Do Low Carbohydrate Diets Work?

Do low carbohydrate diets work? Are low carb diets really an effective way to lose weight?

Here's some of what Tom has to say about low carbohydrate diets that I want to share with you:In his book Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, fat loss expert Tom Venuto covers low carbohydrate diets in detail, including the pros and cons of low carb diets and when to use a low carb diet.

A common example of a dangerous generalization is "carbohydrates are fattening." This sends people - of all body types - into an unnecessary state of "carbo phobia." If you lump all carbohydrates into the same category, you're failing to acknowledge that there are healthy, nutrient-dense carbs as well as unhealthy, empty-calorie carbs.

The low carb gurus who preach that "carbs are bad" have caused more confusion with their dogmatic viewpoints than anything else in the history of the weight loss industry.

The truth is, low carb, high protein diets may work phenomenally well for carb intolerant endomorphs, especially if they're sedentary. But people with different body types lose muscle and suffer from low energy, irritability and loss of mental clarity with carb depletion. Because carbs are fuel, they also need to be prescribed based on a person's activity level and training intensity.

Another flaw in recommending a very low carb approach across the board is the assumption that everyone has difficulty metabolizing carbs, so everyone should be on a low carb diet. A large percentage of obese people do have symptoms of metabolic syndrome and carb intolerance. However, according to my research and experience working with thousands of clients with a wide variety of body fat levels, I estimate that only 20%-30% of the overall population is carb intolerant. Only a fraction of that 20%-30% is seriously carb intolerant.

The best way to look at very low carbohydrate diets is as a last resort for those with extreme difficulty losing body fat the conventional way. Most people will lose body fat simply by adding a regular exercise routine to their schedule and by "cleaning up" their diets. A "clean" diet means you've mastered all of the nutritional basics like eating small, frequent meals, controlling portion sizes, cutting down on saturated fat, avoiding sugar, drinking plenty of water, and eating lean protein at every meal.

Calories are always the most important factor in losing body fat and the first factor you should consider. Only then can you accurately calculate the optimal ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fat specifically for your unique needs.

I hope this information from Tom Venuto has helped answer the question do low carbohydrate diets work and cleared up some of the confusion surrounding low carb diets.

Check out Tom's Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program for more information on how to lose body fat and get fit and healthy. To learn more about Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle, Click Here.