How Many Carbs To Rapidly Lose Weight?

Carbohydrates, which includes sugars, starches and fiber, are often vilified in discussions about weight loss. However, they provide the quickest source of energy for your body and help to suppress your appetite. Some carbohydrate-rich foods are also packed with nutrients you need for overall health. Eliminating carbohydrates, or restricting them too much to rapidly lose weight, will not only compromise your ability to slim down, but also your overall health.

Carbohydrates and Healthy Weight Loss

Healthy weight loss requires that you lose weight at a rate of about one to two pounds a week. If you restrict carbohydrates too much, your liver turns to the protein stores in muscles to make glucose for energy. As a result, you lose muscle mass, which slows your metabolism and the rate at which you lose weight. Also, insufficient carbohydrates and less muscle mass increases fatigue, which means you'll have less energy to work out.

Recommended Amount of Carbs for Weight Loss

The main reason that carbohydrates often take center stage in weight loss strategies is that you tend to overeat them. They're readily accessible and satisfy cravings, especially for sugary foods. Consuming too much of any type of food will cause weight gain and inhibit weight loss. When trying to lose weight, carbohydrates should make up no more than 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calorie intake. If you want to lose weight more quickly, stick to the lower end of the recommended range. This should include between 21 to 38 g. of dietary fiber daily.

Best Carbohydrate Sources

The quickest way to cut back on carbs to lose weight quickly is to reduce your sugar consumption from sources such as refined carbohydrates and sugary beverages and snacks. Instead, opt for more high-fiber, low-carbohydrate alternatives such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds. Try to consume three 1-oz. servings of whole grains daily if you're a woman, and at least five 1-oz. servings if you're a man. Also, eat two cups of fruit, 2 ½ cups of vegetables, and a handful of nuts or seeds daily. For sweeteners, choose low-carb, low-calorie alternatives such as stevia.

Considerations

If you've been dieting for a while and noticed that you're losing weight more slowly or not at all, you may have hit a weight-loss plateau. Instead of cutting back more on carbs alone, try to shave 100 calories more off your diet from all sources and increase your activity level to lose weight more rapidly. For instance, if you don't exercise at all, try to walk for 20 to 30 minutes daily. If you currently have a 30-minute workout session, kick it up to 45 or 60 minutes.