If You Want to Drop Fat, Try Dropping Fat, NOT CARBS

If You Want to Drop Fat, Drop Fat, NOT CARBS
 

Zero/Low Carb diets became popular due to the trend of "Lose Weight Fast". While it is enticing to believe these FAD diets, it may be helpful to know why they went viral... Yes, eating a low carb diet can help you drop numbers on the scale fast. I (Matt, Founder, CoreSmart) could probably drop 15 pounds in a week if I reduced my carbs to less than 50 grams a day. BUT this weight loss is NOT fat, it is water weight. As soon as you start reintroducing carbs, the weight comes back. Ketosis is actually quite difficult to This cycle results in minimal fat loss over time, a fluctuating scale and mounting frustrations. This is not sustainable nor healthy for your body. Your body needs those carbs for energy to work AND to actually burn fat.
 

What do you mean by water weight?

If carbs are not used for energy after digestion, they are stored as 'glycogen' in our muscles and liver for up to 2-3 days. These carbs get stored to provide energy for when the body needs it- exercise, daily activities and THINKING. For every 1 gram of carb stored, the body holds ~2-4 grams of water. When we consume carbs, water that we consume (from drinking and in the food we eat) is pulled into our muscles. So if you do not consume enough carbs, you will put your body in a dehydrated state and "deflate" your muscles essentially losing muscle mass. This results is a slower metabolism amongst other side effects.
 

 Wait, there’s more!

What else does dangerously lowering carbs do?

- Slows your metabolism down
- A VAST majority of your fiber intake will be reduced
- Causes Mood Swings
- Bowel issues such as constipation
- Frequent headaches
- Bad Breath
- Causes Muscle Cramps
- Fatigue
- Hunger

 The List goes on an on

The Solution?

Moderate your carb intake and avoid sugary processed foods like donuts, candy, sweet tea, etc... Your carbs should come from vegetables, fruits, fat-free dairy, root vegetables, and whole grains. The closer the food is from the farm to table, the better. Also, we can avoid eating carbs late at night so we can burn fat while we sleep. NOW how to drop the fat: Drop your fat intake...call me crazy, but don't knock it until you try it. Keep an eye on the amount of cooking oils you use and nuts you eat. 1 gram of fat equals more than 2X the amount of calories from 1 gram of carbs. Keeping your carbs moderate and lowering your fat intake keeps your metabolism happy and you will reduce your caloric intake causing less fat to be stored. This doesn't mean remove fat completely, because it is essential, but no need to use 1/2 cup of oil to cook dinner. (We will touch base on protein intake in a later post).