 Low
Carb Contrioversy - Is Low Carb Really the Way to Go?
By Jesse Cannone
The latest trend in the area of weight loss is low-carb diets such as the Atkins Diet.
With so much conflicting information on nutrition and weight loss, it is difficult for the
average person to not only find out what works, but to 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 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 North 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. 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 2.4 g of water for
every 1 g of carbohydrate consumed. Cut the carbs and all you do is retain less water!
This artificial weight loss is the main reason so many people are going low-carb. 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 work out. 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 terrible 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 only been one study that actually measured
the body fat of individuals following a low-carb diet to see exactly how much body fat was
lost. Furthermore, this study was funded by a grant from Dr. Atkins! In addition, there is
quite a bit more research that shows that carbs are not only okay 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 in
individuals who were not exercising, consuming carbohydrates in small amounts did not
inhibit fat burning and only approximately 4% of it was stored as fat. They also assessed
the effect of carbohydrates in individuals who performed light to moderate intensity
exercise, and found that small carbohydrate meals resulted in no fat being stored and did
not inhibit fat burning. Even large carbohydrate meals 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!
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
process, I’ve got good news for you: you can finally have that big bowl of spaghetti
and meatballs you’ve been craving!
How can you apply this to your eating and fitness program? Here is a
list of things to keep in mind:
1) You need carbs - just the right amount and the right type. Focus on
eating carbs that are high in fibre 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 the 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. If
you want to cheat and have ice cream, the best time would be right after a hard workout.
Focus on eating a balanced variety of foods - carbs, proteins and fats,
and adjust the amount of each based on how active you are and plan to be. I also recommend
you do some research yourself and learn as much as you can about human metabolism and
sound nutrition. Remember, the more you know the better off you’ll be.
Here are some great resources available on the Internet:
- www.westonaprice.org/nutrition_guidelines/whats_wrong.html
- philkaplan.com/thefitnesstruth/atkins1.htm
- www.chekinstitute.com/articles.cfm?select=42
Jesse Cannone is a certified personal fitness trainer,
post-rehab specialist, nutritionist & 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. Visit www.achieve-fitness.com |
