The Reasons Low Carb Diets Won't Help You Lose Weight

There is a lot of contradictory information out there about how to lose weight or burn fat, and many individuals find it difficult to make sense of it all.

There are several misconceptions about the low-carb diets that have become more fashionable in recent years.

In recent years, the general consensus has been that sugar (carbohydrates) should be consumed in moderate to low amounts.

This is due to the recent popularity of low-carb diets like the Atkins, Southbeach, and Zone diets, to name just a few examples.

Even in the pages of bodybuilding publications, everyone and their mother is now advocating that you limit your intake of carbohydrates.

There are a number of myths that have been propagated by the media and "monkey see, monkey do" diet and fitness "gurus" that sugar is evil and can cause you to gain weight, boost your bad cholesterol, and even lose your "insulin sensitivity." This is based on various misconceptions.

It's a common belief that consuming carbohydrates raises insulin levels in your blood, which purportedly leads your body to retain fat. This isn't the case.

As a general rule, you should avoid "high GI" meals and instead consume a majority of your carbohydrate intake from "low GI" foods.

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a graph that was devised many years ago to show how much of an increase in insulin a particular diet generates in the bloodstream after digestion.

The higher the GI value, the higher and faster your insulin levels increase.

For whatever reason, that's not based on any genuine, solid proof. Raising insulin levels is seen as "bad" by many.

Researchers at the University of Toronto discovered in 1981 that "simple" carbs (those with a high GI) really cause less of a spike in blood sugar than most "complex" carbs (those with a low GI), despite the widespread belief that the contrary is true today.

Compared to items like baked potatoes and whole wheat bread, table sugar (sucrose) actually produces less of a spike in blood sugar levels.

The glycemic index (GI) of a food is not affected by the presence of added or naturally existing sugars.

You can't really rely on the "GI" at all!

Why?

If you're attempting to lose weight, the Glycemic Index doesn't take into consideration the variety, ripeness, processing, or cooking of the food you're eating, which have a big influence on how that item affects your insulin levels.

Low-GI foods like peanuts (GI: 14) and avocados (GI: 21) are better choices since they have a lower insulin response due to their fat content.

Even though certain foods have a high glycemic index (GI), they don't have an effect on insulin levels. Like carrots!

Even though carrots have a rather high GI of 95, don't tell me that eating them will make you obese, diabetic, or anything else!

For those of us trying to burn fat or lose weight, the media, supplement firms, and the internet disseminate a slew of falsehoods that have led to ZERO RESULTS!

There is no need to break down your eating into all kinds of ratios or percentages if you are aiming to become leaner, more defined, and more sculpted.

No matter what sort of food or how it is combined, "IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE CALORIES!"