The majority of the foods we eat each day are from the carbohydrates foods group so it makes sense that by limiting them in our diets, we can efficiently lose weight. Low carb dieting is a proven weight loss method.
The question is how low carb should you go for our specific body type and weight. Every body is different, and finding what works best for each person is a difficult task. There is an amount of calories the body needs to properly function each day. Consuming too many or not enough calories can affect your metabolism negatively.
Your metabolism is like the engine that keeps your body moving. It is a very complex energy creating and burning system that can cause a variety of symptoms and conditions which can ultimately cause serious injuries or death.
Everyone knows the negative effects of consuming too many calories we gain weight because the body stores those excess calories as fat. On the other hand when you consume too few carbohydrates your body’s natural response to the sudden lack of energy is to slow down your metabolism. This is the exact opposite effect someone who is losing weight wants. Blame this on evolution because over thousands of years this is your body’s natural response of trying to conserve its calories in a time of famine.
If your body’s carbohydrate intake becomes too low the metabolic process known lipolysis is accelerated. Lipolysis is the process where fat is pulled from adipose tissue and broken down into two components, fatty acids and glycerol. The liver, cardiac muscle, and resting skeletal muscles all rely on these two components as a main energy source.
When the body doesn’t have a steady supply of carbohydrates it begins to use its stored fat as its main energy supply. Problems occur during the chemical process of lipolysis when oxaloacetic acid that is normally used to transport acetyl coenzyme A is instead converted into glucose, which the brain needs as its energy supply.
As a direct result the body’s supply of oxaloacetic acid diminishes the fat oxidation process of lipolysis is unable to finish. The liven then converts the extra acetyl CoA into ketenes, in a process referred to as ketogenesis. The ketenes released into the blood stream can lead to a serious condition known as ketosis. This condition is common in those who are malnourished and those who suffer from diabetes.