written by NICK WRIGHT
When summertime rolls around (and right before it), we tend to put a lot of focus on our bodies. We worry about getting “beach” or “swimsuit” ready; we try to pick back up on those healthy resolutions we made all the way back in January, and we find ourselves scrambling at the last-minute trying to look our “best”—whatever that may be.
As a retired competitive bodybuilder and powerlifter who spent 16 years in and making a living off of the fitness industry, I have seen this stuff time and time again. I’ve studied nutritional science for well over a decade, and one thing I’ve learned is that there is no “perfect diet.” It simply doesn’t exist.
When it comes to weight loss, it’s all about how many calories you are consuming each day versus how many you are burning through activity and food restriction or decreased intake of food. Of course, the way we all go about reaching our weight loss goals is going to vary from person to person. It all comes down to figuring out and finding which diet or method fits your preference, goals, and lifestyle.
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Nick Wright
Retired competitive bodybuilder & powerlifter, his YouTube channel has 240,000 subscribers and over 75 million views worldwide. He’s often credited as being one of the pioneers in the YouTube fitness industry.
That being said, I’ve experimented with different diets over the years, and one of my all-time favorites is the low-carbohydrate diet. Again, I cannot stress this enough: There are many ways to reach your weight loss goals, and a low-carb diet is simply one way to do it.
Keep on reading to learn all the reasons why I personally love the low-carb approach, and the 4 surprising benefits of this eating style.
4 benefits of a low-carb diet:
1. You feel less hungry
Hunger is the biggest obstacle when we start our weight loss journey. It’s not just a lack of willpower, either. In fact, there are hormonal changes that take place during a diet that actually make you more hungry. One way to help fight this is by eating foods that are high in satiety. Satiety is the sense of feeling full and satisfied so, basically: The opposite of hungry.
Different foods offer different levels of satiety. On average, many sources of protein such as poultry, red meat, fish and eggs offer more satiety and keep you feeling fuller for longer. Many healthy sources of fat such as red meat, avocado, nuts, almonds and oils are also high in satiety.
On the flip side, many sources of carbohydrates such as bread, rolls, chips, pasta and many deserts are low in satiety, which is why people tend to feel hungry sooner after eating those types of foods. All in all, a diet that is lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein and fat is going to be higher in satiety and leave you less hungry and fuller longer.
2. Less water weight
Water weight—temporary holding of water inside the body—is not a bad thing; it’s temporary and doesn’t add to any fat gain. However, water weight is heavy and can feel and look uncomfortable, which means it can also add to the scale as well.
Proteins and fats don’t retain water the way carbohydrates do. Carbs actually absorb and hold water once they have been metabolized into glycogen—a source of energy. Again, this is not a bad thing, but I’ve found that switching to a low-carb diet can help boost self-confidence by eliminating or reducing water retention and bloating. When I begin a low-carb diet after I’ve gained extra weight, I often drop 5-10 pounds in the first two weeks! It’s the water weight going away thanks to removing carbohydrates. You may also see a difference in your face and limbs as well from less water retention.
Related: 6 Ways To Stay Toned That Have Nothing To Do With Food
3. More energy
Another awesome thing myself and many others have noticed while on a low-carb diet is the boost in mental energy it brings. I feel lighter on my feet, mentally sharper, and tend to be in a much better mood, more frequently.
One of the reasons for this is because when carbohydrates get low enough for long enough you go into a state of ketosis—aka the keto diet. It’s simply when carbs are so low, your body and brain begin to use fat as its energy source in the form of ketones. This can lead to natural euphoria and calmness in the brain.
That being said, even if you don’t push it that far, typically the lack of bloating and better satiety leaves you feeling less bloated, heavy, full, and tired between meals. That “food coma” you tend to get after eating seems to dissipate, and I’ve noticed that the infamous mid-afternoon crash disappears from my life when I’m eating low-carb. Of course, every major adjustment takes time, so when you first begin your low-carb diet you may feel the opposite and find you’re more tired at first. This is simply because your body is not used to it. However, give it two-four weeks, and you should notice an awesome change!
4. Tend to inadvertently eat less
The final reason I love the low-carb diet is the fact that it usually cuts your calories way down without you even realizing it! As I said before, eating less calories is what leads to weight loss. When you first switch to low carbs, you cut out a lot of high carb foods that are typically high in calories and easy to overeat. Bread is not bad, but when we end up eating all the rolls on the table at a restaurant or opting for fast food burgers while on-the-go, we end up consuming a lot of calories at once. This especially true for deserts.
Carbs are very easy to eat and eat and eat. When you have to force yourself to avoid the McDouble from McDonald’s because you can’t eat the bun, you also avoid the massive amount of calories that would have been consumed. By removing extra snacks here and there you end up removing several hundred calories you didn’t even realize you were eating each day. This will help drop your calories and kick-off your weight loss even faster!
Nick Wright is a competitive bodybuilder and powerlifter, and is credited with being one of the pioneers in the YouTube fitness industry. He began competing in bodybuilding shows in 2006 at the age of 14, and began sharing his fitness journey and lifestyle on YouTube and other social media platforms in 2009. He was the first natural teen bodybuilder on the cover of World Physique magazine in 2010, and is also one of the co-authors of the fitness and wellness self-help book Unfit, Unhealthy & Unwell.
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DISCLAIMER:
The information in this article is intended for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical or professional advice. Always consult a physician or any other professional health care provider regarding any health or wellness questions you may have, and before beginning or trying a new health, lifestyle, or wellness regimen.
