Frequently we encounter patients and athletes who claim to consume 'clean' or 'healthy' diets, rejecting the intake of wheat flour and opting for a diet higher in meats and vegetables in order to achieve lower body fat and better athletic performance.

The Low Carb diet, depending on the consumed calories and specific nutrient needs, is characterized by a high intake of proteins (cold cuts, meat, cheese, and eggs) while restricting carbohydrate consumption (mainly from fruits with higher carbohydrate content, cereals, legumes, and whole grain breads) throughout the day.

This currently trendy diet shows deceptively positive short-term results, demonstrating rapid weight loss.

However, this bodily change occurs at the expense of liquids stored in muscles in the form of 'muscle glycogen' (the way muscles store energy for physical activity), rather than reflecting sustained fat loss over time.

As a consequence, there is depletion of the body's muscular and cerebral energy reserves. Athletes experience symptoms such as headaches, nighttime cravings for sweet foods, bad breath, hunger, and chronic fatigue, among others.

Within a few months of starting this eating pattern, there is a 'rebound effect in body weight' and difficulty in staying away from foods that were initially excluded.

On the other hand, research concludes that the long-term effects of this dietary trend carry significant health risks, such as increased calcium excretion through urine, osteoporosis, kidney stones, elevated blood cholesterol, and heart problems, among others.

YES TO CARBOHYDRATES

The bad reputation carbohydrates have due to their direct association with weight gain does not currently help promote their consumption. However, they play a fundamental role in the body as the primary source of energy for all bodily and brain functions.

During physical activity, carbohydrates are known to conserve proteins, thus preventing muscle fiber breakdown, delaying fatigue, and improving training performance.

THE 4 LAWS OF NUTRITION

Finally, we must consider that an optimal nutritional plan is one that includes:

• Quality, ensuring adequate intake of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals to maintain the proper functioning of organs.
• Quantity, providing sufficient food to meet the body's energy demands.
• Harmony, ensuring a correct proportion of macro and micronutrients.
• Suitability, promoting a specific diet for each individual according to their physiological situation, stage of life, preferences, schedules, among other factors.

An appropriate nutrition plan will always aim to reduce body weight at the expense of the individual's fat mass rather than muscle mass. This is achieved through the consumption of cereals, whole grain breads, fruits, and vegetables. This approach helps maintain energy levels throughout the day, allowing for a gradual and healthy weight loss, thereby improving athletic performance inevitably.

Lead your diet!