DR. NICKGA
Kraken
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2023
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Hey ,
If you want to lose weight as fast as possible, cutting out carbs is the single most effective thing you can do.
That's because it will keep your insulin levels low, which allows your body to mobilize stored fat more effectively throughout the day.
At least, that’s what plenty of so-called “fat loss experts” will try to tell you, even though it’s a total myth.
The real reason you’ll drop overall body weight quickly when restricting carbs is simple: every gram of stored carbohydrate also stores around 3 grams of water along with it.
So many people switch over to a low-carb diet and then get all excited when they step on the scale to see that they've lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks, but unfortunately weight loss and fat loss are not the same thing.
When it comes to fat loss - which I assume is what you're after - the only true requirement is that you maintain a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you consume.
As long as you’re doing that, the specific macronutrient breakdown you use is a secondary factor and should be primarily based on what you can most easily adhere to.
If that means going low carb then that’s fine, but if it’s medium to higher carb that’s okay too.
Carbs contain calories just like any macronutrient and so they can certainly contribute to a calorie surplus (the actual cause of fat gain) if you’re consuming large amounts.
However, when total calories are equated, carbs do not lead to greater net fat accumulation.
Yes, it is true that insulin is a “storage hormone”, but this doesn’t mean that insulin itself makes you fat.
Even though insulin is responsible for shuttling the food you eat into your fat cells, your total gains or losses in body fat will still be determined by how much food there is to store or not store.
Not only that, but most typical foods people think of as “high carb” (cookies, donuts, pastries, cakes, muffins etc.) are high in both carbs AND fat.
In other words, they’re just high calorie in general.
It’s no wonder that someone who was previously eating higher amounts of these hyper palatable, calorie dense items would see reductions in body fat by reducing their consumption.
This doesn’t mean low carb is “bad”, and if you personally prefer a lower carb diet and feel good physically and mentally that way, go for it.
But at the same time, there’s no need to go out of your way to restrict carbs unless you have a specific reason for doing so.
In fact, for most otherwise healthy individuals, very low carb diets will usually do more harm than good when it comes to building muscle, losing fat and optimizing physical and mental performance.
Carbohydrates are the preferred source of fuel for the body, and consuming sufficient carbs will also keep glycogen levels elevated. This will give your muscles a fuller and more “saturated” look as opposed to the flat and “deflated” look that often comes with low carb intakes.
In any case, regardless of what anyone tries to tell you, net energy balance (calories in vs. calories out) is still the underlying principle that governs overall fat loss/fat gain - not any one particular macronutrient or food group.
Hope this helps,
DR. Nickga
If you want to lose weight as fast as possible, cutting out carbs is the single most effective thing you can do.
That's because it will keep your insulin levels low, which allows your body to mobilize stored fat more effectively throughout the day.
At least, that’s what plenty of so-called “fat loss experts” will try to tell you, even though it’s a total myth.
The real reason you’ll drop overall body weight quickly when restricting carbs is simple: every gram of stored carbohydrate also stores around 3 grams of water along with it.
So many people switch over to a low-carb diet and then get all excited when they step on the scale to see that they've lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks, but unfortunately weight loss and fat loss are not the same thing.
When it comes to fat loss - which I assume is what you're after - the only true requirement is that you maintain a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you consume.
As long as you’re doing that, the specific macronutrient breakdown you use is a secondary factor and should be primarily based on what you can most easily adhere to.
If that means going low carb then that’s fine, but if it’s medium to higher carb that’s okay too.
Carbs contain calories just like any macronutrient and so they can certainly contribute to a calorie surplus (the actual cause of fat gain) if you’re consuming large amounts.
However, when total calories are equated, carbs do not lead to greater net fat accumulation.
Yes, it is true that insulin is a “storage hormone”, but this doesn’t mean that insulin itself makes you fat.
Even though insulin is responsible for shuttling the food you eat into your fat cells, your total gains or losses in body fat will still be determined by how much food there is to store or not store.
Not only that, but most typical foods people think of as “high carb” (cookies, donuts, pastries, cakes, muffins etc.) are high in both carbs AND fat.
In other words, they’re just high calorie in general.
It’s no wonder that someone who was previously eating higher amounts of these hyper palatable, calorie dense items would see reductions in body fat by reducing their consumption.
This doesn’t mean low carb is “bad”, and if you personally prefer a lower carb diet and feel good physically and mentally that way, go for it.
But at the same time, there’s no need to go out of your way to restrict carbs unless you have a specific reason for doing so.
In fact, for most otherwise healthy individuals, very low carb diets will usually do more harm than good when it comes to building muscle, losing fat and optimizing physical and mental performance.
Carbohydrates are the preferred source of fuel for the body, and consuming sufficient carbs will also keep glycogen levels elevated. This will give your muscles a fuller and more “saturated” look as opposed to the flat and “deflated” look that often comes with low carb intakes.
In any case, regardless of what anyone tries to tell you, net energy balance (calories in vs. calories out) is still the underlying principle that governs overall fat loss/fat gain - not any one particular macronutrient or food group.
Hope this helps,
DR. Nickga
