Is a Low Carb Diet Beneficial?

When it comes to losing weight there are tons of programs out there that can help with your fat loss journey. For many people out there the idea of fat loss probably sounds extremely enticing and why not? Most people are always out to lower their body fat percentage in the hopes of getting a lean and shredded physique.

Though genetics plays a big role in that endeavor, diet also has a lot to do with fat loss as well. With all the diet fads out there, sometimes it’s hard to figure out what’s right and what’s wrong. In reality it’s all about what works best for you and how your body reacts to specific diets. But there is one notion that has been going around that many inexperienced bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts have been led to believe is true. That carbs are the enemy.

It’s the biggest misconception out there when it comes to fitness nutrition. A carb can be your best friend depending on how you train and how it fits into your diet. There’s nothing worse than finding out the hard way that you’ve been wasting your time. For the ill informed, let us drop some tidbits of knowledge that may save you a ton of time and a huge headache.
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Why you need carbs in your life.

Besides the fact that carbs are extremely palatable, they also have a major use when it comes to working out. Carbs are essentially the fuel your body can use to allow for optimal energy and improved performance in the gym. Protein builds muscle while fats help you to absorb nutrients. Eating carbs can be the difference between lifting king or a pauper in the gym. No carbs means your body will likely look for another source of energy to use, namely your muscle and protein, which defeats the purpose.

Who should be consuming high carbs?

When it comes to utilizing carbs in your diet, it’s essential that you do so while planning ahead. If you’re a person who trains hard and really pushes themselves to the limit when you’re in the gym, chances are that a low carb diet is going to do you little good. Athletes who push themselves for hours in the gym should be consuming a great deal of carbs to ensure that they have enough energy to drive them during their workout without depleting their reserves and allowing their body to use muscle as fuel.

When is it okay to eat low carbs?

So is there a specific person that would be better off on a low carb diet. Well when you consider that fact that carbs can hold onto water, a high carb diet is probably not going to be all the beneficial to a person leading a more sedentary lifestyle. If you sit down all day and get only a half hour to workout in the gym then the best bet is to curb your carb intake to an amount that is proportionate to your training volume. Eating so many carbs when you have no intention of pushing yourself hard can prove to be counter productive. If you know you’re taking it easy and not planning to go all out in the gym then take it easy on the carbs.
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What does your diet look like? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.