Diet: the best way to get in shape

A diet is the best way to get in shape when it consistently has you eating less energy than your body burns. The calorie deficit matters most, but for body composition it also counts where those calories come from. Here we look especially at the role of fat and carbohydrates.

Why does a diet only work in a calorie deficit?

“Diet” can seem like a confusing word. One person talks about avoiding fat, another about cutting carbohydrates, a third only about fasting. The simple truth: body fat goes down mainly when your daily calorie intake is lower than your expenditure.

That doesn’t mean macronutrients don’t matter. Fat, carbohydrates and protein affect appetite, strength in training, recovery and how well muscle mass is preserved during a diet. If you’ve been eating, say, 3000 calories a day for a while and you recently lower your intake to 2500, the scale will usually start to move. The question is how to do it so that your reflection improves, rather than just the number on the scale dropping.

The old school of bodybuilding often used a menu with very little fat. The reason was simple: when calories are under control, a very low fat intake can help some people keep fat burning running better than a standard low-fat approach.

How does a diet use fat and carbohydrates?

The body doesn’t see food only as a number. Glucose from carbohydrates and fatty acids from dietary fat influence whether energy is used or stored. When too many calories come in, storing fat is easy. When fewer calories come in, the picture is better, but your choice of macros still affects the process.

Lipoprotein lipase matters too. This enzyme helps regulate how much fat gets into fat cells and how much is released from them. In other words: even on a reduced calorie intake, fats and carbohydrates can influence how smoothly fat burning proceeds.

If two menus both provide 2500 kcal, but one is extremely low in fat and the other only moderately low-fat, the result may not be exactly the same. A very low fat intake can reduce the body’s ability to store the fat you eat as body fat. Frankly, the logic is simple: the less fat there is in the menu, the less there is for the body to store directly.

Thermogenesis, or heat production

Another interesting point is body temperature. When fat intake is very low, the body may use part of the carbohydrates to produce heat. This is called thermogenesis.

An example helps. If you eat 300 g of carbohydrates a day, about 10% may be spent on processing the food, leaving roughly 270 g available to the body. If you eat very little fat, that percentage can climb to 15. This is no excuse to eat unlimited bread and sweets, but it explains why a very low fat menu can work in certain situations when you’re getting in shape.

Preserving muscle mass matters

In a calorie deficit there is always one risk: losing muscle mass. When muscle is lost, your metabolism may slow down and your body still looks softer at a lower weight. That’s why the goal isn’t simply to eat less. The goal is to eat smarter.

Carbohydrates have a role here. They help support training and stimulate insulin release. Insulin can temporarily slow fat burning, but during a diet it also helps preserve muscle mass. Fats don’t produce that insulin response in the same way.

Diet and practical choices on your plate

A very low fat diet doesn’t mean you have to eat bland food. It means you deliberately choose leaner protein sources and keep high-fat foods in check.

• Choose lean meat, such as turkey breast.
• Use egg whites when needed if you want protein without the fat in the yolk.
• Protein powder can be a practical protein source if it’s hard to reach your amount with regular food.
• In the strictest phase of the diet, avoid red meat, whole broiler chicken and plenty of egg yolk.
• Keep your carbohydrates around your training, since that’s when they do the most good.

So what actually happens? When the amount of fat in the menu is very low and calories are under control at the same time, there is more room for carbohydrates. That can help you keep your strength in training. And when training stays strong, preserving muscle mass is easier too.

An extreme approach doesn’t suit everyone, though, and it isn’t meant to last forever. Fat is necessary for the body. It supports hormones, cells and the use of fat-soluble vitamins. So a very low fat diet is best treated as a short-term tool, not a year-round lifestyle.

FAQ: diet and getting in shape

Is a very low fat diet always best?

No. It can suit sharpening your shape when calories and protein intake are in place, but many people do better with a more moderate amount of fat. The best diet is the one you can sustain for a reasonable length of time.

Do you have to fear carbohydrates to get in shape?

You don’t. Carbohydrates can help preserve strength in training and muscle mass during a diet. The problem arises when your total calorie intake gets too high.

When should you reduce your fat intake?

If your weight and shape stop changing, but you want to keep your carbohydrates for training, reducing fat can be a next step. Do it gradually and keep an eye on how you feel.

Translated from Body magazine

Author: Greta

Source: ARMUDU

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