A low carb diet is a diet that restricts the amount of carbohydrates you take in while at the same time requires you to eat a wide variety of healthy foods. Low-carb diets usually restrict carbohydrate intake by a fairly large margin, relative to what the typical diet involves. Most low carb diets require that you choose to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you take in; usually replacing them with either proteins and fat, or foods high in protein and fat, respectively. This article is going to provide some basic information on low carb diets to help you decide if they are right for you.
There are many types of low carb diets, the most popular of which are Atkins and South Beach. The fundamental difference between these diets is the way they approach carbohydrates. Atkins advocates limiting your intake of carbohydrates to 20 grams a day, or less. On the other hand, South Beach advocates eating as many carbohydrates as possible while still limiting the amount of saturated fats you eat.
As far as the argument over the true causes of obesity goes, there isn’t one yet. Low carb diets do tend to cause people to lose weight, but this weight loss is mostly water and muscle tissue rather than fat. Also, low carb dieters do tend to have more frequent or better dental health than those who maintain a balanced diet. So, the short answer to the question posed in the title is that yes, you do need to be concerned about your diet if you’re overweight.
However, the one thing you do want to limit while on a low carb diet is your intake of all processed sugar. Almost all natural sugars are processed, so this step is almost an unnecessary one. Instead, focus your attention on getting as much fresh fruit and vegetable intake as possible, as these foods contain the most nutritional value. You should also limit your consumption of artificial sweeteners and white flour.
Another thing many people find concerning low carb diets is the way some of them to make them seem like a punishment. For instance, in the Atkins Diet you are required to eat certain types of foods at designated times, such as Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only. On the Atkins diet, losing weight is seen as a form of punishment. While there is nothing wrong with seeing losing weight as a form of discipline, there are other weight-loss plans that offer a more balanced approach to dieting.
In regard to dieting in general, low carb diets such as the Atkins plan are actually not that bad for you. As a matter of fact, as your body adjusts to the elimination of carbohydrates from your diet you may actually begin to enjoy the increased intake of healthy vegetables and other foods. Since many of the processed carbohydrates that you’re now eating are complex carbohydrates, your body will actually process these foods more slowly. That means you’ll likely get a better and more fulfilling feeling when you eat your veggies! The slower processing also means that you’ll be able to feel fuller longer and thus have fewer cravings for snacks.
Of course, the biggest concern of most people about low carb diets is their ability to cause low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. This is largely due to the fact that many low carb diets eliminate all carbohydrates from your diet. If you do happen to have problems with hypoglycemia after starting a low-carb diet, it is important to speak with your doctor immediately. Your doctor can help you address the cause of your hypoglycemia and may be able to prescribe alternative medications that may prevent hypoglycemia in the future.
There are two primary methods that you can use to get the amount of carbohydrates that you need each day without drastically affecting your blood sugar levels. First, you can choose to eat lots of natural sources of carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, in addition to your diet plans. Second, you can choose to limit your intake of carbohydrates completely. Regardless of the method that you choose, be sure to keep track of how many carbohydrates you’re consuming as this will be an important part of your fight against diabetes. With diabetes comes the risk of serious health problems, including heart disease and stroke, so it’s important that you take these extra precautions.