While many believe low-carbohydrate diets are a fast way to lose weight, others struggle with the diets' restrictions and end up gaining weight. Before starting any new diet, consult your doctor. Low-carb dieters often reach for meat and poultry to fill their plates; making the wrong choices when it comes to meat can result in an unhealthy diet high in cholesterol and saturated fat.
Carbohydrates and Calories
The number of calories you get from your food depends on what your food is made up of. According to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, fat provides 9 calories per gram, while carbohydrates and protein each provide 4 calories per gram. Merck notes that your total daily caloric intake should consist of about 50 to 55 percent carbohydrates. Your body uses carbohydrates for energy. If you consume more than you can burn, your body stores the extra energy as fat or as glycogen, a substance your body can convert back to energy quickly.
Low-Carb Diets
Low-carb diets such as Atkins or the Zone tend to place strict limitations on the daily number of carbohydrates you ingest. According to the Mayo Clinic, the purpose is to force your body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. These diets, the clinic notes, often limit your carb intake to between 50 and 150 grams per day, emphasizing low-carb foods such as eggs, chicken, beef and fish.
Benefits
It's likely you'll lose weight, at least initially, on a low-carb diet. The Mayo Clinic explain that low-carb diets can provide you with fewer overall calories, a diuretic effect that sloughs off water weight, and foods that make you feel fuller for longer. It recommends choosing your fats carefully, however --- avoid saturated or trans fats in favor of healthier monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, like those found in nuts, fish like salmon and mackerel, and vegetable oils such as olive oil.
Drawbacks
People on low-carb diets may gain weight if they eat too many fatty foods without exercising enough to burn off the extra calories. If you replace your carbs with fat, you're getting 5 more calories per gram than you were before. Without regular exercise, those fatty foods can add up to extra pounds. The Mayo Clinic also notes that many low-carb dieters don't get enough fruits and veggies, leading to side effects such as constipation.
Considerations
Any diet that urges you to eat one food group at the expense of others is likely to be unhealthy and unsustainable, the Mayo Clinic warns. While a quick initial weight loss can feel gratifying, that weight would likely return if you switch back to your old dietary habits. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to form a consistent plan for diet and exercise, matching up the number of calories you ingest with the number you expend in exercise. Lowering your calories and increasing the amount of exercise will help you lose weight; maintaining an even balance will help you sustain it. Consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen.
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