, but it is not fat that is being lost and as soon as any carbohydrate is eaten, the water weight is quickly recovered.

While no-carbohydrate diets are dangerous and have not been shown to yield any better weight-loss results in the long term, there may be a place for adequately designed low-carbohydrate diets. It is possible to develop a lower carbohydrate diet that will ensure that the minimum-required carbohydrate is available to protect against muscle breakdown. This may be effective in certain individuals yielding a speedier weight loss initially.

This initial better result is short-lived however. Long-term follow-up studies show that similar weight-loss results are achieved after 12 months when following a diet containing moderate carbohydrate (what we would term a balanced diet). If you are going to attempt a low-carbohydrate diet, dont simply follow a general plan. Ensure that you plan it with your dietician to avoid dangerous complications.

Follow this link:
Are carbohydrates really the enemy?

Your Full Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Select your age (30+ only)	30313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
Select Your US State	Select Your StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington,DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Program Choice	Select Your ProgramInjectable HGHInjectable TestoteroneInjectable SermorelinInjectable Weight LossInjectable HCG DietInjectable Vitamins
Confirm over 30 years old	Yes
Confirm that you resident in USA	Yes
This is a Serious Inquiry	Yes
Message:

Home » Lose Weight Quickly » Are carbohydrates really the enemy?