Weight loss carbohydrate intake
They raise HDL (the good) and improve the pattern of LDL (the bad) cholesterol ( 7, 8, 9, 10 ). This diet restricts your intake of carbohydrates like sugars and starches (breads, pasta, etc. Burning an extra 500 to 1,000 calories a day means you may not have to reduce your calorie intake to shed pounds. Following general carb recommendations, while reducing your overall calorie intake, is the key to safely dropping weight. People who are physically active and have more muscle mass can tolerate a lot more carbs than people who are sedentary. Effective weight loss often requires reducing your current intake by 500 to 1,000 calories daily, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommended overall calorie intakes for weight loss range from 1,000 to 1,600 calories daily for women and 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day for many men, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Metabolic health is also a very important factor. However, meeting your carbohydrate recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, gives your body the fuel it needs to function properly -- and helps you avoid negative side effects associated with low-carb diets, such as weakness, fatigue, dizziness and headaches. Studies show that low-carb diets reduce your appetite and make you eat fewer calories and lose weight pretty much effortlessly, as long as you manage to keep the carbs down ( 4 ). They lower blood sugar, blood pressure and triglycerides. For the past few decades, the health authorities have recommended that we eat a calorie restricted, low-fat diet. This is pretty much a scientific fact at this point ( 11, 12, 13 ). ) and replaces them with protein and fat. This particularly applies for those who do a lot of high intensity, anaerobic work like lifting weights or sprinting. The Institute of Medicine reports that the carbohydrate RDA is 130 grams daily for adult men and non-pregnant, non-nursing women.
Bottom Line: The optimal carb range varies between individuals, depending on activity levels, current metabolic health and a bunch of other factors. Some low-carb weight-loss diets contain as few as 20 grams of carbohydrates per day, at least initially. This means that you can eat until fullness, feel satisfied and still lose weight. In studies where low-carb and low-fat diets are compared, the researchers need to actively restrict calories in the low-fat groups to make the results comparable, but the low-carb groups still usually win ( 5, 6 ). She also holds a Bachelor of Science in dietetics and has extensive experience working as a health writer and health educator. Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian. When people get the metabolic syndrome, become obese or get type II diabetes, the rules change. Low-carb diets cause more weight loss and improve health much more than the calorie restricted, low-fat diet still recommended by the mainstream. Reducing the amount of carbohydrates in your diet is one of the best ways to lose weight. Bottom Line: There are many studies showing that low-carb diets are more effective and healthier than the low-fat diet that is still recommended all around the world. Low-carb diets also have benefits that go way beyond just weight loss. Her articles are published on various health, nutrition and fitness websites. An alternative that has been available for a long time is the low-carb diet. How to Figure Out Your Need For Carbohydrates.
