Is Low Carb Right For You?
Every day we see different ideas and opinions about nutrition. Some say low carb, high fat, no dairy, no meat, high protein and so on. With all the different options, its hard to decided what is best for our own bodies. A very popular diet is the Low Carb diet. I’m sure you have seen some amazing before and after results from a low carb diet. People just assume that carbs are the enemy because thats what we have been taught. Will you lose weight with a low carb diet? Yes, you will. Is that the only want to lose weight? No!
No matter what the source is, when you eat a carbohydrate, it turns into sugar in your body. Sugar singles insulin to be released. Lower insulin levels makes it easier to access and burn body fat for energy. Reducing insulin makes it harder to make and store new fat on your body. Too much insulin means your body starts to become resistance to it which leads to insulin resistance, pre diabetes and diabetes.
Carbohydrates give us energy which is why they are an important part of our diets.. Having a complex carbohydrate allows the body to receive the needed energy without spiking your blood sugar and releasing too much insulin. The more active you are, the more carbohydrates you will need. Lets talk about what Low Carb really means and who it’s really best for.
What does “Low Carb really mean?
Low carb is defined as receiving less than 45% of your total calories from Carbohydrates. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend 45%-65% of daily calories from Carbohydrates. That number can be high for those who live sedentary lifestyles or have any level of insulin resistance or diabetes.
Here are different definitions of a lower carb diet:
Moderate Carbohydrate: 26%-45% of calories from carbs
Low Carbohydrate: <26% of calories from carbs and/or 130g of carbs daily
Very Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet: <10% of daily calories from carbs or 20-50g of total carbs per day.
Should you go Low Carb?
Honestly, many would actually benefit from a lower carb diet because our society as a whole eats far too many carbs. That doesn't mean, NO carbs, but lower carbs. Like I mentioned above, it completely depends on your body type, hormonal make up, activity level and so much more.
How many Carbs should I have then?
A good place to start is with a moderate carbohydrate diet. Pay attention to how you feel. If you find yourself craving sugar you may not be having enough carbohydrates or you even could be having too many. Try to keep your carb intake around your workouts. On days you do not workout, have less carbs. On days you have a harder workout, increase your carbs. Now remember this is a starting point. There are many different factors involved in this.
Another option is to cycle your carbs. For more information see my post below-
You need to think of food as fuel. Carbs are used as fuel for your body so the more your body is working, the more energy you need.
Remember, you need to find what works for your body and your body only since not everyone is made the same way. Just make sure you do not cut carbs out completely. You can do some major damage to your metabolism if you cut out an entire food group. Carbs contain much needed fiber, vitamins and minerals.