10 Lies About The Atkins Diet : Lie #9
Lie #9: Ketosis makes you feel better and doesn't
affect your performance
The human organism is neither pure carnivore, nor pure
vegetarian. Your body is a remarkable machine that is fully capable
of adapting to whatever fuel is provided in predominance. You can burn
protein, fat, or carbs for energy and most people can adapt well to
using dietary fat for energy after a short adjustment period. However,
carbohydrates are your body's preferred - and most efficient - fuel
source for strength training and vigorous physical activity.
Many low carbers believe that fat is a more efficient energy
source than carbohydrates, but this is not true. Fat is not a more efficient
energy source, it is only a more concentrated energy source.
Since the fuel for muscular contraction is carbs (glycogen)
a high fat, low carb diet is not the best approach to fat loss for athletes,
bodybuilders or highly active individuals. These diets simply don't
support high intensity training.
Very low carb diets might be a temporary quick fix for
the sedentary, severely overweight, or those with orthopedic conditions
that prevent any exercise. It seems that ketogenic diets take off weight
even with little or no exercise (although the weight loss won't be pure
fat and you may not keep it off). Some Atkins dieters even report feeling
more energetic after adapting to the low carbs and high fat. It's likely,
however, that most of them were relatively inactive. Low carbs and high
activity don't go well together.
Truth is, a more balanced diet of natural foods combined
with exercise is a much better way to take off pure fat for good.
Anyone who CAN exercise SHOULD exercise! Of the two methods
for creating a calorie deficit - burning more, or eating less - the
former is the superior method with far fewer downsides. Any fat loss
program that does not make exercise the centerpiece is ultimately destined
for failure.
This article was provided by GHF.
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