Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for your health and in some cases is even necessary. Today’s world is crazy about slimming and leading a healthy way of life. It’s a good tendency but many people go into extremes and do themselves harm even having the best intentions.
Diet is crucial for weight management. It’s far more important than even exercise. There are lots of diet trends that come and go. We’ve seen Keto, we’ve seen Paleo, now alkaline diet is all the rage. Most of them are focused on cutting carbs from your daily menu in favor of proteins and sometimes fats. Fruits and vegetables are welcomed.
Good and Bad Carbs
Actually carbohydrates should be present in any diet. They give our brain and body fuel to function properly. Over consumption of carbs, especially the fast ones, leads to weight gain and increases the risk of all obesity-related diseases. A diet that is rich in fast carbs may cause changes in metabolism, hormonal imbalance, and even lead to severe gum disease.
Going low carb isn’t only the most effective way to lose weight but also a healthy choice. But it works only if you do everything right. A proper diet means not only cutting harmful products but also providing your body with all the necessary nutrients that may be contained in them. Depriving your body of certain nutrients may result in serious metabolic disorders and diseases.
Carbs can be of two types, fast and slow. Fast carbs are not ideal for daily consumption, but slow carbs are a different story. They are called slow because they need more time to be digested and keep us satiated. Their other important function is helping to regulate our blood sugar. They also contain fiber that improves bowel movements.
As you can see, slow carbs are better for your health but this doesn’t mean that fast carbs are nothing but evil. In some situations, they can be useful as well. You can eat them before a workout to receive a quick boost of energy for an effective training session. If you have to solve a difficult task, it can also give your brain some quick glucose to function better. However, consuming fast carbs daily and in big amounts is not the best way to go.
What Is Important to Know About Low-Carb Diet
Now that you know about fast and slow carbs, let’s observe how to make a low-carb diet effective and beneficial for your health instead of making it harmful.
1. Low Carb Doesn’t Mean No Carbs at All
Above we have explained that without carbs our body can’t function properly. They contain glucose and without it, our body will try to take it from our muscles or fatty tissues. If you workout to build your muscles, you wouldn’t want them to disappear. We want to burn our fat to get slimmer but the exhaust from this process affects the function of the liver. Therefore, carbs should be present in your diet, you just need to reduce their amount without completely eliminating them.
2. Low Carb Doesn’t Mean Double Protein
Proteins are good for your body. They help build muscles and keep you satiated. But consuming too many proteins to replace the missing carbs is not an option as well. This can lead to disorders linked to protein metabolism. In addition, only a limited amount of protein can be digested at the same time. Its excess will turn into fat. Therefore, you should eat more fruits and vegetables to feel strong and satiated.
3. Portion Control Is Still Necessary
You can cut certain products but if you overeat low-carb food, you’re still overeating. Overindulging is a bad eating habit that needs to disappear from your life. You should follow the rules for all diets, eating smaller portions with smaller intervals between them. You can’t hope for steady progress if you drag your bad eating habits into your new healthy lifestyle.
4. You Should Hydrate More Than Ever If You Go Low Carb
Hydration is important in any diet but especially when you consume fewer carbs and more protein. When you consume more carbs, they hold water in your body. Protein dehydrates your body and this loss of fluid should be replenished. Therefore, drinking plenty of clean water now is more crucial than ever.
5. You Don’t Need to Cut Fats Significantly
Just like carbs, fats can be different. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your health and they should be present in your daily menu. You can get them from fatty fish, nuts, and seeds. Without them, your skin, nails, and hair will become dry and weak.
6. Be Sure You Eat Enough Fiber
Low-carb diets often cause constipation if your daily menu isn’t balanced. This makes many people give it up before it brings results. Your daily menu should include foods rich in fiber to keep your bowel movements stable. They are also rich in water which helps prevent hard stools.
7. Don’t Forget to Exercise
To process the protein you eat and improve your results in weight loss, you should be physically active. Exercises also improve hormonal balance and your mental health. Diet and exercise together will help you build the toned fit body of your dreams and will motivate you not to give it all up. Every diet has a certain limit that once achieved, you stop losing additional weight. Exercises will make your progress steady and help recharge your metabolism.
8. Without Good Sleep Everything Is in Vain
Getting enough sleep is crucial for losing weight. If you don’t get quality sleep, your body will be craving for carbs, especially the fast ones. Lack of sleep is linked to your ability to control your portion size as well. Slimming is not simply a diet only. It’s an entire regimen that includes all the aspects of healthy living that work together to make your body slim, fit and healthy.
The best way to start any diet plan is to consult a dietitian beforehand. The specialist will help you with your meal plan, taking into consideration any health issues you may have. We wish you good luck with your slimming!