Low Carb: Why does it work? Part 1

I got a bit of a tongue lashing from my personal trainer for juicing. At first, he didn't say much about it then later reminded me of my weight loss goal for the wedding. It's fine to mess around with different nutrition ideas, apparently, but when you're 13 lbs overweight and looking to lose 30 lbs in time for a wedding ceremony so you can look like a supermodel in pictures, this just isn't going to cut it.

He reminded me that I should be consuming no more than 1300 calories per day, most of which should be veggies and protein and I should be laying low on the carbs. And by low he means not intaking 100% of my calories from fruit and veggie juice. Hmm...

Alright Mr. Munoz, I'll play your game after some research. Not that I don't trust you, my dear good friend, I just need to know where the logic comes from so that I might improvise in low carbing when certain scenarios are undefined.

Apparently, the body uses glycogen as the source for energy primarily which is found in carbohydrates. Only when the glycogen is depleted does the body move onto lipolysis, basically burning fat for energy. Low carb diets remove carbohydrates from the equation resulting in the body being forced into using fat for energy.

Now, I had a friend who told me that the low carb thing didn't work for her. That eventually, she just ended up gaining weight while on the diet. There's a caveat that most main stream low carb diets only touch upon. It's that the body will use the fat consumed in the day for energy before going after the fat in the body. Low carb is not Carte Blanche to eat high fatty foods.

But we all know that you can't avoid carbs entirely, in fact a diet that is high is vegetables will inevitably be relatively high carbs and some vegetables have such a high sugar content, they might was well be a candy (yes, I'm talking about you corn.)

Well... enter insulin's important role in the low carb diet.

(Image courtesy of 1001herbs.com)

Times Are a Changing

Commitment. Commitment. Commitment. Little habits, small changes, tiny steps. Water is easy. Finding time for 30 minutes of cardio, though should be easy since I can somehow find time for 30 minutes of Good Eats with Alton Brown a day, is challenging. I should do it in the morning before work, BUT, waking up in light of the freezing cold of the morning is so challenging. It probably wouldn't be so challenging if I got 8 hours of sleep before said freezing cold morning. So here's to Habit #2!

Habit 2: In bed by 10pm. No no, more specifically, in bed, TV and lights off by 10pm. Even if my night loving fiance isn't headed off to dream land with me.

Implementation: I suppose I should be back in my house by 9pm every night (good bye weekday nights out!) And I shouldn't eat after 8pm so that I won't be uncomfortable from laying down with food in my stomach.

Results Habits (1,2): The water really helped me feel satiated throughout the day despite the numerous times I had to run to the restroom. I know my bladder will get used to it. I am sick right now, however, so getting to bed by 10pm wasn't a problem with my friend Nyquil.

I did, however, end up having to turn down an invitation for dinner and drinks at a local pub. I should probably get used to it if I'm not going out after 9pm on weekdays. I feel like, sometimes, when I call it an early night and I don't go out until the weekends that I'm not living life to the fullest. Working for the weekends hardly seems like the kind of life I want to live.

I just have to keep in mind that I need to build these habits so that they are the general rule, not the exception. Then maybe I can make room for some exceptions.

Water is the Watchword

It's no secret that habits should start one at a time. So I'm going to be starting a habit a day for the next 7 days.

Habit 1: Drink at least 2.2 liters of water a day and at least one cup of green tea.

Implementation: Brew one cup of tea every morning. Fill a 1.5 liter bottle of water. Pour tea into a travel mug. Bring said travel mug and water bottle back everyday (lol, I'm bad at this). Drink .70 liters of total water during meals and before bed.

Results for Day 1: Clearly, a constant need to urinate. But, more energy. Does the energy increase makeup for the lack of productivity during bathroom breaks? I hope so.