Lose Weight Low Carb Diets - do they work?

There is widespread interest from the population in the idea of lose weight low carb diets that could be utilised in conjunction with an exercise program to help them achieve the shape they desire? Gaining the body we want requires a two pronged approach of both exercise and diet. Whatever program you utilise will not cannot conquer unhealthy eating.

Often people look into a starting a workout program in order to lose weight, even more so than trying to improve their health or fitness levels. By concentrating on working out to reduce weight without looking at the diet will make it difficult to lose weight.

The ideal program will contain both elements of nutrition and exercise to lose fat, improve fitness, and lower health risk. The popular press and exercise magazines have all dealt with diets containing various mixes of carbohydrates, protein, and fats.

All sorts of recommendations have been made including high carb, low fat, high protein, and in recent times, lose weight low carb diets. Nevertheless our genetics allows us to overcome the changes. The problem is that we need to provide enough energy for our muscles to work effectively while not providing too much that will be stored as fat.

We need to provide the energy for our muscles so that they have sufficient prior to exercise and enough to recover afterwards without breaking down muscle to provide needed energy.

In simplistic terms protein is used to build and repair muscles, carbohydrates provide the energy, and fats provide the hormonal factors necessary. All 3 factors are important to well being and in being able to live a healthy way of life. If there are insufficient carbs the muscles can then utilise fat and protein to obtain sufficient energy.

Taking a more complex approach, muscles obtain energy from adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is mainly produced utilising glucose. Storage occurs in the liver, and also in the muscles, as glycogen. The contraction of a muscle anaerobically utilises the glycogen held in a muscle directly and leads to the formation of ATP. Only small amounts are stored and when used up leads to muscle failure.

With aerobic activity ATP can be created, mainly from glucose, and be available almost immediately. The next step is to utilise the fatty acids, which are located in fat cells, which gives energy. Finally we move to anaerobic means to produce energy.

This is why many people in the fitness industry believe that the lose weight low carb diets do not combine well with exercise. In fact many marathoners will load up with carbs prior to setting out. If insufficient carbs are accessible to meet the requirements of the muscles then fatty acids are next utilised to provide glucose. This is a precursor to ATP which our muscles can use.

This process is not as efficient as glycogenesis which uses glucose to provide energy. People mistakenly think that the use of these fatty acids by the body has led to genuine weight loss.

Our ambition is usually to lose fat rather than weight itself. By not feeding the muscles much of the early weight loss will come from the muscle loss instead of the desired drop in fat. But in fact muscles need to be retained at least, and preferably increased, as the fat declines.

Our long term goal is not generally to lose weight, even though we may call it that, it is loss of fat. what we are hoping to achieve is an adjustment in bodily constitution so that fat becomes a smaller proportion. Not many people would complain about having too much muscle!

The lose weight low carb diets are not useful for extended periods if you are looking for a healthy alternative in spite of being over the moon with the first weight loss. As a generalization muscle mass will be at risk of also being lost which won't help reach the objective.

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