Should You Go on a Low Carb Diet?

Posted Jan 25, 2010

Low carbohydrate diets have dominated the front of magazine covers for a number of years and it is now relatively common for both men and women to claim that they are cutting their carbs at lunch or dinner to help with weight control. So, is weight loss really as easy as getting rid of the rice and pasta at night and skipping the bread at lunchtime? Unfortunately no, but knowing a few simple tricks to help you get the right balance of the right types of carbs, at the right time is all you need to make sure you are giving your muscles the energy they need to train, without leaving yourself susceptible to weight gain.

Carbohydrate containing foods include plant-based foods such as bread, rice, pasta, fruit, potato and sugars such as jam and honey. The main role of carbohydrate is as the primary fuel source for the muscles. This fact inevitably led to the development of low carbohydrate diets as it was believed that reducing the amount of fuel the muscle had access to would in turn mean that fat would be burnt instead. While this is true to a certain extent, the muscles and brain also need a minimal amount of carbohydrate each day to function efficiently. If fewer carbs are consumed than the minimal amount the body requires, metabolic rate will slow over time making fat less likely to be burnt. This is the reason that low carbohydrate diets appear to work well initially before weight loss slows.

So, instead of cutting the carbs entirely, especially if you are training regularly, being fussy about the types you have and the times that you have is all your need to be mindful of.

Generally speaking, the less processed the carb, the better it will be for you. Dense grain bread, oat based cereals and low fat dairy foods are all good quality carbohydrates that release their energy into the bloodstream relatively slowly, helping to keep you full. Aim to include a rich source of carbs at each of your main meals throughout the day to give your muscles and brain the fuel they need to function optimally. If you do choose to keep things lighter at night to support weight control, it is crucial that you still remember to recover properly after any afternoon or evening training sessions to prepare your muscles for training again the next day. Grab a quick shake on the run or carb protein energy bar within 30 minutes of finishing your session and notice how much more in control of your appetite you feel for the remainder of the day.