You'd like a low carb nutritional design and what it means. Learn about low carb diet plans!

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Client #1: "I'd like a low carb nutritional design"
Fitness Expert: "Where would you like to me put the additional calories for your goals?"
Client: "______________"
Can you fill in the blank? Give it a shot. 

This is an example of how nutrition can be confusing for some and why it's so important to understand what your goals are, how to develop a goal, understand the process involved, etc. There is not a one step process....let's chat and get to the bottom of this!
Again, can you fill in the blank? Give it a shot.

Society frequently believes that a Low Carb diets equates to weight loss.  Can you build muscle on a low carb diet?  Well, it depends are you in a caloric surplus for that and your goals?  Lots to think about here…

Low carb diets are frequently also thought of as the no bread, no potato, no pasta type of diet plan, when in fact, those carbs are essential for your muscles, your brain, your digestion and more!  Why?  They’re packed full of vitamins – these are your micronutrients!

Let’s ask it this way:

Client “I’d like to change my macronutrients in order to [build muscle/lose weight/etc] change the micronutrients in my diet and here is why…..”

You must have a reason to go on a low carb diet that actually makes sense, you need to understand that going low carb only changes your body temporarily, generally speaking.  In the long term, low carb diets are not realistic.  A note from Quackwatch: “In the absence of adequate carbohydrate, the fatty acids may be incompletely metabolized, yielding ketone bodies and thus ketosis. Prolonged fasting or low depletion is unsafe, because it causes the body to begin to digest proteins from its muscles, heart, and other internal organs.

Low-carbohydrate diets also produce ketosis, but if properly designed, they enable the body's nutritional needs to be met by dietary protein, dietary fat, stored body fat, and stored glycogen, so that body muscles are spared [1]. As this "nutritional ketosis" begins, there is a diuretic (water loss) effect, leading the dieter to think that significant weight reduction is taking place. However, most of the early loss is water rather than fat; the lost water is regained quickly when if the dieter resumes eating carbohyrate (as would occur, for example, with a balanced diet). Appetite, often reduced during ketosis, also returns when a balanced diet is resumed.”

Definition of ketone: A ketone is a substance that is produced by our body when fat cells break down in the blood. Having ketones in the blood could mean that the person has alcoholic ketoacidosis or uncontrolled blood glucose.  Essentially, a diabetic state.

Here’s another example that most may not know.  You can go on a lower carb diet by eating more vegetables.  Yes, veggies are carbs, and fruits - all of them.   So you want a real “diet” eat more fruits and  veggies, moderate your grains and you’ve found a perfect balance.

2 things to note:

1.        The word diet was used intentionally, although, my personal opinion is that word sucks more than the word purge.  You may as well.  Nutrition is a carefully thought out plan after you’ve learned more about it.

2.        Also note the last word of this blog – it’s very important: balance.  Till client #2!...

We are skilled in nutrition for all goals, obstacles and challenges.  We have combined ~16 years of experience and can help you decide what nutrition works for your goals.  This article and blog was written for information purposes by Coach Kelly LaCasse, Master of Fitness & Nutrition from Club Inhale / Exhale, Billerica MA location.  (Satellite locations in Woburn and Danvers, MA and all surrounding towns!)  

Club Inhale / Exhale can be reached at 888 707 1102 and www.ClubInhaleExhale.com.  Initial Consultations are free.

Thank you for reading this blog post!