Weight loss products, programs, machines and diet plans can be easily obtained these days. You can get them from grocery stores, health stores, doctor’s clinics and home tv shopping networks. They are also available on internet sites where you can order them and be delivered at your home. But however easy it is to obtain them, you still see a lot of people battling with weight problems. Many of these people have tried at least one of the available diet plans being advertised and still failed.
Two of the most commonly suggested diet plans are low carb diets and low fat diets. Before we individually describe each, it is important to note that low carb is not the same as no carb and low fat is not the same as no fat. Low carb and low fat diets are both concerned with lessening the intake of carbohydrate rich foods and fatty foods respectively and not totally eliminating them.
The Case of the Low Carb Diet
This diet is based on the following principle. When we eat foods like baked potatoes, steamed white rice, chiffon cake and anything with sugar, we take in the carbohydrates that these food have and stimulate the secretion of insulin. This leads to glucose to be absorbed into our body tissues to be used a fuel for our body functions. However, not all the glucose that is absorbed is burned as we do our daily duties. Excess glucose are converted to and stored as the dreaded fats. Also, a rapid increase in insulin level is usually followed by an equally rapid fall. The instant reaction of the body to counter this fall is to eat again. This cycle repeats over an over until it becomes a vicious cycle. Proponents of low carb diets thus suggest a reduction in intake of carbohydrate rich food like white sugar, white rice, flour products and potatoes.
The Case of the Low Fat Diet
Dietary fats are mostly high in saturated fats and trans fatty acids. These have been linked to cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure and heart attack. Fatty foods also contain more calories than other foods so they have been linked to many cases of obesity. Proponents of low fat diets suggest that a reduced intake of fatty foods particularly those that are high in saturated fats and trans fatty acids will help reduce weight, fight obesity and reduce cardiovascular risks.
Based on these information, it seems that following either of the two will really help weight watchers reduce weight. But the question is, will one following any of the two diet techniques maintain whatever weight is lost? Will it make him or her any healthier than others who are not following the suggested diets?
Eating healthy foods and adhering to healthy eating plans are still better solutions in losing weight. Many plans constitute eating all necessary food groups in the right amounts. This way you don’t deprive the body of any nutrient that it needs and the benefits of eating healthy that one can obtain are tenfold. You just need to choose the kind of foods give you the best benefit. Not all carbohydrates are bad as there are complex sources of carbs like fruits and vegetables. These contain vitamins and minerals needed for good health. Not all fats are bad either as there are sources that are in fact good like nuts, olives and fish. They have unsaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids that are good for the heart.
At the end of the day, losing weight is still dependent on how much calories you take in whether from carbohydrates or fats and how much you burn. If you want to lose weight, you have to burn more than what you eat.