Many people are familiar with low-carbohydrate diets, a popular diet restricting carb intake so that the body will burn more fat. Your body gets the majority of its energy from carbs. So, by reducing the amount of high-calorie carbs, you will automatically decrease the number of calories you consume every day and force your body to use stored fat for energy. However, simply eliminating or severely limiting carbs is not a comprehensive strategy for weight loss. You may lose weight quickly by doing this, but it does not guarantee good health.
To lose weight, you must focus on the quantity and quality of carbs you consume. How many carbs you should eat depends on your age, gender, body type, ideal weight, and activity level.
Keep reading to learn how many grams of carbs you need daily to get the best weight loss results.
Significance of Carbs
The first thing that usually comes to mind when trying to shape your diet and physique is carbs. However, not all carbs are bad for you. They have a bad reputation because of simple carbs, like refined sugars, chips, cookies, candy, white bread, and refined flour. Complex carbs, such as whole grains, beans, legumes and vegetables, are healthy choices high in fibre.
If you remove carbohydrates from your diet, it will have an impact on your overall health. Not eating enough carbohydrates can make you irritable, sluggish, and cause difficulty concentrating. Remember that you should eat at least some carbohydrates while on a weight-loss diet. How many carbs you exactly need can vary for different individuals.
Carbs for Weight Loss: The Ideal Intake
The relationship between carbs and weight loss is complex. Carbs are broken down and absorbed in the bloodstream as glucose, which triggers insulin release. The more carbs you consume, the more your blood sugar will spike. You will gain weight if you don’t balance this fluctuation with physical activity. Conversely, when you eat fewer carbs, the insulin level in your body will decrease, causing the body to burn stored fat for energy, which will help you lose weight.
The amount of carbs one should eat while losing weight is often confusing. Low-carb diets are becoming more popular, but a study suggests that a well-rounded diet that includes 203 to 293 grams of carbs per day (45-65% of your daily calorie intake) is more effective.
When trying to lose weight, you must get at least 45% of your daily calories from carbohydrates. Going below that level can make it more challenging to get the necessary vitamins and minerals. However, if you struggle to establish a healthy balance with carbs, talk to a HealthifyMe expert for help.
The HealthifyMe Note
There is no definite number of carbs that is ideal for everyone. It’s also important to note that everyone needs a different number of calories. So you need to make modifications by finding what amount of carbs works best for you and your weight-loss goals.
Tips for Cutting Down Carbs for Safe and Healthy Weight Loss
Even though cutting carbs can help you lose weight, doing that without proper knowledge may cause potential risks, including muscle cramps, fatigue, nutritional deficiency and poor health. Follow these simple tips to ensure you do not experience any adverse effects.
Choose the Right Type of Carb
For safe and long-term weight loss, the type of carb you eat is more important than the quantity. Simple carbs are easy to digest and raise your chances of gaining weight. Hence, you should prefer complex carbs since the energy adapted is long-lasting and they have a low glycemic index.
Meeting your carb requirements with complex carbs will keep you fuller for longer, delivering fibre and critical nutrients. In addition, focus on steadily lowering your carbs intake to make the change sustainable for your health and lifestyle. Begin with little changes at a time, and give time for your body to adapt.
Eat Slow-digesting Carbs for Meals.
Eating slow-digesting or low-glycemic carbs will keep your blood sugar in check and help you burn more fat.
Research shows that consuming brown rice, fibrous veggies, oatmeal and whole grain will give you more energy during your workout sessions.
Carb Management is Not Enough
It is essential to note that only managing or reducing your carbohydrate intake will not help. You must ensure that you focus on other nutrients too. Also remember that every individual is different and you must not follow a pre-defined meal plan. Instead, you must follow a customised meal plan that best suits your needs.
Conclusion
The amount of carbs per day that is right for each person varies depending on their unique requirements. The goal should be to switch carb intake for protein and healthy fats, which will help stabilise blood glucose levels and set the person up for effective weight loss. Instead of focusing on one nutrient, the diet should include all types of vitamins, minerals, proteins and fats.
Understanding the pros and cons of every radical change to your diet is vital to losing weight. The standard process for losing weight is to eat the right carbs that fuel your workouts so that you can sculpt the physique you want.