Weight Loss on Low Carb Diet
There's no doubt about it. While I don't endorse a no-carb diet, cutting down on your daily carbohydrate intake can definitely help you look more toned and ripped.
The main reason for this is that most foods that are high in carbohydrates are also high in fats, sugars, or calories in general.
Reducing your carb intake, and replacing highly processed carbs (such as white flour) with whole grains can really cut down on your daily calorie intake.
But one of the major problems encountered on a low carb weight loss program is loss of energy. Carbohydrates are our fastest and most efficient energy source available.
While fat has twice the energy in calories (9 calories per gram) compared to both carbs and proteins (at 4 calories per gram), carbs are generally used up by the body at a much faster rate. Fats, on the other hand, should be thought of as a more long-term energy source.
No matter how you look at it, you have to keep in mind that a low carb weight loss diet requires that some of your carbs be replaced with proteins and fats. So this is where you need to make sure you do things right.
When it comes to protein, make sure you're getting a variety of lean protein sources, such as eggs, dairy, chicken, fish, and nuts. The variety will ensure optimal amino acid support for building lean muscle mass.
I also recommend a good whey protein supplement like
Optimum 100% Casein Protein or this sustained-release
MHP Probolic-SR Muscle Feeder. Both will help you maintain muscle mass during a low carb weight loss plan, which is the first step to maintaining your energy level.
As for fat intake, try to go healthy whenever possible. This means avoiding saturated and trans fats and going for healthy, monounsaturated fats like omega-3's. Eating nuts, avocados, and fish are all great sources of these fats, and they can actually help speed up your metabolism and get you burning some extra calories.
If you don't already, you should be supplementing with a high-quality, natural fish oil supplement to maintain your daily intake of healthy fats. My top recommendation is
Optimum Fish Oil Softgels.
The key to increasing fat intake while losing weight is not only eating healthy fats, but also making sure you're burning off those fats as quickly as possible. This means that the intensity and frequency of your workouts should really be at their max.
The Trick to Energy on a Low Carb Diet
The real trick to maintaining a high level of energy on a low carb weight loss diet is
timing. Since you're not cutting out all carbs, make sure you eat them at the right time – right around your workouts. By consuming carbs just before and after a hard workout, you'll ensure that those extra calories are burned rather than stored as body fat.
I also recommend reducing your cardiovascular exercise in order to save some of that energy. If you do too much cardio, your body is going to crave those extra carbs that you're trying to avoid.
And of course, don't be scared to try out a good energy supplement during your workouts. A good energy supplement like
USPLabs Jack3d or
Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump MAX will not only get you feeling pumped, but it will also give your metabolism an extra boost. This can go a long way to help you in your weight loss goals.
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