The theory behind low-carbohydrate diet plans is that carbohydrate consumption raises insulin and glucose levels, according to the Mayo Clinic. When your insulin levels increase, your body will more easily store food as fat instead of using it as energy. Minimizing your carbohydrate intake may help your body burn fat as energy, since it does not have carbohydrates to use as energy. You should talk with your doctor before dramatically reducing your carbohydrate consumption.
Types
Cardiologist Robert Atkins designed the Atkins Diet in 1972 as a low-carbohydrate nutrition plan for weight loss and maintenance. The Atkins Diet began the mainstream low-carbohydrate diet trend. Another commercial low-carbohydrate diet plan is the South Beach Diet, created in 2003 by cardiologist Arthur Agatston. Both diet plans follow weekly phases focused on protein and good fat consumption and are outlined in published books. Protein Power is another diet plan premised on low-carbohydrate consumption and high protein intake.
First Phase
The Mayo Clinic outlines that during the first week, or phase, of the Atkins and South Beach Diets, you are to minimize your carbohydrate intake to approximately 20 percent of your daily calories. The Institute of Medicine recommends deriving over 40 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates, which is significantly more than these diet plans. Protein Power follows the same trend as Atkins and South Beach allowing approximately 7 g of carbohydrates per meal during their first phase. The diet plans strictly recommend that the carbohydrates that you do consume during the initial week should be mainly from vegetable sources. You are to obtain the rest of your daily calories from foods such as lean meats and fish.
Second Phase
During the second phases of low-carbohydrate diet plans you generally add back in some nutrient-rich carbohydrates, according to the Mayo Clinic. You begin to consume some carbohydrates that were banned in the first phases such as more vegetables, nuts, cheese, berries and seeds. You are continuing your weight loss in this phase and still primarily consuming good fats and protein.
Final Phase
The final phases of low-carbohydrate diets focus on weight maintenance. You generally move into the maintenance phases when you have reached your goal weight or are within approximately 5 pounds of your desired weight. The Atkins diet has two maintenance phases, the pre-maintenance and lifetime maintenance phases. The South Beach Diet has one maintenance phase that allows 28 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates and if you gain any weight you are encouraged to start over with phase one. You can consume some complex carbohydrates in the final phases, such as whole grains while still refraining from simple carbohydrates and starchy vegetables.
Warning
When you don't consume a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, particularly in the first phases of low-carbohydrate diet plans your body may not function properly. Your body uses carbohydrates as energy so you may feel a loss of energy and drowsiness when you are on a low-carbohydrate diet. You may not receive adequate dietary fiber during these diet plans as well, according to the Mayo Clinic. Ketosis can additionally be a side effect of insufficient carbohydrates because your body does not have enough carbohydrates to properly break down fats. Partially broken-down fats, or ketones, will float around in your body and can lead to bad breath, kidney stones, gout, coma and even death.
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