Low-carbohydrate diet meal plans are available commercially, but can also be designed at home, specific to your food likes and dislikes. Low-carbohydrate meals utilize plenty of eggs, nuts, hard cheeses, meat, poultry, protein powder and seafood. Use a spreadsheet to calculate your total daily calories and the percentage of carbohydrates in your meals.
Types
A moderately low carbohydrate diet means 43 to 50 percent of your calories come from carbohydrates such as grains, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. A low-carbohydrate diet, such as the Zone diet, means 21 to 42 percent of your calories come from fat. A very-low carbohydrate diet, such as the Atkins diet, is a diet in which less than 21 percent of your calories come from fat, according to 2002 article by G. Gregory Haff, Ph.D., and Adrian Whitley, published in the "Strength and Conditioning Journal."
Significance
Consuming fewer grams of carbohydrates reduces the amount of insulin produced by your pancreas; insulin enhances your body's capacity to store fat. A low-carbohydrate diet means your body produces more glucagon. Glucagon is a hormone that promotes the breakdown of fat, according to a 2008 article by R. Paul Gustafson, Ph.D., published in the "Strength and Conditioning Journal."
Benefits
Low-carbohydrate meal plans improve your ability to burn stored body fat throughout the day, according to a 2010 article by Jeff Volek, Ph.D. and colleagues, published in the "Strength and Conditioning Journal." Very-low carbohydrate plans utilize stored body fat at a faster rate compared to a low or moderately low carbohydrate plan. This mean the fewer grams of carbohydrates you eat, the faster you will fit into smaller-sized clothes and the quicker the number on your scale will drop.
Effects
Reducing your weight through low-carbohydrate meal plans alone increases the likelihood you are using some of your muscle mass for energy. While your weight is decreasing, your percentage of body fat may actually increase. Incorporate a resistance training program along with your low-carbohydrate meal plan to reduce the magnitude of muscle loss, according to Volek.
Warning
Do not participate in a low-carbohydrate meal plan during the conditioning and competition phase of your training program, especially if you are participating in an anaerobic activity; anerobic activities include strength training, sprinting and sports that require "all-out" effort in a very short time. Low-carbohydrate meal plans decrease the amount of glucose available for quick energy production and therefore decrease your performance, according to Haff.
References
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; Low-Carbohydrate Diets and High-Intensity Anaerobic Exercise; G. Gregory Haff, Ph.D. and Adrian Whitley, MS; August 2002
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; The Glycemic Index and Weight Control; R. Paul Gustafson, Ph.D.; June 2008
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; Low-Carbohydrate Diets Promote a More Favorable Body Composition than Low-Fat Diets; Jeff Volek, PhD et al; February 2010
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