Content

• Steps
• Advice

A low-carb (low-carb) diet is a great way to lose weight but can get overwhelming when you get started. You may have to make big changes in your eating habits and be confused about where to start. Start slowly by replacing simple carbs and refined sugars with complex carbs, then move on to low-carb foods. You can also make wise food choices for fullness. If you plan to go on a low-carb diet over the long term, choose a specific diet plan, find helpful tools and support groups for help.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Reduce carbs in your diet

1. 

   Eliminate refined sugars and simple carbohydrates. One big step towards low-carb habits is to eliminate all of the predominantly carbohydrate culprits. You don't have to cut them all at once, but you can cut things down one at a time to make them easier to do, such as replacing soft drinks and other sugary drinks with water or sugar-free drinks. Some sources of refined sugars and simple carbs include:

   Foods to avoid:
   Candy
   Biscuits, cakes and other pastries
   Sweet drinks like soda water
   White bread
   Noodles
   Rice
   Potato

   
   

2. 

   Switch to whole grains in the transition period. Before entering a full low-carb diet, you can replace the carbohydrates you normally eat with better carbohydrates, such as whole grains. Start slowly, and replace just 1 serving of regular carbohydrates every day or week with 1 serving of whole grains. After 1-2 weeks, you will eat fewer simple carbs and more complex carbs, which will reduce your total carbohydrate intake and help you feel full for longer. Some sources of complex carbohydrates to choose from are:

   Whole grains to try:
   Noodles and whole wheat breads
   Brown rice
   Cut oats and seeds
   Breakfast cereals are high in fiber and low in sugar

   
   

3. 

   Replace potatoes with sweet potatoes or other tubers. Potatoes are also a major source of simple carbs, so replacing them will help you during the transition to a low-carb diet. You can bake and use sweet potatoes or other similar tubers as with potatoes. Some good options include:
   • Grilled sweet potatoes or yams
   • Grilled carrot, kohlrabi or beets
   • Shredded radish
   • Celery bulb or fried radish

4. 

   
   
   Try out some simple alternatives to reduce your carb intake. When you're ready to start switching to a low-carb diet, replace your usual carbohydrates with less starchy foods.

   Try some simple alternatives:
   Exchange regular rice with cauliflower rice. If you have a food grinder or a veggie grating table, try grating cauliflower into small pieces like rice and cook in the microwave for 3-4 minutes to go with what you need to eat with rice!
   Swap regular noodles for zucchini or pumpkin noodles. You can grate the zucchini into noodles-like fibers with a scraper or vegetable knife, or toast a pasta squash, remove the seeds and scrape the "pasta" inside out. Sprinkle in your favorite pasta sauce and enjoy.
   Sip fresh nuts and vegetables in place of french fries. Sometimes you just need something crunchy for a snack. Instead of choosing empty carbs in a pack of french fries, grab a handful of salted roasted seeds or grab a few fresh carrots or celery to sip.
   Eat berries instead of candies. Berries are nutrient-dense, low-carb, and have the sweet taste of sweets. You can try strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries to satisfy your sweet cravings.

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Part 2 of 4: Creating a feeling of fullness for a long time

1. 

   Focus on protein in your meals. You should consider choosing lean proteins while on a low-carb diet, as this may help reduce the risk of high cholesterol. Lean proteins are low-fat proteins, such as:
   • Chicken skin removed
   • Ground turkey
   • Lean ground beef
   • Canned tuna
   • Egg-white
   • Low-fat cottage cheese
   • Tofu

2. 

   Fill your stomach with low-carb vegetables. You can comfortably eat low-carb vegetables for a feeling of fullness on most low-carb diets. Some low-carb vegetables and fruits include:
   • Cucumber
   • Broccoli
   • Cauliflower
   • Spinach
   • Courgettes
   • Bell pepper
   • Eggplant
   • Cabbage

3. 

   Store snacks in the refrigerator and kitchen cupboard. Low-carb snacks that keep you in the refrigerator and kitchen cupboards will help you fight cravings. Some low-carb snacks include:
   • Celery, broccoli, bell peppers and other fresh fruits and vegetables
   • Boiled eggs
   • Dry beef
   • Raw almonds
   • Greek yogurt without sugar

4. 

   Drink water and other sugar-free beverages. Staying hydrated on a low-carb diet will help you stay full for a long time and may also reduce the risk of side effects, such as dehydration. Avoid unsweetened soda water and other artificial sweeteners, as these can trigger a craving for sweetness. Instead, drink only filtered water and other unsweetened drinks. Some good low-carb drinks include:
   • Unsweetened tea (hot or cold)
   • Coffee (regular or decaffeinated)
   • Carbonated water with a slice of lemon
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Part 3 of 4: Choosing a long-term diet

1. 

   Choose Atkins diet, a classic low-carb diet. If you want to try the low-carb diet for a while then the Atkin diet is a great choice. This diet promises to help you lose 7 kg in 2 weeks, so this is a great plan if you hope to lose a lot of weight quickly.

   Try the Atkin diet
   First 2 weeks: Reduce to 20 grams of carbs per day. You also need to completely cut out simple carbs and refined sugars, starchy fruits and vegetables such as potatoes, broccoli, corn, nuts, and whole grains. As you continue your diet, you will gradually return these foods to your diet.
   Eat protein with all meals. Change different types of protein from time to time to enrich your meals. Try chicken, fish, turkey, and even tofu for a healthy and delicious meal.
   Consider the Atkin diet if you have some health problems. The Atkin diet program may be beneficial for people with metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease. The Atkin diet can help improve health, and in some cases even cure illnesses.

