Would a low carb diet help reduce fat?

phoenixwizard64
phoenixwizard64 Posts: 13
in Food and Nutrition
I'm going on a low carb diet (i'm only getting my carbs from fruits/veggies). do you think this will help me get rid of some of the fat covering my muscles? let me know :)

~im also a vegetarian so a lot of my protein would come from the beans, nuts, and eggs that i eat....

Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,286 Member
    Only if your calories create a deficit....there's nothing magical about low carb, unless it allows you to eat less and feel more satiated, which it does for me. Also the only way your going to reduce hat fat covering your body is to add some weight resistant exercises, otherwise people just tend to look smaller but not necesarily leaner, so do that. Try to get adequate protein as well considering veg diets are notorious for low protein intake.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Low carb diets have no metabolic advantage over any other macronutrient ratio, given an equal caloric deficit. Nothing wrong with low carb if it suits your lifestyle and is sustainable for you, but there's no magic to it as far as reducing fat/weight.
  • kms1320
    kms1320 Posts: 599 Member
    Low carb works pretty well, but 100g carbs per day should be your goal, the rest with lean protein and good fats.

    http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/one_hundred_gram_carb_cure
  • squishy2981
    squishy2981 Posts: 34
    Initially, high protein-low carb diets work great to bust fat, but eventually you hit a plateau. And if you want to stay active and exercise, you will feel fatigued without having carbs in your diet. Carboyhydrates are converted into ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate), which in not so scientific terms is your body's energy. If you have no carbs to convert into energy, you will feel sluggish. And if you want to cut fat, you have to combine cutting some calories with exercising, but if you feel sluggish you will not get anything out of your workouts or you might just be too tired to work out.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Calories are calories. Weight loss depends on calories in vs. calories out. Personally, I know that low carb wouldn't be sustainable for me but if it helps you stay within your calorie goal then go for it.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Caloric deficit is all you need.

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