Low carb diet
A low-calorie, low-carb diet is one of the most common diets for people looking to lose weight. I would like to explain in this article why low carb is a very good approach for many people (myself included) in this regard.
It is very important to mention in advance that a low carb diet does not have to be a crash diet for weight loss. For various health reasons, it may also make sense to limit your carbohydrate intake without wanting to lose weight. Likewise, of course, slow weight loss is possible by gradually cutting back on carbohydrates.
To bring you closer to my perspective on this topic, I want to explain in this article what, from my point of view, a low-carb diet means, how a low-carb diet differs from other diets, what are its benefits, and also, possibly some limitations. Diet version of the lie.
What does low carb mean anyway
Low carbohydrate simply means “low carbohydrate”. How little it should be right now, there are many different nutritional concepts, with different rules. However, these are all sub-concepts that I don’t want to deal with right now.
What low carbohydrate means to me is that the amount of carbohydrates decreases. In many cases, this is simply the smartest move because it saves the most (unnecessary) calories. I’ll explain why this is the case later.
If you want to try it in an easy way, you can do it with a simple first step, like eating more in the evening without carbs. If you just want to see how it works, just give it a try. If you want to understand why this is the case, then read the linked article.
The basics: what is food made of?
To understand why low carb makes more sense, you first need to understand what foods (simplified) are made of. In theory, our food, whatever its shape, is pretty simple.
It consists of three macronutrients, fats, proteins and carbohydrates. They alone can be used to generate energy. In addition, there is fiber (which is usually given with carbohydrates) and so-called micronutrients. The latter include vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Then, of course, water (most of which drinks too little) is still part of the diet. It was actually this. At least that’s what our body can do about it.
For your diet, this means:
If you reduce your intake of one or more macronutrients, you will consume fewer calories directly. If you finally get fewer calories, you will lose weight.
Why low carbohydrates are important for macronutrients
But why should you avoid carbohydrates? The short and clear answer is that you don’t necessarily need a single micronutrient.
Protein deficiency is definitely no joke, and most people consume too little protein (and therefore essential amino acids) anyway. Especially in diet, if you are defining your muscles and want to maximize muscle retention in your diet, you should make sure you are consuming adequately. It’s best to try this with food, not just protein shakes.
Fat is also a vital nutrient for your body. Essential fatty acids are essential for hormones, enzymes, and various metabolic processes in your body. For this reason, it can even be dangerous if someone on a diet is trying to avoid fat. Especially omega-3 deficiency is very common. Here you can only limit your consumption to a certain extent.
But what about carbohydrates? In fact, they are only used as fuel, that is, to generate clean energy. Don’t get me wrong, carbs are really great for this. The brain, in particular, works best with carbohydrates. In fact, it also makes carbohydrates replaceable.
Why the low carb diet still works so well
At the latest, now you know that fat and protein are essential, so vital. Carbohydrates, however, are not. At first I thought it was incredible, because it seems that our entire food supply is made up mostly of carbohydrates. Bread, toast, potatoes, pasta, rice, cereals, chips, french fries, gummy bears, biscuits, all of these foods contain primarily macronutrients, and these are carbohydrates.
If you look at this list again, you may also notice some supposedly unhealthy foods. If you now deliberately reduce your carbohydrate intake, you will also increasingly go without these foods.
In addition, the low carb approach also leads to more informed consumption and discussion of ingredients for many people. In all fairness, this also applies to another approach to diet called “If it fits your macros” or IIFYM for short. Why low carbs are better than IIFYM.
First of all, low carb works very simply and, at least up to a point, it is also very beneficial and effective without constantly counting calories. I still recommend that you figure out how many calories you need and which foods contain how many calories. This ensures your shopping success and helps you make better decisions if you want healthy shopping.
Why low carb isn’t always the best solution
While I think cutting carbs is the best (because easiest) approach for most people, it has some potential drawbacks. For this reason, a low-carb diet may not be the best diet for you.
Some people find it harder to avoid carbohydrates than others. There are some really good replacement products out there right now, like low carb protein bars, so I’m a real protein bar addict, but for many it’s not a real replacement. This can lead to frustration and abortion. lead a diet. If you just can’t stick to a specific diet, you may need to try a different approach.
Also, don’t underestimate the dangers of too many calories on a low-carb diet. Many protein foods are also high in fat and calories. After all, if taken carelessly, it can even lead to weight gain despite being low in carbs.
Another risk is micronutrient deficiencies, because the mindless low-carb diet also avoids fruits and lots of vegetables to conserve carbs. One or the other tries to compensate for this with additives. This is not a smart approach. Fruits and vegetables should also be low in carbohydrates.
If you pay attention to these things, nothing will stop you from trying low-carb foods at least once.
Your Takeaway – Why You Should Try Low Carbs
As you can see, there are many good reasons why low carbs are so common and considered effective as a diet. The main argument against this is ultimately the frequent misinterpretation and carelessness on the part of the user.
Therefore, I can advise you to try low-carb foods if you are looking for a simple and effective approach to healthy weight loss. Do it right, however, to make sure you can follow the diet and that it is successful. You may have to defeat your inner bastard one time or another, but it will be worth it in the end.
Also use diet as a starting point for long-term dietary changes if you are not satisfied with the effects of your previous eating habits. Believe me, changing these habits is quite possible.