Why low carb diets fail

Studying low-carb diets and death risk. Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Related Coverage. What is the difference between simple and complex carbs? How can I lose weight? What you need to know about carbs. Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M. Medically reviewed by Gerhard Whitworth, RN. What can you eat on a low-carb diet? Medically reviewed by Natalie Olsen, R. Still, keep in mind that all diets restrict something — some certain food groups or macronutrients, others calories.

Following a low-carb diet has been shown to reduce appetite so that you can eat until satisfied and still lose weight 2 , 3. Scientific evidence does not support that low-carb diets are harder to stick to than other diets. Your body stores a lot of carbs in your muscles and liver. It uses a storage form of glucose known as glycogen, which supplies your body with glucose between meals. Additionally, low-carb diets lead to drastically reduced insulin levels, causing your kidneys to shed excess sodium and water 4 , 5.

For these reasons, low-carb diets lead to a substantial and almost immediate reduction in water weight. However, studies show that low-carb diets also reduce body fat — especially from your liver and abdominal area where harmful belly fat is located 6 , 7.

For example, one 6-week study on low-carb diets showed that participants lost 7. Low-carb diets tend to be high in cholesterol and fat, including saturated fat.

For this reason, many people claim that they raise blood cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease. However, some studies suggest that neither dietary cholesterol nor saturated fat have any significant effect on your risk of heart disease 9 , 10 , 11 , Most importantly, low-carb diets may improve many important heart disease risk factors by 13 :. Plus, these particles tend to change from harmful, small, dense shapes to larger ones — a process linked to a reduced risk of heart disease 22 , Still, keep in mind that these studies mostly look at averages.

Some individuals may experience major increases in LDL bad cholesterol on a low-carb diet. If this is the case for you, you can adjust your low-carb way of eating to get your levels down. Many people claim that the only reason people lose weight on low-carb diets is due to reduced calorie intake. People feel so full that they end up eating less food without counting calories or controlling portions.

Low-carb diets also tend to be high in protein , which boosts metabolism, causing a slight increase in the number of calories you burn 24 , Plus, low-carb diets are not always about losing weight. In fact, you can eat large amounts of vegetables, berries, nuts, and seeds without exceeding 50 grams of carbs per day. This provides room for several pieces of fruit per day and even small amounts of healthy starches like potatoes and oats. When you eat very few carbs — such as fewer than 50 grams per day — your insulin levels go down and a lot of fat is released from your fat cells.

A moderate carb intake is better for your metabolism than an extremely low one. The other less frequently mentioned issue that relates to cutting back on carbs is that often we then overdo the protein and fat by overconsuming fatty meats, cheese, avocado, nuts and high calorie keto and paleo snacks.

Here, carbs may be low overall, but calories remain too high as a result of too much fat and protein. No matter what the macronutrient makeup of the diet is, is too many calories are being consumed, weight loss will be halted.

While our natural instinct may be to cut back on carbs, it is possible to eat too little overall and negatively impact metabolic rate long term. A quick calorie or carbohydrate check via an online monitoring program, or a consult with an Accredited Practising Dietitian may be all you need to get both your macros and your calories on track to help you achieve your dietary and body composition goals.

If you buy something, we may get a cut of the sale. Learn more. Susie Burrell SusieBDiet. Are you sleeping better? All these factors are proof that your low-carb lifestyle is working. You might start adding a few more carbs into your life, without having a firm understanding of your personal carb balance. The finish line is in sight; you have the tools and you can do it! Stick with Atkins, take another look at the goals you have set, and be proud of what you have accomplished so far.

If your weight is something you always hid behind before, your weight loss may be attracting attention, which may feel uncomfortable. But the extra weight may impact your health and your quality of life.