The weight-loss claims for low-carb diets can sometimes seem unbelievable, but that doesn't necessarily mean that these type of diets are a scam. Understanding the mechanisms behind the weight loss during different phases of the diet can help dieters form realistic expectations about their own weight loss while living the low-carb lifestyle.
Low-Carb Diets
A low-carb diet operates under the premise that carbohydrates cause weight gain because they make blood sugar rise, stimulating appetite and making the body store excess calories as fat. Dieters on a low-carb diet restrict carbohydrates and eat more protein and fat instead. Most low-carb diets emphasize the consumption of lean protein and healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts and olive oil. The carbohydrates that are allowed on a low-carb diet tend to be foods that are high in fiber, such as vegetables and some whole grains. Popular low-carb diets include the Atkins Diet, the Zone Diet and the South Beach Diet.
Initial Weight Loss
Most low-carb diet plans begin with a highly restrictive phase that limits carbohydrate intake to as low as 20 g per day. The caloric intake during this phase also tends to be quite low, despite the fact that these diets do not specifically count calories. This initial phase typically lasts 10 to 14 days and is intended to jump-start fat burning and reduce carbohydrate cravings. During this phase, dieters sometimes see huge drops in weight, sometimes as large as 8 to 15 lbs. over a two-week period. However, some of the weight loss during this initial period may consist of water, not actual fat, and may return once the dieter moves on to the next phase or quits the diet.
Slow and Steady
Weight loss typically slows on subsequent phases of a low-carb diet as the carbohydrate allotment rises to between 60 and 100 g per day for most dieters. The goal of most low-carb diets during this part of the diet is to achieve weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week, which is a healthy rate. There is no upper limit to the amount of weight you can lose during the slow and steady phase of a low-carb diet. As long as you continue to follow the precepts of the diet, you can continue to lose weight until you reach your goal.
Long-Term Weight Loss
While many dieters focus on the initial weight loss they might achieve, the long-term success of the diet is just as important. In a May 2004 study in the "Annals of Internal Medicine," researchers looked at the long-term success of low-carb diets compared to conventional weight-loss diets after one year. After a year, people who had followed a low-carb diet weighed an average of 5.1 kg, or 11 lbs., less than they did before the diet. The conventional dieters also weighed less than they did at the beginning, but the average weight loss was lower, about 3.1 kg, or about 7 lbs. This indicates that a low-carb diet can be a successful way to not only lose weight but to keep it off in the long run.
References
- Mayo Clinic; Low-Carb Diet; May 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Low Carb Diet; Apr 2007
- "American Family Physician"; Low Carbohydrate Diets; A.R. Last, S.A. Wilson; June 2006
- "Annals of Internal Medicine"; The Effects of Low-Carbohydrate Versus Conventional Weight Loss Diets in Severely Obese Adults: One-Year Follow-Up of a Randomized Trial; Stern L, et al.; May 2004
Member Comments