This is a starting guide for anyone looking to learn how to be successful on a low carb diet. More specifically a low carb high
- While changes can be scary, it’s important to remember why you were interested the in the low carb diet to begin with. What was your motivation?
- Are you doing this for weight loss?
- To get off medications?
- To better control or reverse your diabetes?
- To overall feel better and be healthier?
- Cut the processed foods and carbohydrates out of your diet. Don’t look back at what you were doing or what you’ll be missing; because what you were doing was killing you. That means no more potato chips, ice-cream, pasta, breads, etc. Don’t even tempt yourself with one small bite! The reason we say this is because you’re probably like every other American on the western diet, and unknowingly addicted to carbs. When quitting something that your addicted to, it’s only a tease to have a taste or small drink that then brings back those cravings you’ve been trying so hard to get rid of.
- Eating fat is GOOD for you. Fat has been demonized by our food industry for years, but back in 2016 papers were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s JAMA Internal Medicine">Journal of the American Medical Association’s JAMA Internal Medicine that exclaimed the sugar industry actually paid for the studies over 50 years ago that claimed fats were the culprit to heart disease. In reality they left out the fact that sugar may be the major culprit. We encourage you to add healthy fats into your diet when you can to help with feeling full after meals, it makes food taste better, provides you with more energy, helps you burn fat, and also is necessary to absorb fat-soluble vitamins that your body needs. Good sources of fat are: chicken wings, bacon, chicken thighs, mayonnaise, heavy cream, real cheese, avocados, nuts, olive oil, fish, etc. You have plenty of options to choose from, just remember to stay away from trans fats.
- Keep basic staple foods in stock for easier meal prepping. Good examples are frozen steam bag vegetables, coleslaw mix for stir-fries, at least a dozen eggs, butter, oils, fresh seasonal veggies, and frozen meat options like beef or chicken.
- Be courageous and try new things like different seasonal vegetables or ethnic foods to increase flavor, variety, color, and texture. This is to keep your diet fun and exciting.
- Going out to eat and doing pot lucks is still possible but it will be different than what your used to. Eat what you know you can have and ask for modifications if needed to make it more low carb.