2. 

   Choose a South Beach diet to establish healthier eating habits. The South Beach diet, developed by a cardiologist, is believed to help build healthier eating habits while also assisting with weight loss. What's more, the South Beach diet doesn't have a strict carb restriction like some other diets and makes it easier to follow.

   Stages of the South Beach diet
   Phase one: Cut all carbs.
   Stage two: Include 1-2 servings of healthy carbs back in your daily diet.
   Stage three: Bring back carbs in moderation.
   Benefits obtained: This diet helps you choose carbs with a low glycemic index, which helps stabilize blood sugar and the feeling of hunger. It also encourages you to eat heart-healthy monounsaturated fats as well as moderate amounts of lean proteins, vegetables and fruits.

3. 

   Try a Ketogenic diet plan with a high fat, fullness diet. This diet focuses on a daily menu of 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbs. This forces the body to use fat for energy and aid in rapid weight loss.
   • The ketogenic diet has long been known to benefit people with epilepsy, but it can also help prevent Alzheimer's disease, stroke, dementia and brain injury.
   • Some people experience negative side effects when switching to a strict low-carb diet, such as “brain fog” syndrome, fatigue, and moodiness.

4. 

   Follow the Dukan diet if you like a structured plan. The Dukan Diet is one of the most tightly structured low-carb diets that many people find helpful. During the first 10 days, you'll eat only lean protein, oat bran, and water. After that, you can add low-carb vegetables, 1 serving of fruit and 1 serving of whole grains and hard cheese. You should be able to lose 4.5 kg or more in the first 2 weeks, and lose about 1-2 kg after that.
   • Note that you run the risk of nutrient deficiencies when your diet puts in place a lot of restrictions.

5. 

   Choose Paleo diet if you focus on whole foods. The Paleo diet abstains from dairy, cereals, potatoes or processed foods, but you can eat a lot of meat, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. This dietary intake of whole foods is quite healthy and allows you to eat a lot of food to feel full.
   • The purpose of the Paleo diet is intended to address many of the health problems facing people today - including obesity - due to the modern agricultural product diet of milk and grains.
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Part 4 of 4: Staying healthy and motivated

1. 

   Talk to your doctor before starting any diet. You should also consult your doctor before starting a weight loss program. This is especially important if you have a medical condition, such as diabetes or heart disease. Your doctor can determine if a low-carb diet is safe for you and also help you choose the low-carb diet type that best suits your situation.
   • If you have diabetes then a complete carb diet may not be safe. Instead, your doctor may advise you to choose healthier carbs, such as whole grains and fruits.
   • If you have high cholesterol, a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol can make your cholesterol level even higher. Instead, your doctor may recommend that you choose lean proteins such as skinless poultry, low-fat cottage cheese, and egg whites.

2. 

   Download an app to track your carbohydrate intake. If you need to limit your carbs to below a certain level each day or have a macronutrient balance, then a tracking app can help. Download an app for use on your phone or tablet. Record all foods for each day to track your carbohydrate intake and other macronutrients, such as fat and protein. You can also use an app to create menus, make food lists, and save recipes.
   • MyFitnessPal is a popular tracking app that you can download for free.
   • If you prefer to take notes by hand, you can buy a journal and write down everything you eat each day. See food labels for nutrition information. You can also find carbohydrates, fats, proteins and calories in a nutrition guide or online.

3. 

   Connect with people who are also on a diet. Make sure you stay on track by joining a network of people who are also on low-carb diets. You can ask them if you have questions about starting or maintaining your diet. Search online for low-carb diet communities, such as Facebook groups or sub-Reddit to join.
   • Introduce yourself when you join a group and let people know that you are just starting out on the diet.
   • Seek the help of your team members when you get stuck. For example, if you have a craving for sweet, ask the other team members what they did to overcome cravings.

   

   Shira Tsvi

   Fitness and fitness trainer Shira Tsvi is a fitness and fitness trainer with over 7 years of personal coaching experience and over 2 years of experience leading a sports team. Shira is accredited by the National College of Sport and Sports and Israel's Orde Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sports. She practices in the San Francisco Bay Area.

   

   Shira Tsvi
   Fitness and fitness coaches

   You will start to see results in the first 2 weeks. Results vary from person to person, but most notice a difference in about 2 weeks of using the diet.

4. 

   Prepare meals for the week to be sure on the right track. Meal planning for the week and setting aside a day with a few hours of meal preparation each week can help you diet successfully throughout the week. Pick a day in which you have a few hours of free time to find recipes and low-carb menus. Use this time to prepare some or all of the meals for the week.

   Tips for preparing meals
   Prepare materials. Cut up all the vegetables you need to cook for the week. Measure and divide into small pieces in zippered plastic bags.
   Pre-cook protein. If you can, pre-cook your protein dishes so that you can just reheat when you eat. You can boil eggs, roast chicken, roast almonds and the like.
   Split into each meal Divide food into the right amount and store in plastic containers that you can take away when needed. Try 35 grams of roasted chicken with skin removed with 90 grams of steamed broccoli and 150 grams of grilled zucchini.

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Advice

• Always eat breakfast and avoid skipping meals during the day.
• Low-carb diets can lead to low energy and chronic headaches. Talk to your doctor if this occurs immediately after starting a low-carb diet.