Healthy Diets: Why A Low Carb Diet Is A Different Weight Loss Experience

If you are no stranger to the diet world, you are probably wondering what the difference is between the low calorie diets and the low carb diets. Scientists doing high protein low carb diet research have found that there is a dramatic difference in the way our bodies respond to the two basic types of dieting.

The low carbohydrate diets have one obvious difference - they are much lower in starches and sugars. But that is not the important difference in this case. It's how our metabolism and bodily functions react to the change in food intake.

It's a "Need" Versus "Want" Dilemma

In the more traditional approach to weight loss programs, the main emphasis is placed on the amount of food ingested and the number of calories consumed. A major difference with the low carb diets is the focus tends to be not on how much you eat, but rather how much you want to eat. BIG difference here. It's a matter of limiting the supply of food to the body versus altering the body's demand for food.

Our bodies require certain levels of calories just to function properly. Determining exactly what that number is can be next to impossible to compute. Our requirements fluctuate daily depending on our levels of activity, and can vary up to 25% from person to person. So, is it better to push calories into your system without knowing what is really required, or letting your body tell you what it needs?

The Problem with the Typical Reduced Calorie Diet

A major issue with your host of low calorie diets is that it isn't natural. They generally advocate starving your system by eating less, therefore consuming fewer calories. This may work for a short while, but your body will fight back. Common reactions include:
* Difficulty concentrating
* Experiencing food cravings
* Fatigue
* Sense of constant hunger
* Irritability
* Depression
Of course, there are some individuals who can power through these reactions through sheer will power, but the odds state that most will lose this battle with their body's biology.

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em

Now that you know why the simple reduced calorie diets generally fail, let's look at an alternative - the low carbohydrate diet. If you can make your body require less food, while burning body fat for energy, you will lose weight. The fact is that individuals on a low carb diet lower their calorie intake by default, a natural added benefit.

The result will be that your body will seem satisfied even with the reduced food intake. This is key! You will begin to work with your body instead of fighting its natural tendencies for storing more and more fuel. High protein low carb diet research indicates that individuals who respond well to this diet don't experience the feeling that their bodies are constantly craving more food. So, as the saying goes; "Go with the current rather than trying to fight it" - it's a much easier and rewarding way to get where you're heading!