Are Low Carb Diets - The Way To Weight Loss?
by Josie Anderson

You probably know someone who has jumped on the latest weight loss bandwagon: Low Carb Diets.

They've seen the astounding results on the scales, and lost 10+ pounds in a short period of time. So do you want to join in on this also?

Before you start... Take time to look at how your body works with Carbs:

While it is true, the weight lost when starting on a low carb diet — can be a lot in a short period of time — most of the weight you lose, is water and carbs that are stored in your body.

Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles. Each gram of a carbohydrate that is stored in the muscle is also stored with 3 grams of water. When you cut out carbohydrates your body uses the stored carbohydrates in your muscles for fuel. As these carbs are used up, the water that is stored with them, is also taken out... So the weight loss and inch loss, at the beginning of a low carb diet, is due to depletion of carbohydrates stored in your body. Your muscles can become depleted and lose volume.

Once carbs are added back into your diet, the muscles take up these carbs, along with water. So if the carbs are reintroduced into the diet in a couple days, the initial weight that was lost, will be regained.

Your brain requires carbs for energy also. The brain uses 400 calories a day, just for the standard thought process, of staying alive. So this is 100 grams of carbs a day, that is required for one body function. Any movement that you do for longer than 3 minutes requires carbs to be used for energy.

When carbs become scarce your body goes into a state of ketosis — the process of the body breaking down fat into ketones, for the brain to use as energy because not enough glucose is available for the brain.

This can result in loss of energy, fatigue, irritability and slower thought processes, which can affect your ability to work or study at school.

Eating Carbs but not gaining weight: You can eat carbs and not gain weight.

It is the choice of carbohydrates that you consume that make the difference. Including more vegetables and whole grains in your diet and eating less simple carbohydrates like sugars that are in soda, candy, processed and refined foods will help you in losing weight. Paying attention to portion sizes will also help.

Pasta is an easy trap for eating to much carbohydrates. If you like pasta add vegetable to you dishes, since vegetables are good carbs and have fiber in them they will help fill you up faster. Eat a salad with every meal, but pay attention to what you put on your salad, stick to low fat versions of dressings, like Italian and Vinaigrettes. Creamy dressing when they are low fat can be loaded with sugars to take place of the fat, so it is important to pay attention to the nutritional values of dressings.

Another way of using carbs in your body is weight training...

Weight training requires your body to use carbs for the exercise and to repair muscles after your workout. Finding a requirement in the body for the carbs that you eat is a great way to use the carbs that are consumed. By finding the requirement for use of carbs you do not need to worry so much on how many carbs that you consume but just the types of carbs.

Remember, no matter what the source, an over-abundance of body sugar is no good for your body, or your weight loss goals.

About the author: Josie Anderson is a personal trainer and the owner of Weight Loss Program 101 providing weight loss resources and a newsletter to keep you up to date on the latest in the health and fitness industry.

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