The latest trend in the area of weight
loss is low-carb diets such as the Atkins
Diet. With so much conflicting information
out there on nutrition and weight loss,
it's difficult for the average person
to not only find out what works, but also
understand how to apply it.
In order to help clear the air, I'm going
to dispel some of the myths that are floating
around and give you some facts backed
up with real science on how the human
body actually metabolizes food.
First, let's talk about why the low-carb
approach is so popular. There are a few
reasons, but the most common is that people
are finally realizing that the low-fat/high
carb approach that has been promoted for
decades now just doesn't work! Not only
is it making us fatter, it's also responsible
for dozens of diseases and illnesses.
It's true...most Americans eat too many
carbs and are deficient in the healthy
dietary fats. However, it seems that it
has to be one extreme or the other with
people in this country. So now many people
are cutting carbs and avoiding them like
the plague, which is just as bad.
But wait...you say that it works? Maybe
you or someone you know has tried the
low-carb approach and noticed significant
weight loss. Yes, cutting carbs will cause
you to lose weight, but not much actual
body fat, if any at all. So, why do most
people lose weight so quickly? It's because
the human body holds 2.4g of water for
every 1 gram of carbohydrate consumed.
Cut the carbs and all you do is hold less
water! This artificial weight loss is
the main reason so many people are going
low-carb.
So, not only does following a low-carb
diet cause you to lose water, it also
depletes muscle glycogen which leaves
you feeling sluggish when trying to be
active or workout. Remember, carbs are
stored as glycogen in the muscles and
glycogen is what's used to fuel your muscles.
Another problem with severely limiting
carbs is that the brain uses carbs for
energy and without enough carbs, you won't
be 100% mentally. While I agree that people
are different and that some people do
better on lower amounts of carbs, most
people will feel like crap after a week
or two with no or low carbs.
But all the fitness and nutrition 'gurus'
say that carbs are stored as fat, right?
WRONG! Any excess energy (food or beverage)
can be stored as fat - it doesn't matter
if it's french fries or salad! Extra is
extra is extra!
To my knowledge, there has not been but
one study that actually measured body
fat of individuals following a low-carb
both before and after to see exactly how
much body fat was lost. Plus, this study
was funded by a grant from Dr. Atkins!
Also, there is quite a bit more research
that shows that carbs are not only ok
to eat, but that they also contain vital
nutrients that can't be found in other
foods.
A recent study done by French and Canadian
researchers found that consuming carbohydrates
in small amounts did NOT inhibit fat burning
and only approximately 4% of it was stored
as fat. This was in individuals who were
not exercising.
They also assessed the effect of carbohydrates
in individuals who performed light to
moderate intensity exercise and found
that the small carbohydrate meal resulted
in no fat being stored and did NOT inhibit
fat burning. Plus, even the large carbohydrate
meal had NO effect on fat burning and
all of it went directly to the muscles
to replenish glycogen and repair tissue.
Just imagine what happens when you do
a hard workout!
So what does this mean in plain English?
Basically, carbs are fine in small to
moderate amounts (even if you don't exercise)
and on days you do exercise, the carbs
are going to be stored in the muscles
and not as fat.
So to all those people out there who
think that eating carbs will result in
them being stored as fat and it 'shutting
off; the fat burning, I've got good news
for you...
You can finally have that big bowl of
spaghetti and meatballs you've been craving!
So how can you apply this to your eating
and fitness program? Here are a couple
of things to keep in mind:
1. You need carbs - just the right amount
and the right type
So what are the right types? Focus on
eating carbs that are high in fiber such
as vegetables, beans, fruits, and whole
grains.
2. Vary the amount of carbs you have
based on how active you are
For example - on days you don't exercise,
eat less carbs and maybe vary the types.
3. The one time you can go carb crazy
is right after you exercise
For example - if you want to cheat and
have ice cream the best time would be
right after a hard workout.
Focus on eating balanced - carbs, proteins
and fats; and again, adjust the amount
of each based on how active you are and
plan to be.
I also recommend you do so research yourself
and learn as much as you can about human
metabolism and sound nutrition. Here are
some great resources: http://www.westonaprice.org/nutrition_guidelines/whats_wrong.html
http://philkaplan.com/thefitnesstruth/atkins1.htm
http://www.chekinstitute.com/articles.cfm?select=42
You can also find some great resources
and articles at my website here: http://www.achieve-fitness.com/free_resources.htm
I hope you found this article informative
and I wish you the best. Remember, the
more you know the better off you'll be.
About the Author
Jesse Cannone is a certified personal
fitness trainer, post-rehab specialist,
nutritionist, and a national fitness presenter.
He is also the author of Burn Fat FAST
and A Bride's Guide To Fast Fitness +
Weight Loss in addition to many other
popular fitness articles. He is known
for his hard-hitting and to the point
style and offers a great free email newsletter
called Fitness Success News, which you
can subscribe to at his website http://www.achieve-fitness.com
jesse@achieve-fitness.com
