19th March 2024
Health

Should You Avoid Carbs to Lose Weight?

It is a generally-accepted truth that losing weight is harder than gaining weight. While there are others, who are naturally blessed with a faster metabolism, a lot of people struggle to lose weight almost their entire life. One way that can help manage their weight is by visiting an MD diet clinic in Salt Lake City. Adjustments should also be made in terms of diet and lifestyle.

We often hear about not eating carbs and why you should avoid it if you are on a diet. Basically, eating carbs has earned a negative impression among the public these past years. Apparently, carbs are bad if you want to lose weight. But is it really that bad?

The truth about carbs

We are told to avoid rice, pasta, or bread because they can make us fat. While these are partly true, it is important to know that not all carbs that we know are the same. Rather, it depends on the type of carbs as well as how much we eat and include carbs in our daily diet.

For starters, carbohydrates or carbs, for short, are one of the three major macronutrients that are found in food. The other two include protein and fat, which are often found in meat. Under carbohydrates are three components: fiber, starch, and sugar.

  • Sugars – commonly found in packaged and processed foods like cereals, flavored drinks, chocolate, etc. However, natural sugars found in milk, fruits, and vegetables are not considered as “free sugars” or those added during food production.
  • Starch – commonly found in root crops like potatoes as well as rice, pasta, and bread and helps in providing energy for your body
  • Fiber – commonly found in vegetables with skins, whole wheat pasta and bread, lentils, and beans and are said to help aid in digestion

For one thing, we need carbs to keep us fueled throughout the day. As mentioned, some foods deemed as carbs also contain fiber, which in turn lessens the risk of diabetes, digestion problems, and cardiovascular diseases. Ideally, we should eat fiber-rich foods equivalent to about 30g a day.

It can be hard to steer away from carbs, especially if you need to have the physical strength to get through the day. Otherwise, your body will look for other sources of energy, such as protein and fat. A low-carb diet can lead to ketosis, in which it can be effective in losing weight. However, it can also lead to adverse effects such as nausea, headaches, irritability, and dehydration.

Moderation is key

Some people opt to have a low-carb diet, a meal plan consisting of more protein and fat, and less on carbs. Going on a low-carb diet is effective in losing weight, but make sure to consult your doctor first as it can have adverse effects, as mentioned above.

But for carb-lovers, there is still good news. You can still manage to lose weight even when you eat carbs every day. The keyword is moderation — stop eating when you are already full. Eat when you are hungry and not when bored. Get out of the couch and break a sweat from time to time.

We should not blame foods on your weight gain. Rather, it is all about choosing the right foods and adopting a healthy lifestyle. More importantly, we should enjoy food and not fear it.