If you are on a low-carb diet, but not seeing any results you may be doing something wrong. Here are 3 common mistakes while on a low-carb diet.
1. Overloading on Proteins
Eating more proteins should lead to weight loss, right? In a general sense, yes. But, too much protein can be too much of a good thing.
Your body will turn excess protein into glucose. Through a process called gluconeogenesis, some amino acids in the protein turn into sugar, especially when you are eating a low or no-carb diet. Gluconeogenesis will prevent your body from going into ketosis, which is what you are aiming for in a low-carb diet.
2. Overeating Carbs
Alternately, even if you are carefully crafting your diet to be low in carbohydrates, you may still be eating too much.
Your carbohydrate intake may be as low as 150 grams a day, but unless you are eating only unprocessed foods, you may need to reduce it even more for full ketosis. Some people eat as little as 50 grams of carbs a day to reach this state. But, it may take some experimentation on your part.
3. Avoiding Fat
Finally, if you reduced your carb intake to nearly nothing. You need to replenish your energy source. This is where fats come into your diet. Most low-carb dieters avoid eating fats, but that would be a mistake.
You need an energy source. You can avoid carbohydrates, or you can avoid fats. But, not both. If you don’t give your body an energy source you will eventually starve yourself. Not before you feel hungry, awful, and give up on your diet plan, though.
So, if you are on a very low carb diet, you need to balance out your energy needs by consuming 50-70% of your calories in fat. This includes fatty cuts of meat, dairy, and healthy fat oils. In this way, you will be able to sustain your body’s energy needs.
Final Thoughts
If you avoid these common mistakes while on a low-carb diet, you may see results faster. Just remember to balance your diet correctly to meet your body’s needs. If you don’t, you will feel poorly and be tempted to quit your plan.
