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Low Carbs & Exercising for Weight Loss

Jan 20, 2011 | By Paula Quinene
Low Carbs & Exercising for Weight Loss
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For lasting weight loss, you must eat carbohydrates and exercise regularly. Your body requires some carbohydrate so you can use the fat stored on your body as you work out. However, you also can lose weight and inches following a low-carb or no-carb diet. But if you continue a carbohydrate-poor diet for a prolonged period of time, you will certainly lose more weight as your body breaks down your muscle to make glucose, according to a 2004 article by Dr. Shelby Rush.

Significance

Carbohydrates from the sugars and starches found in grains, fruits, milk and milk products, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, vegetables and beverages are used by your cells to perform essential functions. The cells of your brain and nervous system must have glucose because it is the only nutrient such cells can use. Stored body fat can only be burned when glucose from the carbohydrates you eat is broken down into smaller molecules. If you severely limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat on a low-carb diet, you will not have a sufficient amount of glucose to exercise long enough to burn stored body fat and lose weight.

Considerations

You must eat a minimum of 3 oz. or three servings of grains per day to fuel your body and lose weight, according to the recommendations of MyPyramid.gov. One serving of fast-digesting carbohydrates must be eaten immediately after your exercise session to quickly replenish the stored energy in your muscles. This permits you to exercise at a moderate to vigorous intensity during your next workout. Fast-digesting carbs include 1/2 cup of white rice, a baked potato or one buttermilk pancake. Your remaining two servings of carbohydrates must be from whole-grain products such as whole-wheat spaghetti noodles, sprouted grain bread, whole-wheat bread or brown rice.

Track Your Nutrients

Use a spreadsheet program to create your meals so you can track the percentage of your calories that come from carbohydrates. You do not need to eat 65 percent of your calories from carbs as an athlete would need to maintain and increase performance. Eat a minimum of 45 percent of your total daily calories from carbohydrates, according to a 2006 article by Dixie Thompson, Ph.D. Determine your carbohydrate intake by multiplying the total grams of carbohydrates you eat in a day by four. Then, divide your product by the total number of calories you eat for the day. Multiply by 100 to calculate your percentage of carbs. You may also use this formula to create individual meals with only 45 percent of your calories from carbohydrates.

Morning Workouts

If you eat refined carbs immediately after every workout and low carbs throughout the day, you will have sufficient glucose to exercise in the morning after a sleep-induced fast but before you eat breakfast. It takes approximately 20 minutes for your muscle cells to begin using your stored body fat, according to a 2006 article by Bruce Craig, Ph.D. Begin your morning workouts with a low to moderately intense warm-up for 10 to 15 minutes, stretch quickly for five minutes then start your cardio. Alternate your daily morning routine between 20 minutes of highly intense exercise and 30 to 60 minutes of low to moderately intense workouts. Employing both types of aerobic training burns plenty of calories on a low-carb diet so you lose weight.

References

Article reviewed by Eric Lochridge Last updated on: Jan 20, 2011

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