Do you no longer know what to do to lose weight and eliminate a few inches from the abdominal area? A low-carb diet can help you. Different studies and experts support it. Numerous studies carried out in recent years say that a low-carbohydrate diet is more effective and healthier than a low-fat diet.
The Journal of Nutrition, one of them, has seen a more significant weight loss in people who follow this type of diet and also shows that this diet reduces abdominal fat and increases insulin sensitivity.
What Is The Low Carbohydrate Diet?
As the name suggests, “low carb” or low carbohydrate diets reduce carbohydrates, especially refined ones, which do not do our body any good. When you consume more carbohydrates than you need, your body has extra energy that it stores in the form of fat. By reducing them, just the opposite effect occurs: it begins to pull fat reserves to obtain the energy it needs and this usually results in a decrease in weight and volume.
In this type of diet, sugars, legumes and starches such as bread, pasta and potatoes are restricted, and are replaced by proteins, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables. The latter are carbohydrates, but they are outside the restricted carbohydrates and can (and should) be consumed every day.
It is not necessary to fully eliminate carbs, but to limit them to the morning. In summary, you can eat meat, fish, eggs and vegetables and you should avoid (or moderate) foods with sugar, starches and legumes.
How Many Grams Of Carbohydrates Should You Consume To Lose Weight?
As with all weight loss diets, it is essential to evaluate each case in a particular way to achieve optimal results. Broadly speaking, the doctor recommends reducing the consumption of refined carbohydrates (potatoes, pasta and rice) and legumes to 50 grams per day. This amount would be equivalent to approximately one or two slices of bread for breakfast, cooked potatoes a couple of times a week and a maximum of one plate of legumes, pasta or rice a week. Fruits and vegetables are carbs, yet they exceed the daily limit. Also, remember that fruits and vegetables are carbs that should be ingested everyday. Fruit is normally recommended for mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacking, rather than for dessert, especially at dinner.
The Right Way To Consume Potatoes, Pasta & Rice Without Getting Fat!
In addition to the amounts of potatoes, pasta and rice that we eat, we must also pay attention to some characteristics of these foods and how we prepare them. These recommendations can help you “lighten” your carbohydrate doses.
- Potatoes are better when cooked or steamed. The fries, eat them only for specific occasions.
- Bet on brown rice even in paellas.
- Cook the pasta al dente and with a drizzle of oil. It is more satisfying. It will also take away your hunger more if you eat it cold in salads.
- Use whole wheat bread. It does not make you fat less, but it fills you more and for a longer time. Those made from oats and rye are the ones that provide the greatest feeling of satiety.
How Long Is It Advisable To Follow This Diet?
This type of diet can be sustainable in the long term, but the most sensible thing is to follow it until you reach a healthy weight and then gradually increase the amount of carbohydrates (without going overboard). The ideal is to eat a diet low in carbohydrates, but with periodic increases. This will ensure a metabolic flexibility (the ability of our body to change fuel according to its needs and its possibilities).
This Diet Is More Effective Than The Low Fat One!
For a long time, there was a false belief that fats were harmful to health. It was the time of the boom in low-calorie diets, in which we consumed a lot of light products, but loaded with added sugars.
Little by little this concept has been changing. It has been shown that there are fats that are not only good for our body, but also very necessary. The studies that exist in this regard are conclusive. There are considerable evidence that low-carbohydrate diets tend to cause greater weight loss and improve health compared to low-fat and calorie-restricted diets.
Carbohydrates are required by our bodies to carry out specific tasks. It is not, however, required to deliver that much of it through diet. This is because the liver can’t digest them whole and breaks them down into fat.
When we remove them from the diet, our body, which is very wise, invests the process. Neo-glycogenesis occurs. Our liver transforms the accumulations of fat into carbohydrates for energy. Hence, we lose weight and lose more volume than with low-calorie diets.
Benefits of A Low Carb Diet
Take away hunger: By reducing carbohydrates, we increase the amounts of protein and good fats, which are much more filling. With a diet rich in carbohydrates, we tend to be more-hungry. Why? Because of its high glycemic index. This index indicates the speed with which glucose (sugar) from food passes into the blood. The higher this index is, the more we want to eat.
You will not keep track of calories: Simply limit your intake of certain carbohydrates while increasing your intake of others that are more satiating. The key to this diet’s success is learning to choose the correct meals.
Ideal for reducing belly fat: This diet is great for anyone with a lot of tummy fat. It is also typically recommended for women who have a large number of holsters. You lose a lot of volume in both places and studies seem to demonstrate that those who follow this diet lose more fat while still gaining muscle.
Goodbye retention: By restricting carbohydrates, insulin is lowered and the kidneys begin to remove excess water. The first few weeks you lose weight very fast. A lot of water is removed and this translates into both weight and volume. After the initial period, weight loss is slower, because there is not so much water left over and you have to remove fat, which takes longer.
Who Cannot Follow This Diet?
This diet is not dangerous; it has no contraindications. Even so, as a precaution, you should refrain from doing it without consulting a specialist if you are part of any of these groups.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- If you are taking medication for diabetes.
- If you are taking medication for hypertension.
Before opting for this type of diet, go to a good expert who will design the diet for you and monitor you well. It’s the safest. Then, for your menus, you can be inspired by this article about the ketogenic diet or Keto, one of the most popular low-carbohydrate diets. The Dukan diet is also low carbon, but it has many naysayers.