Losing weight is not always an easy journey because you have to check the type of diet you are taking, especially the amount of carbohydrates and calories.
Many times, people think that limiting the amount of carbohydrates is effective in losing weight, but in reality, in the long run, you will need to limit the amount of calories intake for effective loss of weight.
This brings the question, what is the actual difference between calories and carbs? And which one should one cut?
The questions above might have a few differences but when it comes to weight loss, the differences in them are inevitable.
They should be sampled carefully to avoid getting wrong ideas of which one is more effective in weight loss.
There is a lot of misinformation online about calories versus carbs. This article will give you comprehensive information about the difference between calories and carbs.
What is the difference between carbs and calories?
Calories and carbohydrates are essential elements for a healthy diet that should not be eliminated from a good diet.
Dieticians and nutritionists mostly advise people on a weight loss diet to limit the amount of carbohydrates in their diet, but in the long run, for faster weight loss, a combination of low carbs and low calories can be very effective.
- Carbohydrates typically refer to food rich in starch or sugar, while calories refer to diets rich in fats or added sugars.
- Carbohydrates mostly contain a small percentage of calories, but calories do not have carbs.
- The recommended amount of calorie intake for men is 2700, while for women is 2200, while the recommended amount of carbs intake for men is 225, while for women is 325.
- Excessive intake of calories can lead to heart-related problems, while excessive intake of carbs can lead to constipation and nausea.
- Limiting the amount of calories is effective for weight watchers while limiting the amount of carbs alone is not very practical for weight watchers. Still, a combination of low cabs and low calories can be very effective for weight loss.
Is it better to count calories or carbs?
Both calories and carbs are adequate for weight loss, but whichever you choose depends on your health condition and what you aim to achieve in the long run.
You have to remember that for proper health, you should incorporate a diet rich in minerals, vitamins, and enough carbs and calories.
An attempt to lower the amount of carbs or calories all in one go can lead to health-related conditions. But which one is better to count?
But by comparing the two forms of diet, it is easy to count calories than to count carbs. This is because of the health benefits derived from reducing calories, like reduced risk of heart disease and good gut health.
It is easy to limit the amount of calories intake than carbs since many foods are rich in carbs, and it can be tough to avoid them all by restrict its intake. Some foods rich in carbs include wheat, rice, and nuts.
Calories counting might not be easy, especially in restaurants, but using a calorie counter, such as an app can be very effective.
Other than that, for a more effective calorie count, a combination diets that is at least 50% of carbohydrates can be helpful in the long run.
Do calories make you gain weight or carbs?
Some sources say that too many carbs lead to weight gain, while others say too many calories lead to weight gain, but these are very conflicting.
Carbohydrates contain 4 grams of calories, while calories have 9 grams of calories. This goes to show that calories can, make you gain more weight than carbohydrates.
If you consume more calories than your body needs, you are very likely to gain weight; the opposite is true.
Controversies about carbs with weight gain are primarily false since carbs are essential for people with diabetes since it aids in low blood sugar.
But refined carbs like white bread and fries have saturated fat which, if consumed in excess, will lead to weight gain since the fat sits on the lower abdominal muscles, which can be very hard to get rid of.
Unrefined carbs like whole oatmeal can help reduce weight gain since they are high in fiber which aids in bowel movement.
Calories intake is not entirely bad for the body, but letting calories settle in the body without burning can lead to weight gain.
Can I lose weight by counting calories instead of carbs?
Counting calories alone cannot lead to weight loss. You will need to reduce carbohydrate intake in your diet.
Calories counting should align with your goals. Carbohydrates are known for increasing metabolism and reducing hunger.
Adding a good amount of carbohydrates in your diet, like the recommended amount of 50%, can lead to reduced weight loss since you will not be tempted to take in snacks that are mostly high in calories between meals.
Using a calorie counting device like an app can help you know the calories in your meal. Diets high in calories mainly contain too much fight, which is in excess of what the body needs for burning during oxidation which leads to saturated fat in the body, leading to weight gain.
Eating the right amount of calories, like 4 grams daily can be effective in weight loss since the body can quickly burn that fat to produce energy.
The bottom line is, counting calories alone without putting into consideration carbohydrates cannot lead to weight loss all at once.
This means that lowering your calorie intake by engaging in a diet that has 50% of carbs can lead to effective weight loss in the long run.
What is the relationship between carbohydrates and calories?
Carbohydrates contain 4 grams of calories, but calories do not necessarily include any amount of carbs.
According to dieticians and doctors, people should consume calories, and 65% of the calories should come from carbohydrates.
For example,, a diet containing 2000 grams of calories, 1300 of those calories should come from carbs.
This is because carbs convert into glucose in the body, which is stored as energy in the body that is required for the metabolism process of converting fat into energy during oxidation.
Calories are a unit of energy measurement in food, while carbs are micro-nutrients present in the body.
Essentially consuming more carbohydrates in the body can lead to weight gain than consuming more calories.
This is because carbohydrates can contain a lot of saturated fats, which can easily sit in the abdomen.
When it comes to weight loss, it is easy to lose weight while counting calories than carbs since with carbs, you will need a combination of calorie cutting and carbs for effective weight loss.
Should I cut calories or carbs to lose belly fat?
When it comes to losing belly fat, cutting down on carbs can be more effective than cutting down on calories.
This is because unrefined carbs contain saturated fats that easily settle down in the body since they are not easily burnt into energy through oxidation.
Foods high in unrefined carbs are white bread, white rice, and French fries. They are also very high in calories which can be dangerous to the health.
Saturated fats that settle down in the lower abdomen can lead to obesity, leading to other conditions like heart problems, and in advanced, condition can lead to a heart attack.
Eating diets rich in unsaturated fat, like oatmeal, brown bread, and fruits, can lead to belly fat loss since they do not contain saturated fats that can settle in the lower abdomen.
Other than that, cutting down on carbs alone cannot lead to loss of belly fat, but exercising often can help in weight loss.
Following a meal plan that is full of healthy carbs and low calories with scheduling gym sessions can help you lose belly fat faster with more permanent results in the long run.
Which is better, low-calories or low-carbs?
There are many misconceptions about which is better, but it all depends on your health condition and what type of weight you want to lose, either belly fat, muscle weight, or whole body weight.
Cutting down on calorie intake and incorporating a meal with healthy carbs in the right amount can benefit your health.
Experts suggest an intake of 6 grams of calories each day, and 65% of those calories should be from carbs since carbs contain 4 grams of calories.
Other than that, if you aim at losing belly fat, cutting down on carbs can help you lose weight.
Eating the right amount of calories that is enough for the body to burn can be very beneficial to your health. Therefore, in general, low carbs and low calories depend on what you want to achieve.
Conclusion
The difference between carbs and calories is that carbs contain 4 grams of calories, while calories do not contain carbs. Both carbs and calories are essential to your health.
Therefore you should not eliminate all the carbs or calories when on a weight loss journey. Counting calories with the intake of the right amount of carbs can help in effective weight loss.