Low Carb Diets

99 Ways Newsletter

Low carb diets are difficult for most, but have worked wonders for many. The best example is the Atkins Nutritional Approach. It's considered extreme by many, when compared to other low carbohydrate diets, such as the South Beach Diet. Atkin's induction phase, for example, allows only 20 carbs per day.

What's Wrong With Carbs?

Here's the quick lesson. Carbohydrates, especially refined carbs, such as sugar and white flour, cause a spike in your blood sugar, causing insulin to rush into your veins. This lowers your blood sugar, giving you the "sugar blues", and causing you to crave more carbs. The excess insulin causes you to retain salt and water, which is bad for your health, but that's not even the main concern.

Insulin, a powerful hormone, carries glucose (blood sugar) from your blood to your cells, for conversion into energy. You liver converts excess glucose into glycogen, which is stored in the liver and muscles for additional energy. The remaining glucose is then converted to fat and stored throughout your body.

The problem here is that excess carbohydrate intake results in too much glucose, which cause too much insulin production, and eventually hyperinsulinism. This is a condition that makes it very hard to lose weight, and can lead to diabetes as well.

The Low Carb Solution

Weight loss with a low carb diet is achieved by stabilizing insulin production. This is done by restricting carbohydrates, and eating complex carbs that are digested and converted to glucose more slowly. Initially, you are encouraged to severely restrict carbohydrates, which causes the body to burn fat for energy, a process called ketosis or lipolysis.

Later, you add back foods that have more carbs, as long as they have a low "glycemic index" number. The glycemic index is just a way of measuring how fast various foods are converted to glucose in the body. A low number (apple: 36, lentils:29) is better than a high one (white rice: 88, baked potato: 85).

Will It Work For You?

How many pork rinds and eggs can you eat in a day? This is the biggest reason people fail on these diets: not enough things to eat. Low carb diets work for most of those who can follow them, but being able to follow a diet is the biggest problem with all of them, right? There are more low carbohydrate products coming all the time, so maybe Atkins and other low carb diets will become easier to use with time.

Next Issue: An Easier Low Carb Alternative, And A Better Way To Watch TV

Quick Weight Loss Tips

You'll find this section in each newsletter. The idea here is that there are many small changes you can make to help you lose weight. Make changes that are right for you, and maybe, with enough of them, you'll lose weight even without a "plan" or "program." In any case, they can help no matter what plan you use. Today's weight loss tips:

1. Mustard and hot sauce have been shown to rev up your metabolism. You'll burn roughly 25% more calories for up to three hours after eating a tablespoonful. If they don't bother your stomach, start spicing up your meals.

2. If you find your self turning off the alarm and going back to sleep too often, put the alarm clock on the other side of the room. You're less likely to lose your motivation and go back to sleep if you've already gotten out of bed to turn off the alarm.

3. Use the stairs instead of the elevator whenever you have the choice (okay, maybe not in the Sears Tower). Every little bit of exercise helps.

Bye now,

Steve