You want to learn about safe, effective ways to lose weight, but when you start to research online, you feel like you’re back in chemistry class! Case in point: The effect of carbohydrates on weight loss.
Let’s start at the beginning. “Carbohydrates” is a word commonly tossed around, but little understood. Fortunately, MedlinePlus provides this simple definition:
“Carbohydrates, or carbs, are sugar molecules. Along with proteins and fats, carbohydrates are one of three main nutrients found in foods and drinks. Your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose. Glucose, or blood sugar, is the main source of energy for your body’s cells, tissues, and organs.”
Not All Carbohydrates are the Same – And Why it Matters to Weight Loss
However, not all carbohydrates are the same, and don’t have the same effect on your body. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health explains the difference as follows:
“The healthiest sources of carbohydrates—unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients.
“Unhealthier sources of carbohydrates include white bread, pastries, sodas, and other highly processed or refined foods. These items contain easily digested carbohydrates that may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease.”
If your objective is to lose weight by reducing carbs, start by removing these unhealthy sources from your diet. Moreover, doing so can have benefits of their own – such as reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
What is a Low-Carb Diet?
A low-carb diet not only limits carbohydrates, it focuses on foods high in protein and fat. Many types of low-carb diets exist, each with varying limits on the type and amount of carbs you can eat. The most popular include the following:
- Atkins diet
- Ketogenic diet
- South Beach diet
- Paleo diet
- Zone diet
According to Mayo Clinic, “A daily limit of 0.7 to 2 ounces (20 to 57 grams) of carbohydrates is typical with a low-carb diet. These amounts of carbohydrates provide 80 to 240 calories. Some low-carb diets greatly limit carbs during the early phase of the diet. Then those diets allow more carbs over time.
“In contrast, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbohydrates make up 45% to 65% of your total daily calorie intake. So if you eat or drink 2,000 calories a day, carbs would account for between 900 and 1,300 calories a day.
“Most people can lose weight if they limit calories and boost their physical activity. To lose 1 to 1.5 pounds (0.5 to 0.7 kilograms) a week, you need to eat 500 to 750 fewer calories each day.”
Of course, deciding exactly how many carbs you should eat depends on individual factors – such as your age, weight, level of physical activity and medical history.
Benefits of a Low-Carb Diet
According to Healthline, one major benefit is that a low-carb diet reduces your appetite
“Hunger tends to be the worst side effect of dieting. It is one of the main reasons why many people feel miserable and eventually give up. However, low-carb eating leads to an automatic reduction in appetite. Studies consistently show that when people cut carbs and eat more protein and fat, they end up eating far fewer calories.”
Other benefits include:
- Studies illustrate that people on low-carb diets lose more weight, faster, than those on low-fat diets — even when the latter are actively restricting calories. This is because low-carb diets act to rid excess water from your body, lowering insulin levels and leading to rapid weight loss in the first week or two.
- A large percentage of the fat lost on low-carb diets tends to be harmful abdominal fat that is known to cause serious metabolic problems.
Is There a Down Side to a Low-Carb Diet?
Mayo Clinic points out that while low-carb diets – especially very low-carb diets – may lead to greater short-term weight loss, most studies have found that at 12 or 24 months, the benefits of a low-carb diet aren’t very large.
There’s also the possibility of becoming bored with a low-carb diet. If you’ve tried other types of diets and ultimately returned to your regular eating habits, a low-carb diet could join this frustrating list, making you feel like you’re destined to fail at any kind of long-term successful weight loss.
The Advantages of a Medically Supervised Weight Loss Program
If you’re reading this, it’s probably safe to assume you’re looking for a reliable weight loss program that will help you achieve long-term results. It’s probably also safe to assume you’ve tried a number of diets that made a lot of sense on paper – and perhaps achieved short-term results – but ultimately didn’t work for you. But don’t blame yourself! For most people, successful long-term weight loss isn’t a do-it-yourself project. Fortunately, a real solution is just a phone call or click away!
Solutions Weight Loss provides today’s most advanced weight loss medications under the guidance of William E. Newsome, M.D., Medical Director and co-owner of Solutions Weight Loss. From the very start of your medical weight loss journey with us, Dr. Newsome conducts your in-depth initial consultation, and will evaluate and prescribe for you the best treatment to achieve your goals. He brings his own personal weight loss experiences, and a lifelong dedication to health and fitness.
Solutions Weight Loss internal results prove our program is effective at driving long-term improvements to metabolic health and weight loss, with an average of 21% weight loss at 12 months; 19.1% at 18 months, and 18.9% at 24 months. Our members have also decreased their waist circumference by 7 inches, on average. These results are superior to the weight loss seen in clinical trials for GLP-1 medications. Regardless of which medication they take, our members have demonstrated significant and sustained results!
There are frequent reports of shortages of brand-name medications, such as Ozempic – developed specifically to manage type 2 diabetes, but used off-label for weight loss – and Wegovy – developed specifically for weight loss; as well as Mounjaro – developed specifically to manage type 2 diabetes, but used off-label for weight loss – and Zepbound – developed specifically for weight loss. Our blog post – “The Benefits of Medical Appetite Control” – covers these medications in greater detail.
Due to high demand, pharmaceutical companies sometimes are unable to provide the supply needed. This situation will never be a concern when you choose Solutions Weight Loss! This is because semaglutide – the class for Ozempic and Wegovy, and tirzepatide – the class for Mounjaro and Zepbound – are generic ingredients. We prescribe and dispense both, offering high-quality compounded GLP-1 medications at an affordable price. You can leave our office with your medication the same day!
Just as importantly, you will have the ongoing support, encouragement and guidance of Dr. Newsome and our entire staff – all dedicated to your successful weight loss journey. During each return visit, we will ask you to step on the scale to assess your progress. Rechecks do not require an appointment, and you do not need to come every week! Some choose to return weekly for accountability, while others prefer to return less frequently to fit their schedule. Also, there are no contracts or obligations.
See what makes Solutions Weight Loss the #1 weight loss clinic in Florida! Schedule your consultation with Dr. Newsome here, or call 407-413-5503, and experience the benefits of today’s metabolic approach to sustainable weight loss! Don’t wait another day to start living your best life!
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