Carve Out Carbs - Low Carbohydrate

Low Carbohydrate

How Low Carbohydrate Diets Work

Proponents of a low carbohydrate diet say that the reason it works is because carbohydrates increase the body's production of insulin, and that leads to weight gain. Reduce the amount of carbs you take in, however, and you can better control your body's insulin production. In addition, your body burns its stored carbs (glycogen) for energy. Then water is released, which causes you to lose weight.

In the absence of carbs, your body not only burns glycogen for energy, but it also burns some fat. When you burn fat without carbohydrates in your system, byproducts called ketones are released in your bloodstream. They are excreted through urine. Your body also burns protein and muscle tissue if you don't eat enough carbs. When you build muscle, the mass shows up as a weight gain. Conversely, when muscle tissue is burned, the scale shows it as a weight loss.

Benefits of a Low Carbohydrate Diet

Most people--especially people who love meat--love low carbohydrate diets. Who wouldn't love to eat bacon and eggs for breakfast every day and steak for dinner every night to lose weight? Not only do they taste good, but they also act as an appetite suppressant. People on a low carbohydrate diet tend to lose weight fast at first, but that tends to level off after about six months. In addition, their levels of good cholesterol (HDLs) and triglyceride levels usually improve.

Drawbacks of a Low Carbohydrate Diet

In the long term, the dropout rate of people on a low carbohydrate is just as high as it is for a low calorie diet. In addition, people get tired of the foods that were so appealing in the beginning. After all--bacon and eggs are better with toast, and steak is better with a baked potato.

In addition, ketosis can cause bad breath and cause minerals to leach from your bones, making them brittle and prone to osteoporosis. Also, some doctors are concerned that it causes kidney damage and increases the risk of cancer and heart disease in the long term. Since low carbohydrate diets restrict the amount of fruits and vegetables you can have, you don't get enough fiber and you are quite often constipated. You also don't get the vitamins and minerals you need to try to ward off cancer and heart disease.

Conclusion

Eat a variety of healthy foods in moderation and stay active to lose weight. It might take longer to lose weight this way, but you're more likely to keep it off.

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