50 - 100 grams per day
By reducing sugar intake, you can minimise insulin production and accelerate fat metabolism. If you have read the previous article you will know that carbohydrates drive insulin and insulin drives fat storage.
How to manage carbohydrates
Following this approach, you can expect to see a significant drop in inches (2 - 5) each week for several weeks. If you have less to lose, it may be closer to 2 inches, whereas if you have more to lose, it could be closer to 5 inches. That means within 60 days, you could lose 1-2 dress sizes, and within 90 days, 2-3 dress sizes. In the beginning, you might even lose 10-20 inches in just 14 days, which is equivalent to a full dress size.
Starchy carbohydrates such as grains (bread, wheat, pasta, corn) and tubers/roots (potato, parsnip, cooked carrots) as well as sugary carbohydrates (honey, jam, table sugar, fruit juice) would ideally be limited or avoided since they are high glycemic which means that they will raise your blood sugar quickly.
Fats and proteins should be eaten with carbohydrates
- Fats and proteins are not only delicious and filling but also packed with essential nutrients. When you consume them, you naturally eat fewer carbohydrates.
- This is because fats and proteins take longer to digest, slowing down the digestion of your entire meal. As a result, carbohydrates don't convert into glucose as quickly, which means your blood sugar won't spike rapidly. Remember, when your blood sugar rises quickly, your body tends to store more fat.
How much fats and protein?
It's worth mentioning that you don't have to limit yourself to lean cuts of protein. However, if someone prefers lean cuts then they can add fats from other sources such as cheese, olive oil, and all the others listed later in this blog. This is not a low-fat diet, nor is it a high-protein diet. It can be described as a moderate to low carbohydrate approach. When you reduce your carbohydrate intake, your body will start burning both the fats from your diet and the stored fat for energy.