1. Initial Weight Loss is Water
You may have heard a friend or family member say that they did the Atkins diet and lost seven pounds in the first week. While their story may be true, the fact is that weight loss during the first phase of the Atkins diet is mainly water weight. When you don't eat much carbohydrate, your body is forced to make it. It uses muscle and fat to make the carbohydrate, and that usually frees up water stores. Unfortunately, while it may result in some fat loss, it mostly results in muscle and water loss. Muscle loss is not helpful in long term weight management.
2. Exercising Without Carbs is Miserable
Have you ever felt low on energy during a work out? Ever wondered why one day you might feel great while exercising and the next time you do the same workout you feel awful? Carbs are an essential energy source that your body uses especially during exercise. That means that exercising without enough carbohydrate stores can leave you dragging and low on energy.
3. Restricting Carbs Can be Harmful
There is a certain amount of carbohydrate that your bodies need to function. Requirements differ depending on height, weight and activity level. When you don't eat enough carbohydrate, your body is forced to make it. This ability to make carbohydrate was designed to be used during fasts or famine times. Forcing your body to go into starvation mode can cause ketones to build up in the body, which can be harmful if continued for long periods of time. The bottom line is that if you are going to restrict carbohydrate it should only be done for a limited amount of time.
4. You Need to Take a Multivitamin
Carbohydrate is a nutrient and is found in foods like grains, fruit, starchy vegetables and milk. These foods provide your body with many vitamins and minerals required for optimal health. When you follow a diet that restricts an entire nutrient group, like a low carbohydrate diet, you may not be getting adequate amounts of various nutrients, including calcium and B vitamins. This is especially likely if you do not eat as many vegetables as is recommended.
5. Weight Loss Won't Last if You Quit
When it comes to diets, they all have similar characteristics. You lose weight when you are following the diet and you gain it back when you quit. Many people gain back more than they lost when they stop following a diet plan. It is no different for the Atkins diet. If you quit following the maintenance plan, you are likely to gain your weight back. So no matter what eating program you decide to go with, be sure to stick with it!
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