Low-Carb Eating Provides the Fastest Weight Loss
Reducing Carbohydrate Intake Helps Dieters Lose Weight Now
Sep 18, 2009
Due to the prevalence of fad diets, the scientific community has conducted many studies to investigate the effectiveness of different approaches in achieving the fastest weight loss. Several studies have concluded that in the short and long term, low-carb eating is the most effective means for individuals to lose weight now, and keep it off for the long-term.
Avoiding Fad Diets
New fad diets are constantly being created and promoted in the dieting industry, by individuals hoping to sell diet formulations, books, pamphlets, eBooks, or promote websites or even blogs. Some fad diets are simply ineffective, and others can be downright dangerous. While the low-carb phenomenon has been called a fad diet by some, it has actually been around, helping dieters lose weight effectively, since before Dr. Atkins published his first Diet Revolution in 1972.
Diets That Work
According to a Duke University Study, a high-protein, low-carb diet was not only more effective for weight loss, it also resulted in an improvement in cholesterol levels, when compared to a low-fat, low-calorie diet. The segment of the study group that followed a low-carb diet cut their triglycerides nearly in half, while their HDL cholesterol levels increased by 5 points.
In addition to the cholesterol benefits, the low-carb dieters also lost an average of 26 pounds, compared to an average of 14 pounds lost by the low-fat dieters. The weight loss experienced by the low-carb dieters in this study reassures anyone hoping to lose weight that a reduced carbohydrate plan is one of the few diets that work.
Low-Carb Weight Loss
Low-carb weight loss is initially effective due to a loss of water weight. After the initial weight loss, however, a low-carb plan is effective due to the elimination of dietary sources of energy. Carbohydrates are the body's dietary source of energy. After being eaten, carbohydrates are converted into glucose, and moved through the bloodstream, providing cells with energy to perform their functions. Excess glucose is stored as fat, resulting in weight gain.
Individuals who restrict their carbohydrate intake force the body to find alternate sources of energy. The liver stores glycogen for emergency energy, but each molecule of glycogen is combined with four molecules of water. As the glycogen is used up, water is flushed out, which accounts for much of the initial low-carb weight loss. Fat is the body's stored-up energy, meant to be used during times without excess food to spare. Without a ready source of dietary energy, the body breaks down the stored fat into energy. This results in the ongoing weight loss experienced by low-carb dieters.
Dieters should ensure that they understand the role of Vegetables in a Low-Carb Diet as they are LC Food Shopping.
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