Low Carb and Low Protein Diets

Which Diet is Best for Fast Weight Loss

Nov 17, 2009 Alina Bradford

Low carb diets and low protein diets are diets on opposite sides of the spectrum. They both have their weaknesses and strengths when it comes to losing weight.

There is a lot of confusion over low carb and low protein diets. Which one is the best? Which aids in losing weight faster?

Well, it depends.

Low Carb Diets

Low carb is a great way to lose weight quickly, but many people make a big mistake when on a low carb diet. They think that anything that is low in carbs is fair game. They consume too much red meat, too much fat, and too many calories. Even if a dieter is watching their carbs, they will still need to watch fat and calories as well to maintain maximum health and lose the maximum amount of weight. Plus, eating foods that are high in trans fat increases a dieter’s chances of heart blockage, high cholesterol, and weight gain according to the Mayo Clinic.

So even if a dieter leaves the bread off of a sandwich, the meat should still be low fat or as lean as possible.

This also means no fried food. Many people load up on fried bacon, fried eggs and fried sausage for their morning breakfast. Yes, the meal is low carb, but it also has all the fat should be consumed in a whole day, not just one meal. The amount of fat a normal healthy person is supposed to consume, according to The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is no more than 35 percent of your daily calories. This equals out to be around 27 to 80 grams of fat per day, depending on how many calories that person is supposed to consume.

Another thing that low carb dieters overlook is that healthy things contain carbs, too. As nutrition expert Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD points out, “People on low carb diets often fail to realize that fruits and vegetables are carbs and they are important for a balanced diet.”

Low Protein Diets

Low protein diets usually help a person drop pounds quickly, too, because they cut back on a really fattening part of a person’s diet, but these diets also have some catches. The human body needs protein to build muscles and to create hemoglobin and antibodies, and it is also important for mental health, so restricting protein too much isn’t a good move for the body. Protein also jump starts a dieter’s metabolism.

So What is the Best Course of Action?

The most important lesson to learn from these two diet follies is that moderation is the key. It is also important to eat wisely. Here are some tips:

• Go white. “White meat” is lower in fat than other meat. So, pork, chicken, and fish should be first picks for consumption in the meat department.
• Monitor bread choices. Pick whole wheat or whole grain breads and eat them sparingly. By cutting bread consumption in half, a dieter can lose weight faster.
• Eat more vegetables. Many veggies have just 50 calories in a whole cup, so the stomach feels full on less calories. Vegetables are cocked full of fiber and raise blood sugar less than other foods containing carbohydrates.

Using these strategies, dieters can lose weight faster without being as constricted in food choices.

Reference:

Personal interview with nutrition expert Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD and sources referenced in the text.

The copyright of the article Low Carb and Low Protein Diets in Weight Loss is owned by Alina Bradford. Permission to republish Low Carb and Low Protein Diets in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Choosing the Right Diet Can Aid in Weight Loss

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