| Are you looking for weight loss success stories to | | | | there are two types of carbohydrates: Simple |
| inspire you? Find out how I lost 29 lbs in six months on | | | | carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. But what |
| a low carb diet without increasing exercise levels. | | | | are they? |
| In May, 2008 I quit smoking. Over the next six months I | | | | Simple carbohydrate definition: Simple carbohydrates |
| gained 45 lbs (20 kg) because I switched one hand to | | | | are those carbohydrates most readily converted to |
| mouth habit (smoking) with another (eating). The worst | | | | glucose ready for absorption and conversion into |
| time was when I was at my computer. That was | | | | energy by the body. Sources of simple carbohydrates |
| always when I smoked most. Unfortunately, when I quit | | | | include sugar, candy, sweets, all baked goods made |
| smoking, the urge to put something in my mouth didn't | | | | with white flour like cakes, biscuits and white bread, |
| go away. Consequently I started consuming candy, | | | | pasta made with white flour, non-diet soda and many |
| sweets and snack foods at the computer. | | | | packaged cereals. |
| In the last seven months I have successfully lost 29 lb | | | | Complex carbohydrate definition: Refers to |
| (13 kg) without increasing exercise levels beyond the 3 | | | | carbohydrate derived from starch and fiber. Complex |
| miles per day that I walk on average. This equates to | | | | carbohydrates are released relatively slowly into the |
| almost one pound per week. I achieved this with a low | | | | bloodstream which prevents spikes or sudden |
| carb diet, or more precisely a reduced carbohydrate | | | | increases in blood glucose levels. Sources of complex |
| diet. | | | | carbohydrate include fruit, vegetables, whole grains, |
| However, the utilize a low carb diet (or reduced carb | | | | brown rice and oatmeal. The main thing to remember |
| diet) there are a few things you need to know. | | | | is that the closer you get to nature, the healthier it is. |
| Food consists of three types of calories: | | | | To achieve my weight loss I reduced my |
| - Carbohydrates | | | | carbohydrate intake. The carbohydrates I chose to |
| - Fat | | | | reduce included mostly simple and processed |
| - Protein | | | | carbohydrates including sugar (and products containing |
| Reducing your carbohydrate intake too much can be | | | | sugar), baked products made with white flour like |
| unhealthy. The reason for this is because | | | | cakes, biscuits, pasta and white bread, white rice and |
| carbohydrates provide most of our energy | | | | potatoes. I general I reduced consumption of these |
| requirements. Carbohydrates are easiest for us to | | | | products by 50% but increased consumption of fruit, |
| digest. Consuming insufficient carbohydrates means | | | | vegetables and whole grains (complex carbohydrates) |
| that the body can run out of energy. Because fat and | | | | in order to provide sufficient carbohydrates and also |
| protein are no so readily digested and absorbed there | | | | increased protein intake to satisfy hunger. |
| can be a period in which the body does not receive | | | | Here are a few tips to cut carbohydrates or replace |
| sufficient energy. This can result in an individual | | | | them with complex carbohydrates: |
| becoming light headed and can even result in a loss of | | | | |
| consciousness... imagine if that happened while you | | | | 1. Instead of using sugar in coffee etc, use either |
| were driving? Not good! | | | | artificial sweeteners or Stevia powder |
| In general it is recommended that approximately 50% | | | | 2. If you must drink soda, at least drink diet soda. |
| of our calories come from carbohydrates, about 25% | | | | 3. At meals cut down your potato, pasta or rice serve |
| from fats, and approximately 25% from protein. The | | | | by half... you can add extra vegetables if you like |
| average person requires around 2,300 calories per | | | | 4. Eat whole grain bread and pasta and brown rice... |
| day, though this figure differs according to weight and | | | | the fiber will slow digestion and satisfy hunger for |
| activity levels. To calculate the amount of each | | | | longer |
| component required it helps to understand that one | | | | 5. Substitute thin rice cakes for bread (the ones that |
| gram of carbohydrates contains around four calories, | | | | are about 3 1/2" wide and 1/4" thick) as this provides |
| one gram of protein contains around four calories and | | | | about half the carbs. |
| one gram of fat contains around nine calories. This | | | | 6. Increase consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. |
| means that based on the average, a person requires | | | | 7. If you love candy and sweets, try sugarless varieties |
| 10 oz (285g) of carbohydrate, 5 oz (145g) of protein | | | | like wrigleys extra gum, satisfies the craving without |
| and 2.25 oz (64g) of fat per day. | | | | loading up on calories. |
| It is recommended that you NOT reduce your | | | | I hope you've been inspired by my weight loss |
| carbohydrate intake by more than 33%. | | | | success story. Perhaps losing weight could be easier |
| The second thing to take into account is the fact that | | | | than you think on a low carb diet. |