Best Low Carb Diet

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Author:
Jim O'Neill

Whether you’re in a grocery store, a restaurant or just watching the commercials on TV during your favorite show, you are bombarded with ads and special menu’s singing the praises of the virtues of the low carb diet. This low carb craze has virtually swept the western world and has dieters everywhere seeking out low carb this and low carb that with many reporting weight loss as a result!!!

This is great news right? Finally, an easy diet plan that makes you lose weight and you can eat lots of food as long as they have almost no carbs in them!!! But have we really struck gold, or have we simply struck fools gold? Is the idea of eating a low carb diet for weight loss really a good idea or are there any side affects that may come with these diets that adversely affect our health?

Consider this, many people want something for nothing and this way of thinking also applies to those looking to lose weight but unfortunately there is no miracle substitute to good sound nutritional practices. Our society is one that values “quick fixes” which is why the low carb diet plan is a perfect fit for this society’s way of thinking. This is what makes it so appealing.

It is true that a large amount of weight will be lost as glycogen (stored carbohydrate) depletes in the muscles and liver, but this weight is from water, not fat loss which is not good for body composition or overall health. It is also true that the body will rely on free fatty acids for fuel when muscle glycogen is depleted, but the body will rely much more on amino acids (protein) from the breakdown of lean (muscle) tissue as well so while you may burn fat, you will also burn more muscle as well and remember, your heart is also a muscle! In addition to this, those on a carb-restricted diet have lower energy levels and shorter time to fatigue during physical activity which means any activity will likely be in shorter durations.

The fact is you need carbohydrates for your brain, heart, and muscles as well as other vital organs. The main fuel of the brain and central nervous system is glucose, which is obtained most easily from carbohydrates. If carbohydrates remain unavailable for several days the body tries to conserve protein by producing an alternate fuel source known as ketones from the partial burning of fatty acids. As this breakdown continues, these ketones build in the blood causing a condition known as ketosis. Initial weight loss is not from fat but from water from the kidneys trying to rid the body of excess ketones.

Low carb diets make the blood more acidic, causing potentially serious and unwanted side effects like headaches, bad breath, dizziness, fatigue and nausea. Also when carbohydrate stores are depleted in the body, the rate at which fat is metabolized is reduced meaning that carbohydrates are necessary for the ability to metabolize fat effectively. And keep this in mind, carbohydrates do not make you fat, calories in general make you fat so the most effective weight loss plan is simply to adjust your calorie intake to be in the right range for your own individual needs with the proper balance of nutrients.

The fact is, just because you seem to notice a loss of overall body weight in the initial stages of a low carb diet doesn’t mean it is a good solid safe means of going about embarking on a weight loss venture. There is no substitute and there will never be a good substitute to a good sound nutritional plan coupled with a moderate exercise plan and making that plan a lifetime venture.

Jim O'Neill gives you tons of valuable information on the subjects of weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to make it easy for you to live a healthy lifestyle. Sign up now for his free 7 part mini e-course at: http://www.mrgymfitness.com

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Popular Diet... Low Carb Dieting - Effective Long Term Weight Loss Tips This article explains a few things about low carb diets and low carb eating, and if you're interested in losing weight, then this is worth reading, because you can learn several effective ideas for long term weight loss. As many of the diet plans have been surfacing nowadays, many people still prefer low carb dieting for believing that this way for dieting does not deprive you for all the foods that you wish to eat. Generally, there are actually two main “big” reasons for low carb dieting. The first one is to lose weight, and the other is to develop the overall health, or maybe both. So many people today, especially those who are overweight and deformed, greatly cater to low carb dieting, and it is interesting that even those who are healthy and who are not overweight really maintain their health and vitality through low carb dieting. The low carb dieting is simply acquiring the best reputation from many people since the low carb dieting is said to be the real way that strikes at the real cause of high cholesterol, obesity, hypoglycemia, high blood pressure, and diabetes. So for those who are overweight and those who have diabetes, it is necessary for you to know that the low calorie and low fat dieting that is often recommended by most dieticians simply do not function as such. In addition, such kind of dieting just even worsens the dieters’ health condition. With low carb dieting, it is good to know that when you start a low carb dieting plan, you should replace the carbohydrates with fats and proteins. While every type of diet plan differs in their recommendations, low carb dieting is somewhat one and the same with a high fat and moderate protein dieting. As such, those who are engage in low carb dieting should then get a percentage of at least 60 to 70...