Reducing your carbohydrate intake is a popular way to try to reach your weight loss goals. It changes the way your body replenishes energy, which can improve both your physical and emotional health.
What is a Low Carb Diet?
Low carb diets restrict carbohydrate consumption relative to average diet, foods high in carbohydrates are limited and replaced with foods containing a higher percentage of fat and protein.
Some examples low carb diets :
1. Keto Diet – This is the strictest plan, requiring you to eat less than 50grams of carbs per day and eat high fat protein, the body will then burn fats rather than protein.
2. Low Carb Mediterranean Diet – It can provide health benefit, because you eat low carb, lean protein and healthy fats.
3. Atkins Diet – It takes you through four phases, starting with very low carb consumption and gradually introducing more carbohydrate-rich foods throughout.
4. Dukan Diet – The Dukan diet includes four phases: the first phase is focuses on high protein foods, Second phase you add vegetables in your meal, The third phase allows you to have 2 celebration meals per week, and the fourth phase is about keeping your weight stable. Most people like this kind of low carb diet because is easier to follow.
5. Paleo Diet – it is not a very strictly low carb diet because you can still eat starchy vegetables and fruits but it eliminates grains and legumes.
How Does Low Carb Diet Work?
Low Carb diet help the body to burn fat instead of sugar for fuel. This contributes to higher, consistent energy levels throughout the day, allowing you to reach weight loss and weight maintenance goals.
Studies have shown that people on a low carb diet can lose weight, but there is no guarantee that they will have the same experience.
When you begin a low carb diet with less fat to loss, you loss slowly that a person who begin the diet with more fat to loss. The most common result is losing between 3 and 6 pounds or 2 kilograms during the first two weeks. You will lose excess weight faster and feel healthier if you limit your carbs to somewhere between 50 and 150 grams per day and combining it with a workout.
Be consistent. Pick a consistent time and weigh yourself. This provides the best base for comparison. Women and girls, who follow the diet must watch their cycle. If you have a menstrual cycle, you may choose not to weigh yourself later in the cycle, especially if you tend to retain water.
Limit your weigh-ins. The usual advice is to weigh yourself once a week instead of every day. The normal daily fluctuations in weight are related to body water content, and dietary fiber content.
Benefits of a Low-Carb Diet
– Apart from losing weight, low Carb diets that focus on healthy sources of carbohydrates, fat and protein may help to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
– Low carb diet keeps your metabolism in control, which helps in weight reduction but it also keeps your overall well-being in check. Your digestion, blood pressure, sugar level, and absorption of cholesterol depend on the kind of metabolism you have. A high carb diet can be the biggest enemy to your metabolism, that is how the low carb diet is very important.
– Low carb diet protects your brain by keeping it happy, According to research, low carb diet like keto has shown amazing results in boosting memory.
– A low carb diet will make you feel more energetic
– You do not experience bloating when you follow a low carb diet because you drink a lot of water. When you eat food with high carbohydrates is the only reason you experience bloating because it can cause water retention in your body.
– Low Carb diet reduces appetite. Studies show that when people cut carbs and eat more protein and fat, they end up eating fewer calories.
Foods to Eat
On a low carb diet, foods that are low in carbohydrates are the central focus: Examples are below:
- Avocado
- Healthy fat-rich fish, like salmon
- Meat, such as chicken, beef, pork, and lamb
- Nuts and seeds
- Olive and Canola oil
Fruits and vegetables without starch such as:
- Asparagus
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage and Lettuce
- Spinach and kale
- Strawberries, Kiwi, Plums, and Melons
- Dairy foods like Cheese and Yoghurt
- Eggs
Food to avoid
- Processed snack products, like crackers, chips, and cookies
- Rice
- Bread
- Oatmeal
- Pasta
- Grains, such as farro, bulgur, and quinoa
- Milk
- Higher-carb fruits, like grapes and bananas, Apples and dates
- Beans and lentils
- Starchy vegetables, like sweet potatoes and potatoes
- High-sugar foods, such as cake, ice cream, candy, and soda
Any related Risk and disadvantages of Low Carb Diet
– It may produce temporary side effects such as, constipation, headaches and muscle cramps.
– It lowers energy levels, especially when exercising.
– Low carb diet is expensive, that means it can only be afforded by people with financial muscle.
– Giving up food with high carbohydrates can be very difficult for some people.
– You need to read the content on the food label to check the content of carbohydrates before you eat and therefore, it takes more time.
– Mood swings and irritability: Without enough carbohydrates your blood sugar will drop, leaving you feeling moody
– By not eating enough carbohydrates can cause bad breath.
Exercise is a crucial part of any diet. It speeds up metabolism, burns calories, strengthens and tones muscles, increases flexibility, boosts mood and improves circulation. Make sure you spend 30 minutes or more engaging in any type of moderate exercise such as walking, biking or swimming at least five days a week.
Combining Moderate exercise with a healthful low-carbohydrate eating plan will help you lose weight and stay healthy.
Consult your doctor before starting a low carb diet eating plan.
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