Low carb diets, once the greatest thing since sliced bread (pun intended), are not as popular as they once were and are getting a fair amount of negative press too. Diets like Dr. Atkins and The South Beach Diet are examples of low carb diets that have been criticized for their lack of nutritional content and extremities. This might just be me but I have a good handful of friends who went on the Atkins diet for the 14th time this summer. If that doesn't tell you something is wrong then I don't know what will. It's far better to use effective
weight loss strategies that won't drain you of energy and make you gain more in the long run.
These fad diets work by virtually eliminating all carbohydrates from your diet and replacing them with proteins and fats. It has been proven time and time again that if you can adhere to these strict guideline then you will no doubt lose weight quickly. The problem here is that you don't just eliminate carbs for a month or two but this is a lifestyle changing diet. The introduction of carbohydrates back into your diet will most likely put you right back at square one, overweight, unhappy and a bit peeved that you just gave up pasta for three months. This is where food eduction 101 comes in handy people! It's time to get educated about food and your body.
Ever heard of Ketosis? Ketosis is the state your body goes into when you severely deplete your bodies carbohydrate supplies. During Ketosis your body burns fat for fuel instead of sugar, simply because you are not getting any from your diet. Our bodies run on sugar, both complex and simple, when we deprive our body of its fuel the brain and muscles turn to alternative sources and fat being the ideal candidate is burned readily, therefore resulting in weight loss.
That doesn't mean a white bagel is the same thing as a carrot. Though both considered carbohydrates they are drastically different. To keep things simple, lets talk about two forms of sugars, simple and complex sugar. Simple sugars are small one and two molecule sugars found in milk lactose, and fruits. They convert quickly to blood glucose and are generally considered to be the “bad carbs”. On the other hand complex carbohydrates are found in grains, vegetables and beans, these sugars are broken down slowly and digested by the body for energy. These carbs are termed “good carbs”. There is a wonderful table of foods that will help you understand carbohydrates and their effects on your body.
Called the glycemic index, it measures how much your blood sugar rises after eating carbs, the higher your blood sugar the more you eat and less satisfied you feel. For example, white Italian bread is high because of being highly processed white flour and whole wheat or rye is lower due to the whole grains and its ability to break down slowly. Food high on the glycemic list are linked to heart disease and diabetes.
So now that I have given you a basic introduction to carbohydrates 101 It is important to eat healthy carbs when dieting. Though very tasty, white bread and sugary desserts are not the best choices, stick to whole grain breads, brown rice, vegetables, beans and fruits. These are all great sources of healthy, energy filled carbohydrates.
A low carb diet that uses healthy carbs as part of the diet is better than one that eliminates them completely, remember the key is moderation. So go on, have a bowl of pasta just don't have three. Dieting is about making smart, educated choices, its not about what they are doing on T.V or what diet Madonna is on. They have a personal staff taking care of their diet and exercise. Choose good carbs, protein and fiber rich foods that are lower in fats, fish and chicken breasts are always good in my books.
My point here is to use your common sense when starting a low carb diet. Replace highly processed carbs like white bread, pasta, cookies and doughnuts with whole wheat bread, pumpernickel or rye, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, beans, fresh fruit and vegetables. Use lower fat protein choices in low carb diets like fish, turkey and chicken. And, my last point is that food should be enjoyed, with practice and some research you can make any meal, even brown rice and chicken, taste great. Read more about how low carb diets can do more harm than good at
Body Building For You.
