7 Things A Low-Carb Diet Will Do For You.

When I began my #90DaysWithoutSugar journey I struggled to find foods that did not have processed sugar. I started researching and testing different diets. The low-carb diet kept on recurring. Low-carb diets have been popular for decades, they came back to the frontline a couple of years ago due to the rise in the ketogenic (keto diet). Some of the low-carb diets include Ketogenic (Keto) diet, Low-Carb, High-Fat (LCHF), Low-Carb Paleo Diet, The Atkins Diet, and the Zero-carb diet.

Keto Diet

The low-carb that resonated with me was the keto diet. The keto diet helped me to complete 90 days without eating processed sugar and foods. The aim of the keto diet is to reduce daily carbohydrate intake. Eating fewer carbs leads to faster weight loss. When people consume fewer carbs their body begins to burn excess fats as an energy source.

Why Low-Carb?

A diet that filled with processed carbs causes our bodies to use glucose as an energy source. The sugar your body usually burns is glucose, which is produced from carbs (bread, processed sugar, pasta, potatoes, juices, soda, and sugary drinks) you drink or eat. Any extra glucose is either stored in your liver or muscles as glycogen or converted to fat.

When you lower your carb intake, your insulin levels drop, Your metabolism will eventually shift into fat-burning mode. Eating foods that are healthy (unprocessed carbs, fats, and protein) will help control your appetite and reach your weight goal faster. When your body is in a fat-burning mode you are technically in the state of ketosis. Ketosis is the natural, safe condition where your body is burning fat rather than sugar as its primary fuel source

7 Benefits Of A Low-Carb Diet

A low-carb diet is unique. It was one of the diets where I was able to lose weight without starving myself to death. Some of the benefits you can experience from a low-carb diet:

1. Weight loss: Many people reading this article would like to lose weight or body fat. Cutting processed carbs especially processed sugar is one of the simplest and most effective ways to lose weight. Once your body changes its fuel source from sugars to fats, you will start burning the excess fats. In a study looking at low-carb and low-fat diets, participants who restricted carbs lost weight without hunger craving more than those who restricted fats in their diets.
2. Improved Energy: Contrary to popular belief the energy we get from processed sugar is short-lived. This is the reason many people need more ‘shots’ of sugar in their system on a consistent basis during the day. People’s energy levels go through rollercoaster stages during the day.
3. Greater Mental Clarity. Processed sugar and carbs cause people to be sluggish and moody due to energy spikes. Once you start minimizing processed carbs you can expect your mind to become sharper, focused, and clear.
4. Decreased Food Cravings. Once you begin breaking your processed sugar and food addiction you can expect abnormal food cravings to stop or decrease. The majority of cravings are caused by food items filled with refined sugar or which are processed. Processed sugar is addictive which provokes your cravings
5. Improved Appetite control. A diet that is rich in processed sugar and foods is known to cause hunger and disrupt your appetite. When we are addicted to sugar, we go through a vicious cycle: we eat sugar, we get a temporary high which causes an uncontrolled appetite.
6. Reduced Insulin Levels: Low-carb diets are also helpful for people with diabetes and insulin resistance. These diseases affect many people worldwide. A low-carb diet lowers blood sugar and insulin levels. A diet lower in carbs lead to a greater improvement in glycaemic control for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. If you take medication please consult with your doctor before making changes to lowering your carbs.
7. Improves Metabolic Syndrome: metabolic syndrome is a collection of symptoms that includes abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, elevated triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol levels. A low-carb diet is effective in treating all these symptoms, at times they are eliminated by eating a low-carb diet.

There are many other benefits to low-carb diets such as feelings of happiness, improved memory, no brain fog, decreased hunger cravings and losing weight. If you have been struggling to lose weight I suggest you give a low-carb a try, you will never regret it. You can get my book, “Life After Dieting” to get a framework on how to make the keto diet practical in your life.