The Pitfalls of Low Carb Dieting

There is no question that low carb dieting is beneficial for type 2 diabetics, women with polycystic ovarian syndrome and anyone else who has some degree of insulin resistance. However, if someone wants to lose weight and they don't have insulin resistance, then a healthy balanced diet is all they need.

Low carb diet plans are enormously popular and have been for quite some time. However, if you want to lose weight they may not be your best option for several reasons. In this article we will cover what low carb diet plans are and why they are effective at helping people lose weight. We will also examine some of the pitfalls associated with the low carb approach to nutrition, why they are completely unnecessary if you're a healthy person and you simply want to lose weight, and finally provide you with a health balanced diet to follow that will help you achieve your weight-loss goal quickly and easily.

What are low carb diet plans?

Most low carb diet plans tend to have a similar format. They have less than 50 grams carbohydrates in total per day, allow large quantities of protein and fat in the diet and generally don't specify what are the best sources of proteins and fats to include in your diet and which sources you should avoid.

Why low carb dieting works

The low carb approach helps people lose weight simply because it helps to keep their blood sugar level stable (or low) and by keeping their blood sugar level low insulin release is suppressed. By suppressing insulin release from the pancreas, the body is more inclined to mobilise fat from the fat stores in the body and use it as a fuel source.

The pitfalls of low low carb dieting

Sustainability
There are several problems with following a low carb approach to nutrition. Firstly, the issue of sustainability is probably the major pitfall. Carbs are everywhere! They are in so many different foods that are available today, which means that if you choose to follow one of the many low carb diet plans, then you will have to cut out a whole range of foods that you currrently consume (and enjoy!). This means that it is not likely to be a long-term, sustainable approach to nutrition and as I always say, any principle you decide to incorporate into your lifestyle has to be something that you can do long term. If not, don't do it!

However, as I mentioned previously, some people are ideally suited to using a low carb approach as a weight-loss strategy. Type 2 diabetics, women with PCOS and anyone who has some degree of insulin resistance. In addition, I also recommend people who use anti-depressants and women who are post-menopausal to follow a low carb approach as well. I haven't found any solid sciece to back up these last two recommendations, however, through my experiences of training people who fit into these categories I have found low carb diets beneficial for them.

Limited variety of foods
As mentioned previously, going low carb means you have to cut out many foods from your diet, leaving you with a limited selection to choose from. Having a limited variety of foods makes it very difficult to stick to long term and therefore, should only be recommended under certain circumstances.

Lack of beneficial nutrients
Since going low carb means you must limit your intake of fruits and vegetables, it is highly likely that your body will become deficient in a range of vitamins and minerals. It is also likely to lack fiber as well and these deficiencies may lead to a range of health problems.

Potentially high intake of unhealthy foods
By substantially reducing your carbohydrate intake, you are left with a range of foods that are high in protein and/ or fat. Unfortunately though, some of these foods may pose a potential threat to your health because they may contain unhealthy levels of saturated fats and trans fats.

Why low carb dieting
is unnecessary for most people

The basic premise by which low carb diets work is simply by keeping insulin low. The fact is that this may be achieved by following a healthy balanced diet. If you consume a controlled amount of carbohydrates per day and control the sources of your carbohydrates as well as the amounts, then you can easily keep your blood sugar level stable and therefore, keep insulin low.

The nutritional plan I recommend may be considered to be a low carb approach to nutrition simply because the proportion of food (as a percentage of calories) coming from carbs is less than the amount that comes from protein. However, I don't suggest having less than 50 grams of carbs per day for healthy people. My 'low carb' diet suggests having between 50 and 100 grams of carbs per day, which I believe is a much more sustainable, long term approach to nutrition.

This approach allows all carbohydrate sources to be included in the diet but simply suggests controlling the amounts that are consumed. For example, 'high-density' carbohydrate sources like bread, cereal, rice and pasta should only be consumed in the amounts of 1-2 serves per day, whilst 'low-density' carbohydrate sources like broccoli, carrots, green beans, strawberries, etc. should be consumed in the amounts of 4-6 serves a day.

If you would like to find out more about this approach, read the article titled, High Protein Low Carb Diet. It will cover the nutritional approach I suugest using for burning off maximum amounts of body fat as well as losing weight fast!

Also, if you would like more detailed nutrition information that can help you burn off body fat and lose weight in record time, then I strongly suggest getting a copy of my e-book, Look Good, Feel Great! It contains everything you need to finally lose all the weight you want and get the body of your dreams!

In summary, if you are a normal, healthy person who does not fall into one of the categories mentioned earlier, then there is no need to use a low carb approach approach to lose weight. Simply follow a healthy balanced diet and you will get the results you want.

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